Messerschmitt Me262 - Sturmvogel or Schwalbe\
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History\
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The first operational jet fighter in history, the Me262 is a frequent subject of
debate regarding its greater potential significance had it been introduced
earlier and in greater numbers.  Design began on the 262 in 1938, anticipating
development of jet engines that was underway at both Junkers and BMW.  Delays in
engine delivery forced Messerschmitt to conduct initial flight tests with piston
engines and propellers.  Some have attributed the delays in the 262's
development to a lack of Luftwaffe resolve.  However, the technology of both the
airframe and engine design was revolutionary enough to create lengthy delays
even under the best of circumstances.\
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In the summer of 1942 the first Junkers jet engines were delivered, and the
262's first test flight was held on July 18th.  It was initially configured as a tail
dragger and, as such, the wings occluded airflow over the elevators.  The test
pilot finally got the nose down on the takeoff roll by hitting the brakes, and
the 262 flew superbly.  The engines, unfortunately, remained unreliable.  It
would take another year before the 262 was ready for operational service.  Had
it entered mass production at this time - in the summer of 1943 - just as the
U.S.A.A.F. strategic bombing campaign was intensifying, it may have indeed been
capable of influencing the American daylight bombing campaign.  However, once
the jet was demonstrated to Hitler, he ordered it developed as a bomber - a role
it was patently unsuited for.  This last delay proved fatal for the 262's
effect on the course of the war.  Although it did finally see service, in the
role it was designed to fill, shortages in both vital alloys and fuel limited
its operational strength.  Some of the most skilled, and certainly the most
experienced, fighter pilots in history, however, did finish out their careers in
the 262, most notably pilots of JG 7, and JV44, the Squadron of Experts.\
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As to the question of whether the Me262 could have changed the outcome of the
war had it been deployed sooner, this is doubtful.  In the end, the United
States had the atomic bomb first, and not even the finest fighter aircraft in
the world could have changed that.
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The Me262 in Air Warrior\
The 262 is seldom enabled in Air Warrior, except for historical scenarios,
because it tends to disrupt the normal balance of the game.  Nonetheless, when
the ME262 is available, players are often surprised that they do so poorly while
flying it.\
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Me262 in Relaxed Realism\
The 262 is an unstoppable fighter just so long as you don't try to dogfight in
it.  Not only does it lack the low speed maneuverability of a propeller driven
fighter, it also can't withstand the amount of combat damage the prop planes
can.\
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Jet aircraft consume far more fuel than piston engine planes, and the Sturmvogel
is a flying gas can.  It blows up with the least amount of damage of any fighter
in Air Warrior.  Flown properly, nothing can boom and zoom like the ME262. It's
50 knots faster than any other plane in the game, and it's capable of 15,000
foot zoom climbs that leave pursuing piston engine fighters hanging on their
props.  More than any other Air Warrior aircraft, the 262 requires patience.\
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The Sturmvogel Under Full Realism
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Virtues
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As with the actual Me262, this is practically an unstoppable plane in the hands
of someone who knows what he's doing, owing to its sheer speed and near flawless
high speed handling.  In addition, the 262's already withering armaments become
all the more devastating with realistic lethality.\
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Vices
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The 262 is more vulnerable than a Gooney Bird when its slow.  It accelerates
poorly and takes a long time to build up its energy state.  It's also as fragile
as a Zeke when it comes to taking hits - a distinct problem with high lethality.
You have to exercise extreme care when maneuvering the ME262 at high speeds
because it will pull an enormous number of Gs with just a little bit of stick
deflection.  Aside from blacking  out, you can easily rip the wings off the
aircraft if you pull back abruptly on the stick.\
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Landings are difficult because it's hard to slow the 262 down; it doesn't have a
propeller to create extra drag at low throttle.\
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The Me262 in Scenarios
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You would think the 262 would be even more frightening than the Focke Wulf is as
a bomber interceptor, and it is dangerous in this role.  It lacks the ammo load
of the 190, however, its high closure rate against buffs makes gunnery
difficult, and it will blow up if it takes a couple of hits from bomber gunners.
It also lacks range, and it can't mix it up in a dogfight.  What it can do is
cover ground in a hurry, avoid advance escort completely, and deliver a lethal
punch before gunners and close escort can react.\
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Scenario play in Air Warrior bears out the historical record - in the hands of
an experienced player it has proven to be devastating; flown by pilots
unfamiliar with its secrets, it has been a null factor.  In a recent Battle Over
Germany scenario, 20 different 262 pilots flew in the event; all of the
impressive number of kills scored by the jet were achieved by just 4 veteran
pilots.\
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A major drawback of the Messerschmitt jet in scenarios is range.  The range of
the 262 can be extended significantly by reducing throttle.  At full throttle,
the 262 only has 35 minutes of fuel, yet it can stay airborne for upwards of 80
minutes at 50% throttle at high altitude while maintaining sufficient speed to
run away from any piston engine fighter.\
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Tips
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Stay fast, avoid headon shots, and nothing can touch you.  You will have a tough
time killing agile fighters who know enough to get out of your way, but you will
find your self boresighting many victims before they know you are there.  Be
extremely careful in nose down turns because the turning radius and speed of the
262 tends to fool pilots with little experience in the plane.  This is a polite
way of saying that folks tend to auger a lot when they first try the 262.\
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The 262 has no remarkable spin characteristics.  If you go into an uncontrolled
spin, normal recovery procedures will be effective.\
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Armament: four, 30mm cannon. Ammo Load: 720 cannon shells. Payload: one,
550lb bomb.\
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Performance\
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The Me262 is, after all, a jet powered aircraft.  In terms of World War II
aircraft, the Sturmvogel is terribly fast, climbs very well, but it turns and
accelerates poorly.\
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Performance Comparison\
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The Messerschmitt 262 is at least 100mph faster, at all altitudes, than any
propeller driven fighter in Air Warrior.  Although several planes, such as the
Spitfire and Me109, have better climb rates, the 262's best climb is achieved at
much higher speeds.  Thus a prop fighter will not catch it in a climb.\
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All prop fighters have better high and low speed turning ability.  If the 262
attempts an aerobatic dogfight, it will die.\
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