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    You are at:Home»July»July 18»July 18, 1942: Best Fighter of WW II? (First Jet Powered Flight of the Me 262)
    July 18

    July 18, 1942: Best Fighter of WW II? (First Jet Powered Flight of the Me 262)

    Major DanBy Major DanJuly 18, 2016Updated:June 3, 202226 Comments4 Mins Read
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    A Brief History

    On July 18, 1942, the Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow in English) made its first test flight using its jet engines.  Initial test flights had been conducted using a conventional piston powered engine and a propeller.  Roughly three years after the 1942 test flight, German fighter pilot Hans Guido Mutke (1921–2004) made the controversial claim that he broke the sound barrier in 1945 in an Me 262, although mainstream opinion continues to regard Chuck Yeager as the first person to achieve this milestone in 1947 in a Bell X-1.

    Digging Deeper

    German jet engine development had lagged due to problems with concocting metal alloys with high melting temperatures to keep the engines from self destructing in flight.  When the problem was partially solved, the test bed was fitted with BMW built jet engines which were then replaced by Jumo 004 jet engines.  Since these early jet engines were not the powerful dynamos of today, 2 engines were needed to give the Me 262 world beating performance.  Engine reliability and short engine life remained a problem for this jet throughout its career.

    When finally fit for combat in 1944, the Swallow stunned Allied aviators with its 559 mph top speed, out running the best Allied fighters by 100 mph.  The heavy armament of 4 X 30mm cannons was enough to blow Allied fighters and bombers from the sky and make mince meat of Allied ground targets, including armored vehicles.

    Due to interference from Adolf Hitler himself, who insisted the Swallow be adapted as a ground attack plane (Sturmvogel), the real potential of the Swallow was never realized.  This sleek granddaddy of jet fighters was produced in what seemed significant numbers (1430), but only a fraction of those ever saw combat, with a maximum of perhaps 200 operational at one time.

    Underground manufacture of Me 262s

    The Me 262 was not without its faults, such as low velocity 30mm ammo that kept accurate fire within 600 meters or less and such a high closing speed that head on attacks were too difficult.  Even stern attacks had a closing speed so great that the Swallow had to turn away from an Allied bomber before he got within 200 meters or risk ramming the bomber.  Poor supply of fuel, low quality fuel, constant attacks against jet airfields, and lack of engine reliability all plagued the Me 262 and their pilots.  The short range and flight time allowed by the high fuel consumption often meant the Swallow was vulnerable when forced to land when low on fuel.   Performance with 1 engine was not bad, except speed had to be maintained or handling problems would manifest themselves.

    Still, the Me 262 was the best performing fighter plane of World War II and was superior to the British Gloster Meteor and the American Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star (initial model).  Had Germany produced the plane in greater numbers at an earlier date, the Me-262 may have had a catastrophic influence on the Allied Air War in Europe.  As it was, they had little influence on the course of the war, despite the spectacular performance of the shark like jet.

    Me 262 A in 1945

    The small numbers and lack of influence on the war keep many historians from calling the Swallow the finest fighter plane of World War II, while others happily grant that title to the Me 262 in recognition of its great abilities.  Question for students (and subscribers): What do you say?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Boyne, Walter J.  Messerschmitt Me 262: Arrow to the Future (Schiffer Military/Aviation History).  Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 1994.

    Heaton, Colin D., Anne-Marie Lewis, et al.  The Me 262 Stormbird.  Zenith Press, 2012.

    Schuck, Walter.  Luftwaffe Eagle: From the Me109 to the Me262.  Crecy Publishing, 2015.

    You can also watch a video version of this article on YouTube.

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    Major Dan

    Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

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