[About Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a "Schwalbe"]


Wikipedia
The Messerschmitt Me 262 A1-a "Schwalbe" was a jet fighter operated by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. It is known as the world's first jet aircraft to be deployed in actual combat.
In 1939, after Heinkel flew the world's first jet aircraft, the Luftwaffe asked Messerschmitt to create a jet fighter. In response, a design proposal known as the P1065 was proposed. The proposed design then underwent major changes, including changes to the wing attachment position and fuselage cross-sectional shape, and the main wings were converted to a retracted wing, resulting in the design now known as the Me 262.
In 1941, a prototype was completed. However, development of the engine was delayed, and the first flight of the first prototype was made with a reciprocating engine. Its maneuverability was reportedly good; it was on April 18, 1941.
In 1942, the first flight was made with the jet engine BMW003, which was finally completed, but the engine caught fire during the flight and other troubles occurred one after another. The engine was replaced by Junkers' Jumo 004, which was of a more conservative design.
In 1943, the fourth prototype was presented to the military leaders. It is well known that when Adolf Hitler saw the Me 262 in November of the same year, he declared, "The Blitzkrieg bomber is complete!" is a well-known story. The Me 262's deployment was delayed due to the fact that it was produced as a bomber. The Me262A-2a bomber entered service in December 1943, and the Me262A-1a fighter was not deployed until August 1944.
The performance of the Me 262 as a fighter may not have been as satisfactory as that of the reciprocating fighters up to that time. With engines weighing more than 700 kg each on both sides of the main wings and a total weight of 6 tons, the Me 262 was suicidal in dogfights with the Allied fighters of the time. The engines were also unreliable and frequently broke down in flight. It is said that the engine lasted a maximum of 70 hours. In addition, the fuel consumption was inferior to that of reciprocating engines, and the operational range was extremely limited.
Nevertheless, the maximum speed was unbeatable. At an altitude of 7,000 meters, it could reach a speed of 860 kilometers per hour, and even at cruise speed, its speed of 750 kilometers per hour was unmatched by Allied fighter planes. It also had high altitude performance, which is often overlooked, and the Luftwaffe was finally able to intercept Allied bombers flying at high altitude with the Me 262.
However, its appearance came too late: only about 1,400 Me 262s were produced after its operational deployment in 1944, and it did not significantly change the course of the war.

[About the work]

My first jet

Thank you for 25k!

I have only built propeller planes in the past, but to celebrate my platinum achievement, I created my first jet plane. From now on, I will also build a jet plane.
Thank you to everyone who has spotlighted and upvoted my builds so far. Your words of encouragement and advice have helped me achieve 25k.
The cockpit is roughly reproduced.
I have not verified this because I do not have Simple Planes VR. Sorry.

[Controls]

[Screenshots]

B-17 by Tonnkatsu
Thank you for your permission to use them in these screenshots.

2023/11/1