Bomber B was a German military aircraft design competition organised just before the start of World War II intended to develop a second-generation high-speed bomber for the Luftwaffe. The new designs would be a direct successor to the Schnellbomber philosophy of the Dornier Do 17 and Junkers Ju 88, relying on high speed as its primary defence. Bomber B would be a much larger and more capable aircraft, with range and payload far greater than the Schnellbomber, surpassing the largest conventional designs then under consideration. The winning design was intended to form the backbone of the Luftwaffe's bomber force, replacing the wide collection of semi-specialized designs then in service. The Reich Air Ministry was so optimistic that more modest projects were generally cancelled; when the project failed the Luftwaffe was left with hopelessly outdated aircraft.
The Junkers Ju 288 V2 (Second prototype Ju 288)
The troublesome DB 610 "welded-together engine" – the DB 606A/B powerplants were similar in configuration, with DB 610s used to substitute for the failed Jumo 222 powerplants. Outer engine mount forgings not present on this restored example.
Focke-Wulf Fw 191A
The Jumo 222 engine, on which so much depended concerning the Bomber B project
The Luftwaffe was the aerial-warfare branch of the Wehrmacht before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the Luftstreitkräfte of the Imperial Army and the Marine-Fliegerabteilung of the Imperial Navy, had been disbanded in May 1920 in accordance with the terms of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles which banned Germany from having any air force.
Hermann Göring, the first Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe (in office: 1935–1945)
Robert Ritter von Greim, the second and last Supreme Commander of the Luftwaffe (in office: April–May 1945)
Manfred von Richthofen with other members of Jasta 11, 1917 as part of the Luftstreitkräfte
Walther Wever, Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, 1933–1936