Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe

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Mantelli - Brown - Kittel - Graf

Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe

Aircraft of World War II

(n. 23)

ISBN 978-2-37297-2185

Copyright 2015
Edizioni R.E.I.
www.edizionirei.com
info@edizionirei.com

Index

History
Engine Junkers Jumo 004
Technique
Versions
Technique
Technical features
Versions
Me 262 night fighters
Use
In action
Existing examples
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“It was as if an angel was pushing.”

So Adolf Galland, absolute icon of the German, described the Messerschmitt 262
“Schwalbe” record holder’s first fighter in history with jet engine to enter into operational
service.
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was a twin-engine multi-role jet fighter wing arrow developed
and produced by the German company Messerschmitt AG in the forties. Used by the
Luftwaffe during the final stages of World War II, he holds the distinction of being the
first fighter in history with jet engine to enter into operational service and the first fighter
twin-jet.
It is considered the most advanced aircraft used by the Germans, also forerunner of fighter
jets made in the Soviet Union after the war.

According to some historical allies, with the Me 262 the German aircraft industry created
a plane that theoretically could have won the war for air defense and give back to the
Luftwaffe supremacy in Germany. Compared with the fighters supplied to the allies at the
time, including the Gloster Meteor which would come into service shortly thereafter, the
German jet proved faster and more powerfully armed.
But many problems of development delayed the entry into service and the technical
problems he suffered it made an operating too few examples in order to influence the tide
of the air war in Europe.
However, unlike the jet planes of the allies, which were used only for operational service
and not clash with enemy aircraft, the Me 262 they shot down more than 100 aircraft,
including bombers and fighters.

Major versions were:

Hunting, nicknamed “Schwalbe”, in German swallow.
Bomber, nicknamed “Sturmvogel” storm petrel.
Night fighter “Nachtjäger” fighter of the night, two-seat version, built in small
numbers in the last months of the conflict.


While the use of the German aircraft was concluded by the end of World War II, a small
number has been used by the Czechoslovak Air Force until 1951. The Me 262 captured
were studied and tested in flight by the great powers, and ultimately , influenced the
designs of a number of aircraft of the war, as the North American F-86 Sabre and the
Boeing B-47 Stratojet.

When he appeared in heaven Germans was for the Allies one of the biggest surprises of
the war. Their best fighter suddenly became obsolete, placing the German fighter with a
top speed of over 170 km/h compared to their plane faster, the North American P-51D
Mustang.

The Messerschmitt Me 262 also possessed a weapon that had no equal at the time,
consisting of four 30 mm cannons.
One hit could destroy a fighter and an average of three it was enough to bring down a
bomber; then when the aircraft was equipped with rockets R4M 55mm hunting became a
nightmare for the bombers.
Luckily for them the plane reached departments too late and in too few to change the
course of events.

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History

The Me 262 was already under development as Projekt 1065 (P.1065) before the start of
World War II; several years before the War, in fact, the Germans had already foreseen the
great potential for aircraft that had used the jet engine built by Hans Joachim Pabst von
Ohain in 1936.
In autumn 1938 the Messerschmitt was then asked to design a jet fighter. The design of the
Me 262 included the installation of new jet engines being built is the Junkers Flugzeug
und Motorenwerke AG that the BMW.
The first prototype was ready in 1940, but the engines had a large delay in the
development, so for the first flights was used a piston engine Junkers Jumo 210 mounted
on the nose.

The Projekt 1065 1939 included two reactors almost drowned at the sides of the fuselage,
but never saw the light, as the reactors BMW did not keep their promises.
The project was completely revised in 1940 and it came to the final configuration.
The turbines were accumulating delays totally unexpected, so that was also considered the
possibility of equipping the new fighter of additional rocket engines. The cell prototype Vl
(PC + UA) was ready for some time when, as the turbines would not be delivered quickly,
they proceeded to furnish it with a conventional engine Junkers Jumo 21OG from 710 hp
with two-blade propeller in nose.
Thus he propelled the Me 262 V1 flew for the first time April 18, 1941 piloted by Fritz
Wendel.
In November 1941, the Me 262 V1 was fitted with two BMW-003 turbojet 550 kg of
thrust, but both BMW turbines in flight and gave the prototype except fortuitously because
the piston engine was still installed.

The Messerschmitt and RLM decided to replace reactors BMW with Junkers Jumo 004A
of pre-production of 840 kg thrust each that were installed on the third prototype V3,
private motor piston. With these engines at last July 18, 1942 Wendel took flight in what
would have been celebrated as the first operational jet fighter in history.


Unfortunately, the V3 was destroyed in its second test flight three weeks later.
The prototype Me 262 V2, which is also powered by the Junkers Jumo 004A was not
delivered before October 2, 1942. Despite all the delays and problems the RLM in May
1942 had already ordered 15 Me 262 pre-production and added others 30 in October.

The RLM was undecided between the production of the Me 262 and the Me 209,
improved version of the famous Messerschmitt Bf 109, but 22 May 1943 the General
Adolf Galland, commander of the Luftwaffe fighter, flew on the new prototype of the
aircraft, the V4 , giving a judgment enthusiastic and suggesting the deletion of the Me
209; a few days after the RLM issued an order for the production of 100 Me 262.

The real difficulty consisted in the fact that the plane was far from being ready for
production in series. At the time only one plane was flying, the prototype V4, the previous
three were destroyed, and the fifth had been rebuilt to house a tricycle gear configuration
of the truck.
In fact, due to the long snout, the configuration with the tail wheel penalized forward
visibility to the ground while the drain of the turbo-jet downwards damaging the slopes.
The V5 was fixed but the nose gear was produced in October 1943 the V6 comes with
fully retractable carriage, which was followed by the V7, the latest prototype.

