Best to be viewed with: anything but IE P.1065 Development Me 262 Prototypes Me 262 Variants Me 262 test aircraft Feedback Links References

Before the end of the WW II about half a dozen gruppen used Me 262 fighters. Also some radar-equipped Me 262B-1a/U1 nightfighters were used in last weeks of war. Bober versions of Me 262 also entered service alongside with reconnaisse planes. The apperance of German jets caused some consern to the Allies on account of their high speed and heavy armament. News 18.03.2004 New feedbackform 10.03.2004 New homepage at saunalahti.fi 02.09.2002 1943 and Feedback added 25.06.2002 First flight under jet power added 17.06.2002 Second capter of Me 262 prototypes writed and one link added 14.06.2002 Picture of Me 262A2-a to top of the page and first capter of Me 262 Prototypes writed 13.06.2002 Rederect from www.me-262.cjb.net adopted P.1065 Development Messerschmitt had recieved an official study contract from the Technical Office. Their requirements were outlined on 4 January 1939. The specification described the antisipated requirements for the aircraft. There were two versions proposed: high-speed pursuit and target defence. The specifications were as follows:

	High-speed fighter	Interceptor fighter
Power plant	One turbojet	One turbojet
Crew	One	One
Installation of weapons	Possibly in the fuselage, or close to the fuselage
Armament	2x MG 17 machine-guns with 1000 rpg, 1x MG 151/20 cannon with 500 rounds	2x MG 17 machine-guns with 1000 rpg, 1x MG 151/20 cannon with 250 rounds
Installation of weapons	Possibly in the fuselage, or close to the fuselage	Possibly in the fuselage, or close to the fuselage
Radio	FuG VII	FuG VII
Maximum speed	900 km/h	900 km/h
Filght duration	1h at maximum performance	30mins at maximum performance
Airframe	Complete metal construction throughout. Simple and cheapiest construction is required.	Complete metal construction throughout. Simple and cheapiest construction is required.

The first concrete proposal for the fighter evolved from series of quite different design studies: Becouse of RLM requirements for one turbojet, team began to consider signle engine layout. The first proposal was to mount the engine inside the fuselage with an intake extreme nose (like F-86 and Mig-15). This was quickly abandoned in favor of a twin-boom arangement (like Vampire). Third version was a pod and boom layout, witch redused the fuselage cross section and total wetted areas to minumum. This was abandoned, only to be empoyed five years later in P 1101 (Americans built Bell X-5 based on this), becouse single engine could not offer enough performance.

After twin-engine configuration had been selected, the first configuration was a straightforward low-wing plane with engine nacelles mounted centrally in the wings. The main undercacarriage units were located to retracted into wing fuselage intersection, one before other. This was not possible however to make this configuration, even if it would have offered optimum drag.

The Messershmitt AG began with concept designated Project (P) 1065, following these studies, in 1 April 1939. This proposal had virtually same wing as early Bf 109 and it was to be powered two BMW TL turbojet.

There were also suggested larger 22m² wing and three different armament combinations by September 1939.

The first drawing of the P 1065 is from 17 October 1939 and it has oval fuselage, mid wing ans tricycle undercarriage. For the next several months, a steady stream of refinements would be made including, fuselage shape and cross section, wing location and shape, engine placement and landing gear configuration. Study triangular fuselage and low-mounted wing was preferred by many reasons including main undercarriage problem.

Two engine layouts were proposed: two BMW P.3302 engines under the wings or two slimmer BMW P.3304 engines mounted centrally. The Junkers T 1 (Jumo 004 A) engines entered picture in November 1939.

After presentation of cockpit and aircraft mockups in December 1939 and January 1940, the RLM ordered twenty prototype aircraft. Under this provisional contract, tooling and jigging work for two prototypes, began in January 1940. The first prototype layout was described by February 1940. The plane had two BMW P.3302 engines under the wings and leading edge of the outer wing sections were swept back 18 degrees. This was becouse BMW engineers reported production versions of their P.3302 prototype would be larger in diameter and heavier than originally anticipated. Also Junkers T 1 engines were being consired as alternative. Various placement options for the engines, forexample overwing, were examined via wind tunnel testing in June 1940. These refinements plus others, forexample redesigned fuselage and its cross-section (now embracing the familiar triangular shape), gave rise to P.1065/III officially submitted to the RLM in October 1940. Armament was standardized to three MG 151 cannons. Also other was suggested like ejection seat, braking parashute, pressurized cabin and dive breaks were proposed but never entered final product.

