Sombold 344 3 view    Although originally designed as a parasite escort fighter, engineer Heinz Sombold altered the design in January 1944 to a "bomber box buster". Usually, American heavy bombers flew in a tight combat box formation, to give better defensive fire capabilities. The Sombold 344 had an ejectable explosive nose section (filled with 500 kg (1100 lbs) of explosives), which was fitted with stabilizing fins and a proximity fuse. The detachable nose section was to be released into the bomber box formation, thus doing maximum damage to as many bombers as possible. The So 344 was carried to combat by a specially converted bomber, then it was released to fly on its own, powered by a single Walter 509 rocket engine. After the attack, enough rocket engine propellent was retained to escape and land on the built-in landing skid. Armament consisted of two MG machine guns in the attack version, and two MG machine guns and one MK cannon for the fighter version. A 1/5 scale model for aerodynamic tests existed when the works where the So 344 was being produced was abandoned in early 1945.

   Model photo of the Sombold 344
                        Span: 5.7 m (18' 8.6")           Length: 7 m (22' 11.8")          Max. Speed: Unknown