The Fredösphere

* The Dornier Do 335.  It had two centrally-aligned propellers, one in the front and another in the rear.  It was the "fastest production piston-engined fighter ever built."  I assembled a model of this one when I was a kid.  I think my parents still have it in their home.  My model was of a version that had two canopies -- the second (also forward-facing) located behind, and higher than, the one you see in the picture.  The Dornier P59 is a variant, seen in this long, fascinating list of models. 

* A long article on the strengths and weaknesses of the German military-industrial-engineering-research complex.  I've have not finished it yet, but it looks good.  As usual, Hitler's unique management style gets a good share of the blame for what went wrong -- but bureaucratic paralysis also played a big part.  The Nazis ended the war with the same airplanes that they started -- an astounding stat.  (Well, actually, they ended the war with no airplanes whatsoever, but you know what I mean.)

* The Swedes had there own WWII fighter with a rear propeller and a twin tail.  Very odd.  Blohm und Voss (whoever they are) also had a rear-propeller fighter in the works for the Germans.  After the war, the U.S. brought out the long-range, six-engined B-36 bomber, the largest airplane the USAF ever flew in active service.

Moving the propeller away from the airplane's nose allows the designer to mount guns in that location with unobstructed lines of fire.  Locating propellers in unexpected places also comes in handy when one is engaged in a fist fight and wishes to score a quick win by taking off one's opponent's head with the whirling blades.

* Finally, branching out, there's the not-to-be-missed German Flying Discs.  Those Nazis!  They sure were smart!  Although kind of arrogant, I think.