Messerschmitt Me 262 (Schwalbe / Sturmvogel)

Single-Seat Jet-Powered Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft

Nazi Germany | 1944

"The German Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe of World War 2 became the first operational jet-powered fighter in military history."

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Messerschmitt Me 262A-1 Single-Seat Jet-Powered Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft.

2 x Junkers Jumo 004B turbojet engines developing 1,984 lb of thrust each.
Propulsion

559 mph
900 kph | 486 kts
Max Speed

37,730 ft
11,500 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling

652 miles
1,050 km | 567 nm
Operational Range

3,937 ft/min
1,200 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Messerschmitt Me 262A-1 Single-Seat Jet-Powered Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

34.8 ft
10.60 m
O/A Length

41.0 ft
(12.50 m)
O/A Width

12.5 ft
(3.80 m)
O/A Height

8,378 lb
(3,800 kg)
Empty Weight

14,110 lb
(6,400 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Messerschmitt Me 262 (Schwalbe / Sturmvogel) Single-Seat Jet-Powered Fighter / Fighter-Bomber Aircraft provided across 2 hardpoints.

STANDARD:
4 x 30mm MK 108 automatic cannons in nose section.

OPTIONAL:
External Bomb load of up to 1,200lb. Other armament of later models included the following (some trialed, some not):

2 x 550lb SC250/SD250 bombs under forward fuselage.
2 x 1,100lb SC500/SD500 bombs under forward fuselage.
1 x 1,100lb or 2,200lb towed bomb (Deichselschlepp).
2 x 20mm MG 151/20 cannons with 2 x 30mm MK 103 cannons and 2 x 30mm MK 108 cannons in nose.
24 x 55 R4M AA rockets underwing.
1 x 50mm Mauser MK 214 autocannon in nose.
1 x 50mm Rheinmetall BK 5 cannon in nose.
2 x Ruhrstahl X-4 wire-guided air-to-air missiles under the forward fuselage.

Reconnaissance versions were usually gun-less aircraft and carried camera equipment in the nose, noted by bulged fairings along the nose sides required for the film magazines.

X

Hardpoints Key:

Centerline

Wingroot(L)

Wingroot(R)

Wing

Wingtip

Internal

Not Used

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Messerschmitt Me 262 (Schwalbe / Sturmvogel) family line.

Me 262 - Base Series Designation

"Schwalbe" - Name denoting fighter version

"Sturmvogel" - Name denoting fighter-bomber version

Me 262V - Prototypes and pre-production models

Me 262A-0 - 23 Pre-Production models built

Me 262A-1a - First Operational Status Model

Me 262A-1a/U1 - Additional 2 x 20mm cannons (in addition to the base 4 x 30mm assembly.

Me 262A-1a/U2 - Inclement Weather Variant

Me 262A-1a/U3 - Unarmed Reconnaissance Model

Me 262A-1b - Bomber Destroyer; 24 x air-to-air unguided rockets added (12 under each wing).

Me 262A-2 Sturmvogel (Stormbird) - Fighter-Bomber

Me 262A-2a - Fighter-Bomber; capable of 1,102lb external bomb load.

Me 262A-2a/U1 - One-ioff used to trial new bombsight

Me 262A-2a/U2 - Two-seat fighter-bomber variant with bombardier fitted into prone bomb-aimer position in glazed-over nose assembly; 2 examples.

Me 262A-3a - Proposed ground-attack variant; not furthered.

Me 262A-4a - Reconnaissance variant

Me 262A-5 - Production Reconnaissance Fighter; limited numbers by war's end.

Me 262B-1a - Two-seat conversion trainer with dual controls.

Me 262B-1a/U1 - Two-seat trainers converted to night fighter role; outfitted with FuG 218 Neptun radar and antenna array on nose.

Me 262B-2 - Proposed Night Fighter; lengthened fuselage

Me 262C-1a - One-off prototype; rocket-assisted interceptor; Walter HWK 109 rockets.

Me 262C-2b - One-off prototype; rocket-assisted interceptor; BMW rockets.

Me 262C-3 - Proposed interceptor with Walter HWK RII-211 rocket boosting.

Me 262C-3a - Proposed interceptor with Walter HWK 109-509S-2 rocket boosting.

