Editing Heinkel He 219 Uhu (section)

==Design and development==
===Background===
During the summer of 1940, [[Robert Lusser]] returned to Heinkel from [[Messerschmitt]] and immediately began work on a new high-speed bomber project designated ''P.1055''.<ref name="Smith & Kay p299"/> This was a shoulder-wing [[cantilever]] monoplane; the tailplane, which had considerable [[Dihedral (aeronautics)|dihedral]], had twin [[fin]]s and [[rudder]]s. The glazed canopy of the cockpit was [[Aircraft fairing|faired]] into the nose of the aircraft and provided excellent external visibility for its two occupants, who were seated in an atypical back-to-back configuration.<ref name="Smith & Kay p299"/> Many parts of the airframe, including its single-[[Spar (aeronautics)|spar]] wing, rectangular-section fuselage and tail surfaces, were made of metal and had a stressed-skin covering.<ref name="Smith & Kay p299">Smith and Kay 1972, p. 299.</ref>

The P.1055 was originally intended to be a multi-purpose aircraft, and was a relatively advanced design for the era, with a [[Cabin pressurization|pressurized]] cockpit, twin [[ejection seat]]s (the first to be planned for use in any combat aircraft), [[Tricycle gear|tricycle landing gear]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Sengfelder |first=Günther |date=1993 |title=German Aircraft Landing Gear |location=Atglen, PA US |publisher=Schiffer Publishing |pages=141–142 |isbn=0-88740-470-7 |quote=During retraction the nosewheel had to turn through 90 degrees, which was achieved by means of a mechanism in the head of the wheel fork. On retraction, a spring-loaded level with pulley, which limited deflection to 60 degrees by means of a locking hook and stop, was folded into the fuselage and turned through ninety degrees after making contact with a guide.}}</ref><ref>[http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~t_miyama/uhuflg00.html Japanese-language site showing He 219 nosegear retraction animation]</ref> and remotely controlled, side-mounted FDSL 131 defensive [[Aircraft gun turret|gun turret]]s.<ref name="Smith & Kay p299"/> Power was to be provided by a pair of [[Daimler-Benz DB 605D|DB 610]] "power system" engines producing (2,950&nbsp;PS/2,910&nbsp;hp) each,<ref>Griehl and Dressel 1998, p. 224.</ref> delivering a performance with a top speed of approximately 750&nbsp;km/h (470&nbsp;mph) and a 4,000&nbsp;km (2,500&nbsp;mi) [[Range (aircraft)|range]] with a 2,000&nbsp;kg (4,410&nbsp;lb) [[Aerial bomb|bomb]] load.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

In August 1940, an initial review by the ''[[Ministry of Aviation (Germany)|Reichsluftfahrtministerium]]'' rejected the P.1055 considering it to be too complex and risky. Lusser quickly offered four versions of the fighter with various [[wingspan]]s and engine choices in order to balance performance and risk. He also offered the ''P.1056'', a night fighter with four [[20 mm caliber|20&nbsp;mm]] [[Autocannon|cannon]] in the wings and fuselage. The RLM rejected all of these proposals on the same grounds in 1941. Heinkel was furious and fired Lusser on the spot.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

About the same time as Lusser was designing the P.1055, Kammhuber had started looking for an aircraft for his rapidly growing [[night fighter]] force. Heinkel quickly re-designed the P.1055 for this role as the ''P.1060''. This was similar in layout but somewhat smaller and powered by two [[Daimler-Benz DB 603|DB 603]] inverted [[V12 engine]]s. As designed by Heinkel, these engines' nacelles had annular [[Radiator (engine cooling)#Aircraft|radiator]]s.  The early DB 603 subtypes had poor [[altitude]] performance, which was a problem for Heinkel's short-winged design, but Daimler had a new "G" subtype of the DB 603 powerplant meant to produce 1,400&nbsp;kW (1,900 PS) take-off power apiece under development to remedy the problem. Heinkel was sure he had a winner and sent the design off to the RLM in January 1942, while he funded the first [[prototype]] himself. The RLM again rejected the He 219, in favour of new Ju 88- and Me 210-based designs.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

===Prototypes===
Construction of the prototype was started in February 1942; however, one month later, work was set back when Daimler reported that the intended DB 603G engine would not be ready in time and an alternative engine arrangement was necessary.<ref>Wagner and Nowarra 1971, p. 246.</ref> Even still, DB 603 engines did not arrive until August 1942, and the prototype made its [[maiden flight]] until 6 November 1942.<ref name="Predator p12">Green and Swanborough 1989, p. 12.</ref><ref name="Smith & Kay p299300">Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 299-300.</ref> When Kammhuber saw the prototype on 19 November, he was so impressed that he immediately ordered it into production over Milch's objections. Milch, who had rejected the He 219 in January, was enraged.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

