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The Me 262, the world's first operational jet fighter, was a truly extraordinary technological achievement. The fact that in 1945, in the most difficult of circumstances, Germany was capable of producing hundreds of these aircraft should give the lie to any claims about the inherent weaknesses in the German 'technological system'. In the list of dei ex machina with which Hitler might have changed the course of the war, it is amongst the most commonly cited. But it is also one of the weapons most surrounded by self-serving post-war mythology. After the war, Ernst Heinkel, Willy Messerschmitt and the chief of Germany's fighter forces Adolf Galland colluded in the construction of a highly one-sided account of theMe 262's history, designed to celebrate the genius of German technology, whilst at the same time demonstrating the incompetence of the Nazi leadership. In their account, popularized in best-selling biographies and television interviews, it was the meddling of Hitler, Göring and Milch that robbed Galland and his valiant fighter pilots of a weapon with which they might have protected Germany against the merciless onslaught of the bombers. This was a myth that appealed to numerous themes in post-war German political culture: regret at the chance of a victory wasted, the consolation provided by the supposed superiority of 'German technology', the self-righteous commemoration of the horror of Allied bombing. But contrary to legend, all the evidence, in fact, suggests that the Reich Air Ministry seized the opportunity of jet power with every possible speed. What prevented the Me 262 from exercising a decisive influence on the air war was not incompetence and conservatism, but the debilitating material limitations of the German war economy.
Did you perhaps mean the 004B?1943. Jumo 004A engine passes several 100 hour endurance tests.
In Hugh Morgan's 'Stormbird Rising' Adolf Galland writes in the introduction
"I am of the opinion that with only 300 Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters we could have on any day shot down a minimum of 200 bombers. If this would have continued for a week or two, then the day bombings would have had to be stopped.
As a consequence, the dimensions of the destruction of the targets in Germany would have been diminished.
As a negative consequence, the war would most probably have been prolonged and the Russians allowed more time to conquer further German territory.
So let us now be satisfied with Hitler's mistakes towards the legendary Me 262".
Yes he blames Hitler - and he undoubtedly did hinder tyhings - but he is obviously convinced that no 'wonder weapon' could fundamentally alter the balance of power, 262 or other, Germany still loses....
By 1943 USA and Britain/Canada were spitting out ASW ships and aircraft like sausages. Germany could not even maintain control over coastal waters which U boats had to transit to/ from port. Difficult to see what any diesel electric submarine could accomplish in such an environment.
Ah, Galland was one of those who agreed in the production conference chaired by Milch on 31 Mar 43 that it would be an error to follow Oberst Dinort's proposal to drop 209 and concentrate everything on the 262.
And greatest number of 262 day fighter sorties flown was 76 on 10 April 45, USAAF lost 19 bombers and 8 fighters on that day, but 31 Me 262s were shot down. And because USAAF fighters strafed extensively on that day (they claimed 284 strafing kills altogether) at least some of US losses fell to the Flak.
Juha