Highly Technological Advanced AC of the Luftwaffe

The He 219 started as a private venture, called Project 1060.  It featured pressurized cabin, remotely controlled gun barbettes and nose-wheel undercarriage.  All this technology was too much for the RLM in 1940 and they were not interested in further development. In the mean time, the General der Nagtjagd (General of night fighters), Generalmajor Kammhuber, who was prevented from getting new night fighters by the RLM, got powers from the Führer to overrule the RLM.  He then asked Heinkel to develop Project 1060 into a night fighter.

The He 219 V1 made its first flight on November 15, 1942.  On the night of June 11-12, 1943, the first production model He 219 A-0 was operationally tested by Major Strieb.  During the sortie, Major Strieb shot down 5 RAF bombers within 30 minutes.
The aircraft was armed with one 20mm MG 151 cannon in each wing root and two 30mm MK 103 cannon in the ventral tray. Both crew members were equipped with ejector seats.  The pilot was protected by a 335 lb frontal armor shell and an armored glass screen.
The aircraft was fitted with Lichtenstein C7 radar for its night fighting capabilities, and powered by two DB 603 inverted V12, liquid-cooled engines.
Further models was also equipped with "ShrageMusik", two 30mm MK 108 cannon fitted in the center fuselage and firing up-wards at an angle of 65°.  They also featured FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 search radar, new FuG 218 Neptun radar, FuG 10P HF and FuG 16zy radios, FuG 25a IFF, FuG 110 radio altimeter and FuG 12F airfield blind approach receiver.