During early January 1943, a series of competitive trials were flown between the second prototype of the He 219 and the [[Junkers Ju 188]]; these were inconclusive.<ref name="Smith & Kay p300"/> One problem was that the He 219 possessed less stability than desired; to overcome this, Heinkel offered a cash prize to engineers to develop corrective measures.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} In March 1943, a more comprehensive series of tests were conducted in which the He 219 proved to be superior to both the Ju 188 and the [[Dornier Do 217]].<ref name="Smith & Kay p300"/> The same month, the He 219 programme was dealt a major blow when Heinkel's works at [[Rostock]] were struck by an RAF bombing raid which, amongst other things, destroyed three-quarters of the drawings; soon afterwards, the design office was transferred to [[Vienna]].<ref name="Smith & Kay p299"/>

During the development process several changes were made to the armament. The dorsal rear defensive guns mounted on top of the fuselage and firing directly rearward were removed due to their tendency to become detached from the fuselage when fired.<ref name="Smith & Kay p300">Smith and Kay 1972, p. 300.</ref> The forward-firing armament was increased to two Mauser MG 151/20 20&nbsp;mm autocannon in the [[wing root]]s, inboard of the propeller arcs and four more MG 151/20 autocannon mounted in the ventral fuselage tray. The A-0 model had a bulletproof shield which could be raised in the front cockpit, protecting the bottom portion of the [[windscreen]]. Production prototypes were then ordered as the ''He 219 A-0'' and quickly progressed to the point where ''V7'', ''V8'' and ''V9'' were handed over to operational units in June 1943 for testing.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

The earlier prototypes, with four-blade propellers<ref>[http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/aircraft/night-fighters/heinkel-he-219-uhu-night-fighter/heinkel-he-219-uhu-night-fighter-02.png He 219 V5 fifth prototype photo]</ref> had blunt, compound-curvature noses, as used for production-series aircraft. The early examples of these had cutouts for the forward-projecting masts of the ''Matratze'' radar antennae of at least the first five prototypes, used with the early UHF-band [[Lichtenstein radar#FuG 202 Lichtenstein B/C|Lichtenstein]] B/C or C-1 radar installation.<ref>[http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/aircraft/night-fighters/heinkel-he-219-uhu-night-fighter/heinkel-he-219-uhu-night-fighter-02.png "Heinkel He 219."] ''Livevehicles.com''. Retrieved: 23 April 2015.</ref> These early He 219V-series prototypes also had cockpit canopies that did not smoothly taper on their upper surface, as on the later production aircraft, but instead ended in a nearly hemispherical enclosure.<ref name="Smith & Kay p300"/><ref>[http://falkeeins.blogspot.com/2010/11/heinkel-he-219-at-rechlin-exhibition.html "Heinkel He 219."] ''falkeeins.blogspot.com'', November 2010. Retrieved: 23 April 2015.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170819171433/https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-81de7da3cd6115ac24b615206c7ad928-c Heinkel factory engineering department's He 219 fuselage development sideview drawing, showing Ju 88G-style rear-canopy gunmount, fuselage dorsal and ventral "steps" and blunt-ended rear on cockpit canopy]</ref> 
In December 1943, Milch pushed for the He 219 programme to be cancelled in favour of the [[Junkers Ju 88|Junkers Ju 88G]] on the basis that the performance of the Ju 88G was sufficient to handle Allied bombers and that increasing production of the He 219 would disrupt manufacturing efforts.<ref name="Smith & Kay p301">Smith and Kay 1972, p. 301.</ref> Milch also proposed that the [[Dornier Do 335]] be favoured over the He 219. Milch repeatedly sought to have the programme cancelled;<ref name="Smith & Kay p3012">Smith and Kay 1972, pp. 301-302.</ref> these efforts reportedly led to Kammhuber being removed from office.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}} On 25 May 1944, production of the He 219 was officially ended after Milch persuaded RLM officials to redirect resources to the [[Junkers Ju 388]] and [[Focke-Wulf Ta 154 Moskito]] programmes.<ref name="Smith & Kay p3012"/> Despite the programme being officially terminated, Heinkel continued low-rate production of the He 219.<ref name="Smith & Kay p302">Smith and Kay 1972, p. 302.</ref>