Ju 288 C

Ju 288 C

Ju 288 C

Germany

IV Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
6.0	6.0	6.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Bomber

Frontline bomber

Purchase:4 880

Show in game

Description

The Junkers Ju 288 was a prototype medium bomber designed as a submission to the Bomber B design contest organised by the Luftwaffe just before World War II. The Bomber B specification demand a Schnellbomber (fast bomber) with the purpose of replacing the current Junkers Ju 88 bombers in service. Though a potent bomber in its own right, the Ju 88 suffered what ended up being crippling features such as a relatively small internal bomb bay requiring extra ordnance to be ferried on external hard points which ultimately increased the aircraft's drag coefficient, resulting in less efficient flight performance. Though a contest was held to choose the next generation of medium Schnellbombers, the RLM had already determined the Ju 288 was the clear winner and even let Focke-Wulf, Dornier and Henschel continue to pursue their prototypes in vain. Out of the gate, what caught the eye of the RLM was that although the Ju 288 is slightly larger than the Ju 88, the new prototype contained a pressurized cabin allowing for higher altitude flying, faster speeds, further range, excellent defensive capabilities and a much larger bomb payload. Such hope was put into this aircraft that it was slated to replace all bombers within the Luftwaffe inventory.

Though the aircraft itself was a massive success, the failed development of the Junkers Jumo 222 engines and problems with its complicated landing gear ended up crippling the development of the plane, resulting in only a handful of prototypes being built with a few being hurriedly outfitted with defensive weapons and used as a reconnaissance bomber. The Ju 288 C was the final batch of the Ju 288 produced, which substituted the Jumo 222 engines with a slightly less troublesome Daimler-Benz DB610 coupled engines found on the Heinkel He 177 heavy bomber.

Introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea". The Ju 288 C is an aircraft that has an in-game reputation of being loved by its pilot and loathed by its enemies, and for a good reason. The Ju 288 C is the ultimate Schnellbomber, featuring a combination of extremely heavy payload for its size, fast top speed and acceleration and a potent defensive armaments. It can deliver up to 5,000 kg of payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs, easily capable of wiping out a group of ground vehicles or threaten even a battleship. Its other payload are the versatile 36 x 50 kg bombs, a relatively lightweight yet optimal payload for destroying up to 2 bases or carpet bombings. The Ju 288 can prove to be incredible asset for your team or a headache to the enemy, as it can perform in various roles effectively, be it dive bombing, level bombing, or close air support.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 6 000 m630 km/h

Turn time30 s

Max altitude11 000 m

Engine2 х Daimler-Benz DB-610

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight22 t

For those pilots who have flown many slow and heavy bombers just to get a decent payload to the target will be thoroughly refreshed when getting behind the controls of the Ju 288 C. Quickly apparent is the speed of this bomber. As its type suggests, Schnellbomber, this aircraft is fast, topping out just over 600 km/h (375 mph) and agile enough to manoeuvre when attacked as not to be a "sitting duck" like many of the larger contemporary bombers such as the American B-24 and the Italian P.108B which are easily 120 km/h (75 mph) slower and much less agile making for a tempting target even for the least experienced fighter pilot to attempt to eliminate.

For many aircraft, speed is life, but speed for this Schnellbomber not only is life but what gets the ordnance to the target. The Ju 288 C does have a pressurized cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes where it can bomb bases with accuracy with 2,500 kg bombs, but this bomber is also very capable at flying at lower altitudes and even terrain hugging where it can release up to 36 x 50 kg bombs on unsuspecting vehicles before they have a chance to scatter or hardened anti-aircraft structures filling the sky with flak. The Ju 288 C also has the ability to operate as a dive bomber given that it has dive brakes in the wings which will help slow its speed and maintain its heading during a dive to ensure a relatively smooth bombing run, after bombs have been dropped, the aircraft can retract the flaps and power up and move onto the next target.

