The Me 262 was the first of its kind, the first jet-powered aircraft. Although conceived before the war, with the initial plans being drawn in April 1939, the Stormbird was beset with technological (particularly the revolutionary engines) and political difficulties, resulting in it not entering combat until August 1944, with claims of nineteen downed Allied aircraft. The performance of the Me 262 so far exceeded that of Allied aircraft that on 1 Sepember 1944, USAAF General Carl Spaatz remarked that if greater numbers of German jets appeared, they could inflict losses heavy enough to force cancellation of the Allied daylight bombing offensive. The story of how the Stormbird came to be is fascinating history, and it comes to life in the hands of noted historian Colin Heaton. Told largely in the words of the German aces who flew it, The Me 262 Stormbird provides the complete history of this remarkable airplane from the drawing boards to combat in the skies over the Third Reich. Features two forewords, one by Jorg Czypionka, Me 262 night fighter pilot, and another by historian and author Barrett Tillman.

Photographs and information of unfinished, war weary, crash-landed, cannibalized, new ones, but all "dead Messerschmidt Me262s, found scattered all over the former Nazi Germany at the end of World War II, 8may1945. Enjoy this nine part series!

Developed from a 1938 design by Messerschmitt the Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) was the world's first operational turbojet aircraft. First seeing combat in July 1944, it proved to be particularly effective against the large Allied bomber formations that were operating over Germany late in the war and more than 1,400 were produced, though less than 300 saw combat. This book showcases six different builds of the Me 262 across the scales from 1/72 to 1/32, across a range of skill levels. It also includes a comprehensive list of all the available kits and aftermarket products.

In the 1930s, as nations braced for war, the German military build up caught Britain and the United States off-guard, particularly in aviation technology. The unending quest for speed resulted in the need for radical alternatives to piston engines. In Germany, Dr. Hans von Ohain was the first to complete a flight-worthy turbojet engine for aircraft. It was installed in a Heinkel-designed aircraft, and the Germans began the jet age on August 27, 1939. The Germans led the jet race throughout the war and were the first to produce jet aircraft for combat operations. In England, the doggedly determined Frank Whittle also developed a turbojet engine, but without the support enjoyed by his German counterpart. The British came second in the jet race when Whittle's engine powered the Gloster Pioneer on May 15, 1941. The Whittle-Gloster relationship continued and produced the only Allied combat jet aircraft during the war, the Meteor, which was relegated to Home Defense in Britain. In America, General Electric copied the Whittle designs, and Bell Aircraft contracted to build the first American jet plane. On October 1, 1942, a lackluster performance from the Bell Airacomet, ushered in the American jet age. The Yanks forged ahead, and had numerous engine and airframe programs in development by the end of the war. But, the Germans did it right and did it first, while the Allies lagged throughout the war, only rising to technological prominence on the ashes of the German defeat. Pavelec's analysis of the jet race uncovers all the excitement in the high-stakes race to develop effective jet engines for warfare and transport.

An illustrated account of the infamous Me 262 and its pilots in the dark days of 1945, containing previously unseen photographs. ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK When the revolutionary Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter first appeared in the skies over northwest Europe in mid-1944, it represented one of the greatest challenges to Allied air superiority. The first group to solely fly jet fighters, Jagdgeschwader 7 was tasked with wrestling back command of the skies. Put almost immediately into action, despite fuel shortages, poor training and problems with the jet engine, victories quickly followed against both US and British aircraft. By the end of the war, the Jagdgeschwader had claimed nearly 200 enemy aircraft destroyed in daylight bomber raids during 1945. This book follows the history of the JG 7 unit, examining how their courage, determination and the most advanced aircraft in the world were simply not enough to ensure victory. In the final section of the book Robert Forsyth details how JG 7 were eventually defeated by gradual losses, restricted operating conditions, lack of fuel and overwhelming Allied fighter strength.

This authoritative and comprehensive survey features over 2,400 entries. Subjects range from battles, soldiers, and military activities to politics, culture, and the Holocaust. Enlivened by 85 illustrations, its panoramic perspective encompasses WWII's enduring influences on the American way of life. "A unique and valuable look at the war."—General James Doolittle

A fascinating overview of the Allies’ post-WWII program to gain access to advanced Nazi war machines and the technology they ultimately recovered. Prior to the Allied D-Day assault on Normandy, France, rumors had already been circulating that high-tech Nazi super-weapons (wunderwaffe) had reached or were near completion. At the war’s end, a mad scramble ensued to discover the enemy’s secrets, fueled in large part by a US desire to regain its technological edge and to keep these weapons out of Soviet hands. Operation Lusty (LUftwaffe Secret TechnologY) was in full swing. In Operation Lusty, aviation historian Graham M. Simons delivers a comprehensive and detailed history of the program while cataloging the advanced war equipment that was ultimately discovered—from U-boats, carriers, and battleships to radar equipment and operating systems, to fighters, bombers, rockets, and other V-weapons. With access to previously unreleased documentation and wide-ranging archival materials, Simons distinguishes what was fact in the Nazi arsenal from what was pure fantasy, dreamed up by Joseph Goebbels’s powerful propaganda machine. Operation Lusty sheds new light on the furious race for postwar technological superiority, and offers an insider’s look at the full spectrum of military spoils that were gained.

While the Allies largely relied on mass production to help them win World War II, Germany put a great deal of their limited resources into new technologies and wonder weapons. In addition to these tangible assets, which were used with varying degrees of success, the drawing boards of Germany were littered with dozens of advanced designs that never reached the prototype or production stages. Many of these operational and paper projects advanced the pace and influenced the direction of aircraft development in the decades following World War II, with many of the German engineers responsible for these innovations seamlessly continuing their roles in the United States and the USSR. Modellers have had a long fascination for the Luftwaffe's jet arsenal and secret weapons of fact and fiction and this new Osprey Masterclass will explore the Luftwaffe jets and rocket planes that saw service at the end of World War II.

Fighting Hitler's Jets brings together in a single, character-driven narrative two groups of men at war: on one side, American fighter pilots and others who battled the secret “wonder weapons” with which Adolf Hitler hoped to turn the tide; on the other, the German scientists, engineers, and pilots who created and used these machines of war on the cutting edge of technology. Written by Robert F. Dorr, renowned author of Zenith Press titles Hell Hawks!, Mission to Berlin, and Mission to Tokyo, the story begins with a display of high-tech secret weapons arranged for Hitler at a time when Germany still had prospects of winning the war. It concludes with Berlin in rubble and the Allies seeking German technology in order to jumpstart their own jet-powered aviation programs. Along the way, Dorr expertly describes the battles in the sky over the Third Reich that made it possible for the Allies to mount the D-Day invasion and advance toward Berlin. Finally, the book addresses both facts and speculation about German weaponry and leaders, including conspiracy theorists’ view that Hitler escaped in a secret aircraft at the war’s end. Where history and controversy collide with riveting narrative, Fighting Hitler’s Jets furthers a repertoire that comprises some of the United States’ most exceptional military writing.