Prone II.

This is coolbert:

Yet one more curiosity and oddity from the field of military aviation. Pilot in the prone position not sitting erect as in the normal posture.

German DFS 228 high-altitude rocket-powered reconnaissance glider WW2.

German (DFS): "had proposed a design for a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft early in the war years. A glider design would have the advantage of being silent from the ground, of having a low ground speed for good photography and potentially the ability to loiter over target."

"The DFS design, in common with many proposals which first saw the light of day in the early stages of the war was cancelled, only to be later resurrected. However, with insufficient time, the project was not completed by the war's end. Designed for cruising at altitudes of 80,000 feet [25,000 meters], the pilot was protected by a sophisticated pressurized cabin . . . a prone pilot position was adopted, with a simple, forward, armored cabin window and oblique side windows fixed into the cockpit walls."

"Taken up to launch height on the back of another aircraft, the DFS.228 would climb to high altitude for approach to target and then in common with other gliders, return to land on its ventral skid. With its rocket motor"

After launch from the mother-ship the glider able to achieve super-high altitude using the organic rocket motor. 

"the DFS.228's mission profile was to use power to climb, then glide down through its operating altitude, re-light the rocket motor to climb back again to height, glide down once more until starting the motor again, and in this manner operate a . . . flight pattern giving maximum range and maximum target"

Glide ratio of the DFS 228 not to be found anywhere on the Internet. A devoted reader to the blog who can speak with authority has a handle on this?

coolbert.