Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me262/2M V1, June 1944

[nönöbär]

Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me262/2M V1, June 1944

The aircraft

When production of the Me262 started, many air-frames were produced, but the lack of engines prevented to use them. While on the one hand, engine production was increased, other ideas were discussed how to solve this problem. One of the ideas that came up for a short time was to install two piston engines instead of the jets. With the four nose mounted cannons, this kind of plane would still be quite powerful against allied bombers. History teaches us, that this idea was no brought to the end, so the piston engine Me262 did never exist. But how could it have looked like?

When the production problems of jet engines got worse in early 1944, Messerschmitt took the idea of some Luftwaffe officers to build a piston powered version of the Me262, named Me262/2M. To speed up the production of the prototype, existing designs were taken and modified. Therefore, two Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines were taken from an Me 110G and installed in place of the jet engines. The main landing gear was also moved into the engine gondolas as it was done with the Me 110. Because of the landing gear restrictions, the propellers had to be reduced in diameter.

The first flight of the Me262/2M V1took place on June 24th, 1944. While overall flight characteristics were good, the plane was a bit nose heavy due to the engine positions. On its first flight, which took about 50 minutes, the plane was able to reach a top speed of 650 kph, significant slower than the jet powered version, but as the plane was not flown at full 100%, it was thought that improvements were possible. Unlike the jet powered version, the test pilot like the much more direct reaction of the plane to its throttle.

Just two days after its maiden flight, the plane was badly destroyed after a fuel truck exploded while fueling the plane for its second flight. As the Me 262/2M V1 was the only prototype, no further plans for a second one was made, and the project was finally canceled.

The model shows the Messerschmitt Me262/2M V1 after its maiden flight on June 24, 1944.












The model

The model is based on an old Revell Me262 kit in 1/72. The piston engines, propellers and main landing gear was taken form a 3D model of a Me110 and printed with an Anycubic Photon SLA printer. The aircraft was painted with Revel Aqua Color, the color scheme is inspired by the one of the Messerschmitt P.1011 as it was found after the war. Decals are the original ones plus some self-made ones.

[Scotaidh]

That is the bee's knees!  Very nice - wish I'd thought of it.     

[zenrat]

Very nice.  Particularly the paint job.

Well done.

[Tophe]

  Great!

[NARSES2]

Very nice.  Particularly the paint job.

I have to agree 

[Wurgerman]

Lovely job, but Mustangs would have killed them !

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice solution with the engine nacelles, good work. 

And the paint scheme has a certain Bavarian touch, doesn't it?