Mistel (German, 'mistletoe', a parasitic plant) was the larger, unmanned component of a composite aircraft configuration developed in Germany during the later stages of World War II.

That was the idea behind the "Beethoven" and "Mistel" composite weapons. An unmanned Junkers 88 twin-engined bomber had a Bf 109 attached to it by struts on top of the bomber. Controlled by the pilot in the 109 the whole combination took off …

Jun 30, 2024 · Under the plan known as Mistel (meaning mistletoe, a parasitic plant that grows on a tree), war-weary Junkers Ju 88 bombers would be adapted to become pilotless missiles, onto which would be attached piloted Messerschmitt Bf 109 or Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters.

Many mistletoe derivatives have proven themselves (some realized, others only planned), including the Bf 109F-4/Ju 88A-4 combination named "Mistel 1". The Mistel S1 is designed to be their trainer platform, as such aircraft require special training to handle and dump large payloads.

In 1943, the Technisches Amt ordered the standard Mistel version consisting of the Junkers Ju 88 bomber and the Messerschmitt Bf 109 F. In 1943, the first batch of 15 Mistels S1 was produced and directed to IV/KG 101 in order to train crews.

Sep 12, 2015 · The “Mistel” scheme mated a Bf 109 to a worn-out, pilotless Ju 88, which was packed with explosives. The Messerschmitt pilot flew the joined aircraft to the target and released the Ju 88, a primitive cruise missile.

The feasibility of the pick-a-back scheme was proved using, amongst other combinations, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the DFS 230 glider. Early in 1943 the idea took on a new form: a piloted Bf 109 fighter mounted on top of an unmanned explosive-laden Ju 88 bomber by means of supporting struts.

Mar 30, 2017 · Page details technical specifications, development, and operational history of the Luftwaffe Mistel (Mistletoe) Composite Bomber Aircraft including pictures.

Nov 3, 2023 · In April 1944, aerial photos captured by an Allied reconnaissance flight revealed a peculiar aircraft pair: a Ju 88 bomber with a Bf 109 fighter attached. This sighting aligned with reports from a German prisoner of war who claimed to have seen such a craft airborne.

Sep 6, 2024 · It consisted of a control plane, a war weary Bf-109 or a FW-190, mounted on top of a Ju-88 variant. In the Mistel 1 configuration, it was a Bf-109F and a Ju-88A. When mounted with a 1800 or 2000 lb bomb nose it could destroy bridges and other key targets.