Me 262D-1 - Proposed mortar-carrying bomber destroyer

Me 262E-1 - Proposed bomber destroyer with 55mm MK 114 cannon in nose.

Me 262E-2 - Proposed bomber destroyer with 48 x R4M rocket support under wings.

Me 262W-1 - High-speed version with Argus As 014 pulsejet engines.

Me 262W-3 - High-speed version with Argus As 044 pulsejet engines.

Me 262 "Lorin" - High-speed model benefitting from 2 x Lorin ramjet boosters over wings.

Nakajima J9Y "Kikka" - IJN variant based on the Me 262

Nakajima Ki-201 "Kayru" - IJA variant based on the J9Y

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/13/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the German answer to a failing war effort heading into 1945 during World War 2 (1939-1945). It was championed by some of the major players of the war though ultimately limited in its combat reach by forced design decisions, shortages of critical war materials, engine reliability, inexperienced pilots, and the Allied bombing campaign. The Me 262 could have been a game-changer for the Germans had it been given the necessary resources it required to make its mark on the war early on and provide a turning point for the German defense. By the end of the war, the Me 262 was hampered by a variety of issues - both logistically and politically - which ultimately limited its effectiveness and imprint on the war. Additionally, so much time had elapsed between the design idea and actual operational service that the Allies were already hard at work on their own jet-powered fighters which would have leveled the playing field. Nevertheless, the Me 262 still resonates with observers of World War 2 history - the first jet-powered fighter in service anywhere in the world - and remains the focus of so many "what-if" scenarios.

Development

The turbojet engine is largely credited to the British and Frank Whittle but other nations evolved their own designs at about the same time in history. Germany was one such nation with patents and prototypes emerging during the 1930s - BMW and Jumo would become two of its major contributors players heading into World War 2 (1939-1945). With new, more refined turbojet engine models becoming available, the RLM (German Air Ministry) charged the Messerschmitt and Heinkel concerns with development of a new military-minded airframe to be powered by jet propulsion. Due to the limited thrust output of these new engines, two engines became the accepted norm for all viable future jet fighter designs.

Messerschmitt and Heinkel submitted their designs to the RLM in June of 1939 as "Projekt 1065" and "He 280" respectively. German authorities favored the Messerschmitt design over the competing Heinkel endeavor but still saw value in further developing the He 280 alongside the P.1065 and thusly, funding was allotted for both submissions. First flight of the He 280 was on April 2nd, 1941 becoming the world's first turbojet-powered military fighter aircraft in the world to fly. The Heinkel product followed its earlier He 178 experimental prototype into aviation history, the He 178 being the first jet-powered aircraft ever to fly back on August 27th, 1939.

During March of 1940, Messerschmitt was awarded a government contract for four aircraft of which three would become flight test models and the other a static test article under the designation of "Me 262" and the name of "Schwalbe" (translating to "Swallow"). The initial design called for use of straight main wing assemblies but weight and thrust issues with the expected BMW powerplants forced engineers to adopted a pseudo-swept-wing arrangement rather than redesign the entire aircraft. Additionally, the original design saw the engines buried in each straight wing assembly as opposed to the largely accepted vision of the Me 262 with its underslung nacelles. It was this wing revision that introduced - or rather forced - the heavy, large engines to reside in underwing nacelles away from the aircraft structure. This had the beneficial effect of allowing unrestricted access to the engine during testing and service while also facilitating engine replacement. The changes also benefitted the overall design aerodynamically to an extent by producing a more streamlined form with less frontal drag. The undercarriage was of a "tail-dragger" arrangement to keep the fighter's construction and operation simple. The arrangement included two single-wheeled landing gear legs leading a single-wheeled tail wheel at rear. All legs were retractable under the aircraft.

Due to delays in both the BMW and Jumo jet engines, the Me 262 prototype airframe was fitted with a Jumo 210Ga 12-cylinder liquid-cooled engine of 750 horsepower output managing a two-bladed wooden propeller. This allowed Messerschmitt engineers to, at the very least, test out some facets of their new design without the need to delay the program by waiting for the proper turbojet engines to pass their own testing regimens. The subsequent work on the airframe produced the "Me 262V1" prototype which began conducting ground running trials during April of 1941. It eventually went into the air on April 18th, netting an airspeed of 261 miles per hour without turbojet support. The flight lasted all of eighteen minutes and proved the aircraft sound in terms of handling and airflow. The aircraft allowed for twenty-three total flights to be had - a critical period of development for Messerschmitt engineers despite the lack of true turbojets being fitted.

