Posted on 05/28/2005 10:57:08 AM PDT by yooling
You've heard the rumors, perhaps even seen a magazine article or two -- several Me 262 jets are now under construction in the United States!!
This incredible project is the result of a decade of privately-administered effort to create flight worthy examples of the Messerschmitt 262 fighter, and is now entering its final stages. Formerly subcontracted to the Texas Airplane Factory and administered by Classic Fighter Industries, Inc. the WTMF owner's group has now assumed watch over the final, and most critical, phase of the project. Our Seattle-based team of expert designers, engineers and technicians recently completed the flight test program for the first of our five jets, while the second machine is rapidly approaching similar tests.
My most cherished DVD; what a wonderful movie!
Your metric conversion is a little shaky.
I "facilitated" a Command Excellence Seminar during the last couple of years (1990-91) I served in the Naval Reserve and we used the film as a leadership training tool. Besides being a marvelous movie, the film depicts some important truths about leadership and Command Excellence.
My interest in the movie came largely from just such a course that I attended at about the same time (91-92, a one-week residential leadership course for state agency senior managers in Texas).
I wore out a videotape of the movie after that, and got the DVD as soon as it was released. I drove my wife crazy, explaining the leadership transitions to her as we watched the movie (I still have the graphical Leadership chart in 8 1/2 x 11 color!).
bookmark
In the light of day, and without the benefit of the scotch I had in one hand whilst making the original post, you are abosolutely correct, sir! I obviously pulled the wrong conversion factor out my tables; If I'd have written out the conversions and made sure units canceled out properly, well... anyway below is the corrrected version:
The 2-engine ME-262 used Junkers Jumo 004B axial Turbojets with a thrust of 1,980lb. Its maximum speed was 870 km/h (543 mph) and a range of 1050 km (652 Mi). It used four 30 mm MK 108 cannons in the nose. Two cannons had 100 rounds and two were with 80 rounds (260 total). Rockets could also be loaded on the wings in later versions.
By comparison, The most common Mustang, the P-51D, powered by RR Merlin V-12 engine, had a max speed of 437 mph and a combat range of 950 mi (1,855 if equipped with drop tanks). Arnament was 6 .50 machineguns with 1880 rounds of ammo. It could carry 2 1,000# bombs or 10 rockets.
Yeah, the ME-262 was max 25 mph over 100 mph faster than the P-51D, but acceleration wasn't great on those early jets because they took a long time to spool up. Given that the Mustang has over 7 times the ammo, 2x or more the range - and was probably more maneuverable - I'm not so sure I wouldn't have rather been in the cockpit of a Mustang.
Here's to JG 400
Perhaps Macky Steinhoff is still available to fly..??!!
Is Galland still alive?
"It was as if angels were pushing............."
Galland and his first impression after flying the Schwalbe
What engines?
The WWII - heck, even up to the pre_Korean War - early turbine engines only could run a few hours/minutes before needing an overhaul.
Were heavy, fuel inefficient, and had low power.
Then again, using a modern engine takes most of the challenge out of getting an old airframe to fly.
Mustangs actually got most of their 262's kills by loitering near airbases, then getting them as they took off (going slow) or were landing and had little room to manuever..
In mid-air/high alitudes, the 51's were slower. Couldn't get close enogh to get reliable hits.
My nbr two son is a mechanic at Travis. Take care of him out there!
My father flew at the cusp between jets and propeller aircraft. He said exactly what you said. The early jets were dogs until they spooled up but obviously at altitude they were far superior to the prop planes.
His favorite plane was the F8F bearcat which was a monster and at low altitudes (below 20,000) could eat a P-51 up. He said they used to jump the air force guys and eat them up. Once the P-51 got above 20,000 or so the tables turned.
Bump.
That looks almost like a Saab Tunnan
I remember a book by Eric Hartmann in which he mentioned that the Russian Yak fighters toward the end of the war would perform with anything including the P-51.
In 1996, I was hired to liquidate the estate of a 'mad scientist' in San Diego. I found photographs of an ME 262 being reverse engineered at San Bernardino Air Materials Command (which later became Norton AFB). The photos were dated June, 1944. By then Norton AFB was shut down, and I couldn't find anyone who knew about it.
I also recall that the Russians debuted their T-34 on the Eastern Front near the end of the war. 1 single 34 took out a couple dozen Tigers, before it was taken out.
One of the most beautiful planes ever built.
This was the first Russian tank to enter Berlin.
My Father was with the first American troops sent into Berlin shortly after the Russians captured it. It was blown up at night a couple of days after this picture was taken, also only a few days after the monument was completed. That is him sitting on the monument.
Dad passed away on 29 Jan 1997....today I remember him and miss him....
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