Shown in 1943 to Hermann Göring, in November of that year he was presented to the
Führer. Impressed, Hitler gave one of his most controversial orders, providing that the
airplane was used for bombing missions, especially in anti-landing operations.
Willy Messerschmitt asking if the plane had a chance to carry bombs and having received
an affirmative answer, it seems that he exclaimed: “That’s the bomber faster than I
needed.”
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This order entailed many problems for German units, since the bioreactor in practice was
unable to fulfill the role of bomber because he had no visibility down and having no
aereofreni, accelerated too quickly in beaten incurred. The only solution was found beaten
in flight in light to medium altitude.
The Me 262 had not, however, easy life with Allied fighters, who could beat fast enough
to reach them if they were at a higher level.

The version from bombardment could carry 500 kg bombs, two Sc 250 from 250 kg, or a
SC 500 from 500 Kg. Often they were mounted only 2 cannons, for a total of 250 kg less.
When he was finally granted permission to use as fighters, the plane still had many
problems to solve, and as a tactic and as a technique. The lack of trained pilots was
another serious problem. When possible were employed the bomber pilots because the
aircraft had the need for a constant and precise adjustment, anything but instinctive in the
conduct in flight. One should never groped aerobatic maneuvers or overdo the throttle.

Adolf Hitler is so often referred to as the person in charge of the entry into service delayed
(submitted in 1944) of the Me 262, due to its decision to use the aircraft mainly in the role
of fast bomber rather than to fighter. In fact, the Me 262 reached late departments for the
difficulties encountered in producing large-scale all-new jet engines.
Even when the turbine Junkers Jumo 004 finally began to get out of the assembly lines,
the deliveries were irregular, allowing delivery of 28 Me 262 in June 1944, only 59 in July
and 20 in August.

When he managed to attack could devastate the target plane, but at the same time some
flight characteristics made him attacked by Allied fighters.
The Me 262 was to prefer the horizontal flight rather than dive for his disengagement,
might otherwise result from the fast and sometimes reached appliances Allies recently
produced.
For even better results, hunters allies began patrolling German airports, often surprising
the enemy pilots landing and taking off above.
The Germans tried to resist allocating departments of Fw-190 and even 152 Ta-defense at
low altitude jet landing, but this did not avoid painful losses, as the ace Walter Nowotny.

In July 1944 the first Me 262A-1a data were supplied all’Erprobungskommando 262 with
the task of studying the best tactics to use.
Eventually they also began deliveries of the Me 262 with cannon BK 5 Automatic 50 mm
(other sources identify him with the MK 214), with effective range of 1 km, but rather
difficult to use; much more practical would have been the less powerful piece 37 mm or a
pair of cannons MK 103, but none of these was never installed on Schwalbe, rather
incomprehensibly since then they will find the place for the said cannon 50 mm.

Then came the Me 262 night fighter, excellent equipment tandem rich avionics systems,
which reduced the speed from 870 to 813 km/h, but a new version, with additional fuel
and a centimetric radar radome with internal, reported the speed of 860 km/h.
Finally rockets R4M, 12 under each wing, which could hit the bomber formations with
basic attacks also 1 km away.
The March 18, 1945 37 Me 262 (in much of the JG 7) stated 12 victories out of a force of
about 1,220 bomber B-17 headed for Berlin, complete with a fighter escort.
The fact that such an armed air force was in the air, live in the German capital, he gave a
good idea of inevitable defeat.
Even if you were lost only two Me 262, the bombers claimed were less than 1% of this
total, when two years before it came to even 20% of the losses inflicted.

She went better against less armed RAF bombers: March 31, 1945, 460 of the Halifax and
Lancaster Groups 1,6 and 8 Hamburg attacked in broad daylight, with the escort of 12
squadrons of Mustang the RAF . But the third wave, formed by Canadian aircraft (was
Group 6) found himself for some hitch unescorted. Immediately they were attacked by Me
262 of JG 7, already rejected against the first two waves, but now they found easy prey.
It was their most successful, despite some planes from getting out with their maneuvers to
“corkscrew” (to counter the night fighters), were shot down 4 Lancaster and 19 Halifax,
even more of the 10 declared. The British, in turn, claimed 4 Me 262 and 3 other probable,
but it seems that there were no casualties among the Germans.

In fact it is not easy to understand how it happened in the March 31, probably not all
British bombers were destroyed by German jet, which the Allies would have probably
gotten the killing of 14 Allied bombers (including Americans) and two fighter , the price
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of 4 jet on 38 sorties.
In any case, the JG 7, became operational in February 1945, proved to be a formidable
opponent for the Allies, second only to JG 44 led by General Adolph Galland. But not all
departments were successful.
The I./KG 54, formed with the pilots of the bombers, in theory better than those newly
trained fighter, was defeated 9 February 1945 with the loss of five aircraft of ten sent
1,500 bombers escorted attack against one victory against the B-17.
The Mustang hit hard also on February 25, when those in the 55th FG struck again,
destroying the German department at takeoff or landing Me.262 6, which were added to 2
lost to accidents and 4 machine-gunned on the ground.

The missions of KG 51 were instead related to the attack on the ground, and February 14,
1945, the fateful day when Dresden was destroyed, some 55 Me 262 attacked the British
in Kleve.
Although the rate was lower with bombs on board (apparently around 755 km/h) only
three were shot down, including at least two from Typhoon.
9 April, the Me 262 were in service with about 200 aircraft especially with JG 7 (76) 44
(50) 54 (37), but also with the 10./NJG, 11 night fighter (9), KG 51 (6) of attack, and
reconnaissance NAGr 6, with 7 devices equipped with cameras in the nose instead of the
guns.

The April 10, 1945 about 50 Me 262, many of them armed with rockets, destroyed 10
bombers, but of a force of 1,100 that did little effect.
Worse than ever, as many as 27 Me 262 were destroyed during that day of desperate
fighting, 20 of which were declared by the P-51.
15 pilots turned killed or missing, including Schall, who had 14 victories on the Me 262.
When you consider that they were never more than 200 Me 262 fighter jets in service, it is
understandable that entities losses were suffered that day by the Luftwaffe .