BMW 003 series turbojet engines finally arrived for November 1941 and these were quickly run and then added to the Me 262 airframe. The first true jet-powered Me 262 went airborne for the first time on March 25th, 1942 though the Jumo piston engine was still retained for safety. The flight proved something of a failure when both engines flamed out, the pilot able to direct his heavy aircraft - under the power of the sole piston engine - back down to the runway. The exercise forced a rewrite of the BMW 003 engines which produced the new 003A designation and testing of this engine began in October of 1943.

With the work on the BMW engine ongoing, the Me 262 was outfitted with the alternative Junkers Jumo 004 turbojet model instead. The switch added additional thrust output that the 003 lacked and, it was hoped, would benefit the Me 262 airframe. By this time, the original Jumo 004 had been revised along the lines of using far less war material in its construction which introduced weaknesses in its design - the changes begat the 004B engine designation. The Jumo engines were installed into the second (Me 262V2) and third (Me 262V3) Me 262 airframes for testing which forced a modification of the existing engine nacelles (originally intended for the BMW turbojets). Additionally, the vertical tail surface was enlarged to compensate with the changed airflow.

With its Jumo engines fitted, Me 262V3 went airborne on July 18th, 1942, becoming the first of the line to fly solely on the intended jet propulsion arrangement. The aircraft, requiring a great deal of runway length to get airborne, ultimately managed a top speed of 375 miles per hour during this twelve minute stint, reaching an altitude of about 6,000 feet in the process. Additional testing during subsequent flights revealed nothing detrimental about the product - amazing considering the technological complexity inherent in the jet-powered fighter design. One of the key changes instituted was in a revised wing structure which officially granted the Me 262 airframe a fully-swept wing profile. By now, speeds in testing had reached 450 miles per hour. Despite its designation, Me 262V2 actually followed V3 into the air on a first flight during October 1942.

Progress proved such that two more prototypes - V4 and V5 - were ordered by German high command to be followed by fifteen preproduction series aircraft, this despite ongoing development and the generally unreliable, low-powered engines at play. V1 and V4 were eventually damaged beyond repair, V2 was lost (its pilot killed) during a dive attempt, and V3 was destroyed in an Allied bombing raid. V5 was the first version to introduce the tricycle undercarriage arrangement - against Messerschmitt's wishes and at the behest of Galland while further backed by Luftwaffe chiefs. The move was intended to improve ground running for the pilot as well as take-offs. The nose leg would feature as a consistent weakness for the life of the aircraft. V5 was also eventually damaged during testing and not repaired.

When famous German aviator Adolph Galland first flew Me 262V4, he was so impressed that he returned to his superiors and pushed for large-scale manufacture of the type (inherent limitations of the design aside). With rumors of the British undertaking a similar jet-powered fighter project, the Luftwaffe agreed with Galland and the Me 262 received the needed priority for mass production. The official production charge occurred in June of 1943 with the ambitious manufacture rate of sixty Me 262 fighters per month. This charge forced Messerschmitt engineers to find quick solutions to ongoing issues - cockpit pressurization and an ejection seat were still on the to-do list.

Me 262V6 was used as a preproduction quality mount and fitted all-new engine nacelles with the latest Jumo 004B-0 engines then available. Weapons were not yet fitted. In November of 1943, V6 was used to display the awesomeness of the Me 262 fighter design before Adolph Hitler himself. Hitler was so enamored by the display that he suggested the fighter be used in the tactical bomber role, giving rise to a fighter-bomber form (the "Sturmvogel" or "Stormbird") for which Messerschmitt was not completely ready to undertake with the compact delivery schedule. Nevertheless, the promise was secured that the Me 262 could fulfill the fast bomber role which fell into the plans by Hitler to use these aircraft in a counter-punch role against key Allied fronts as a shock instrument - a "Blitz Bomber". Prototype V6 crashed in March of 1944 with the loss of its pilot.

A cleaned-up canopy (the small sliding window gone) greeted preproduction model Me 262V7 and a pressurized cabin was finally added. The Jumo engines used were finally production-quality forms which now promised a near-finalized look to the German aircraft. After over a dozen test flights, V7 was too lost in a fatal crash in May of 1944.

