Yeager Destroys an ME 262

ChuckYeager.com ^ | November 6, 1944 | Chuck Yeager

[Enchante]

Encounter Report from November 6, 1944

Cool historical document

Chuck Yeager shoots down an ME-262 and damages 2 more.

[Caipirabob]

I believe I read one book on aerial combat in WWII and some of the advice from the AF command when confronted with an encounter with a 262 was quote “Watch out for these things.”

[rfreedom4u]

The British used the Swordfish in hunting the Bismarck. Swordfish were able to launch torpedoes without getting hit because the gunnery controls on the Bismarck wasn’t able to compensate for the Swordfish’s slow speed and it led them too much.

[Dr. Sivana]

Yeah, but his kid struggled to bat .200.

[RayChuang88]

While the Me 262 was very fast, it was also not very maneuverable and had relatively slow acceleration to speed. As such, it was often vulnerable to a real fast piston-engined fighter like the P-51B/D Mustang or the Spitfire Mk. XIV with the Griffon 65 engine.

[MeanWestTexan]

Turning has a place but is of marginal use in a dog fight since 1915.

[wyowolf]

If you havent read his Autobiography, I highly recommend it, very entertaining...

[Glennb51]

I had the honor of meeting the General on an elk hunt in Wyoming. A great story teller and very unassuming.

[wyowolf]

Been a long time since I went Elk hunting back in Wyo... :( miss it alot.

From all I read he was a super humble person...

[AppyPappy]

The YAK-9U was comparable to the P-51 and the Germans avoided it when possible. It got the first ME-262 kill for the Soviets.

[RayChuang88]

No, I think you're referring to the Yak-3. The Yak-3 was a very fast plane at low altitude and did claim a number of Me 262 kills.

[Ohioan]

Yes. He really was the one who had the “Right Stuff.” (I suspect that he is voting for Trump.)

[Darteaus94025]

I’m sure the crew of each Swordfish thought they were going on a suicide mission. Brave guys.

[tophat9000]

You know what’s funny about World War II and that 6 year time frame

Some of those look pilots flying swept-wing jets in 45 started the war in 39 flying fabric-covered biplanes

[Enchante]

Yup, the advances in under 6 years were just amazing. Many new models every year. Nowadays it takes so many more years to develop one new model (though admittedly of incredible complexity).