It made its maiden flight on 18 April 1941 with a piston engine, and its first jet-powered flight on 18 July 1942. Progress was delayed by problems with engines, metallurgy, and interference from Luftwaffe …

Join Chris on this full tour of a flying Me 262 maintained by the Messerschmitt Foundation, Manching, Germany and Airbus Flight Heritage.

Developed from a 1938 design by the Messerschmitt company, the Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational turbojet aircraft. First flown under jet power on July 18, 1942, it proved much faster …

Image of the pilot's cockpit of the Messerschmitt Me 262A-1.

The world's first operational jet fighter, the Me-262 Schwalbe, was powered by two Junkers Jumo 004 B turbine engines and had sleekly swept wings and a powerful armament of four 30-mm cannons.

The inside of the fuselage has structural detail moulded-on with extra detailing parts supplied, with the bottom of the cockpit and the firewalls similarly busy.

Jul 22, 2025 · This rare walkaround of an Me 262 offers a glimpse into the engineering behind the world’s first operational jet fighter and the practical changes needed to keep it flying today.

Hop inside the cockpit of the Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe (Swallow) Welcome inside the cockpit! Click and drag around the screen to explore the panorama and experience how it felt to...

Colling's Foundation pilot Frank Romaglia gives a walk around and cockpit check. “The influence of this revolutionary jet can still be seen in contemporary aircraft.” The Messerschmitt ME-262 was the most …

It had two primary roles: the Me 262 A-1 Schwalbe (Swallow) served as a defensive interceptor, while the Me 262 A-2 Sturmvogel (Stormbird) acted as a fighter-bomber.