Me 262V8 was finished with the proposed armament of 4 x 30mm MK 108 series cannons in the nose. A new canopy was also later installed with improved vision. Testing of the V8 and its guns revealed problems all their own forcing a revision of the feed mechanism - though jamming of these guns (brought about by violent maneuvers of the aircraft) was never truly solved by the end of the war. Ammunition counts for the large-caliber weapons were restricted by necessity as internal volume was at a premium within the Me 262 airframe. V8 went airborne in March of 1944 but was later lost in October of that same year during a landing exercise gone wrong. Despite Hitler's insistence on a jet-powered fighter, Messerschmitt engineers continued to further the Me 262 as a fighter first - particular when word of the new Boeing B-29 "Superfortress" heavy bomber began to reach German intelligence circles.

Me 262V9 was given several advanced physical changes and used for high-speed testing and other test roles beyond that. It first flew during January of 1944 - before V8 - and managed its own collection of successful (and unsuccessful) flights during its time aloft. Me 262V10 was delayed by the lack of engines and did not fly until April 1944. It was then used to trial bomb testing as Hitler's prized fighter-bomber.

Program Challenges and Product Limitations

The Me 262 fighter initiative faced many challenges in its run to becoming the German fighter that would change the war. The Allies were hard at work on their own advanced fighter concepts which would have given the Me 262 a run for its money - no longer the sole, untouchable jet fighter in the skies over Europe. Additionally, the Junkers Jumo jet engines required for the product were very temperamental and largely unreliable which worsened mass production promises. The engine was also the powerplant of choice for another championed German jet aircraft - the Arado Ar 234 "Blitz" bomber - a design falling more in line with Hitler's fighter-bomber vision over the battlefield. As such stocks of the engine were committed to that Arado program as well.

As a war weapon, the Me 262 was very limited by the very infancy of its inherent technology and those existing technologies brought together - from the engines and guns to operating speeds and advanced form. Additionally, skilled workers and restricted war material were a requirement with such an advanced aircraft - further complicating the rise of the Me 262 as the standard German frontline fighter in a war effort that was hampered by the constant Allied day and night bombing raids.

Production quality Me 262s were not available to the Luftwaffe until April of 1944 and the first stock numbered just sixteen aircraft. The numbers were strengthened some in May with seven more fighters arriving. By this time, the aircraft was reaching speeds of 540 miles per hour and capable of simply outrunning, out-diving, or out-climbing any known Allied fighter/interceptor. Its cannon armament could bring down a single bomber by way of a single burst of fire. Thusly, the Luftwaffe believed it truly had a thoroughbred on its hands suitable for changing Germany's war circumstance.

However, one final major hurdle still remained in getting the Me 262 into the air - suitably trained pilots. As such, airframes were set aside for conversion to a tandem two-seat form with the first arriving in July 1944 and the Luftwaffe arranged for a trials squadron to be formed.

The first Me 262 air kill of an opposing aircraft - a British de Havilland Mosquito - was recorded on July 26th, 1944. The first Me 262 loss to enemy fire followed on August 28th, 1944 when a pair of Republic P-47 Thunderbolts successfully downed the jet.

The Sturmvogel

Hitler continued to insist on the Me 262's development along the fighter-bomber route. This was driven home after a May 1944 meeting when he learned that the fighter-bomber form had not even been addressed, resulting in the immediately ordering of such an aircraft to take precedent over the fighter version without delay. The modifications to the existing air frame proved problematic but were nonetheless forced onto Messerschmitt designers. This included adding more fuel for extended operational ranges and the deletion of two of the four 30mm cannons to help offset an inherent imbalance of the airframe - particularly when the bombs were dropped and that weight lifted. The aircraft also received two hardpoints under the fuselage ahead of the main landing gear legs. Applicable arming and release equipment was run through the cockpit and wings. The changes produced a heavier aircraft with altered flight characteristics which would require an experienced and attentive pilot at the controls. Despite the shift to the fighter-bomber mold, development of the fighter form was allowed to proceed and every 20th Me 262 was set aside for the fighter role and even these were requested to be completed with some sort of bomb-carrying/release feature.

