Highly Technological Advanced AC of the Luftwaffe

This was the first operational turbo-jet powered fighter aircraft in the world. It launched a new era in aerial warfare.

In 1938 the Technishe Amt of the RLM ordered Messerschmitt A.G. to design an aircraft using the newly designed BMW P3302 axial-flow turbo-jets.  This was the start of the Me 262. The Me 262 V1 flew with a piston engine, due to the unavailability of the turbojet engine, on April 18, 1941 for testing of the airframe. On March 25, 1942, it flew with the piston engine and two BMW 003 turbo-jets and on July 18, 1942 the V3 flew with only two Jumo 004 turbo-jets.

Up to this stage, the aircraft had the conventional tail wheel, and problems to get the tail wheel up during take off was encountered.  The V5 was fitted with a nose-wheel and two assist takeoff rockets.  It had a take off run of 440 yards.
The V8 was the first armed version with a fully retractable tri-cycle undercarriage and blown canopy.  Armament consisted of four 30mm MK 108 cannon in the nose section. Hitler wanted the aircraft to be a bomber. This decision hampered the production of the very good fighter, but some versions were fitted with two pylons under the nose.
The first production model, Me 262 A-7, entered service in July 1944.  It was a single seat interceptor-fighter. Radio equipment consisted of a FuG 16zy ultra high frequency radio for plane-to-plane and plane-to-ground communications, incorporating direction and range facilities and a FuG 25a IFF.
Some versions were fitted with a FuG 125 Hermine blind-landing receiver, FuB L3 radio altimeter and a FuG 120K Bernadine which automatically recorded, on a paper chart, the direction to a ground station that was tuned in manually.