Top speed 480 km/h Wingspan 17 m Cruise speed 425 km/h Manufacturer Messerschmitt | Range 782 km Length 13 m Engine type Daimler-Benz DB 600 | |
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The Messerschmitt Bf 162 Jaguar was a light bomber aircraft designed in Germany prior to World War II that only flew in prototype form.
The Bf 162 was designed in response to a 1935 RLM (Reichsluftfahrtministerium, Reich Aviation Ministry) specification for a schnellbomber ("fast bomber") for tactical use. Messerschmitt's design was a modified Bf 110 with a glazed nose to accommodate a bombardier. In 1937, three prototypes were flown against rival designs, the Junkers Ju 88 and the Henschel Hs 127, both entirely new aircraft.

Eventually, it would be decided that the Ju 88 be selected for production, and development of the Bf 162 ended. As a disinformation tactic, images of the Bf 162 were widely circulated in the German press captioned as the "Messerschmitt Jaguar", a name never used outside this context.

This aircraft's RLM official airframe number of 8-162 was later re-used for the Heinkel He 162 jet fighter, probably again for disinformation purposes, although possibly referring to the He 162 being a single-engined jet fighter as opposed to the twin-engined Me 262.

Specifications (Bf 162)
Data from Warplanes of the Third Reich
General characteristics

Performance

Armament