With the German war situation reaching new lows, the Me 262 was pressed into reconnaissance and night fighter roles heading into the end of 1944 and this further broadened the tactical appeal of the new aircraft. Reconnaissance models were outfitted with camera equipment and typically lost some or all of its cannon armament. Early night fighters lacked radar until two-seat forms with radar arrived. Night fighters were easily identified by their "antler" style antenna arrays fitted to the nose.

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Allied Measures

During this time, the Allies were fortunate to recover some crashed Me 262 airframes which were hauled back off to England for stringent testing and evaluation. Additional information was streamed from French Me 262 factories by employees which helped to fill in some of the technical gaps of the aircraft. Engineers estimated several qualities about the new German fighter which were not far off from actual performance figures. This did provide the Allies with a window into the advanced nature of the German program and helped compare the type to in-development models in Britain and America that would someday soon meet up with the Me 262 in the skies over Europe. With no counter-product quite yet available, however, it was found that conventional Allied fighters needed to engage the Me 262 during its more vulnerable take-off or landing phase as the engines were unsuitable for quick reaction measures by the German pilots. Allied bomber formations were more or less as the mercy of the fast-flying German interceptor - as were their escort aircraft. Conventional fighters could only outmaneuver the Me 262.

However, the challenge still lay with the Me 262 pilot and his new mount. The Me 262s operated exceedingly fast for the period and bomber formations were quick to disappear from the gun sight of the incoming Me 262. The Me 262 pilot had to become rather precise on his initial approach lest the formation become alerted to the impending threat and attacks were begun from above and conducted through a dive. Exceeding dive speeds also held the risk that the wings could break free of the design. As a bomber, the long nose of the Me 262 limited dive bombing by not providing an adequate view on the target. This, coupled with dangerous approach speeds, make dive bombing a harrowing - though still possible - affair. Pilots simply were taught to drop their bombs above 3,000 feet to allow for the necessary altitude to recover in a climb.

Me 262 Production

Me 262 production was largely influenced by the Allied bombing campaign to the point that fabrication and final assembly lines were constructed in secret, camouflaged forested locations away from industrial collections to help keep aircraft deliveries from becoming regularly disrupted. This process allowed the aircraft to be wholly built in one location, towed outside for gun and engine testing, and then rolled to a nearby awaiting Autobahn stretch. The highways were then used as make-shift runways with the aircraft now free to fly off to its final delivery point - a German airfield - for official service.

This process was not always possible due to the Allied bombing campaign, however, and many facilities fell under the bombs of the enemy. Other incomplete airframes - delayed by late-arriving engines - were strafed while waiting in the open. Still others were destroyed en route on trains when rail transport was the call of the day. Those aircraft that remained at factories sure to fall to the Allied advanced were often stripped of their usefulness and destroyed by the Germans on retreat lest they fall into the hands of the enemy. Many Me 262s were photographed during these advances with all manner of damage to the airframe and nose landing gear leg. The gun pack in the nose - installed as a whole unit - was usually removed and shipped to be reused elsewhere. Engines were also removed with the hope that they could be used in other aircraft.

Total production of Me 262s is said to have reached over 1,400 aircraft with some also occurring in Czechoslovakia (engines and airframes). While a seemingly impressive mark considering the German war situation by 1945, operational levels never peaked beyond 200 aircraft due to the bombing raids, logistical issues in delivering the aircraft, and a limited stock of parts, workers, and pilots. Many of the available models were the fighter form with few reconnaissance, night fighter, and training mounts at hand.

Me 262 Production Models

Despite its limited production reach, the Me 262 saw a considerable number of variants emerge during its time - some brought about in-the-field and others at Messerschmitt factories. The preproduction models began with Me 262A-0 and twenty-three of these were built all using the Junkers Jumo oo4B turbojet engine. The Me 262A-1a became the initial production model and operated as both fighter and fighter-bombers. The Me 262A-2a became the first definitive fighter-bomber form - the "Strumvogel - in service. While gaining a more defined bomb-carrying/release capability, this variant lost its upper pair of 30mm cannons due to balance issues. Me 262A-4a became a reconnaissance platform while a more refined reconnaissance model became the Me 262A-5a by the end of the war. The Me 262B-1a was a tandem, twin-seat trainer form with dual controls. Some were modified as two-seat night fighters under the Me 262B-1a/U1 designation and outfitted with FuG 218 series "Neptun" radar and nose-mounted antenna.