The first real operational department was still a branch of KG 51, better known as
Kommando Schenck (Me 262A-2a fighter-bombers), followed by the Kommando
Nowotny with a staff of about 40 fighter.
This independent group, came into action October 3, 1944, he was able, under the capable
leadership of Major Walter Nowotny, highly decorated ace, to win many victories.
Unfortunately Nowotny fell, as many of his colleagues, being strafed by Allied fighters
landing in early November.
Another unit of Me 262 was the III/KG 7 that boasted some notable successes.

But of course the most famous units to be equipped with the prestigious twin-jet fighter
was the (JV) 44 commanded by General Adolf Galland, former commander in chief of the
Hunt, then resigned due to differences with the upper echelons and with Hitler in
particular.
Galland gathered around him the cream of the axes of the hunt, putting together a group
consisting of about 25 riders with 50 aircraft. The Jagdverband 44 operated by Munchen-
Riem and in just three months, with an average of only six aircraft operating, he managed
to shoot down 47 aircraft between bombers and fighters. With Galland ended the short
career of operating an aircraft that still amazes us by modern technical solutions.

Eventually the Luftwaffe received 1,433 Me 262, but only 400 of these were employed in
action, others were lost on assembly lines or during transfer to the unit where they were
assigned.
The entry into service of the Me 262 gave back hope to the exhausted German pilots. As
pointed out one of the “axis” of the Luftwaffe survivors, the Me 262 was like a “life
insurance”, since it gave them hope of survival in the skies now dominated by Allied
aircraft.
In fact, the Americans calculated that it took ten P-51 Mustang to neutralize a single Me
262.
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In those days of the late April 1945 the few Me 262A of the JV 44 operated by stretches of
highway spared by bombs or revamped to better. The normal airfields were now
completely impassable and kept under close surveillance by fighter and by scouts allies.
Some stretches of the Autobahn near Monaco of Bavaria had been saved only because the
Germans had had the bright idea to mask by painting over fake bomb craters so realistic as
to mislead even the most skilled interpreters of the photos taken by Allied reconnaissance.
The Me 262 were accommodated in underground shelters protected by security doors,
built far enough and well camouflaged, as were the taxiways. The command center was
located in what appeared to be from a normal farm nestled in a pine forest, in which
recesses were also workshops, cabins for the crew and fuel tanks, always very low.

Everything was so well camouflaged that, later, several units of the US Army’s next door
passed without finding out.
The planes were kept as far away as possible in and out of shelters only when it was
announced that a raid by Allied bombers on their way to some target site within the range
of the Me 262.
ln this case, the radar network, which continued to function almost until the last day,
warned by telephone command center that provided to send in action fighters available.

In fact, even if the initial consistency of the JV44 was 50 aircraft, it was significantly
reduced for both the losses due to the lack of spare parts.
The wear of the turbines was tremendously high: after 15 hours of operation, carefully
took into account also the minutes needed for taxiing; the turbine group was subjected to a
general overhaul and, after a further 10 hours, if that would take so long, was replaced.
This average life so brief says a lot about the coefficient of operation of the airplane.

The only rider to have allied destroyed more than a Me 262 was Drew B. Urban. The
famous ace Chuck Yeager he struck one. Both were flying the P-51.
A abatement of a Me 262 was claimed by the Russian Ivan Kozhedub on Lavochkin 7.

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Engine Junkers Jumo 004

The Junkers Jumo 004 (official designation RLM Junkers Jumo 109 to 004) was the first
turbojet engine in axial compressor to enter into operational service mounted in pairs on
the Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter used by the Luftwaffe during the final phase of the
conflict. The name “Jumo” was derived from the combination of the name of the
manufacturer Junkers Motorenbau.
Regardless of the experiences of Frank Whittle who in the thirties in England carried out
the study of a turbojet engine with centrifugal compressor (the Power Jets WU), in
Germany, in 1931, Hermann Östrich described in a report to the promising prospects in
the DVL use of a turbine engine for the propulsion air.
Professor Herbert Wagner of the University of Berlin was the first, in 1934, to conceive
the use of a turbine engine axial flow spaces to move propeller.

Following the demonstration of Hans von Ohain of its turbine centrifugal flow Heinkel
HeS 3, in 1939 the Reich Air Ministry (RLM) urged producers of aircraft engines
Germans to start programs to develop jet engines that had pushed the order of 19,6 kN for
m² of the front surface so as to reduce the aerodynamic drag of the gondolas of the engine.
This requirement was particularly difficult to be overcome using centrifugal compressors,
for which reason it was preferred to use multistage axial flow compressors which, at the
cost of greater length, could ensure high ratios thrust-front section.

In the same year, the Junkers decided to entrust Anselm Franz, until then head of the
department turbochargers, the direction of the emerging division dedicated to the design of
the jet engine it was attached to the numbering from 109 to 004 by the Air Ministry (with
the prefix 109- reserved for jet engines).
Franz opted for a conservative project but would guarantee a rapid process of development
and entry into production, avoiding construction of intermediate prototypes to devote
himself soon to the final configuration and relying on solutions in part already tested for
the turbine (from AEG) and compressor (at the Aerodynamische Versuchsanstalt
Göttingen).
This prudence (beginning frowned upon by RLM) was rewarded the entry into service of
his engine before the competitor (and most technologically advanced) BMW 003.

The initial project was the use of quality materials and special steel to withstand the high
temperatures generated by the new engine.
When the engine is made available, the terms of the Reich were now such that these
materials were not available, so they were used components of lesser quality.
The end result was an engine reliability record low, the tendency to fire in case of abrupt
movements on the throttle and a life that was between 10 and 25 hours of flight.

The first prototype of the 004 was bench tested on 11 October 1940, after some changes,
in January 1941 could provide a boost of 490 kg, however, still does not meet
specifications (600 kg) required by the RLM.
In August of 1941, with the introduction of a new compressor with steel paddles and
stators were modified achieved the minimum thrust and, in March 1942, began flight tests
aboard a specially modified Me 110.
With later versions (004 B) were introduced further improvements and the useful life of
the engine went up to 50 hours.

