Me 262 flys again

stormbirds.com ^ | 5/27/05 | stormbirds.com

[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.

[OldEagle]

In 1944 an Me262 was shot down by a P51 pilot named John Fitch. He later became famous as a race car innovator. Pretty much ate Carrol Shelby's lunch with Corvettes that kept breaking fan belts.

[TalBlack]

Yeah, I'm weird that way too. I'll admit to getting a lump in my throat when I see color film of B17's going out on a raid.

One day in the mid 90's I got the shock of my life. The place where I worked was right under Farmingdale's final approach. I was used to all manner of engine sounds during the work day- Jets, turbojets, radial etc. One day I go to the john and I'm about to do my business when the walls start to vibrate, the floor (which was a massive industrial construction) follows suit. I feel the engines in my bones! The note has a lor roar that I'd never heard before I said out loud: 'what the hell is that'? I step over to the window, and there, so close I can almost touch it is that utterly distinctive four engine front silhouette COMING DIGHT AT ME!I never in a million years expected to see that particular sight.

Later I saw it, barely 200 feet over St Charles cemetery, do a STEEP turn. It seemed to just hang there, it's wing tip closer to the ground than is healthy in a plane that size. But it was empty with all four engines gunned, so no prob!

[Professional Engineer]

Very cool bump!

[EternalVigilance]

That is a truly amazing link.

[Enchante]

Amazing! Didn't expect to see any ME262s taking to the skies again.... for the pre-jet era I love all the WWII aircraft that have been rehabilitated by the CAF:

http://www.commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft/roster-manufacturer.html

I went to their annual airshow in Midland, TX with my dad last October and we both loved it. It was our first time visiting with the CAF and there were lots of great people and aircraft.

[U S Army EOD]

Want you fly one in combat? Join the very unfriendly skies of Warbirds III. Remember to pack your parachute. The average participant is 40+ and people take it VERY serious. Many active pilots, probably in excess of 30% or more. Get your wings, come on up, and I will kill you.

[yarddog]

Back in the early 70's I was driving in the North side of Dothan, Alabama when I came upon a small airfield which I didn't even know existed.

Parked on it were several B-17's with all their turrets etc. removed. I later learned they were owned by Charles Woods who was spraying fire ants with them.

[U S Army EOD]

They also used the Arado 234.

[SAMWolf]

In June 1944, the first examples of Hitler's revolutionary jet fighter, the Messerschmitt 262, began to appear over the skies of Germany. Almost 100 miles-per-hour faster than the fastest Allied prop-driven fighters, the twin-engined German jet was a formidable adversary. However, with a combination of skill and luck, Allied pilots managed to down several dozen of the Luftwaffe's new fighter.

The 357th Fighter Group alone was credited with destroying 18 1/2 ME-262s, the highest number recorded by any group in the American 8th Air Force. Flying his P-51D on a fighter sweep over Germany on 6 November 1944, Captain Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager of the 357th's 363rd Fighter Squadron, scored the group's first jet victory. As he described the event in his combat report, "I spotted a 262 approaching the field from the south at 500 feet. He was going very slow (around 200 m.p.h.). I "split S-ed on it and was going around 500 m.p.h. at 500 feet. Flak started coming up very thick and accurate. I fired a short burst from around 400 yards and got hits on the wings. Had to break off at 300 yards because the flak was getting too close... looking back I saw the Jet E/A crash-land about 400 yards short of the field in a wooded field. A wing flew off outside the right jet unit. The plane did not burn."

[Caipirabob]

And what about the ME 163?

Fly the ME 163? Love to see their insurance. It'd sure have to be a new fuel mix for me to fly it. One of the more morbid accounts I've read of the flight tests was a situation where the tank somehow ruptered while the pilot was in the cokpit. By the time the crew got to him, he was nothing but bones. An organic material had been disintegrated by the corrosive fuel.

[yarddog]

I am sure I read somewhere that nearly all ME-262's which were downed were shot down while taking off or landing.

[agincourt1415]

How to stop the Air Show, just show up in your brand new ME-262, and watch jaws drop!

[yarddog]

How to stop the Air Show, just show up in your brand new ME-262, and watch jaws drop!

That reminds me of when I attended the Tulsa air show many years ago. There were quite a few military planes on static display. I noticed their crews were basically standing around looking bored, even when the Thunderbirds performed.

There was a P-51 which I think had been restored by Rockwell. When it was performing, I noted all the military pilots were sitting on their planes watching intently.

[ex-Texan]

Cool Graphic *BUMP*!

[agincourt1415]

There is a cheaper way to make jaws drop. You build a kit, Fiesler Stork, and show up at an Air Show.

That can be done for about $20K plus engine cost.

[SkyPilot]

[FreedomPoster]

Index bump

[bill1952]

I'm waxing nostalgic, but my father (and we are all of German descent, being Shumakers) flew the bombers in WWII.

He was a bomber pilot and an officer in the Army Air Corps, and was shot down over Belgium with the loss of most of his crew.

But didn't Chuck Yeager say, "The first time I saw a jet, I shot it down?"

What a fantastic project.

How I would love to fly stick on that puppy.

[yooling]

That design later became known as the Mig 15.

[Ronzo]

The best of both worlds: a German Me262 and American J-85 jet engines.

I wonder if there would be much of a market for such a thing; especially the two-seater????