Messerschmitt Me 262

Jet-powered fighter aircraft

In the history of aviation, the Me 262 is, justifiably, universally seen as a pioneering design that set the benchmark for many subsequent aircraft in both the East and West.

Although the aircraft’s design, with its slightly swept wings, nose landing gear and jet turbines in under-wing nacelles, failed to prove itself in fighter aircraft construction, it is still, to this day, essentially the standard design for modern commercial aircraft.

The initial ideas for the Me 262 date back to 1938, when the first jet turbines were being developed. The first flight did not take place until 18 July 1942, due to problems with engine reliability. Of the 1,433 Me 262s built, only a handful of them have survived and none are still airworthy.

MESSERSCHMITT MUSEUM OF FLIGHT

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Me 262-B1-A

SERVICE HISTORY

MESSERSCHMITT Me 262B1A JET-POWERED FIGHTER AIRCRAFT (REPLICA)

The construction of five replicas of this type began in the USA in 1993, taking guidance from fragments of drawings and an original two-seater training aircraft, which was used as a model.

All the parts needed to be made from scratch and no original components were installed. Equipped with modern engines and modern subsystems made in America, the first replica from the new series made its maiden flight on 20 December 2002 in Seattle, Washington.

The Messerschmitt Foundation’s replica made its first flight on 15 August 2005 in Seattle, Washington, and after a brief period of breaking in, was then dismantled again, packed up and transported by air to its new home in Manching, Germany. After reassembly and ground tests, it flew there for the first time on 25 April 2006, piloted by Horst Philipp.

SERVICE HISTORY TABLE

1 July 1993

Start of construction of five replicas in Texas, USA; using an original two-seater training aircraft as a model – an Me 262 B on loan from the US Navy

Mid-1996

Manufacture of main assemblies

Early 1999

Project relocated to Seattle (USA)/ Me 262 project (Bob Hammer)

Autumn 2000

Restoration of the original model completed and the aircraft returned to the US Navy

20 Dec. 2002

First replica’s maiden flight

18 January 2003

Accident on landing due to technical reasons, resulting in serious damage to the first replica

20 June 2004

The first replica returns to the air after repairs

19 May 2005

The second replica, owned by the Messerschmitt Foundation, is given FAA approval

15 August 2005

The DIMTT makes its maiden flight in Seattle, USA

26 August 2005

US flight tests completed and aircraft subsequently dismantled for transportation to Germany

10 January 2006

Dismantled aircraft arrives in Luxembourg on a Cargolux freighter. It was then transported by lorry to the Messerschmitt Museum of Flight in Manching, near Ingolstadt.

25 April 2006

DIMTT’s ‘second maiden flight’ in Manching piloted by Horst Philipp

16 – 21 May 2006

European debut at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2006 at Berlin-Schönefeld