There's usually two ways to play Ju 288 C: stay high or dive. Most people play Ju 288 C dive and take as many bases for themselves. When diving, try to watch your IAS and keep it at around 640 km/h (400 mph), don't go over that speed. The second way to play is to stay high, when staying high, you will see enemy bombers that you can hunt with your superior firepower. When bomber hunting, try to get next to them, match their speed, and gun the hell out of them. Usually, bomber hunting will cause you to sustain some damage.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	607	591	11000	32.0	33.0	8.5	8.5	1,500
Upgraded	655	630		29.5	30.7	14.9	11.4

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
675	310	457	428	280	~9	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 370	< 360	< 450	> 715

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
5,700 m	2,520 hp	2,797 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew4 people

Speed of destruction

Structural675 km/h

Gear310 km/h

• 10 mm steel - Pilot's headrests
• 8 mm steel - Pilot's seats
• 8 mm steel - cockpit floor

The Ju 288 C are highly survivable, even when compared to some heavy bombers. The airframe can take a lot of beatings and although the elevator and rudders are quire weak, the plane is still capable of stay in flight even when one of its twin tails or engines were destroyed. Although the Ju 288 are quite volatile due to the large fuel tanks scattered around the wings, it can endure multiple fire damages and still remains intact.

However, the DB 610 engines is the critical weakness of the Ju 288. The engine's poor cooling system will results into the engine itself being gradually damaged over time should the engine or the coolant being damaged, eventually forcing the the aircraft the land or crash.

For anyone who wanted to take down the Ju 288 C, your best bet is to take out the pilots from above or frontally due to glazed nose design of the aircraft. Otherwise aim for the engines so that you can disable them and hinder the chance for an enemy Ju 288 to limp back to the airfield. Approaching from the side is also possible due to the lack of coverage from the 20 mm autocannon.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB1 865

RB7 127

SB10 407

Crew training10 000

Experts320 000

Aces1 100

Research Aces1 050 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 110 / 220 / 550 %

2 × 172 / 172 / 172 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Radiator Compressor Wings repair Engine Engine injection	Airframe Cover	mg131_turret_belt_pack SC 250 Flamm C 250 mg15120_turret_belt_pack SC 500 Flamm C 500 mg131_turret_new_gun SC 1000 mg15120_turret_new_gun SC 1800 SC 2500

Armaments

Suspended armament

List of setups (8)

Setup 136 x 50 kg SC50JA bomb

Setup 28 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb

Setup 33 x 500 kg SC500K bomb

Setup 42 x 1000 kg SC1000L2 bomb

Setup 52 x 1800 kg SC1800B bomb

Setup 62 x 2500 kg SB2500 bomb

Setup 78 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

Setup 83 x Flam C 500 incendiary bomb

The Ju 288 C can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 36 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,800 kg total)
• 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
• 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
• 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs (3,600 kg total)
• 2 x 2,800 kg SC2500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
• 8 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
• 3 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The payload of the Ju 288 C are exceptional for its class. It can carry up to 5,000 kg payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs. With massive destruction radius and an extra drop, the Ju 288 C is capable of singlehandedly turn the tide of ground battle in favor of its team by wiping out the enemy teams with two well-aimed drops, or take out even battleships in naval battle with a near miss. It should be noted that this payload will put a significant strain on the aircraft's airframe, resulting into worse overall flight performance and significantly longer take-off runs. The bomb itself may also damage your own aircraft if you were too close to its explosion radius when it detonated, such as in a dive bombing.

The other payload options, the 36 x 50 kg bombs, is also potent. The quantity of bombs is enough to destroy two bases in Air RB, and due to its light weight, it will not hinder the flight performance of the Ju 288 as much as the other equivalent.

