Some enlarged and 'tweaked' known photos of Me 262s

[David E. Brown]

Hi Jim,

PM me with your email and I'll send you the image described above (expired EBay auction), and you can tweak it if desired and shared here.

Best,

David

[Dan O'Connell]

Me 262 A-1a. Fw. Heinz Lohmann made a 15 minute ferry flight in this A-1a from Obertraubling to Neuburg at 08:43 on 15 February 1945.

David, is there proof that White 26 is 500221? My complete history of it is the sentence above. Thank you, Dan

[David E. Brown]

Dan,

I have this Werknummer in my notes. Will have to go back and get the details for you.

David

[Karoband]

Thank you, David. These are some of those photos and my conclusions:


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1115

252. In this photo, both "9K+CH", in foreground, and "white 19", at right, can be seen when they were in front of the Whizzers' hangar. Note the dark overall camo on the tail of "white 19" and its very black hakenkreuz.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1116

253. In this photo, both Me 262s have been dragged behind the hangar and are the furthest to be seen. Even at a distance from the others in this photo the dark tail of "white 19" is apparent.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1117

254. Another view of the two Me 262s in isolation behind the hangar.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1118

255. In this and a similar photo, a GI can be seen in the cockpit of "9K+CH" behind the hangar. There are no other Me 262s behind him. Note the bright sunlight on the aircraft and road.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1119

256. This is the same photo as #247. I believe David is correct. To my eye it is the same GI sitting on the wing of "9K+CH" and the washed-out tail fin and hakenkreuz of "white 19" is due to the glare of the sun. The rudder alone shows the true colour of the plane's camouflage. Photographs can be deceiving.

Therefore, thanks to David, I now realize that the camo pattern and white fin on W.Nr 110943, "B3+HL", likely have no relation to those of "white 19".

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1120

257. On 26 April 1945, W.Nr. 500226 was listed as being present at München-Riem, having been handed over from "Industrie" at Memmingen. By the end of April it was probably with 1/JG 7 at Prag-Ruzin before moving to Saaz/Zatec by 7 May. On 8 May 1945, Oblt. Walter Bohatsch commandeered the now "white 4" of 1./JG 7, as his own Me 262 was out of service, and headed for Fassberg. Short of fuel, he landed at the American-held airfield of Dedelstorf, about 67 km. north of Braunschweig.
Note the lack of the JG 7 wappen, perhaps indicating a hurried transformation. The lack of a vertical stripe between the blue/red RVT bands indicate it is from I. Gruppe. Again, a cable has been used to drag it backwards damaging the base of the tail fin.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1121

258. This is another view of the starboard side indicating a hurried replacement of the rudder and parts of the starboard engine nacelle. Note the warnings to "Keep off".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1122

259. This view of the port side of "white 4" shows that the butting edge between the RVT bands was purposely placed over the joint of the rear fuselage with the tail component. Because of inexact manufacturing, a white cooloured putty was used to caulk the gap and then an adhesive tape was used to seal the putty. In this photo, the tape can clearly be seen under the RVT bands.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1123

260. This is a later view of the port side. At first glance, this seems to be an aircraft of the III.Gruppe due to a vertical bar in the RVT bands, but a closer look shows that the tape has easily been peeled to the side exposing the light coloured putty. Note that the werknummer can just be made out.

[AndyMa]

Thanks for the nice photos.
Should the location read Dedelstorf?

[Karoband]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for catching that. Fat fingers. I'll correct it.

Jim

[Dan O'Connell]

Nice photos.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1124

261. This was probably one of the earliest photo-recce Me 262 A-5s produced. According to Brown etal., Messerschmitt Me 262 Production & Arado Ar 234 Final Operations, (JaPo, 2021), page 11: "It is most probably W.Nr 110513 as evidenced by the werknummer on the starboard fin ....". If so, Dan O'Connell, Production Log, page 83, has test-pilot Uffz. Heinz Ordelheide making test flights at Schwabisch-Hall on 18 and 22 November 1944. It is likely that this was one of the aircraft of Erprobungskommando Braunegg (Panther) that, like EKdo. 262, wore a yellow band behind the cockpit. Although the balkenkreuz at first seems to have a black centre, this may be due to the two-tone dark upper camouflage akin to that of the photo-recce Ar 234s of Versuchsverband der OKL which was also responsible for EKdo. Panther. Also note what appears to be the later addition of darer camo along the demarcation lines of the fuselage and nacelles. It has one of the single MK 108 cannon muzzles as requested by Oblt. Herward Braunegg. This unit was stationed at Schwabisch-Hall from 30 November 1944 until about 8 February 1945, becoming 2./NAG 6.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1125

262. This screenshot shows the placement of the port Rb 50/30 camera with its film canister on top, too large to close a standard gun access hatch. A bulged fairing had to be fitted to accommodate the canister. The placement of the cameras in lieu of the four MK 108 cannon minimized the change in the centre of gravity.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1126

263. This early version "A5" had an experimental bulge sharply tapering to the leading edge of the hatch, unlike the "A-1a/U3" that had streamlined bulges on the fuselage in front of and behind the hatch edges. This aircraft, as can be seen, did have the rear fairing on the fuselage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1127

264. This modification allowed the film canister to be easily removed and replaced.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1128

265. This screenshot shows "white 3" being towed away using a tracked SD. Kfz. Z. Kettenrad with a rigid tow bar attached to the nose wheel but also stress cables attached to the main landing gear struts to prevent nose wheel collapse.