The Me 262, the world’s first operational jet aircraft was introduced into Luftwaffa service at the end of September 1944. The aircraft, designed by a team led by Dr. Waldermar Voight, first flew under jet power on 18th July 1942. Of all-metal stressed skin construction, the aircraft was powered by two Junkers Jumo 109 004 eight stage, axial flow, gas turbine engines. The armament was of four 30 mm (Mk 108) cannon.
By January of 1945, 600 aircraft had been built with production running at 125/month, however only 60 units were actually serving with combat units mainly in the fighter-bomber and tactical reconnaissance role. At the end of WWII (May 1945) over 1200 units had been completed. Of these only about 250 ever saw service. Some of the reasons behind the failure to introduce the production effort to the front line include: a crippling fuel shortage; a lack of trained crews and a lack of fuel and facilities to train new crew. For example, in an effort to save stocks of fuel, aircraft were moved from production facilities to front line units by train. At the end of the war allied fighter bomber activity meant that the rail system was under constant attack and chaotic. Many units were simply lost in transit.
Home TSR.2 bomber Bristol Type 188 HS 293 bomb Kamikazi plane
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These images were taken during a visit to the RAF museum at Cosford near Wolverhampton, England in the summer of 2002.
For an external link for more info try www.stormbirds.com
Or
www.vectorsite.net
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www.neam.co.uk