Defensive armament

Turret20 mm MG 151 cannon

Ammunition600 rounds

Fire rate750 shots/min

3 х Turret2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun

Ammunition2000 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The Ju 288 C is defended by:

• 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, tail turret (600 rpg)
• 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, chin turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
• 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
• 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

With four remote-controlled turrets and good coverage, the Ju 288 C is quite well-defended for a fast bomber. Although the six 13 mm machine guns doesn't have much penetration for its calibre, it is still enough to damage the engine of any would-be chasers and potentially light them on fire if enough shots landed. The real kicker though is the tail turret armed with a single 20 mm autocannon with an access to the dreaded minengeschoß shell that can easily shred any aircraft apart.

However, the Ju 288 still has some significant blindspots. The most obvious one is the lack of upper coverage, with only two 13 mm machine guns covering this spot. This present an opportunity for the enemy to take out the pilots and gunners by firing at the glazed canopy of the bomber. The glazed canopy also makes any head-on engagements potentially lethal. As such, always face your six (and 20 mm autocannon) to the enemy as soon as possible.

Usage in battles

As a bomber, you spawn at a higher altitude, where you can use this advantage to dive to the base you want to destroy. However, do not exceed 690 km/h (430 mph), or the wings will break. A great indication of this is when your wings start to shake uncontrollably - by then, it would be apparent that you need to slow down. A good idea for more savvy pilots would be to use the Manual Engine Control to turn off automatic radiators and fully open them, allowing you near unlimited WEP without overheating and letting you keep as much altitude as possible for a possible emergency dive away from enemy fighters.

Base bombing

In Air RB, there are two predominant types of maps: standard HP maps and double HP maps. Standard HP maps typically have three bases, with some exceptions, such as the "Air Battle" maps, which have four bases. These bases take a single SC1800 each, meaning that you can bomb two bases in a single run, yielding just over 1,000 points. Note that the airfield is a bombing target once all bases are destroyed. However, about half of the maps you see in-game are "Operation" maps, with four bases and no airfield. These bases take both SC1800 bombs to destroy, and often feature four AAA emplacements on the edges of the base. When attacking these bases, a great strategy is to drop the bombs at the edges of the base, instead of at the centre. Because of the massive blast radius of the SC1800, this enables you to kill several AAA emplacements along with the base bombing, which yields additional Silver Lions and RP.

Although the just named strategy is what is commonly used, it is ineffective and doesn't provide the full potential of the Ju 288 C. The most efficient way to use the Ju 288 is to use the 8 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb loadout, as 4 Flam C250kg incendiary bombs can destroy a double HP base, while 2 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb can destroy a standard HP base. With this loadout, you'll be able to destroy at least two bases on most maps, while being able to single-handedly destroy the whole map on standard HP Maps.

Typically, the best strategy for the Ju 288 when bombing is to utilize the Schnellbomber qualities of the aircraft, and put the aircraft into a 10-degree dive towards the base. For most "Operation" maps, this means that you can bomb the base well before enemy fighters can even see you appear on their screen. After you have dropped your bombs, return to base and reload bombs; the advance airfield (smaller airfield closer to the battlefield) works better as long as there are no enemies close by, as you will get air spawn for many of those bases. Fly back, bomb, return to base, repeat. This strategy is simple, effective, and extremely profitable in terms of SL and RP.

Defensive flying

The Ju 288 C is a juicy target and will often be targeted by allied fighter pilots. As a result, defensive flying is a must. If you see a fighter coming in for an attack run, the best strategy to use is to dive away. This works significantly better if the Ju 288 C has an energy advantage, as it can outrun most planes at its BR in a dive. However, if they are faster than you (i.e. the F2G Super Corsair), level out and fire on them using your defensive guns. The Ju 288 C is surprisingly well-armed in terms of defensive armament, featuring six 13 mm machine guns and a tail-mounted 20 mm cannon. Try to keep enemy fighters on your tail, as the 20 mm cannon can load Minengeschoß (mine-shell) ammunition that is incredibly damaging against air targets. Finally, avoid all head-on engagements. Though the Ju 288 has two pilots, it is not too durable, and a frontal burst from an enemy fighter can easily knock out both pilots.