At the end of the conflict, 4,752 units were delivered to the factories for installation on
their aircraft, 1,258 were ready for dispatch and 506 were under repair.
In the assembly line 700 hours were necessary for the construction of each specimen,
which was assembled in factories around 7 for the Reich.
After the end of World War II the Jumo 004 was produced in Czechoslovakia in small
amounts from Malešice as M-04, to equip the Avia S-92, which is also a copy of the Me
262.
In the Soviet Union designs and specimens captured during the conflict they constituted
the starting point of Tumanskij RD-10 for the Yakovlev Yak-15 and several other fighters.
In France, some 004 specimens were used on SNCASO SO.6000-1 Triton and over
Arsenal VG-70.

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Technique

The engine was composed of a group axial flow compressor from 8 stages connected by a
shaft of a turbine stage, a combustion chamber to six flame tubes interconnected to each
other and contained in a common casing and an annular nozzle with a central plug thatHe
could slide axially.

The eight-stage compressor of the Jumo 004. We also note the stator vanes (in blue) mounted cantilevered
on the outer casing of the compressor.

The lighting, in the Me 262, was through a twin-cylinder engine as opposed to 2-stroke,
designed by Norbert Riedel, encased in the cone of entry, which was set to tear through a
handle, which is also placed in the cone, or (in flight) electrically.
The start nell’Arado ar 234 was through a ground unit that’s because the arado was not
equipped to handle the manual power and could be started electrically as the Me 262, but
this operation discharged batteries and so it was little used .
Once he turned on the engine took about a minute to accelerate the speed of 2,000 rpm.

The 2-stroke engine for ignition contained in the tip of the motor.

Unlike the more advanced BMW 003, the engine of the Junkers was based on a design
more conservative and already partly developed by AVA (Aerodynamische
Versuchsanstalt) in which the 8-stage axial compressor weighed about 170 kg more of the
competitor.

The blades, initially built in light alloy, were replaced by other steel to remedy the
difficulties of supply of strategic materials such as nickel, cobalt and molybdenum.
The first version (004A) was plagued by the failure of the compressor blades.
In the later version they were redesigned the first two stages of the compressor solving the
problems of vibration of the stator vanes to the origin of failures.

The first units of the 004A for Me 262 were built making extensive use of metals such as
nickel, cobalt and molybdenum, but that would be subsequently available for building
large scale.
For the turbine blades they were initially used austenitic steels similar to the “Tinidur”,
with an improved version of the P-193 produced by Krupp containing 30% nickel, 14%
chromium, 1.75% of titanium and 0.12% of carbon.
Subsequently, due to the scarcity of nickel, it was forced the choice of alternative
materials such as Cromadur, a non-austenitic steel containing 12% chromium and 18% of
manganese.

With this alloy was possible to obtain hollow blades by means of a bending method of a
foil of Cromadur.
Inside of the turbine blades it was passed air taken from downstream of the last stage of
the compressor to cool. The air for the cooling of the stators of the turbine was instead
taken between the compressor and the combustion chamber.

Even for the turbine, there were, in the engines produced since the summer of 1943,
vibration problems. Resonating the blades tended to fracture.
Max Bentele, who in the past had solved similar problems to the compressor, was again
called by Franz to find a solution. Bentele thought she was the configuration to six
combustion chambers and the three supports of the engine downstream of the turbine to
induce resonance in the rotor blades.

In version 004A, these phenomena were not presented because the engine ran at speeds
and lower temperatures.
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The blades were then shortened by one millimeter (so raise their resonance frequency) and
the rotation speed was lowered from 9,000 to 8,700 revolutions per minute.

Highlights the turbine blades, the motor shaft and the configuration of a flame tube of the combustion
chamber (in red).

The exhaust nozzle section was adjusted by shifting the central ogive (a central body
could move axially back and forth by varying the area of the outflow in relation to the
speed of rotation of the motor, and thus to the flow rate of the exhaust gas) thatIt was
commanded by the pilot to cope with the loss of efficiency that engines meet centrifugal
compressor at low revs.

Cross-section of the exhaust nozzle with highlighted the mechanism for moving the central body.

Versions

Jumo 004 A - The first version was built in less than 50 examples from 840 kg
thrust.
Installed on the Me 262 (18 June 1942) and Ar 234 (August 1943).

Jumo 004 B-0 - Lighter version of 100 kg built in only 5 pieces, tested for the first
time in February and March of 1943.

Jumo 004 B-1 - Version with the first two stages of the compressor redesigned.
Driven by 900 kg to 8,700 rpm, compression ratio increased from 3.2:1 to 3.5:1,
tested between May and June 1943.

Jumo 004 B-4 - Similar to B-1, had the turbine blades and hollow air-cooled and
was introduced from December 1944.
Between versions B-1 and B-4 were built around 6,000 units.

Jumo 004 D-4 - Improved version of the B-4 performance at high altitude and in
reliability.
Combustion chamber of new design and 6 glow plugs in place of 3 originating. It
was expected to adopt an updated version of the B-2 compressor that was
aerodynamically superior, but had vibration problems.
The thrust provided was 1,000 kg and was provided the use of an afterburner can
increase the thrust of a further 15-20%.
The production was supposed to start in May 1945.

Jumo 004 H-4 - New design with axial compressor in 11 stages with a
compression ratio of 5.5:1, two stages of the turbine, weighing approximately 1,200
kg to 1,800 kg of a thrust provided.

Jumo 012 - Bigger version of H-4 about 5 meters long, equipped with two shafts
for groups (compressor and turbine) of low and high pressure, diameter of 1.1
meters, a weight of 2,200 kg per 3,000 kg of thrust provided .
The construction of the first model was scheduled between April and May 1945.

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Jumo 022 - Version turboprop with counter-rotating propellers remained at the
draft stage. free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com
According to the specifications it would produce 6,000 bhp at an altitude of 8,000
meters flying at 800 km / h.

