Messerschmitt Me 262T "White 8", Carrier Graf Zeppelin, Baltic Sea, Feb 1944

[nönöbär]

Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Me 262T

Introduction:

The aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin was Germanys only aircraft carrier in WW2 - and it was not completed. Laid down in 1938, the construction of the incomplete ship was stopped in 1940. In 1942, construction was continued with a planned operational date of winter 1943. However, in December 1942, the consturction was stopped again, at this point the ship was completed about 80%. The incomplete ship was taken over by the Russians at the end of the war and sunk during weapons tests in 1947. Some years ago, the wreck was found in the Baltic Sea.

Alternate History:

Lets assume that the construction of Graf Zeppelin was not stopped in 1940. Instead, the carrier was put into service in late 1942 with its original planned aircraft, the Me 109T as a fighter, the Ju87 as dive bomber and the Fi167 as torpedo bomber.

The Plane:

After the completion of the Graf Zeppelin, it used the Me 109T as on board fighter aircraft. As the Me 109T were a very difficult aircraft to be used on the Graf Zeppelin, the search for alternatives started. In late 1943 the Luftwaffe got its hand on several Chance Vought F4U fighers (see http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,36256.msg582333.html#msg582333) which were used until the end of the war.
However, with the introduction of the Me262 in Luftwaffe service, the idea was born to use those first jet fighters on board of the Graf Zeppelin.

By late 1944, a first flight - four aircraft - were converted into Me262T. Compared to the original Luftwaffe aircraft, the landing gear was strenghtend and carrier equipment like the arrestor hook was added. As those were the first prototypes, they were not equipped with foldable wings, those were projected on later versions.

Flight tests on board of the Graf Zeppelin started in early February 1945. But it soon got obvious that those aircraft were "too much" for the Graf Zeppelin. Landing the fast jet fighters on board of the carrier was very difficult, so its not surprising that two of the four Me 262T were lost during landing attempts. One other had to ditch after an unsuccesful catapult launch.
While the performance of the aircraft was good - similar to the Luftwaffe 262-1a, those aircraft showed that carrier generation of the Graf Zeppelin was not really usable for jet aircraft.
The end of the war prevented further improvments on the planes and the carrier, the only Me262T left was later displayed in the Luftwaffe Museum in Appen.




The model shows the "White 8", flown by Leutnant Schmidt during the flight tests on board of the Graf Zeppelin. The "White 8" was the only of the four aircraft that survived the tests.

The Model:

As I want to build all the aircraft to be used on the Graf Zeppelin, I still struggle a big with the camo pattern. So this Me26 kit was used to test another camo scheme - two different grays fo the upper cammo, the lower part of the fuselage and wings in light blue.

The model is a HobbyBoss Me 262-1a, a "easy assembly kit". Which means that the hull and wings were in one piece each, and in theory, the model could have been build without glueing.
The only additional parts used was the arrestor hook which is form a 1:100 sclae A-7. The kit contained some very good and detailed decals and did fit quite good together.


Additional arrestor hook


The Me262T together with an Me262-1a (Revell model)


The Me262T together with the Luftwaffe Chance Vought F4U


 

[sturmvogel]

I did something similar to this for X-Plane 9:

[sandiego89]

I like the idea and the camoflage.  Well done.

[TomZ]

Looking good!

TomZ

[NARSES2]

I like that 262, very neat 

[dumaniac]

yes - i tried the two tone german blue - it is a really nice camo

well done

[tc2324]

A very nice change of colour for the 262. 

[Devilfish]

Very nice idea and a natural progression from the 109T. Great colour scheme.
How about an FW190T?  Rather than the Corsair. (how did the Luftwaffe get their hands on them? lol)  And, to help counter the higher landing speeds, how about retrograding the 262 to tailsitter.  This would allow the AoA to be higher on both take off and landing.

[luft46models]

Have you read John Baxters Tragerflotten books yet - he used that same two tone blue

William in Oz

[nönöbär]

Very nice idea and a natural progression from the 109T. Great colour scheme.
How about an FW190T?  Rather than the Corsair. (how did the Luftwaffe get their hands on them? lol)  And, to help counter the higher landing speeds, how about retrograding the 262 to tailsitter.  This would allow the AoA to be higher on both take off and landing.

I have a FW190 with torpedo armament here, and want to use this to build a FW190T version. Regrading the 262 as a tailsitter: I had thought about it, but because of the problems, the real 262 had with this configuration, I kept the original landing gear.

[nönöbär]

Have you read John Baxters Tragerflotten books yet - he used that same two tone blue

William in Oz

No, I don't know this one, I doubt that I can get it somewhere here.

[The Wooksta!]

Only thing with the 262 I'd change would be the nosegear - it was weak on the real thing and I doubt it'd take the punishment of carrier landings. 

190T - start with a late D series.  The torpedos were too heavy for the BMW engines A and F models tested so they were going to trial the D series.  Personally, I'd go for a D-15 with a DB603G, no cowl guns and the big Ta 152 tail.  Failing that, a standard D-9 with a D-11/12/13 top cowl sans guns and a Ta 152 tail.

[Gondor]

Only thing with the 262 I'd change would be the nosegear - it was weak on the real thing and I doubt it'd take the punishment of carrier landings. 

190T - start with a late D series.  The torpedos were too heavy for the BMW engines A and F models tested so they were going to trial the D series.  Personally, I'd go for a D-15 with a DB603G, no cowl guns and the big Ta 152 tail.  Failing that, a standard D-9 with a D-11/12/13 top cowl sans guns and a Ta 152 tail.

I agree with Lee on this, maybe not fit the outer wing guns to help keep the weight down as well.

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

The outer wing guns were a field conversion pack and not always fitted.  Besides, you'd need the outer position for drop tanks, preferably the underwing slipper type.

[leptiprince]

Me 262 T schnell Bomber. This convert  Arba  and hasegawa kits with decal printing laser