Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika Bomber

As Europe plunged into war in 1939, Germany began to develop an ultra-long-range 'Amerika Bomber', capable of taking the war to the continental United States. Over rival offerings from Junkers and Focke-WUlf, the Air Ministry chose the design of the brilliant Willy Messerschmitt, who had long been fascinated by long-range flight. His huge but graceful Me 264 incorporated some of Germany's most advanced technology of the war, and in late 1942 the first prototype took to the air.

This spectacular Messerschmitt was developed not only to bomb New York, but also to be a versatile long-range maritime patrol aircraft, capable o attacking shipping off the US eastern seaboard and supporting U-boats in the Atlantic. By late 1944 however, with the Allies closing in, Me 264 development was cut short to allow Messerschmitt to concentrate on the Me 262 jet fighter. Illustrated throughout with rare photos and detailed new artwork, this is a gripping history of what could have been the world's first intercontinental bomber.