What if the Me-262 wasnt tampered with

Hitler, when he saw the Me-262, powered by two Jumo 004 turbojets ordered that the aircraft be produced as a bomber. Because he was at this point obsessed with bombers for whatever reason. The people at Messerschmitt actually had to ask Hitler if the could produce a fighter version as well. Hitlers order to convert the jet powered aircraft to a bomber delayed the project even further. The bomber version, retained the same armament of the fighter version, the four Mk-108 30mm cannon in the nose, as well as proviosions for 2,207 pounds of bombs. This bombload penalized the aircraft as far as speed, and piston powered fighters could catch it. This aircraft had a top speed of 539mph, at 13,245ft. The range of this incredible fighter was 652 miles, an improvement over the early piston powered fighters. Now had this aircraft been used strictly as a fighter, and interceptor of the four engined heavy bombers of the allies, it could have made more an impact on the war. But most certainly would not have changed the war, just prolonged the suffering of the third reich, and its people. But i have heard of people who beleive if employed correctly, and a few hundred more were built, it could have changed the course of the war. In my opinion that isnt possible, but does anyone else beleive it is?

[ArtieBob]

IMHO, quite simply, double the total number of Me 262s in 1944-45 make all of them fighters and the results of the overall war would probably have changed not at all. Possibly the end might have shifted a few days, but probably not even that, as the Nazi defeat came on so many levels that no single change could have saved the third reich. To give all the reasons requires eliciting the military and political situation at a level of detail far beyond the scope of this forum. Trust me, there was no magic bullet for the nazis after 1943 at the latest, probably even much earlier.

Best regards,

Artie bob

Granted, the number of Me-262's was small, and below the 2000 mark, and your right, it would have made almost no difference, because if the Luftwaffe could produce more in the first place, they would not have had the fuel to get them all in the air. Its nice to see someone who finally thinks realistically about the Me-262, realizing it would have had no impact, at the stage in which it was introduced. Thanks for your reply, i greatly appreciate them.

[George Hopp]

Whoa, whoa. Just where do you think that Hitler got the idea that the Me 262 could be used as a fighter-bomber? On 27 June 1943, and, as I recall, on at least one other occasion, it was Willy Messerschmitt who told Hitler that the Me 262 could be used as a fighter-bomber, and that the conversion would be an easy one. At the time, according to his report of 2 July 1943, he sounded more interested in the production of the Me 264 and of the Me 209, than in the production of the Me 262.

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.

Nonny, the tanks made no difference, because no matter how many Me-262's germany had, they would only have barely enough to fight a defensive war, and not enough to provide cover for armor, or salients into enemy territory. And the soviet Js-2 and T-34 could take on the tigers, no matter how many, the russians could make more.

If the Germans had had access to sufficient fuel in 1944, would all those fully tanked up Me262s, Fw190s, XXIs, Tigers etc etc have actually rendered them unconquerable except at an unacceptably exorbitant price in Allied lives? (ignoring the A bomb)