Post-Production Modifications

The Me 262 was evolved as it operated and several kits were developed to help increase the tactical flexibility and prowess of the new fighter. These aircraft were denoted by the "R" number used in their designations. R1 marked aircraft outfitted with an underfuselage hardpoint for external fuel stores to help increase operational ranges. R2 were aircraft cleared for using Rheinmetall rocket boosters for assisted take-offs and R3 models received BMW rocket boosters. R4 fitted the FuG 350 Zc "Naxos" Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). R5 installed 4 x 30mm MK 108 series cannons in the nose. R6 was given bomb sight equipment and bomb racks for the fighter-bomber role. R7 was cleared to carry 12 x R4M rockets underwing through simple, yet effective, wooden racks being fitted. R8 carried the R110BS rocket equipment and R9 was granted support for the Ruhrstahl Ru 344 X-4 wire-guided air-to-air missile.

Me 262 One-Off and Limited Trials Aircraft

The one-off Me 262A-1a/U1 was modified with a nose gun battery of 2 x 20mm and 4 x 30mm cannons. The Me262A-1a/U2 was another one-off model and this was used for testing a night-fighter concept by way of installation of the FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 radar system and "antler" antenna array on the nose. Me 262 A-1a/U3 designated a limited stock of fighters to be converted with cameras and used in the reconnaissance role. While armament was typically removed in these, some did hold on to a single 30mm cannon. Two Me 262 A-1a/U4 prototypes were built to trial a bomber destroyer form. One was fitted with the 50mm MK 214 autocannon and the other with the BK 5 cannon in the nose. Me 262 A-1a/U5 was another six-cannon Me 262 trial model. Three aircraft made up the Me 262A-1b for performance trials with the BMW 003 turbojet engine. Me 262A-3a was used to trial a new bombsight. Me 262A-2a/U2 became a pair of prototypes with redesigned, glazed-over noses for bombardier personnel to lay prone in. Me 262A-3a was a proposed ground-attack model that went nowhere. Me 262B-2 became a proposed night fighter development with a lengthened fuselage. Me 262C-1a trialed rocket-boosting take-offs for the interception role in February of 1945 (Walter HWK 109-509 rocket fitted to the tail). Another rocket-assisted interceptor became Me 262C-2b fitting a BMW 109-718 rocket thruster with revised BMW 003R turbojet engine arrangements. The Me 262C-3 became a proposed rocket-powered interceptor. Me 262C-3a was another rocket-assisted interceptor form with the Walter HWK 109-509S-2 boosted fitted to a belly position. Production of this mark was underway at the end of the war. Me 262D-1 was a proposed bomber destroyer to be outfitted with oblique-angled mortars for attacking bomber formations from underneath. Me 262E-2 was intended to carry the 55mm MK 114 cannon. Me 262E-2 was to have underwing provision for up to 48 x R4M explosive rockets. The Me 262W-1 was to carry Argus As 014 pulse jet engines of 610lbs thrust output. Similarly, Me 262W-3 was to follow with As 044 engines of 1,100lbs thrust. The Me 262 "Lorin" was a high-speed Me 262 fighter retaining its Jumo jet engines but mounting ramjets over the wings for an additional, exceptional punch of thrust.

Several other proposed Me 262 forms existed but were not pursued due to logistics and the end of the war.

Combat Service

The Me 262 proved to have considerable combat value in action despite its limitations. Its rather successful entry into a combat environment certainly served to mark the end of the piston-driven fighter who was, itself, reaching its technological end by the middle of 1945. Tactics were quickly developed around the performance capabilities of the Me 262 that took into account the fast approach speeds without the benefit of dive breaks. Diving attacks were commonplace and the operating speeds negated the guns of Allied bombers who could not track the target effectively enough to bring her down. Where agility was a limitation in the Me 262, this was offset by its ability to generate speed either through diving or through the open throttle. The nose-mounted cannon - disastrously lethal on paper - was known to regularly jam at the feed mechanism during maneuvering which rendered the Me 262 useless. The cannons also held a low muzzle velocity which made it largely inaccurate beyond 600 meters and useless as a ground strafing weapon. Combat losses were made at the hands of enemy fighters and, on occasion, some bomber gunners. Attrition rates were also increased by accidents due to pilot error and the general unreliability of the engines.

