I gotta get into this !!
- Erich's right about the M ammo, known as 'Mine'...In reading 'Nachtjagd' [Theo Boiten], Karl-Heinz Becker describes flying the 262 against the Nightfighter Mosquitos, and approaching the target aircraft at an overtaking speed of 150 mph., they only had a short time to aim and shoot. Armed with 4x MK108 30mm's, with their lower rate of fire, coming in real close to fire resulted in less incidents of target aircraft exploding and damaging the 262.- Every 5th shell was a 'glow' shell [not as bright as tracer] and in between were armour-piercing and 'mine' shells, which with these, at the slightest contact, blew a huge hole or even tore a wing off....
The 262's were the only solution to the Mosquitos, but it was too little, too late....but they certainly sorted-out bombers effectively, day or night...These guys were having a contest to see who used the least ammo for the most kills !
I have to say 262's were faster and 4x 30mm in the nose at close range with that ammo-load packed, must be real deadly....
Another point too, the 190's would suffer a recoil penalty that probably wouldn't have disadvantaged the 262's....
However, the 190's were at it longer than the 262's, and probably had it off-pat, and overall would have the greater number of kills, but they must've suffered some losses...Stuff-all 262's were lost to return-fire in comparison in the Nachtjagd.....