BV 155 - Germany's Stratospheric Interceptor

The Blohm & Voss BV 155 was a German high-altitude interceptor that flew for the first time near the end of the Second World War. It was a highly advanced machine with the potential to reach incredible heights and was one of the apogees of propeller-driven military aircraft.

Game footage and aircraft models

00:04 History
06:24 Technical Aspects
09:29 Opinion and Conclusion

Disclaimer - This channel is apolitical. We do not endorse any kind of political view.

Corrections
None.

Music by order of appearance

History:
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Conclusion:
Song:
Faust Overture

Artist:
Orquesta Filarmónica de Málaga, Ali Rahbari

Album:
Mythos Wagner

Licensed to YouTube by:
Naxos Digital Services US, Inc (on behalf of Naxos); LatinAutor - UMPG, LatinAutorPerf, UNIAO BRASILEIRA DE EDITORAS DE MUSICA - UBEM, UMPG Publishing, and 4 Music Rights Societies

Sources
- Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe 2 - Blohm & Voss BV 155 by Dan Sharp

- Monogram Close-up 20 - Blohm & Voss 155 by Thomas H. Hitchcock

- Luftwaffe Secret Projects - Fighter 1939-1945 by Walter Schick and Ingolf Meyer

- Aircraft of the Luftwaffe by Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage

I do not own any of the images used in this video. The owners of such images are identified in the video itself.

[paulstroud]

I was lucky enough to be shown round the NASM storage facility in Maryland in the mid - 80's, the BV155 was uncrated but unrestored in a very crowded storage hangar. It's a shame it is not yet on display, even in it's current state, but at least it still exists.

[norbertblackrain]

Compared to other late war developments the BV155 was a very reasonable project.

[paoloviti]

The BV 155 was a very interesting and advanced high altitude fighter but as you stated it had a very convoluted history. According to a booklet I bought years ago it was much to blame the Messerschmitt company that was withholding needed info and only with great reluctance involved Blohm & Voss to develop their airplane because Messerschmitt couldn't handle so many projects and developments. Because of the war situation started very late on this airplane but Messerschmitt treated again and again badly the Blohm & Voss representatives including Voght, the chief executive. Apparently this airplane could have been developed almost a year earlier if it was not involved with bickering and politics. Apparently it is still in storage somewhere in USA! Good job 👍 👏

[atilllathehun]

Good video. Regarding wingspan, two British aircraft were built as high altitude interceptor prototypes. The Westland Welkin had long span wings like the BV155 but the Vickers 432 'Mayfly' looked like a fat Mosquito with relativley short and stubby wings. There was also the Lancaster based Avro 684 'Stratosphere bomber' - worth a video of its own.

[majorkursk]

The Germans wasted so much time on unfounded fighter plane designs, that it seriously hurt the war effort. The F/W Ta-152 was one of the best plane designs for high altitude defense built by Germany.
But by wars end only 69 were manufactured and the number of experienced pilots to make the most of these fighter planes were in short supply.

[foreverpinkf.]

Thank you. Never heard of this airplane. Very fascinating "what if" plane.

[rob]

It looks a little like a U2, and if it looks right it probably is right. As my old dad used to say "Good engineers, the Germans".

[aurorajones]

Fun fact: The U2 has a 12 knot delta to fly at altitude. Meaning if you were 12 knots to fast you'd tear the wings off, If you were 12 knots to low you'd stall from altitude and have to do it all over again. So in that it was a very taxing aircraft to fly. I couldn't imagine, 12 knots is a very small window and this was pre flight computers so it was all you baby.

[mbryson]

Thank you for covering this relatively obscure aircraft. 😊

I am VERY much hoping that you do a video about the TA-152H. I built a 1/72 kit of one in the 70s (it was the most graceful and aesthetically pleasing single-seat model I had ever built), but history books available in the US at that time were sadly lacking in facts. I hope you can help.

[ronjon]

This video would have been interesting if you’d only have mentioned the TKL 15 turbo-supercharger, so now it’s twice as interesting! My engine interests have greatly expanded in the last year, so thank you - this is the first I’ve seen reference to this device.

[robbierobinson]

Thank you for this coverage of this obscure aircraft. In 1970 I started trying to build a RC model of the Westland Welkin and read up details of the BV155 by comparison.

[MachDoch]

on the other side of the road of the Luftwaffe HQ, was the famous techno club Tresor back in the 90´s. you could look at it while high on music and drugs and chilling.. which is much more importand

[shaunybonny]

Greg’s automobiles and airplanes has a good video on the ta152.

[proffmongo]

At 3:54 there is a picture of Richard Vogt & Ernst Udet with his Pour le Merite!!! AKA The Blue Max!!!

[McRocket]

Fascinating story.
Amazing performance.
Thank you.
☮

[lewiskemp]

First time I've seen your channel.
Nice job on this video. So I subscribed and enjoyed it. I remember this aircraft after seeing but the details I enjoyed.

[Ziiphyr]

I clicked the video thinking it was more about the plane in War Thunder then it turned into the actual history of the plane and it’s development cycle and I totally wasn’t expecting that. Instant Sub for me boss. Very informative and the edits are perfect visually especially with the addition of WT.

[andre]

In the Luft'46 comic, the B&V 155C was built as a carrier version (even been sold to the IJN!)

[michaelnaisbitt]

Good information on this aircraft 55000 ft is a remarkable height for a single engined fighter even if this figure is a claimed one by Blomn and Voss

[slsIII]

Man the wings alone are menacing enough to scare a bomber.