The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter, entering Luftwaffe service in 1944. Development had begun in 1939 as Projekt 1065, with the goal of producing a jet aircraft capable of high speed and endurance. Early delays came from engine problems, metallurgical limits, and political interference. While the first prototype flew on piston power in 1941, the aircraft did not achieve its first jet-powered flight until July 1942 with Junkers Jumo 004 engines. The decision to mount the engines in underwing pods rather than in the wing roots improved serviceability, though the heavy and temperamental jets continued to cause reliability issues throughout the war. The Me 262 outclassed all Allied fighters in speed and firepower, armed with four 30 mm MK 108 cannons and capable of speeds over 800 km/h. German pilots claimed hundreds of kills, often overwhelming slower piston-engine opponents. However, production delays, Hitler’s insistence on developing a fighter-bomber version (the Sturmvogel), and constant shortages of fuel and materials limited its operational impact. The Allies adapted by targeting Me 262 bases, striking aircraft during takeoff and landing when they were most vulnerable. Despite its technical advantages, the aircraft arrived too late and in too few numbers to alter the course of the war. After 1945, captured Me 262s were studied extensively by the Allies and influenced postwar jet designs such as the MiG-15 and F-86 Sabre. A few served briefly in the Czechoslovak Air Force, and Spain’s Avia-built versions were even rumored to have reached Israel. The Me 262 remains a landmark in aviation history: a revolutionary aircraft hampered by political missteps, technical immaturity, and the collapsing German war effort.

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