Swan Song for the Swallow

The Me 262 was used operationally when and where it could be had. However, the end months of the war worked against the production and delivery schedule for the aircraft. The British Meteor had already flown and the Americans learned much through the Bell P-59 Airacomet which laid the foundation for their Lockheed P-80. All of these early jet forms were straight-winged designs which limited speeds and added drag. Swept-wing technology was as infant as was the jet engine and little useful research had been conducted on subsonic and supersonic flight envelopes to be incorporated into new jet fighter designs. Such swept-wing jet-powered fighters would not become available until late some time later and were the focus of the next war - the Korean War (1950-1953). With that in mind, the me 262 would have proven something of an interim solution for Germany heading into 1946 should the war had progressed this far. Similarly, the Meteor and Shooting Star would have met quick technological ends with the arrival of swept-wing fighters and more advanced, efficient, and powerful turbojet engine technology. As history reflects however, this early class of fighters indeed marked the evolution of military fighters in general and served their purpose for their time. Many straight-winged designs endured beyond the 1950s as they were happily adopted by smaller air forces looking for their first taste of jet-powered flight.

The Japanese Contribution to the Me 262 Legacy

Japan and Germany shared a relationship during World War 2 as part of the Axis powers to include Italy and several other European nations. As such, there was some transfer of technology between the two powers that included the Messerschmitt Me 163 "Komet" rocket-powered interceptor and the Me 262 jet fighter. However, the part of the plans were lost when the U-boat submarine carrying them was intercepted by Allied forces in May of 1945. With the plans in possession, and the memory of engineers having visited Germany to see the Me 262 firsthand, Nakajima designers fleshed out a similar, though dimensionally smaller jet-powered fighter as the Nakajima Kikka ("Orange Blossom"). The Japanese Navy ordered development of the type through a formal requirement as stated certain performance numbers like a 430+ mile per hour maximum speed and inherent fighter-bomber capability. Additionally, the aircraft was to incorporate folding wing structures so as to more easily hide the Kikka in fortified tunnels against American bombing raids. Japanese Army interest in the same aircraft was furthered along the lines of the Nakajima Ki-201 "Karyu".

The end product was an aircraft mimicking the general design form of the German me 262. It did not use the swept-back wings and retained a straight wing layout instead. The fuselage was quite thinner in profile and more slab sided with a less elegant appearance. The vertical tail unit was decidedly smaller as well and the wing mainplanes shorter and of reduced surface area. The engine of choice became the locally-designed and produced Ne-12 turbojet until these proved underpowered. This led to the Ne-20 series being selected which were visual copies of the BMW 003 turbojets and outputted at 1,047lb thrust.

As the war situation deteriorated quickly for the Japanese (Germany had surrendered in May of 1945), the Kikka project was pushed to a fast resolution while American Boeing B-29 bombers were now regularly pounding Japanese mainland infrastructure an d military targets. A first flight of a Kikka prototype was recorded on August 7th, 1945. However, subsequent development was halted with the Japanese surrender of August 15th. Only the first prototype and an incomplete second were available by the end of the war. The Nakajima Kikka was not far enough into development for it to be considered a serious threat until much later in 1945 or early 1946. The examples were quickly confiscated by the Americans and studied at length.

Post-War

Due to the Czech participation in production of both Me 262 airframes and engines, it retained a serviceable stock of the aircraft after the war. These were finished and adopted for service as the Avia S-92 based on the single-seat Me 262A-1a fighter model. There also followed the CS-92 two-seat trainer form based on the Me 262B-1a model. However, the aircraft were not in service for long due to the availability, and procurement cost, of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet-powered fighter in the ensuing years. This allowed the limited-scope Me 262/S-92 to fall away to history, examples given to classrooms for education on the nuances of jet-powered flight. No other post-war operator of the Me 262 emerged - the Americans restocked through the Lockheed P-80 "Shooting Star" line and the British held the Gloster Meteor for frontline service while also continuing work of more advanced fighter forms. Czechoslovakia never utilized more than twelve Me 262s - nine being definitive Me 262 fighter types.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Messerschmitt Me 262 (Schwalbe / Sturmvogel). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 1,400 Units
Contractor(s): Messerschmitt - Germany / Avia - Czechoslovakia