P.1108 Fernbomber

The Messerschmitt P.1108 Fernbomber was a late‑war German design intended to provide the Luftwaffe with a long‑range, high‑speed strategic bomber capable of striking distant Allied targets without escort. First sketched in 1943 by the Messerschmitt design office under the direction of Dr. Woldemar Voigt, the project evolved into a full‑scale proposal by early 1945. The Fernbomber featured a revolutionary all‑wing configuration with six swept‑back jet‑propulsion units—four mounted in pairs beneath the wing and two as tail‑mounted boosters—delivering a combined thrust of roughly 12 000 kgf. Its massive, stressed‑skin airframe could carry up to 4 000 kg of conventional bombs or a single early guided weapon, while an advanced pressurised cabin allowed a crew of four to operate at an altitude of 12 000 m. Innovative elements such as retractable landing gear concealed within the wing, a detachable fuel‑jettison system, and a nascent onboard navigation computer set it apart from contemporary bombers. Although the prototype never left the drawing board due to Germany’s surrender, the P.1108 exemplified the transition from piston‑engine heavy bombers to jet‑powered strategic platforms, influencing post‑war designs such as the American B‑52 and contributing to early concepts of intercontinental cruise missiles.