Hitler's Eagles by Chris McNab

Author:Chris McNab
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Hitler’s Eagles: The Luftwaffe 1933–45
ISBN: 9781782003106
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

The Messerschmitt Me 262, when it entered Luftwaffe service in late 1944, offered levels of performance unobtainable by traditional prop-driven aircraft. It had a maximum speed of 870km/h and was armed with no fewer than four MK 108 30mm cannon.

An Me 262 undergoes maintenance. The nose-mounted radar indicates that this aircraft is an Me 262B-1a/U1 night-fighter. Other experimental interception versions were armed with air-to-air rockets.

Germany now possessed the technology it needed to respond to the ever-growing threat of Allied air power in the West. From then on, until mid-1944, development on the Me 262 forged ahead using a series of prototypes to test all aspects of the aircraft. The first series production aircraft were plagued by technical problems, but the Luftwaffe had been advocating the potential benefits of the Me 262 for some time. Persuaded by Messerschmitt, as early as 17 April 1943, Hauptmann Wolfgang Späte (a 72-victory Knight’s Cross holder and former Staffelkapitän of 5./JG 54) flew the Me 262 V2 – the first Luftwaffe pilot to do so. Two days later he reported to the General der Jagdflieger, Generalmajor Adolf Galland:

Flight characteristics are such that an experienced fighter pilot would be able to handle the aircraft. In particular, the increase in air speed when compared to the fastest conventional fighter deserves attention. This is not expected to decrease markedly when armament and radio equipment have been fitted.

Characteristically, jet engines will not only maintain this speed at altitude, but increase it. The climbing speed of the Me 262 surpasses that of the Bf 109G by five to six metres per second at a much better speed. The superior horizontal and climbing speeds will enable the aircraft to operate successfully against numerically superior enemy fighters. The extremely heavy armament [six 30mm guns] permits attacks on bombers at high approach speeds with destructive results, despite the short time the aircraft is in the firing position.

This was music to Galland’s ears. On 22 May 1943, he flew the Me 262 V4 himself at Lechfeld (after an attempt to start the engines of the V3 resulted in a fire) and made his famous report to Göring in which he enthused ‘It felt as if angels were pushing!’ Galland became a firm advocate for the further development of the jet, and wrote to his superiors that all measures should be taken to ensure swift and large-scale production of the aircraft. In a report to Generalluftzeugmeister Erhard Milch he wrote: ‘The aircraft represents a great step forward and could be our greatest chance. It could guarantee us an unimaginable lead over the enemy if he adheres to the piston engine.’

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