First Messerschmitt Me262 to fly in over 60 years

[wodinoneeye]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9204328304330343657&q=me%2B262

[Keith]

I doubt that any original Me-262 would be allowed off the ground. They are too precious and too few and reside in museums for the most part.

The one being shown is a replica that was made from original blueprints by Stormbirds (http://www.stormbirds.com/) in Texas. One of their first flights ended in a crash at the end of a runway about two years ago.

[Hibernian]

Looks class though. Keep clicking down through the vid links on the right and you'll get to see a clip from kill camera on Allied fighters strafing a German airfield which includes the Me262, and also what looks like a Heinkel (spelling?). No bloodshed.

[wodinoneeye]

I doubt that any original Me-262 would be allowed off the ground. They are too precious and too few and reside in museums for the most part.

The one being shown is a replica that was made from original blueprints by Stormbirds (http://www.stormbirds.com/) in Texas. One of their first flights ended in a crash at the end of a runway about two years ago.


There was a documentary recently on PBS about the rounding up of german scientists near the end of WW2 and they had an interview with some testpilots that flew the Me262 and Me163(rocket plane) at that time -- when there werent alot of restrictions. The Me163 was close to a flying deathtrap. When they crashed or landed badly they splashed the pilot with the fuel chemicals -- pure ethyl alcohol and pure hydrogen peroxide (either of which will dissolve flesh if there wasnt a fire/explosion). I thought that the test pilot had alot of guts to fly it (the one time) without training (particularly the landing, since it used skids...)

[Keith]

There was a documentary recently on PBS about the rounding up of german scientists near the end of WW2 and they had an interview with some testpilots that flew the Me262 and Me163(rocket plane) at that time -- when there werent alot of restrictions. The Me163 was close to a flying deathtrap. When they crashed or landed badly they splashed the pilot with the fuel chemicals -- pure ethyl alcohol and pure hydrogen peroxide (either of which will dissolve flesh if there wasnt a fire/explosion). I thought that the test pilot had alot of guts to fly it (the one time) without training (particularly the landing, since it used skids...)

Yes, I saw that program the other night. I had seen it once before too.

The 163 "Komet" was a dangerous aircraft. They had a tendency to blow up on the ground while being fueled. I make a study of WW2 and WW2 equipment among other things in my repertoire. ;) I run a small page on the German Luftwaffe (http://members.aol.com/dheitm8612/index.htm) of WW2 too, which is in need of a serious update one of these days. A while back a group of German radio control model clubbers constructed a large scale Me-262 jet powered model with retracting landing gear. They had a video out of its maiden fight but I can't find it on the web now, but I found another one of a different jet power R/C model Me-262 making a low fly-by (http://www.stormbirds.com/common/ME262A.MPG). (Yes it is a radio controlled model.)

Edit: Found it! (http://www.sn-medien.de/modellpilot/images/videos/me262/me262-komplett.wmv)