Oberst Danjeje,
Negative, the A-5 had the same span as the A-4 - in fact it was the first A Model to have this wingspan - the A-5 went into service before the A-4 as the A-4 was awaiting the new and more powerful Jumo 211J (1350 hp) supercharged engines which were slow to be delivered. The need for more of the now proven aircraft consequently forced the A-5 to be produced before the A-4, with one of a few versions of the 1200 hp Jumos, and incorporating several features which combat had shown the A-1 to lack :
-more defensive MGs, more robust intrinsic structure/airframe
-greater wingspan (same as A-4 ... 65' 10 1/2 ")
-strengthened landing gear
As far as I can ascertain, the only external visible differences between the A-4 and A-5 was that the A-5 had 2 additional ETC 250 kg bombracks outboard of the engines - these were removed from the A-4 , although I suspect that they could have been retrofitted in the field. The A-5 was also the first operational model to have the bulged rear canopy blisters for the defensive MGs in the rear greenhouse, though I suspect their inclusion pretty much parrallelled their introduction into the A-4 series. I guess optimally each of the A-4 and A-5 should be represented by early and late models, with the early versions being slower firing MG15s and flat rear canopy panels, and late versions of each model wielding MG18s and bulged rear canopies.
Sincerely
Kopfdorfer
Author
Topic: Filling Out the Ju88As (A-1, A-5, A-13) (Read 15875 times)
