Post by Matt Phillips

18 July 1942-The first jet powered flight of the ME 262 "Schwalbe" (Swallow). The first operational jet fighter, Messerschmitt's Me 262 started as Projekt 1065 in 1939. Competing with Ernst Heinkel's experimental He-280, the Me 262 was selected because it was designed for the Junkers Jumo 003 axial-flow engine. The project suffered at the hands of Hermann Göring, head of the Luftwaffe, who cut expenditures for jet engine research. At the time, the German view held that the war could be won using conventional, piston-powered aircraft. Thus, what could have placed Germany in a position of advantage in the air war was squandered as the program languished until July 1942, when the first "jet" flight was made. Test flights continued through 1942 and 1943, with numerous changes made to the airframe, notably adoption of tricycle landing gear. By mid-1943, airframe modifications had been completed, but there still were delays in engine manufacture and reliability. Messerschmitt finally settled on the employment of the Junkers Jumo 004. Production began in 1944, and only 107 aircraft delivered by August as Major delays were encountered due to shortages of strategic materials, and the dislocation of German industry by ever increasing Allied bombing. Please shop: militaryjavagroup.com