Supermarine Swallow

[Leading Observer]

Supermarine Swallow [British built Me-262}
Following the German surrender in May 1945, the starting gun fired on recovering as much of the advanced technology as possible. The discovery of a hitherto unknown aircraft factory in the British Sector with an intact production line of Me-262's, with at least 50 aircraft in various stages of completion, was a major bonus for British engineers. The Factory was carefully dismantled and shipped in great secrecy to the UK and rebuilt in a section of the huge Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. From data obtained from test flights of the Me-262 by the likes of Captain Eric Brown, it was decided that introduction of an improved version of the 262 into RAF service would provide both enhancement in the experience of operating jet aircraft and an advantage over likely Soviet aircraft should the current tense peace fall apart.
Supermarine were given the task of building the aircraft, and Armstrong Siddeley the engines. The use of more advanced materials in construction of British versions of the Jumo-004 turbojets improved both the life of the engines and their power, meaning that the British built 262's were much better aircraft than their German built counterparts.
Given the name Swallow [a straight translation of the German Schwalbe}, these aircraft entered service with the RAF in Germany in the summer of 1946 in both single seat and two seat versions, serving with No.5 Squadron based at RAF Wunstorf in Germany, alongside No. 2 Squadron operating Spitfire F 14/PR 19, and later  Nos.4 and 26 Squadrons with the Vampire FB 5. The Swallows were finally retired from front line service in 1952 when the No.5 Squadron aircraft were replace by Vampires, although the 2 seat version continued to be used for Radar calibration flights for a few more years until spare parts were exhausted.

[Rick Lowe]

Nice.   

[PR19_Kit]

Very good indeed. 

I like the model and the backstory too.

[chrisonord]

Me likey
Chris

[Devilfish]

I built one a few years ago with the same name and pretty much exactly the same back story.  Just proves, great minds think alike....or maybe we're all just as mad as each other...

[Dizzyfugu]

Yep, some stories are so convincing that they pop up at different places, in different times. 

Nice build! 

[Leading Observer]

I built one a few years ago with the same name and pretty much exactly the same back story.  Just proves, great minds think alike....or maybe we're all just as mad as each other...

I'd go with the latter

[zenrat]

Good job.

Has me wondering what a cross-pollination of 262 & Swift would look like.

[PR19_Kit]

Has me wondering what a cross-pollination of 262 & Swift would look like.

Fat? 

[NARSES2]

Sometimes you do wonder why things never actually happened as we envisage them ? 

Nice one sir 

[Wurgerman]

Lovely jubbly !

Wurgerman