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I MARCH 1945UNCLASSIFIEDTM-E 30-451in German Air Force operations. Allied fightersuperiority, combined with the necessity of increasedGerman fighter production, largely hasrestricted bomber activities to mine laying andoccasional night bombing. Principal types usedare the JU 88, DO 217 and HE 111.(6) Transport planes. Although a pre-warmodel, the Junkers 52 three-engine, low-wingmonoplane is still the standard freight and troopcarrying transport of the German Air Force. Italso is used extensively for carrying and droppingparachute troops and as a glider tug. Otheroperational transport types include the six-engineMesserschmitt 323 and the four-engine Junkers290. Converted bombers, such as the HE 111,also are employed frequently for heavy transportduty.(7) Gliders. Gliders are of two types: poweredand tow. Both resemble a conventionalmonoplane, but the tow glider lacks an engine andlanding gear. The tow glider generally useswheels during take-off and then jettisons them,subsequently landing on a skid. Both types ofgliders are equipped with landing flaps and divebrakes, as well as navigation and landing lights.The principal types of tow gliders are the DFS230, GO 242 and ME 321. Principal poweredgliders are ME 323 and GO 244.(8) Army cooperation and reconnaissance aircraft.The standard type of Army cooperationplane, typified by the Henschel 126, has provedvery vulnerable to modern fighters and antiaircraftfire. This has resulted in the employmentof converted fighters, sufficiently. fast, maneuverable,and armed to undertake short-range reconnaissancewithout fighter protection. Such conversionusually consists of replacing some of thearmament with cameras. Recent development ofhigh-speed jet aircraft has furnished the GermanAir Force with a highly desirable reconnaissanceplane.b. GERMAN COMPOSITE OR "PICK-A'BACK"AIRCRAFT. This innovation, still in the experimentalstage, consists of a multi-motored planewith a large amount of explosive in the nose, surmountedand controlled by a single-engine aircraft.The latter directs the former in a divetowards the target and then releases it. Thereafterits operation is apparently by remote control.The usual components observed have beenthe JU 88 and the ME 109, but there is no reasonto believe that other similar types could not beadapted for this purpose.X—16c. JET- AND ROCKET-PROPELLED. (1) General.The perfection and application of jet and rocketpropulsion as motive power for aircraft are outstandingGerman aeronautical developments ofthe current war. To counter this new type aircraft,if it is employed on any appreciable scale,might well necessitate a general revision of defensiveand offensive aerial tactics. Requiredchanges or .improvements also might extend toinclude ground defenses against attacks by theseaircraft. To date the Germans have not employedjet or rocket aircraft on a sufficient scaleto permit full and accurate assessment of theircharacteristics and possibilities. Those currentlyin use, however, appear to possess significant advantagesover conventional types. In level flight,dives, and rate of climb all known conventionaltypes have been surpassed by aircraft with thistype of motive power. The propellerless powerunit is capable of operation on the lowest gradefuels, and the absence of many intricate parts,necessary in conventional types, probably greatlysimplifies assembly and repair methods.(2) Types. Operational types of German jetand jrocket aircraft thus far have been limited tothose powered by single or twin-units. Theyhave been employed to date as defensive fighters,as ground-attack or low-altitude bombers, and forreconnaissance. For the latter purpose they haveproved to be very effective because of their speed.(a) The only rocket-propelled aircraft knownto be operational by the German Air Force is theMesserschmitt 163 (ME 163). It is a veryfast, single-seat fighter. Although it has only asingle power unit, it has a remarkable rate ofclimb. Because of its present limited endurance,to date it has seen comparatively little use, particularlyin forward areas.(b) The Messerschmitt 262 (ME 262), atwin-unit, jet-propelled aircraft, has proved to bethe most successful of the German jet or rockettypes thus far developed. Employed as a fighter,as a ground-attack or low-level bomber, and forreconnaissance duties, it is the most versatile ofthe jet or rocket aircraft yet introduced by theGermans.(c) Other German twin-unit jet aircraft, eithercurrently operational on a limited scale or expectedto become operational in the near future,are the Arado 234 (AR 234) and Heinkel 280(HE 280). Both of these aircraft are somewhatsimilar to the Messerschmitt 262 in appearance