Technique

The Me 262 developed a total thrust of 1,800 kg with two Junkers Jumo 004B jet, the
internal configuration of the axial compressor (which gave a streamlined and
aerodynamic).
The speed was 870 km/h at 6,000 meters and the 11,500 meters of tangency nominal. The
high speed was achieved by the Jumo engines at the cost of a huge consumption of fuel.
The range varied from 480 to 1,050 km, depending on the share, despite the load of 2,470
liters of fuel, six times that of a Bf 109.
It was possible, however, to use cheaper fuels, such as kerosene or diesel: there was no
need for high-octane gasoline. There were two tanks of 900 liters in front and behind the
cockpit of the pilot, while a 570-liter auxiliary was not always present or full.

The engines had a useful life of just 10 to 25 hours and had to be treated with great
caution. The pilots were horrified by the tendency to fire, due to the unavailability of
special steels for critical components of the engine, the inability to restart an engine when
it was turned off, the acceleration is too low to get out of trouble in the event of difficulties
at higher speeds low.
Tests showed that the Me 262 would have escaped to the pilot’s control to a speed higher
than Mach 0.86 and that its structure was likely broken at speeds slightly greater than that.

Particularly relevant solutions used in the cell, both from the structural point of view is
aerodynamic.
The section was triangular with a very flat belly that improved the livelihoods without
increasing too much the wing area and the configuration was called “shark-shaped”.
The whole plane was constructed according to a modular structure, so that the individual
modules could be constructed separately and then assembled.

The night fighter Me 262B-1a/U1 “Nachtjäger”.

This was to meet the needs of decentralization of German industry, that to cope with the
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devastating air strikes had moved production from large factories to smaller plants, hidden
aviation ally. free ebooks ==> www.ebook777.com

The light arrow in the shape of the wings, which later would make the school as part of
transonic aircraft, was originally due to the need to rework the wing to balance the
weights, after changing the engine model originally planned.
The armor protection were effective, the view great and the handling excellent high-speed,
than previously available.

The fighting aircraft showed that the cannons MK 108 by 30 mm, with 80 or 100 strokes
(depending on the weapons) were devastating, but having low initial speed, showed poor
precision, much less of the MG 151/20 which among other things were lighter (total
installation of MK 108 was about 500 kg).
The supplied fuel was of 2,570 liters, including two 900 liter tanks, one in front and one
behind the armored passenger compartment but without the ejection seat, could also be
constituted by oil, but in any case the autonomy rarely exceeded the time , or less of the
Bf-109 with 400 liters (more expensive aviation gasoline), even if the distance was
superior viable; the thickness of the armor plate was adequate, being 15 mm for the head
restraint and 90 mm for the windshield, and the aircraft itself sturdy.

Technical features

Dimensions and weights

Length: 10.58 meters
Wingspan: 12.50 meters
Height: 3.83 meters
Wing area: 21.73 m2
Empty weight: 3,795 kg
Maximum takeoff weight: 6,750 kg
Fuel capacity: 2,470 liters

propulsion

Engine: 2 turbojets Junkers Jumo 004 B-1
Thrust 8.8 kN (900 kg/s) each

performance

Maximum speed: 878 km/h at 7,000 meters
Climb speed: 20 m/sec
Range: 480 to 1,050 km
Tangent: 11,500 meters

armament

Cannons: 4 MK 108 to 30 mm
Missiles: 24 R4M to 55 mm
Bombs: 2 to 250 kg or a to 500 kg

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Versions

Me 262 A-0 - Pre-production aircraft equipped with turbojet engines Kunkers
Jumo 004B. 23 units built.

Me 262 A - The “Schwalbe” - version of primary production, can be used both as
a fighter (interceptor) and as a fighter-bomber.

Me 262 A-1/U1 - Single prototype with a total of six guns in the nose, two MG
151/20 20 mm, two MK 103 30 mm and two MK 108 30 mm.

Me 262 A-1a/U2 - Prototype single night fighter with FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2
90 MHz transceiver radar Hirschgeweih.

Me 262 A-1a/U3 - Reconnaissance version with cameras Rb 20/30 mounted in the
nose or alternatively UnaRb UNORb 20/20 and 75/.
Some specimens maintained a cannon MK 108 30 mm, but most were unarmed.

Me 262 A-1a/U4 - Version bomber destroyer (2 units built) with cannon MK 214
50 mm or anti-tank gun BK 5 in the nose.

Me 262 A-1a/U5 - Jet fighter with six heavy cannons MK 108 30 mm in snout.

Me 262 A-1b-Evaluation version BMW 003 with two engines instead of Jumo
004.
Maximum speed 800 km/h (500 mph) and powered by 430 Kn.

Me 262 A-2a “Sturmvogel” - Final version of the type bomber with two cannons
MK 108 30 mm.

Me 262 A-2a/U1 - Single prototype with progress of the viewfinder.

Me 262 A-2a/U2 - Two prototypes with the muzzle glass for the housing of a
bomber.

Me 262 A-3a - Proposed ground attack version.

Me 262 A-4a - Reconnaissance version.

Me 262 A-5a - Definitive reconnaissance version used in small amounts.

Me 262 B-1a - Two-seat trainer.

Me 262 B-1a/U1 - Me 262 trainers converted in anticipation of using them as
night fighters.

Me 262 B-2 - Night fighter version with stretched fuselage.

Me 262 C-1a - Unique prototype using a Me 262A with engine Walter HWK 109-
509 liquid fuel, a mixture of 30% hydrazine + 57% methanol + 13% of water with a
small amount of potassium-copper-cyanide.

Me 262 C-3 Heimatschützer III - Version proposal replacing engines Jumo 004
turbojet engines with liquid propellant Walter HWK RII-211.

Me 262 C-3a - Heimatschützer IV - Version with enhanced engine Walter HWK
109-509S-2.
The prototypes and early production aircraft were captured before completion.

