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In early 1942, the Luftwaffe issued competition calling for a long
range bomber capable of striking targets in the U.S. east coast,
primarily New York city. Messerschmit took parts in a competition with its
Me.264 design. Other competitors were Heinkel with He.277, Junkers
with Ju.390 and Tank with Ta.400. The original of the Me.264 design came
from Messerschmitt's long-range reconnaissance aircraft project, the
P.1061. Three Me.264 prototypes were ordered. The first prototype, the
Me 264 V1, was flown on December 1942. It was powered at first by four
Jumo 211J inline engines. In late 1943, these were changed to the BMW
801G radials. Trials showed numerous minor faults, and handling was
found to be difficult. As the Junkers Ju.390 was chosen as Amerika
bomber, the Me 264 was not abandoned however. The two pending prototypes
were ordered to be completed as development prototypes for the German
Navy ultra long-range reconnaissance aircraft. In September 1944, work
on the Me.264 project was officially cancelled, as all the three
prototypes were destroyed during Allied bombing raid.
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