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

[Karoband]

And thank you, Franck!

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1211

338. Possibly the first Me 262 to be assigned to E-Stelle Rechlin, Me 262 S 13 W.Nr. 130018 was given the kennzeichen "E3+01" signifying the Stelle for testing engines. According to Dan O'Connell, Me 262 Production Log, (Classic, 2005), p. 27, Dip.-Ing. Heinz Borsdorf of Kommandos der Erprobungsstelle (K.d.E.) first flew "E1+01" at Rechlin-Lärz on 19 June 1944. As was the practice for early 130xxx Series built at Leipheim, the werknummer was placed in black on the fuselage below the horizontal stabilizer.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1212

339. Probably used for testing the early Junkers Jumo 004A turbojets, W.Nr. 130018 was given an A-1a configuration with four MK 108 cannon. Like others of this series, it lacks white gun rectangles below the cannon access hatches.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1213

340. On 28 December, Borsdorf tested the engines to a height of 11,000 m. (36,000 ft).


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1214

341. In this set of photos, note the nose colours placed in the same manner as those seen on JG 1's He 162s at Leck, connoting aircraft of commanding officers. I do not know the significance of the letter on the nosewheel door.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1215

342. According to O'Connell, p. 28: "On 25 January, Borsdorf noted it was assigned toGefechtsverband Rechlin, a defense unit for airfield protection." Note the different shade of both forward engine cowls in the manner of III./EJG 2. Last recorded at Rechlin on 31 March 1945, its fate is unknown.

[JonOlsen88]

Regarding the Me 262 W.Nr. 130018 (posts 338 and 339), what was the significance of the the gun ports being painted? Did it assist with training ground crew/pilots?

Some Me 262s of I. Kg 51 also had the outlines of the lower gun ports painted white, which seemed to indicate that the Me a2a machines were only equipped with the lower two cannons, while also indicating the staffel color. The Me 262 with W.N.r 170096 and the code 9k+BH is a well- known example. I also recently read in the the Me 262 of KG & KG(J) Units by Japo (pg. 70) that Black L, W.Nr. 110836, also had its gun ports painted red, its staffel color. I found this information very interesting.

[Karoband]

Hi Jon,

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1225

I do not know the answer to your excellent questions ... and just to add to the mystery, here is a photo of a very early Me 262 with cannon ports.

best regards,

Jim

[JonOlsen88]

Thank you, Jim! The photo does indeed add to the mystery..

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1221

343. Erprobungsstelle Rechlin-Lärz, south of Muritz Lake, was the Luftwaffe's main "proving grounds" for testing advanced German aircraft. This is Me 262 A-1a W.Nr. 170095 "KD+EA" (not a stammkenzeichen, see O'Connell, p. 59) at Rechlin, probably in February-March 1945. It has just been towed to its preflight position to start its engines. Note that while it has no white gun rectangles, the muzzles can be seen on this photograph.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1222

344. In this photo, a portable electrical generator is being hooked into the power system of "KD+EA" to start its engines. On page 318 of Smith & Creek, Me 262 Volume Two (Clasic, 1998), is a better view of the Me 262 in the background left. It is Me 262 V8, W.Nr. 130003 that Walter Ballerstadt tested at Rechlin between 15 February and 17 March 1945.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1223

345. This picture shows the pilot wearing his helmet with headphones and a loose harness strap over his shoulder. The mechanic has removed both engine access hatches, perhaps to adjust the engines.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1224

346. This view shows how the power cord plugged into the fuselage as well as the towing cables attached to the main landing gear lying on the ground. W.Nr. 170095 "KD+EA" was listed in a document, B.Nr. 22140/45 dated 15 January 1945 as one of the aircraft at Rechlin. The final entry for the tests by this aircraft is "Nachtjagd-Einsatz erprobung", operational nightfighting trials, see Smith & Creek, Vol 2, p 319. This is possibly the aircraft that Kurt Welter, ex. 10./JG 300, used at Lärz. For the connection between 10./JG 300, II./NJG 11 and Kommando Welter, see RL 2-III/65 p.0017, RL 2-III/66 p. 0090 and RL 2-III/66 p. 0198.
In this picture note a similar stylized "L" on the nose wheel door as was seen on W.Nr 13008, perhaps standing for Lärz.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1226

347. Jochen Prien, etal., on p.148 of Die Jagdfliegerverbande ... Tiel 13/II, (2017), credits a better copy of this photo to "Creek/Petrek" and gives this caption: "Lt. Joachim Weber, Flugzeugführer im EKdo. 262, der am 8. August 1944 durch den Abschuss einer Mosquito bei Bad Aibling den ersten Erfolg mit einer Me 262 erzielte: der Blumenstrauss deutet an, dass die Aufnahme nach der Rückkehr von einem erfolgeichen Einsatz gemacht wurde, doch ist das genaue Datum der Aufnahme nicht bekannt. Note the cannon ports.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1227

348. This very poor picture was certainly taken at the same time as the above photo with the shirtless crewmate and bouquet of flowers. The white hakenkreuz identifies this aircraft as Me 262 A-1a W.Nr 170045 "white 5".