Me 262 D-1 - Variant proposal to use the Jagdfaust SG 500.
The cannon MK 108 mounted on the plane, in fact, were powerful weapons but
equipped with a ballistic-optimal, and the speed differential with the slow bombers
made it extremely difficult to make an accurate aim.
The plane then had a limited autonomy so as to make difficult a second pass.
The SG 500 stipulated that the pilot passed in speed below the plane hit. A
photocell, noting the dark silhouette of the bomber against the sky, triggered the
gun, he did fire up.
The weapon fired an artillery shell 50 mm, mounted in a launch tube held in place
by a pair of thin pins.
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Five of these tubes were mounted vertically along the fuselage of the aircraft; the
reaction force of the blow broke the pins and dissipated speeding down the launch
tube, and then without transmitting the recoil to the fuselage.
The project was a further evolution of Schräge Musik, installation diagram of
cannons firing upwards, but with manual trigger, widespread among the night
fighters of the Luftwaffe.

Me 262 E-1 - Basic variant on the model A-1a/U4 with a cannon MK 114 55 mm
(2.165 in).

Me 262 E-2 - Variant to carry up to 48 rockets R4M.
The rocket R4M, nicknamed the Hurricane because of its characteristic wake
produced after being launched, was the first practical anti-aircraft rocket.
It was developed by the German Luftwaffe during the Second World War and used
briefly before the end of the war.
After the war the R4M served as a model for many similar devices, used by almost
every fighter interceptors during the forties and fifties.
The R4M was developed to compete with the growing weight of the anti-bomber
weapons deployed by the Luftwaffe fighter. Their design began with the cannons
MG 151/20 20 mm caliber, but it was discovered that was required an average of 20
shots to take down a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
The 20 mm cannons were replaced (or integrated) with the MK 108 30 mm cannons,
which could shoot down a bomber with one or three shots. However the MK 108
was heavier and larger ammunition made it difficult to carry more than one or two
“steps” of shots.
Worse still, the low muzzle velocity meant a short throw and approaching enough to
hit fighters were arranged within the machine guns bombers.
The most powerful MK 103 had a higher muzzle velocity and a longer range, priced
at much higher weight and size.
The solution was to replace the cannon with a small solid-fuel rocket engine, a mast
head similar to that of the shell of the gun. Although each “cartridge” was heavier of
the corresponding shell fired from the cannon, the lack of a cannon considerably
reduced the overall weight. The difference in weight was so unbalanced that even a
rocket wider and longer would be lighter cannons inferior performance that was
required to replace.
The anti-aircraft version dell’R4M used a header wide 55 mm with 520 grams of the
explosive charge of exogenous, guaranteeing a kill with a blow.
Each R4M weighed 3.2 kg and was equipped with enough fuel to be able to be
launched from 1,000 meters, beyond the range of the guns defensive bombers.
The skeleton of the rocket consisted of a simple steel tube with flaps in the tail for
stabilization.
A battery usually consisted of two groups of 12 rockets and if all 24 were launched
simultaneously could cover an area between 15 and 30 meters to 1,000 meters, thick
enough to be sure of hitting the target.
The R4M were normally launched in four salvos of six missiles at intervals of 0.07
seconds from a distance of 600 meters. They were two types of head for the R4M,
the classic PB-3 with a charge of 0.4 kg for anti-aircraft use and a charge from the
larger shape, similar in construction to Panzerschrecks, the Panzerblitz II (PB-2), to
use antitank.

Me 262 W-1 - Provisional designation for the Me 262 with two jet engines Argus
As 014 pulse 2.7 kN thrust, also used for the V1.
The Argus As 014 (or 109 to 014 using the nomenclature assigned by the Air
Ministry of the Reich) was an aircraft engine pulsogetto produced by the German
company Argus Motoren GmbH in the forties.
Used almost exclusively by the V1 flying bomb (Fieseler Fi 103) holds the
distinction of being the first engine of its kind to be produced in large series.
It was produced about 31,100 specimens.
In the first model of the motor produced by Argus and tried the first time on 13
November 1939, the air entered in the engine rear, was accelerated by a device
called a mouth of Borda which also conducted compression and recirculation of the
mixture of air and fuel in the chamber combustion to then be ejected through the
discharge hose, constituted by a conduit coaxial to the input.
This configuration was soon discarded because of irregular combustion.
The second model provided for the front entrance of the pressurized air in a
spherical combustion chamber where it was deflected, giving rise to a vortex ring.
From the third model then it was eliminated in the mouth of Borda and the resulting
vortex ring by applying a reed valve input developed by the German scientist Paul
Schmidt.
The first engine was test flown April 28, 1941, installed on a biplane Gotha Go 145
specially modified.
In the summer of 1942, a pair of engines was installed on a transport glider DFS
230-A1, which, after being driven at high altitude and dropped them on and became
the first aircraft in the world to fly pushed by pulse jets (although engines procured
extensive damage to the structure of the glider).
It was also tested on the Messerschmitt Bf 110 to try to increase the maximum
speed, but experiments on the aircraft were soon set aside to focus efforts on the V1
flying bombs.
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In June 1944 ended the test flights.
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last change to the control system of the fuel that
enabled him to reach (on V1) speed of 765 km per hour.
In its final version, the motor was constituted by a metal sheet folded to form a tube.
In the front they were placed a pack of flap valves controlled by springs, a fuel
injection system and an ignition plug.
To start the engine a stopper was placed in the nozzle to saturate the combustion
chamber with acetylene.
At the same time the spark of the spark plug, a portable source of compressed air
provided the oxygen needed for start for the time needed to stabilize the operating
temperature. At that point it was removed the electrical and pneumatic power and
burning continued self-subsisting.
Each cycle (or pulse) the motor started with the valve open.
The fuel injected downstream was burned and the subsequent expansion of the
combustion gases carrying the valves in closing, but the subsequent drop in pressure
in the combustion chamber due to the expulsion of the exhaust gases from the
nozzle reopened valves, new air flowed and so the cycle could be repeated at a
frequency of about 45-55 times per second.
The system of electric ignition was used only to goodwill; in the scheme it was to
flashback into the nozzle to ensure the ignition of the fresh mixture.
The fuel tank (typically gasoline) was put under pressure by the compressed air also
used by the automatic driving system.
The control system of the fuel supplied, in a continuous manner, the fuel to the
injectors at a pressure variable depending on the flight condition.

