Bm-335 Lindwurm

BM-335

GAMES FEATURED IN:

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

OPERATORS:

Belkan Air Force

REAL-LIFE BIO:

Yes, this aircraft has been disgussed before at acecombatskies.com, but since there is no article here, I'll guess I'll make one.

Since there is little to no offical background on the origin of the BM-335 bomber, the following is speculation based on observation and debate from aceskies... Feel free to add on to or challenge my thoughts on this aircraft.

The BM-335 appears to be a late 1940s-1950s design, probably a design of the same era as the Tu-95 Bear, Tu-16 Badger, B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress. This is evidenced by one of your wingmen in the ACZ mission, "Glacial Skies" when he exclaims over the radio "That bomber looks ancient"

The role of the BM-335 also appears to be the same as the B-52, strategic bomber, as evidenced in Ace Combat Zero's mission #1, "Glacial Skies" and mission #12 "Stage of the Apocalypse" where the aircraft were infact, used as bombers.

But there has always been one thing that has always drew curiosity out of those who saw it... it's appeareance.

Firstly, the bomber's spotted paint scheme and cockpit design draw many similarities out of WWII German's aircraft programs. The cockpit windows look more like the American B-29's. Then again, the German He 177 uses the same style of windows as well.

Artist rendition of the He 177... Doesn't the cammo look familiar?

If West Germany had developed a multi-engined strategic bomber, the BM-335 is what it may have looked like. The appearance of the BM-335 also helps to further the belief that Belka draws it's characteristics from real world nation, Germany.

Second, there has been some question to why the BM-335 has this large bulbous area beneath the cockpit... why would such a drag causing, weight increasing thing be on an aircraft? What was it for?

The most plausiable explaination for this that it was a bomb bay, meant to carry the early generation of Atomic weaponry (think A-bomb "Fat Boy").

As nuclear weapons become smaller, this space could have been used for something else, like fuel, ECM gear, cargo or even more bombs.

Now about the aircraft's specs or dimensions... that's all up for speculation. But it appears to be even slightly larger than the B-52. Perhaps more B-36 Peace Maker scale. If so, this would have been an incrediable feat of engineering depending on whether the jet was made in the 40s or early 50s when jet engines were in their infantcy.

The aircraft probably has intercontinental range (8,000 mi estimate) and can be extended by air refueling. It can be assumed that electronic upgrades have made it a viable weapons platform by the time of the 1995 Belkan War.

Estimated max speed may be around 550+ mph and a ceiling may be 40,000-50,000 ft. It probably could out run and outfly early generations of fighters, perhaps up to the Mig 15 and F-86 Sabre.

The tail armament may have evolved over time from 20mm machine guns to a multi-barreled cannon like a Vulcan. Whatever the case, the armanent is extremely lethal and effective to hostile aircraft traveling too close to the bomber, based on Ace and Expert difficulty observations.

The bomber's tail gun has demonstrated an ability to keep firing at enemy aircraft, even after the bomber has been critically damaged. This suggest that the either the tail gunner was suicidal or that his postion was deleted in favor of an automated tail gun system. (Or it could be just a little oversite in programing by Namco).

SOURCES:

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War