In order to get the prototype flying as soon as possible a single piston engine (Jumo 210 G)was to be fitted in the nose. On 10 January Messerchmitt proposed that first prototype would be powered with two rocket engines and piston engine in the nose. But also rocet motors ran into development problems an the idea was soon dropped. Construction of the first P 1065 prototype took place between February and March 1941. Project recieved the official RLM designation Me 262 on 8 April 1941.

The V3 was the first Me 262 to fly with only jet power. During high speed taxiing trials it was found that it was inpossible to raise the tailwheel off the ground. Aerodynamist Curt Zeiler suggested that tapping the brakes to jerk off the tail from ground. This manoeuvre worked and first flight began 18 July 1942 at 8.40 and lasted 12 minutes.

The second flight took place about three and half hours later. This flight lasted minute more than the first one and it only small problems uncovered. One of the problems was that airflow brake early from the wing centre section. The modification to cure this problem was to increase the wing chord by continuing the leading edge sweep back of the outer panels across centre section. Leading-edge slots were extended across the center section.

Four more tests were made by Wendel and the seventh flight was conducted by Henrich Beauvais on 11 August 1942. Despite Wendel informed him of the method to raise the tailwheel off the ground Beauvais faild to raise the tail and his wing impacted an large pile of manure. The aircraft was severly damaged: both undercarriage and engines were ripped off causing damage.

The next day RLM decided that five prototypes and ten pre-production (A-0) planes could be built. The planes were proposed following tests: divebreak, ejection seat, tricycle undercarriage, pressurized cabin, radio, armament and armor.

On 1 October the V2 made its first flight from Lechfelds airfield, wihtch was much longer than Leipheims. These flight tests were primaly performance and calibration tests. It was found that althrough small wing fillet between fuselage and engine nacelle produced more lift, the modification led to vibration of outer wing panel. This was later cured.

On January 1943 the Me 262 recieved the highest development priority. Messerchmitt proposed the development of jet powered Bf 109, becouse there could be some problems with Me 262 airframe. This was abandond becouse it was found that they could not save time with this arrangement.

There is much evidence that Messerschmitt was responsible of delays of getting Me 262 into production: After Me 309 was abandonned in January company started tooling up for Me 209 piston engined fighter. Messerschmitt felt that development of Me 209 was higher priority than Me 262, this resulted temporary reduction of Me 262 design work.

In January and Jebruary 1943 two specially prepared fuselages was dropped in order to obtain information about the tail flutter and airfame terminal velocity. The tests were failured becouse the recovery system didn't worked.

In March the first succesfull bench test of Jumo 004 B-series engines. B-type had modified compressor, improved intake and it was 100 kg lighter than previous series. In the same month the Me 262 V1 was converted to Jumo engines only.

After repairs, the Me 262 V3 flew on March with Wolfgang Späte, who was the first service pilot to do so. Spätes second flight resulted emergensy landing after dual flame-out. Even though he was highly impressed and reported Oberkommando Luftwaffe that Me 262 was superior over existing planes. By May 1943, dispite all efforts, only four test planes were available.

The Me 262 V2 made a total of 48 flights before it crashed killing test pilot Wilhelm Ostertag in 18 Aprill 1943. Aircraft went sudenly into dive after one engine has flamed-out. Even though Wendel reported that adjustable tailcone had detached and blocked exhaust orifice, the official Messerschmitt report concluded that crash was due to electrically operated trimming tabs. The introduction of a stronger electric actuator appeared to solve the problem.

On 15 may the fourth prototype Me 262 V4 flew first time.

The fuselage of the Me 262 V3 was modified to extend the canopy fairing in an attemp to reduce drag and solve derectional stability problem. The modification didn't help to correct instability problem but provided a small decriase in drag.

Feedback

Links:

Tamiya Me-262 model
Classic Publications
Stormbird: Flying through fire as a Luftwaffe ground- attack pilot and Me 262 ace, book review
Me-262A-2a, Black X
The Messerschmitt Me-262 Schwalbe / Sturmvogel

References:

Warbird Tech Series vol 6: Messerschmitt Me 262 Sturmvogel (ISBN: 0-933424-69-8)
Shiffer Military History VOL 23: The World´s First Turbojet Fighter Me 262 (ISBN: 0-88740-234-8)
Shiffer Military History VOL 64: Messerchmitt Me 262 (ISBN: 0-88740-410-3)
Classic Books: Me-262 vol 1 (ISBN: 0-903223-10-5)
Classic Books: Me-262 vol 2 (ISBN: 0-9526867-23)
Classic Books: Me-262 vol 3 (ISBN: 1-903223-00-8)
http://www.stormbirds.com/