Me262 found at Deelen

[ouidjat]

Dear Jaap,

Thank you for this update.
Anyway, I think I did try something through these posts - but the "blinded" way ...
So:

1/ I guess I was close to something saying I thought Mukte's machine had one.
2/ Is it possible to get a Me262's WNr. plate photo, here in this thread? I mean the one from Deutsche Museum .. If still available.

I mean I do understand Richard, but, in the meantime I really want to know how looks such Me262's plate. Without that, I think we talked a lot for nothing.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Best regards, Franck.

[Jaap Woortman]

Franck,

I fully agree. I have also asked for a picture of the WNr. plate before.

The Deutsches Museum has no picture available. I have asked for it.
They were very helpfull and have send me a picture of the tailsection with it's WNr painted on it.
But no WNr plate.

Jaap

[stephen f. polyak]

I am a "doubting Thomas". With no definitive photographic or physical proof (yet) that that such main plates were, in fact, fitted as shown in the period document (or elsewhere on the airframe), I am not convinced. Main plates (and others) on other German aircraft often "jump out" of period photos, so why not on 262 images? Count me among the first to want to see one - unquestionably - appear some day.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Richard T. Eger

It is possible that a decision was made not to use nameplates to avoid giving hints to the Allies where the hidden assembly facilities were located.
Regards,
Richard

Also possible are an economy measure or a shortage of plates (lack of metal, disrupted delivery of the finished item, bomb damage to the workshop that made them ...)

[Jaap Woortman]

But there is something visible at that place.

Jaap

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Jaap,

Taking your photos left to right:

1. That's the air scoop.

2. Could be the air scoop, but it seems too low for it and also rather elongated - more the shape of an ID plate.

3, The air scoop is clearly visible and open at the top of where you have circled. However, if you then compare what you and Franck think might be an ID plate below the scoop with the drawing provided by Stephen, those 4 black dots defining the rectangle just don't match up with the drawing. It's as if there are 4 black dots, but nothing else.

There really isn't anything unusual about the ID plate planned for the Me 262. It is likely the same pattern as used for other aircraft.

Regards,
Richard

[ouidjat]

Dear Richard,

An air scoop?
I don't see any air scoop on any machine at that place.

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Franck,

Trust me, the Me 262 had an air scoop for the cockpit. That said, I've gone through my stack of photos for white 29 and white 34 and those could, indeed, be ID plates.

Regards,
Richard

[ouidjat]

Richard,

I do trust you! No doubt about that, I just thought the scoop was closer to windscreen triangle, almost against the frame.
There is a good argument in your favour:
Why the hell "they" did put ID plates on 3 or 4 machines only??

It should be good to identify
1/ Type (sub-type) on which we can find them.
2/ Which assembly plant(or plants eventually) did do it as I would be very surprised to find one on Kuno's - for example.
....
Thinking about that, I have the same subsidiary question - but not in this thread - concerning the Bf109K-4 version!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best regards, Franck.

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Franck,

As you have pointed out, these potential ID plates appear on the Me 262A-1a/U3's. Eger Flugzeugwerke in Czechslovakia was charged with converting Me 262's to this configuration. We know that the A-1a/U3's had a rather unique camouflage scheme and that most, if not all, had a large white outline number on the forward fuselage, although I'm not sure exactly when this was applied. If I recall correctly, David E. Brown told me that the camouflage painting of these machines was of an excellent quality. It is possible that specifically Eger installed ID plates on the aircraft they converted.

Regards,
Richard