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1228

349. The white hakenkreuz of W.Nr 170045 stands out in this early line-up of the aircraft of Erprobungskommando Me 262 which is its proper designation, (RL 2-III/57 p. 0147 and RL 2-III/64 p. 0050). However, clerical entries for claims, e.g. Weber's in RL 5/1460 p.0018, give "ErprobungsKdo. or "Erpro. Kdo. 262, which have become accpted names for the unit. Note the burn marks around the cannon ports of W.Nr. 170045.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1229

350. This aircraft in the last half of August 1944 was transferred to E-Stelle Rechlin possibly for Kdo. Lärz but in October it was released to Kdo. Nowotny for operations. On 6 November, after carrying out a werkstattflug, Ofw. Helmut Baudach on landing had a strut collapse, "Landung gegen Startbahn kaste, Federbein herundge-brechen", Smith & Creek, Me 262 Volume Two, p. 412. O'Connell, on p. 47 of Me 262 Production Log, says "After repair it was used by I./KG(J) 54 in January 1945." Prien says its fate is unknown.

[Karoband]

The inspiration for this posting comes fromhttp://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=4923

On p. 67 ofKriegstagesbuch No. 8 der III./ZG 26 [RL 10/257 p.0043] by an order of the General der Jagdflieger [sic] on 26.09.44, III./ZG 26 was to become III./JG 6 under a Major Novatny and the detachments Erpro. Kdo 262 (under III./ZG 26) at Schwäbisch-Hall, Leipheim, Erfurt-Bindesleben and Lärz were to report to Achmer on 27.09.44. As a follow-up, an order of the OKL [RL 2-III/63 p. 0089] turned III. JG 6 into a Kommando Nowotny. at the same time making I./JG 5 into a new III.JG 6 with conventional fighters.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1230

351. This is an Me 262 A-1a of 2./Kommando Nowotny. Note that the aircraft numeral is on the nose and that there is no narrow yellow band behind the cockpit as on EKdo 262 aircraft. The pilot pictured here is Staffelkapitän Oblt. Franz Schall whose Me 262 W.Nr. 170047 "white 1" suffered 25% damage due to nose wheel failure on a stop-over at Braunschweig-Waggum on his transfer of an Me 262 from the Lärz detachment to Hesepe on 4 October 1944. The Me 262 camouflage in this picture has a low demarcation line on the nose at the wing root level. In contrast to the fuselage, the camouflage on the engine nacelle has a relatively high demarcation line.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1231

352. This is also a known aircraft of Kommando Nowotny. It is W.Nr. 110389 "white 2". According to Dan O'Connell's Me 262 Production Log, "At 11.25 [sic] on 6 November 1944 this aircraft took off from Achmer but became engaged in combat with a P-51 of the U.S. 357th FG, and was also shot at by German flak. Its pilot, Lt. Herbert Spangenberg of 1. Kommando Nowotny, made an emergency landing due to a fuel shortage at Lehmwerder. The aircraft hit a shed at 11.25 and was 50% damaged." Note the addition of the dark camo splotches over its previous camouflage right down to its wing roots and covering the narrow yellow band still seen on the underside RLM 76. The starboard engine nacelle is at the extreme right mainly in RLM 76.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1232

353. This Me 262 A-1a is W.Nr. 110372 "white 3". Note the characteristics is that ofan aircraft of Kommando Nowotny. The numeral is on the nose, the dark camouflage reaches the wing roots, and it lacks both the narrow yellow band and a Kaulquappe tail of some III./EJG 2 Me 262s. This may be the aircraft in which Ltn. Alfred Schreiber on 26 November 1944 suffered a flame-out just after take-off and was killed when his plane flipped over in the resulting notlandung. As Kommando Nowotny was disbanded on 24 November 1944 becoming III./JG 7 [RL 2-III/64 p. 0011], Schreiber was then technically a member of 9./JG 7.