Enemies worth noting

• F4U Corsairs & F2G Super Corsair - The F4U / F2Gs are very common enemies, with high speed and extremely deadly weaponry (20 mm cannon for the F4Us and 12.7 mm Browning HMGs for the F2G). Against these aircraft, the best strategy is to 1) run away and 2) keep them slightly below your tail where you can fire at them with your four ventral 13 mm machine guns as well as the 20 mm cannon. When possible, seek protection from allied fighters, as the Corsairs carry a heavy armament that can tear the Ju 288 C apart very quickly. Note that the Corsairs are all faster than you, meaning that you can only outrun them when you have an energy advantage.
• S.O.8000 Narval, J6K1, Tempest and Spitfire - Again, these aircraft all carry extremely powerful weaponry: the Tempests and Spitfires carry four 20 mm Hispano cannons while the J6K and Narval carry six 20 mm cannons. These weapons are extremely deadly and will shred your airframe apart very quickly. Similar to the F4Us, the best strategy is to bait these aircraft onto your six, where you can shred them with your 20 mm cannon. The British fighters and Japanese J6K are relatively fragile and rip apart pretty quickly; the Narval has a rear-mounted engine which is less susceptible to damage, but lacks full pilot protection, allowing for pilot snipes.
• AM-1, AD-2 and AD-4⁣ - This trio of American attackers can seem harmless, but they pack an explosive punch with four 20 mm cannons which are capable of shredding your airframe apart. The Ju 288 C's main advantage is its speed. You can outrun all three of these attackers without issue. Don't provoke them / drop to their altitude and speed, and you'll be absolutely fine.
• Hornet Mk.I and Hornet Mk.III - These twin-engine fighters are one of the few aircraft capable of intercepting you before you reach the bases with their good engine performance combined with the interceptor spawn. Along with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, they can destroy your plane in an instant. If you see one heading straight towards you, turn the aircraft and level off, aiming the cannons at the engine nacelles or the cockpit. The lack of frontal armour will allow you to knock the pilot out more easily.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High speed for the rank, can often reach bases before fighters can intercept
• Very manoeuvrable for a bomber, capable of dive bombing
• Has air brakes, makes landing and dive bombing easier
• Excellent ordnance options, including two massive 2500 kg bombs
• Excellent defensive coverage from most angles, especially the tail with the 20 mm autocannon
• Durable airframe, capable of stay in flight even with only one tail
• Commonly puts out fires before structure failure, although it may end with eventually fatal coolant leaks

Cons:

• Priority target; will be swarmed by enemies as soon as you were spotted
• Engines tend to overheat quickly without MEC
• Pilot and gunners can be easily knocked out from the front or above due to glazed canopy
• Somewhat reliant on the 20 mm autocannon, as the 13 mm lacks penetration to deal with enemies at range
• Rudders and elevators are extremely fragile and can be disabled or destroyed by just a few cannon rounds
• Aircraft catches fire easily as it carries 10 self-sealing fuel tanks that are poorly covered
• Cannot sustain flight on one engine, damaged engine or coolant will gradually degrade them and eventually forced the plane to land or crash

History

The Ju 288 C was a prototype German Schnellbomber (fast bomber) and the winner of the "Bomber B" competition, which aimed to replace all German bombers then in service. The Ju 288 C was a highly advanced aircraft employing modern technologies, including a fully pressurized cockpit and remotely controlled defensive armament. The aircraft was built to be faster, higher-flying and longer-ranged than any bomber then in Luftwaffe service, but was unable to reach these aspirational goals due to the failure of its intended power plant, the Junkers Jumo 222. The Ju 288 would never enter operational service, having been cancelled in 1944.

At the start of WWII, Germany possessed several Schnellbomber designs, including the Do 17 and Ju 88, which quickly became obsolete with the course of the war. As a result, the German air ministry (RLM) issued a new requirement, named "Bomber B"; it was hoped that the Bomber B design would replace all Luftwaffe medium bombers then in service. Multiple companies submitted bids, including Junkers with the Ju 288, Dornier with the Do 317, Focke-Wulf with the Fw 191, and Henschel with the Hs 130. However, the Ju 288 had practically been chosen from the start. As a result, the company progressed with the development of their Ju 288 prototypes.

