Monday, April 18, 2011

DO-335


On my way home from work I had to good fortune to be going thru Washington Dulles Aiport, home of the National Air & Space's Udvar-Hazy Museum.


Though I'd been there before, I wanted to specifically to see two airplanes; the Northrup P-61 Black Widow and the ultra-rare Donier DO-335 Pfeil (Arrow).


The DO-335 never saw combat during World War II, but if it had it would have given Mustang and Thunderbolt fighters a run for there money. Fast, maneuverable and packing a 30 mm cannon and twin 20mm cannons, it could handle it's own in a dogfight.


The story goes that when this one was captured by US forces in 1945, it was flown to Cherboug to be taken to the United States. Escorted by two Mustangs, the Pfeil easily ran away from them, arriving 45 minutes before it's escorts.

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