Me 262 W-3 - Provisional designation for the Me 262 with two jet engines Argus
As 044 pulse from 4.90 kN thrust.

Me 262 Lorin - Provisional designation for Me 262 with 2 Lorin ramjet engines,
one on each of the gondolas Jumo turbojet.

Me 262 night fighters

The Me 262B-1a / U1 was the result of the idea of Hajo Hermann, lieutenant colonel
specialized in hunting at night, and he tested a Reichlin Me 262 with SN-2 radar.
He became the Me 262B-1 two-seat training in a heavy night fighter.
Soon he developed the Me 262B-1a, with a number of electronic devices such as VHF
FuG 16ZY, IFF FuG 25a, 120a teletype FuG Bernhardine, FuG 125 radar FuG 218 Neptun
V, FuG 350ZC Naxos, all with the reduction the speed to 813 km/h.

The B-2a would have been extended instead of 114 centimeters, 900 liters additional, two
cannons MK 108 ‘Schrage Musik’, a radar AI inside a radome which allowed to go up to
860 km/h.
It would have been a formidable air, but only one flew before the war.
The Kommando stamps had ten aircraft of type B-1a and subsequently renamed
Kommando Welter.
In the last 8 weeks of the war the only commander Kurt Welter shot down 20 Allied
planes well, more than any other driver during the day (which came in at most 16).
The British Mosquito lost in the first three months of 1945 around Berlin were 13 and
most of them, if not all, was destroyed by only two Me 262 with radar, or by Becker with
his Me 262 daytime, responsible nevertheless 5 wins in the period March 21 to 30.

In all, the Germans declared with the Me 262 several hundred victories. Probably they
were not more than 150, against the loss of about 100 aircraft in combat. But it was the
best that could be done to a Germany that actually would have had to surrender (and even
wanted, since the attempt on Hitler that, if successful, could shorten the tragedy of almost
a year). In all, the pilots of the Me 262, regardless of the night, won 427 victories, or at
least declared, because it recognized the Allies, according to the cross-checks of the losses
(not always clear, however), about a third.

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Use

The plane was used in all versions for the fierce clashes of the last months of the war,
sometimes escorted bombers to reaction in ground attacks.
The model night fighter equipped with radar as the “Neptun” and “Berlin”, was a two-
seater (plus pilot radar operator), which came online in small numbers in the last months
of the conflict, quickly destroying a number of Allied bombers.

In one action, 55 aircraft were sent into action during a massive ground attack in which
Allied fighters pulled down 3. The speed with bombs decreased to about 755 km/h.
On another day, as many as 27 Me 262 were destroyed in the air and on the ground during
an attempt to arrest yet another wave of American bombers.
According to reports, these losses were due to the lack of habit of airmen to engage the
bombers at the maximum speed of the plane, very unusual for the times.
The B-17 traveling at a cruising speed of 260 km/h around: when the drivers of the Me
262 slowed to better frame the bombers targeted, eased the task for both gunners both
pilots of the fighter escort.
The latter, in the final stages of the war were able, thanks to additional tanks, to cover the
bombers until the objectives.

Among Allied planes accredited abatement of Me 262 there were also the Spitfire,
although they could not compete with the jet speed and upward.
On the evening of February 14, 1945, the Flight Lieutenant FAO Gaze of the RAF 610
Squadron, on patrol in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, on board of a Spitfire Mk XIV, after
failing the interception of a twin-engine jet reconnaissance Arado Ar 234 surprises three
Me 262 at a lower level.
The Me 262 was so fast that they had to be thought of new tactics to attack American
bombers.
In the frontal attacks, the approach speed of about 320 meters per second was so high that
it can not use the cannons from 30 mm to short shot effectively.


So it was devised an attack from astern and higher altitude. The Me 262 approached from
behind, flying about 1,800 meters higher.
At a distance of about 4,800 meters began a nosedive that took them through the screen of
escort fighter with a reduced risk of being intercepted.

When they were at about 1,600 meters and 450 meters below, they began a steep nose-up
to dispose of the excess speed.
When then finally returned in level flight, they were at more or less 900 meters at the
stern, approaching bombers at a speed of about 160 km / h greater than the other, well-
placed to attack.

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In action

Upon alarm, the pilots of the guard rushed to the shelters of the aircraft where the crew
have already taken steps to perform all operations and inspections.
The pilot can sit directly at the steering sure everything physically you could do has been
done. Just start the engines, a procedure quite rapid thanks to the two-stroke engine Riedel
inserted into the aerodynamic cone of each reactor. The starter motor is started by hand
using a metal rod.

Front view of an engine Jumo 004 mounted on a fighter Me 262. At the center of the engine is clearly visible
on the handle to the goodwill.

The minimum time for it to warm up, then is connected to the rotor of the turbojet. The jet
engine speed rises rapidly: reached at 2,000 rpm the driver releases the knob of the starter
and gently move the throttle from sleep to idle position, simultaneously pressing the
injection button is released just reached 3,000 rpm.
The throttle is pushed gradually until reaching the 6,000 rpm.

At this stage the most important tools are, without any doubt, the tachometer and
temperature gauge on turbine. If after a minute the temperature remains stable all goes
well.
Otherwise you should immediately turn off the reactor before coming to a disaster. In
reality this control, in the extremely difficult operating conditions which characterize the
last days of the Reich, is made while the aircraft taxiing under its own up to the head of
the runway, since one can not account on tractors that are too visible from the air .
It should above all act quickly, since a sudden incursion that surprised the Me 262 on take-
off would result almost certainly in a disaster.

