NOTE: RADIO CONTROL AIRPLANES ARE ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE PAGE.
The first operational jet fighter ever to fly was the Messerschmitt Me 262. It was actually conceived in 1938 and was not a late World War II development as many believe. The jet aircraft was made possible through the development of jet turbine engines, primarily by BMW.
The first flight of the Me 262 as a pure jet was on July 18, 1942. Prior test flights had been made using a piston engine or by using a jet engine in combination with a piston engine. This turned out to be a good idea because the prototype jet engines used proved extremely unreliable. Test aircraft often had to land on propeller power after jet engine failures. Once the more reliable Junkers Jumo 004 engines were installed, the new jet showed that it was much faster than propeller driven aircraft of the time.
Numerous delays followed before production of the aircraft began. They were caused by Allied bombings of production facilities, development delays, and a Luftwaffe leadership uncertain about the future of jet aircraft.
Hitler finally agreed to begin mass production of the Messerschmitt Me 262 in November of 1943, but as a fighter / bomber rather than a pure fighter. Retooling for this change further delayed the project.
On July 25,1944 the aircraft first saw combat when one attacked photo reconnaissance aircraft. The Luftwaffe eventually deployed the Me 262 as an interceptor, as a fighter bomber, and as an unarmed photo reconnaissance aircraft.
Before the end of the war the Messerschmitt Me 262 downed an estimated 150 Allied aircraft with a loss of approximately 100 of their own. Many were destroyed by Allied aircraft while on the ground, either awaiting conversion to bombers, or lacking fuel, parts, or trained pilots.
Although faster than Allied propeller aircraft, the Me 262 lacked maneuverability, its engines were relatively unreliable, its cannons tended to jam during high-g turns, and its gear collapsed on hard landings.
Over 1,400 Messerschmitt Me 262 aircraft were eventually produced, but less than 300 actually saw combat.
fighter/bomber
one
4 x 30mm
24 x 55mm air-to-air
1,000 lbs.
Junkers Jumo
2 x 1,984 lbs. ea.
8,400 lbs.
14,110 lbs.
34' 9.5"
40' 11.5"
460 mph
540 mph
3,940 fpm
37,600 feet
650 miles
7/18/42
1944
Radio Control Airplane
RC Messerschmitt Me 262 RC from Flying Styro. Wing span of the ARF is 43" and fuselage length is 32 1/2".
Recommended power are a pair of Jet Screamer motors driving 56 mm ducted fans.
Nitro Models has a twin EDF rc Messerschmitt Me 262 airplane for sale. It has a wing span of 40". The servos are already installed. Also installed are a pair of 180 EDF motors. The controls are throttle, ailerons and elevator.
The rc Messerschmitt Me 262 from Ducted Fans. com. It has a 79" wing span and 70" length. Power can be from two BL50-13X motors driving C-50 rotors. All up weight should be around 12 lbs.
Radio Control Airplane
Messerschmitt Me 262 RC Airplane for sale from Air World Models. Wing span is 78.75" and length is 68.9". Air World Models recommends twin Jet Cat P60 turbines for power. All up weight is about 15 1/2 lbs.
Radio Control Airplane
RC Warbirds ARF rc Messerschmitt Me 262. It has a wing span of 49.6" and a length of 42.5". Construction materials are a fiberglass fuselage with balsa over foam wings. Motors can be two HET-RC Typhoon 3W or 2W-20 driving WeMoTec 480 Mini Fans.
Messerschmitt Me262
