There's enough Do 335 hype on the internet to nearly rival the Ki-100 for BS factor. One site raves about the Do 335 being able to climb to 26,250 feet in under 15 minutes. Compare that to the P-38J which could get to 26k in less than 8 minutes. A P-51B at "Normal Power" (less than MIL power, much less than WEP) could get to 26k in under 14 minutes.
Another states that the "Do 335 was the fastest piston engine fighter of WWII."
Of course, the P-47M was faster and the P-51H was even faster than the Jug. This excludes prototypes like the XP-47J (504 mph at 32k) and the XP-72 (490 mph at 25k).
There is always much hype about German fighters that never saw combat. It's very much like the lost-cause culture that permeates American Civil War discussions. 90% myth, with just enough truth to suck in the gullible.
Add to the above; only 11 Do 335A-1s were completed, with none serving in operational units in combat.. This is an easy one to decide.. No way. Especially when there were F7F-3Ns and P-51Hs in operational combat units, flying combat sorties during the last week of WWII. Since no enemy were encountered, they didn't fire their guns in anger. Thus, those two are disqualified. There's the F8F-1, in operational combat units aboard carriers, just days from combat... Not qualified.
Spitfire Mk.21s saw combat in the last month of the war... Then there's the Meteor F.3 which saw considerable combat, credited with 43 Luftwaffe aircraft destroyed on the ground. How about the P-47M? This fighter equipped the entire 56th FG and saw much combat in the last two months of the war.
The fact is that the Do 335 was not built in any numbers and certainly not ready for combat before the factory was captured. It should not be in the game.
There's dozen of other aircraft of vastly greater significance that should be added before anyone even gives the late war, "almost made it" fighters any consideration.
My regards,
Widewing