The six fighters taxiing on the runway at low speed connection and go onto the
carriageway of the motorway: it is not the best you could wish for, but it’s still better than
the airports runways unusable.
Just a 262 was aligned on the runway the pilot locks his brakes, lowered flaps and gently
carries the throttle.
The two Jumo 004B increase up to 7,000 rpm so the pilot releases the brakes while the
whine of the turbines increases tone. The take-off is rather slow at first, since the Me 262
is decidedly underpowered and takes two racks under the wings armed with a total of 24
air-to-air rockets unguided R4M 50mm.
It is with these new weapons highly effective against tight formations of US bombers that
Schwalbe range attack.

Each rocket weighs only 2.6 kg but carries an explosive charge of 500 grams is about the
effectiveness of an anti-aircraft gun bullet of over 50 mm caliber up to a maximum
distance of 900 meters.
It is truly formidable weapon, only one successful hit is more than enough to disintegrate a
Flying Fortress.
Usually the rockets are launched into one saves or, if conditions are favorable, in most
groups of six at a time. The rockets are always sold out the four powerful cannons
Rheinmettall-Borsig MK-108 by 30 mm with a total of 360 strokes.

With all this armament the Me 262 is definitely the best armed fighters that has ever seen.
For a long time after the war there will be another plane can boast a similar armament.
The aircraft speed bumped to the bumps of the track as the drivers cursing quietly hoping
some dangerous intruder is not snooping just as critical.
Finally, after a long taxiing at over 200 km/h, the air stops and jump rises heavily. Simply
retract the cart because its flight characteristics change suddenly.

The large cleaning aerodynamic causes the 262 hours accelerate significantly if kept in
horizontal flight. But no time to delight in the muffled hiss of reactors and with the
pleasant feeling that the Me 262 instills in those who pilot. The plane flies so well that
Adolf Galland said: Fly like an angel.
The six Schwalbe do share in twos protecting each other’s backs. These days, with the
large number of Allied fighters who daily patrol the skies of the Reich, any carelessness
can cost you dearly. If then an engine yields is better to rely on luck. The sky is partly
cloudy and visibility is not the best.

The formation of B-26 Marauder was sighted at Neuburg on the Danube. Since the land is
not visible at times, it is quite difficult to have a precise reference about the direction of
their flight and the enemy formation.
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However the two carriers have almost converged front and the relative speed of approach
is terribly high: nearly 1,200 km/h.
Safe to take off their weapons and six Me 262 are thrown to the attack regardless of the
stock Mustang that can not reach them. The formation of the twin-engine bombers is hit
by a hurricane of fire and some planes catch fire.
Galland, who forgot to remove the second to secure rockets, shoot with cannons and
seriously affects a B-26 that is ignited. Even his aircraft records some impacts of 12.7 mm
enemy without suffering obvious damage.

It is here that the famous ace make a mistake that could cost him his life. All taken from
combat does not realize that a Mustang dive took him at gunpoint.
The control panel appears to explode under the impact of numerous shots from 12.7 mm
and the same Galland was wounded in his right knee.
The burst is over half the turbine right where the outer shell is virtually disintegrated.
The Me 262 is mortally wounded. The Mustang continues its relentless operation of
destruction and also affects the other engine.
The 262, almost without propulsion, although the air spancia Galland, thanks to its great
experience, it still manages to keep it flying somehow hitting ground.
Below is the highway, but just before landing Galland is forced to shut down the engines
that no longer respond to throttle.

The trail of black smoke that has dragged behind 262 is highly visible and seems to attract
the enemy fighters as honey flies. For most of the track it is under attack by a group of
Thunderbolt. The thing gets really bad. The plane, without propulsion, must necessarily
land. The radio is gone.
A 240 km/h the 262 lands on the track with a punctured tire.
Galland is still able to control the race. The plane is not yet understood that his rider is
already jumped out of the cockpit and seeks refuge in the bomb crater.
Right on time.

The Thunderbolt make fire on the plane dropped and reduce it to a pile of smoldering
wreckage. Galland has saved his skin by a hair. Another Me 262 attempts landing with a
Mustang in the ribs that grapeshot at full blast but can not bring it down while
bucherellandolo as a colander.
Given the situation the tactical mission can be considered a success: five B-26 shot down
without a loss in flight. It’s the last mission of the JV 44.
On May 3, the formation of Galland, who moved to Salzburg, is captured by US troops,
however not before he had set fire to, albeit very reluctantly, the beautiful Schwalbe to
prevent them from falling into enemy hands.

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Existing examples

Only nine Me 262 survive in museums around the world.

Me 262A, W.Nr.500071 “White 3”, III./JG 7

Deutsches Museum, Monaco of Bavaria, Germany.
This specimen flew with Hans Guido Mutke, when the pilot of the 9th Staffel JG7
and was requisitioned by the Swiss authorities April 25, 1945 after Mutke was
forced to an emergency landing in Switzerland due to the lack of fuel; in the tanks
they remained to him only 80 liters when in situations of normal flight consumption
was 35 liters/minute.

Me 262 A-1a

Rebuilt from a specimen and damaged other parts of Me 262.
Luftwaffe Museum, Germany.

Me 262 A-1a W.Nr.501232 “Yellow 5”, 3/KG (J) 6

National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Dayton (Ohio), USA.

Me 262 A-1a/U3 W.Nr.500453

Flying Heritage Collection, Arlington (Washington), USA.

Me 262 A-1a W.Nr.500491 “yellow 7”, II./JG 7

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA.

Me 262 A-2a W.Nr.112372

Royal Air Force Museum Hendon, UK.

Me 262 A-2a W.Nr.500200 “black X 9K+XK”, II./KG 51

Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.

Me 262 B-1a/U1, W.Nr.110305 “red 8”

South African National Museum of Military History, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Me 262 B-1a, W.Nr.110639 “white 35”

NAS Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, USA.

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Mantelli - Brown - Kittel - Graf

Engine Junkers Jumo 004

Me 262 night fighters

The night fighter Me 262B-1a/U1 “Nachtjäger”.

Me 262 night fighters

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