Heinkel He 277

Heinkel · Germany · first flew 1943 · bomber

The Heinkel He 277 was a German four-engine heavy bomber developed during World War II as a derivative of the He 177, replacing the troublesome coupled-engine arrangement with four separate Daimler-Benz DB 603 engines. It was intended to provide the Luftwaffe with a reliable long-range strategic bomber.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	4 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	22 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

Four separate DB 603 engines replacing the He 177's coupled pairs
Twin-fin tail assembly on a wide tailplane
Long-range heavy bomber development of the He 177 airframe

Superficially similar to the He 177 but with four clearly separate engine nacelles in two pairs across the wing, and the distinctive twin-fin tail; the four separate cowlings distinguish it immediately from the He 177's coupled pairs.

Specifications

The Heinkel He 277 has a length of 22 m (72 ft).
It has a wingspan of 31.44 m (103 ft).
Its maximum speed is 565 km/h (351 mph).
Typical crew: 6.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed as a private venture by Heinkel to address the He 177's chronic engine fire problems, the He 277 flew its first prototype (a converted He 177) in 1943. Despite promising performance, Hitler's preference for bombers that could dive-bomb and lack of strategic bombing doctrine led to cancellation before production.

Variants

Several prototype configurations were tested; a He 277B-5 with pressurised fuselage and extended range was proposed but not completed.

Where you'll see it

Never entered Luftwaffe service; remained at the prototype evaluation stage throughout.

Related aircraft

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