Fri. Apr. 16/10 Pace51
Real World War 2 Facts about the Messerschmitt Me262
Maiden Flight: July 18, 1942
Max. Speed: 870 KpH
Powered By: Dual Junkers 900 Kg thrust Jumo 004B-1 Turbojets.
Armament: Four 30mm nose mounted cannon, and 12 air-to-air rockets under the wings.
Country: Germany
This was the aircraft your history teacher used to mention when they talked about Germany having phenomenally advanced weaponry that could have won the war. The V2 rocket, Frankfurters (tasty), and this. It was the world first operational jetfighter. Many Germans, and historians today, believed it was a war winner. However, extensive allied bombing campaigns ravaged the plants where these were being manufactured.
In late 1938, design work started on this aircraft. It looked great on paper, but it wouldn’t be flown until the prototype came out, 4 years later, and even then, it wouldn’t be frequently used. Messerschmitt’s incredibly famous and deadly Bf109 would control the skies until then. It had amazing revolutionary gas turbines, manufactured by BMW.
The piston engine remained in the nose of this aircraft, and the aircraft was forced to take off using all three engines, for safety. Now, this was the best aircraft of the Third Reich, and when Germany’s even more advanced Me163 Komet came along, this mean, green(It carried a camouflage similar to that of certain focke-wulfe FW-190D’s, will research technicalities.) Fighting machine was actively taking on the allies. It was the first Jetfighter to fight in combat, when engaged a British Mosquito fly recon over Munich.
One major problem of the Me262 was this. It was too fast. Now, speed is good and all, but put in to mind that Germany did what Windows did with Vista, and released early because they were pressured. Also keep in mind that speeding up its production means scientist’s are bound to overlook important details. Well, here’s the problem. Well, both problems. One, its speed meant that taking this aircraft too far, which happened a lot in dogfight’s, meant that its wings had a tendency to COME RIGHT OFF. That is very bad. You lose complete control. Try flying with your tailfin and elevator. Secondly, the engines? They were ridiculously unreliable, shutting down mid-dogfight. Sure, you can glide a bit, and then parachute out… if the Spitfire who’s pals you killed decides to let you go. The undercarriage? Collapse prone. The guns? Jamfestival.
However, the main reason these weren’t able to turn the tide of the war, and they were very close to doing this, was that a lack of resource and vicious Allied bombing campaigns blew the manufacturing plants off the face of the Earth. 1400 were produced by VE (Victory in Europe) day. Only 300 saw combat action. The allies bombed hundreds of them out of commission. However, when I say it couldv’e one the war, I’m not panic-mongering. It was superior to every other aircraft in every way. Even when Britain’s Gloster company produced the Meteor jetfighter, the Me-262 was the king of the skies… if it was up there, with its wings still attached.
However, as the war wore on, even though Hitler bragged about this aircraft, Germany focused on improving the already active Bf109 and BF110 aircraft. However, ace Adolf Galland managed to speed up aircraft production after flying it and proclaiming it remarkable. But Germany was short on fuel, resources, supplies, manpower, and aces. As many of you military strategists reading this article will recognize, having a nifty new weapon doesn’t always mean you can use it.
No Me262 ever fought a Gloster meteor. In March 18-21, 1945, more than 40 campaigns were flown by Me262’s. It was far too late to salvage the German War Machine, so these caused damaged, but only slowed the inevitable. Two seater radar-equipped night fighters and new engine improvements rolled off the production lines.
I will post and F-14 guide, and hopefully an F-16 and Mig-29 guide in the furture. Aand maybe an A6M zero guide.
Me-262. Discuss.
Real World War 2 Facts about the Messerschmitt Me262
Maiden Flight: July 18, 1942
Max. Speed: 870 KpH
Powered By: Dual Junkers 900 Kg thrust Jumo 004B-1 Turbojets.
Armament: Four 30mm nose mounted cannon, and 12 air-to-air rockets under the wings.
Country: Germany
This was the aircraft your history teacher used to mention when they talked about Germany having phenomenally advanced weaponry that could have won the war. The V2 rocket, Frankfurters (tasty), and this. It was the world first operational jetfighter. Many Germans, and historians today, believed it was a war winner. However, extensive allied bombing campaigns ravaged the plants where these were being manufactured.
In late 1938, design work started on this aircraft. It looked great on paper, but it wouldn’t be flown until the prototype came out, 4 years later, and even then, it wouldn’t be frequently used. Messerschmitt’s incredibly famous and deadly Bf109 would control the skies until then. It had amazing revolutionary gas turbines, manufactured by BMW.
The piston engine remained in the nose of this aircraft, and the aircraft was forced to take off using all three engines, for safety. Now, this was the best aircraft of the Third Reich, and when Germany’s even more advanced Me163 Komet came along, this mean, green(It carried a camouflage similar to that of certain focke-wulfe FW-190D’s, will research technicalities.) Fighting machine was actively taking on the allies. It was the first Jetfighter to fight in combat, when engaged a British Mosquito fly recon over Munich.
One major problem of the Me262 was this. It was too fast. Now, speed is good and all, but put in to mind that Germany did what Windows did with Vista, and released early because they were pressured. Also keep in mind that speeding up its production means scientist’s are bound to overlook important details. Well, here’s the problem. Well, both problems. One, its speed meant that taking this aircraft too far, which happened a lot in dogfight’s, meant that its wings had a tendency to COME RIGHT OFF. That is very bad. You lose complete control. Try flying with your tailfin and elevator. Secondly, the engines? They were ridiculously unreliable, shutting down mid-dogfight. Sure, you can glide a bit, and then parachute out… if the Spitfire who’s pals you killed decides to let you go. The undercarriage? Collapse prone. The guns? Jamfestival.
However, the main reason these weren’t able to turn the tide of the war, and they were very close to doing this, was that a lack of resource and vicious Allied bombing campaigns blew the manufacturing plants off the face of the Earth. 1400 were produced by VE (Victory in Europe) day. Only 300 saw combat action. The allies bombed hundreds of them out of commission. However, when I say it couldv’e one the war, I’m not panic-mongering. It was superior to every other aircraft in every way. Even when Britain’s Gloster company produced the Meteor jetfighter, the Me-262 was the king of the skies… if it was up there, with its wings still attached.
However, as the war wore on, even though Hitler bragged about this aircraft, Germany focused on improving the already active Bf109 and BF110 aircraft. However, ace Adolf Galland managed to speed up aircraft production after flying it and proclaiming it remarkable. But Germany was short on fuel, resources, supplies, manpower, and aces. As many of you military strategists reading this article will recognize, having a nifty new weapon doesn’t always mean you can use it.
No Me262 ever fought a Gloster meteor. In March 18-21, 1945, more than 40 campaigns were flown by Me262’s. It was far too late to salvage the German War Machine, so these caused damaged, but only slowed the inevitable. Two seater radar-equipped night fighters and new engine improvements rolled off the production lines.
I will post and F-14 guide, and hopefully an F-16 and Mig-29 guide in the furture. Aand maybe an A6M zero guide.
Me-262. Discuss.
Last edited by pace51 (2010-04-16 14:19:21)
