World War II Database

1.  BILL says:
17 Mar 2009 09:36:29 AM

Top view of Me 262 shows wing sweep of 18 1/2 degrees. Photo also shows the Me 262's leading edge wing slots are in full open position.

2.  Bill says:
3 Mar 2013 08:26:02 PM

FIRST GENERATION JET ENGINE: JUNKERS 004

Power for the Schwalbe (Swallow) the first tests were conducted, using a Jumo 004 mounted under the fuselage of a Messerschmitt Bf110 twin-engine fighter. First powered flight using jet power was on July 1942, V-3 code(PC+UC)the third prototype aircraft.

THE 004 JET ENGINE:

The Jumo 004 had a starter motor, an eight-stage axial flow type compressor, six stright-through combustion chambers and a single-stage turbine, and control cone. Later models were able to produce 1980lbs. of thrust thousands of these engines were built in the face of allied bombing 24 hours a day, in spite of shortages of fuel, materials and other support equipment.

Before the end of the war, Junkers was working on an after-burning model of the engine. Junkers was able to produce a working jet engine from concept to production within four years. Research data
on advanced technology and swept wings captured by the allies at wars end led to continue development of turbine jet engines and high speed flight into the post-war years.

SUGGESTED READING:

Hitler's Jet Plane
Published (2004) Greenhill
By Mano Ziegler
ISBN 18536762241

3.  Bill says:
8 Dec 2014 02:28:03 PM

HIGH SPEED FLIGHT:

At the end of WWII in Europe the Allies captured
the Messerschmitt Me262 jet fighter. They were shipped to Britain and the USA for flight testing
one Me262-1a/U-3 later became USAAF T-2-4012 in Luftwaffe service it was "White 12" later tested at Wright-Field 1946 - 1947.

SURVIVOR:

It was later shipped to Hughes Aircraft Company for maintenance, Hughes wanted it to fly in the 1947 Bendix Air Race the US Government cancelled the idea because it was said to out perform the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star the Air Force's newest jet fighter.

SAVED FROM THE SCRAPPER:

The Me 262 was later shipped back to California
and sent to the Glendale Aeronautics School as a
training aid for aircraft mechanics. In 1954 it was rescued from being scrapped. This aircraft is now on display at the Planes of Fame Chino, Calif USA.
(Aircraft in above file photo is not the one on display at Planes of Fame Museum, Chino, Calif.)