The jet-powered Me 262 Sturmvogel ("Stormbird") has long since gained its place in the annals of international aeronautical history. With its sleek aerodynamic design and high performance jet engines, the Me 262 radically changed the way in which air combat was waged.

The first design work on the Me 262 began in October 1938, with the first test flight, piloted by Fritz Wendel, occuring on April 18th, 1942. Tests continued well into 1942, although by this time the Me 262 was outfitted with two highly-efficient BMW turbojet engines. When he saw the aircraft for the first time in early 1943, Hitler insisted that the plane be designed as a low-level bomber instead of a fighter, which undermined the sleek aerodynamic properties of the jet aircraft. After much in-fighting among the Luftwaffe's upper echelons, the plane was eventually converted back into a high level interceptor, with series production beginning in the spring of 1944. The first jet fighter unit, commanded by Major Walter Nowotny, was formed in the summer of 1944 and was composed of many of the Luftwaffe's leading aces.

By war's end, 1,433 Me 262s had been produced, far too few a number to have much of an impact on the Allies strategic bombing campaign. In the end, the Allies' superiority in numbers overcame the tremendous technical achievements ushered in by the Me 262 program.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Messerschmitt Me 262A-1A "Sturmvogel" jet fighter that was piloted by Heinrich Bar, who was attached to III./Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", then deployed to Lechfield, Germany, during 1945. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 6-3/4-inches
Length: 5-3/4-inches

Release Date: August 2018

Historical Account: "Richthofen" - Jagdgeschwader 2 was the main Luftwaffe unit to see action against Allied Air Forces during the D-day landings on June 6th, 1944. Stationed at Cormeilles-en-Vexin 60 kilometres from the coast, I./JG 2 was one of the nearest fighter units to the Allied beachheads. JG 2 commander Major Buhlingen shot down a P-47 Thunderbolt over the Orne before the unit became embroiled in a dogfight with RAF Typhoons near Caen. Six were claimed, and JG 2 claimed 18 kills for the day without loss (Total Luftwaffe claims were 24 shot down). The superiority of the Allied forces soon took effect, with veteran pilots being lost in combat.

Towards the year's end, JG 2 received the first examples of the Fw 190D-9 'Dora'. Stab and III. Gruppe were first to convert and before the end of 1944 JG 2 was operating from near Frankfurt.

Unternehmen Bodenplatte was a mass fighter attack against the Allied airfields in the Low Countries and France on New Years Day 1945. It was hoped it would help regain temporary aerial superiority for the new German offensive through the Ardennes, but instead it delivered crippling losses to the Luftwaffe. Numerically, of all the fighter units JG 2 suffered most in this poorly conceived operation, suffering 37 pilots killed and nearly 40% losses. It took several weeks for JG 2 to regain operational status.

As the end of war drew near, all units of JG 2 were equipped with Fw 190D-9 'Dora'. During winter and spring JG 2 moved from the Rhine area into Bavaria. Following the German surrender, the wing was formally disbanded near Munich on May 7th, 1945.