What if the Me-262 wasnt tampered with

Just another example of the Luftwaffe too confident in itself, by only building offensive weaponry. and as for diverting resources, can you imagine what they must have felt like when they realized how badly this aircraft was needed, and how it may have had had some influence, no matter how minute.

[Graham Boak]

What Hitler wanted, and Germany desperately needed, was the means of ensuring that a Western Allied invasion of Europe failed. The only way to achieve this was to to defeat an attempted landing, and to do that he needed bombers. Fast bombers that would be much less vulnerable in the face of Allied air superiority. With this in mind, his comments on the 262 make perfect sense. Germany did need bombers too.

However, the development and production of the 262 was paced by the development and production of the Jumo 004. These could not be made available in any significant numbers any earlier than they were: the small engineering design diversion caused by the fitting of bomb racks was negligible. It was not a major problem, requiring huge effort or massive testing. It delayed nothing.

The diversion of production a/c to the bomber units may have had slightly more effect, but in view of the normal ramp-up of bringing a new type into service it is hard to see any major delays to the fighter side. In the end there were just not enough aircraft to go around, and Germany had lost the war well before the 262 appeared.

[Primoz]

I think Graham wrote all that had to be said ... but let me add a few thoughts:

- Because Germany was losing the war the Me 262 was not a very successful fighter (if I'm not mistaken its kill-loss ratio was about 1:1; but it was not a good bomer either)

- Jet fighters were better than piston-engined ones not because of their superior speed but becuase they could use low quality fuel

- Hitler may have been the biggest bungler in history - but he's not to blame for each and every German blunder in WW2.

[ChrisMAg2]

Originally Posted by Primoz

I think Graham wrote all that had to be said ... but let me add a few thoughts:...
- Jet fighters were better than piston-engined ones not because of their superior speed but becuase they could use low quality fuel

Jet fuel is by no means a low quality fuel:
There are two compositions:
100% Flugdiesel - a high graded diesel for flight engines

or

J2, a composition of Diesel and B4-fuel

These fuels were not lowgraded, but at the time needed scarce, means supplies were low or even not available.

[Jon]

It was a pure numbers game and the 262 was always going to be out numbered by US fighters, slashing attacks were fine but if it slowed down to dogfight at all...well we have all seen the camera gun footage of 262's geting shot down.

Interestingly what are your thoughts on the RAF Gloster Meteor against the 262, I know the Metor stayed at home to counter the V1's but how close were these two fighters from meeting in the worlds first jet on jet dog fight ?

Also how did these two types compare ? and wich one probably would have come out on top ?

[John P Cooper]

Just an additional comment - I want to add thet IMHOif it were not for efforts of Milch et al. fighter production may never have reached the levels they did.

[George Hopp]

"hitler saw the aircraft, and asked Mr. Willy Messerschmitt if it could be converted to a bomber, and to appease hitler, he said yes it could, easily, but hitler then wanted them all to be bombers, and only after much talk did he say some fighters could be built."

You obviously didn't read my comment about the origin of the idea of the Me 262. I was commenting on Messerschmitt's report, not Hitler's.