The Ju 288 was a formidable bomber, intended to be powered by a pair of Junkers Jumo 222 multibank inline engines developing over 2,400 hp for takeoff, nearly twice the power of the typical inline engines of the time. While countries like the US proceeded with the development of four-engined heavy bombers like the B-17, B-24 or B-29, Germany was hesitant to fit their bombers with four engines as the increased number of engines would place undue strain on the engine‑manufacturing industry.

The power provided by the pair of Junkers Jumo 222 engines would provide the Ju 288 with an impressive set of flight characteristics: a potential top speed of 655 km/h at 7,000 metres and a service ceiling over 10 kilometres. The aircraft was fitted with a pressurized cabin at the front, remotely controlled defensive turrets, and a spacious bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 3,630 kg of bombs. The aircraft was designed to replace all medium bombers in the RLM's inventory and provide the Luftwaffe with significant bombing capabilities.

Despite this, the Ju 288 would never see service due to the failure of the Jumo 222 as a power plant: over 300 engines would be built, but the engine suffered from numerous issues, leaving it nearly nonfunctional. The first seven Ju 288 prototypes, designated Ju 288 A, would fly with BMW radial engines, leaving them quite underpowered. The Ju 288 C designation was given to the final eight prototypes, fitted with the heavier DB-610 engines that were used onto the He 177. These engines were only marginally more reliable than the Jumo 222, overheating quickly and even catching fire on some occasions. At the end, the aircraft was cancelled at the prototype stage in late 1944, meaning that the aircraft would never see full active service.

Devblog

In 1939, the Junkers company began work on a new bomber that was supposed to replace the Ju 88 bombers in service at the time. The new aircraft had to surpass the predecessor across all parameters. The plan was to fit the upcoming model with new, more powerful engines, significantly boost the firepower of the defensive armament, and, of course, increase the payload. The first prototypes took to the skies when the Jumo 222A/B engines, which the aircraft were supposed to be equipped with, had not been installed yet. Instead, the BMW engines were used. Extensive work began on the experimental models of the new series, which received the designation Ju 288, with the aim of enhancing the bomber's characteristics. This explains why the first eight prototypes were significantly different from one another.

In 1942, the Ministry of Aviation made a ruling to include a fourth member in the aircraft crew, which demanded changes to be made to the build of the cockpit. Vehicles of the second-generation prototype series with the letter "B" in their designation had their wingspan increased and their defensive armament changed. The Jumo 222A/B engines still required more work to be done and thus weren't installed on the Ju 288Bs. The Ju 288Cs, the third-generation prototypes of the series, were fitted with the Daimler Benz DB 605 engines, requiring the nacelles to be changed. Furthermore, the wingspan of the aircraft was increased even more and the defensive armament received another modification – this time, a lower rear turret was added. The Ju 288C's first test flights began in the spring of 1943. Junkers even prepared three versions of the new bomber build for serial production, each with a unique armament set. However, in June, the engineering department notified the aircraft manufacturer to discontinue work on the Ju 288 due to a lack of resources required to produce the new aircraft. Tests on the Ju 288 continued right up to 1944 – the aircraft even went on several combat flights. However, ultimately, the bomber was never approved for serial production.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Ju 288 C from live.warthunder.com.

Images

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Videos

Ju 288C - Nerfed? Yes! Useless? Heck No!!! - Napalmratte

Ju-288 Schnell bomber with 1,800 kg bombs - Phlydaily

Premium Review: Ju 288C - The Ultimate SchnellBomber! - Jengar

See also

Related development

• Junkers Ju 88

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era*

• Tupolev Tu-2
• Yokosuka P1Y Ginga

External links

• [Devblog] Ju 288C
• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

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