Me.262 Production and Service

[HAHalliday]

There seems to be general agreement that peak Me.262 production was February 1945, but how many were built ? I have read figures ranging from 212 to an approximate 350. I would appreciate clarification on this point, and opinions as to why one or another source may be considered more accurate.

Similarly, the figure of Me.262s reaching service varies. One says it may ave been "as low as 200", but it would appear that as of March 1945 there were about 200 on the strength of operational units and about 100 more at training units - and these figures do not alow for aircraft that had previously been in service and then been either withdrawn or destroyed. My GUESS is that the figure for operational Me.262s was about 350, but an authorative source would clearly trump my uninformed guess. Your input welcome.

[Nick Beale]

Dan O'Connell's "Me 262 Production Log" would be an excellent place to start.

I haven't attempted the maths but a lot of the known Me 262s produced do seem to have made it into operational and training units. From some modest work that I've been doing, it looks as if I./KG 51 had a very high turnover of aircraft even leaving aside losses and accidents. I don't know if the number of aircraft needed to maintain a given frontline strength was exceptional for the 262 or not, though.

[John Beaman]

I would suggest you get a copy of Messerschmitt Me 262 The Production Log 1941-1945 by Dan O'Connell, a frequent visitor to this forum.

[Kutscha]

From the Radinger/Schick book on the 262 ISBN 0-88740-516-9

1944 Augsburg/Regensburg

Mar - 1/0
Apr - 15/0
May - 7/0
June - 28/0
July - 58/0
Aug - 15/0
Sept - 92/2
Oct - 108/10
Nov - 87/14
Dec - 168/13

1945 Augsburg/Regensburg

Jan - 163/65
Feb - 166/130
Mar - 165/75
Apr - 64/37

It goes on to say that effective production losses was 497.

[Steve Coates]

The figure of 212 quoted in the first post almost certainly comes from the Flugzeug-Verteilung lists of the 6th Abteilung (RL2 III 621) for February 1945 although this is not the full picture. A further 12 (repaired aircraft) were delivered/re-delivered that month as were a further 13 new builds under the Schul category.

This file contains the monthly summary sheets from January 1944 - March 1945 and makes for very interesting reading.

[HAHalliday]

I am especially indebted to Kutscha for details.

Since the Luftwaffe is NOT my specialty and the facts I seek will constitute roughly two sentences in a 2,500 word article, I sought to avoid purchasing Dan O'Connell's "Me 262 Production Log". Useful though it would have been for this task, it would nevertheless have become an instant repository for dust in my basement.

My local air museum did not have O'Connell and so I took to this board.

Call me a cheap s.o.b. if you wish.

[Dan O'Connell]

Originally Posted by HAHalliday

I am especially indebted to Kutscha for details.

Since the Luftwaffe is NOT my specialty and the facts I seek will constitute roughly two sentences in a 2,500 word article, I sought to avoid purchasing Dan O'Connell's "Me 262 Production Log". Useful though it would have been for this task, it would nevertheless have become an instant repository for dust in my basement.

My local air museum did not have O'Connell and so I took to this board.

Call me a cheap s.o.b. if you wish.

OK, you are a cheap S.O.B. :-)

Actually, I now have 1,224 documented Me 262's by Werk Nummer, let alone hundreds with out any way to determine.

Most were used in service, although I've never gotten around to making up the stats on "front line use" vs accidents, etc.

Knowing the missing numbers in the WNr sequences, it is obvious that far more were made than the oft quoted number of 1,432, which actually is the number that the Messerschmitt company told the US Strategic Bombing Survey that they were paid for.

Dan O'Connell Messerschmitt Me 262 The Production Log 1941 - 1945

[HAHalliday]

Many thanks, Mr. O'Connell. I shall lobby the Canada Aviation Museum to buy a copy of your book.

[RT]

Hello Dan,

Any chance to get some of this stuff added in your book as an..

Remi

[Dan O'Connell]

Originally Posted by RT

Hello Dan,

Any chance to get some of this stuff added in your book as an..

Remi

I keep adding to the manuscript, hopefully an updated version with many more new photos will be published in the future.