Messerschmitt Me 262, Berlin Airshow 2006 - wikipedia
ROLE
Fighter / Fighter-bomber.
FIRST FLIGHT
18 April 1941.
The first operational jet engine was designed by Hans Joachim Pabst von Ohain in 1937. The Germans were quick to see the potential of jet powered aircraft and began development of the Heinkel He 178.
After successful test flights, work began on designing a new advanced fighter which was to become the Messerschmitt Me 262 designed by Dr Waldermar Voigt and developed by Robert Lusser.
The prototypes had landing gear based upon existing designs of the time with two wheels in the front and a tail wheel, however, the Me 262 was given the more conventional arrangement for jet aircraft of a retractable tricycle landing gear.
The design of the Me 262 was hampered by technical problems with the jet engines resulting in the engines being mounted as underwing pods allowing them to be easily changed.
The low cantilever stressed skin wings were swept back by 18.5 degrees to change the centre of gravity to accommodate the additional weight of the modified engines.
Due to design problems with the engines and material shortages manufacturing priority was given to more easily manufactured aircraft resulting in only 1,430 Me 262's being built. This coupled with its late arrival in the conflict minimised the effect the aircraft would have during WW2.
PRODUCTION
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was produced from 1944, with 1,430 built.
ENGINES
2 x Junkers Jumo 004B-1, -2 or -3, producing 3960 lb st.
Press play to hear the Me 262
ARMAMENT
4 x MK 108 30mm cannon
1,102 lb (500 kg) Bomb/Rocket load
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the first Jet Powered aircraft to enter service. It became operational with the Luftwaffe mid-1944 and was faster and had greater armament than any Allied aircraft, including the Gloster Meteor.
Although Me 262 pilots shot down 542 aircraft it was vulnerable during take-off and landing and many were destroyed on the ground.
