World War II

Today Wired is running a story about the world’s first operational jet fighter, which took flight 65 years ago — today. The Messerschmitt 262 flew that July 18th in the Bavarian skies with World War II raging across Europe. (Couldn’t find a photo that wasn’t copyrighted, but click over to Wired and you can see the plane.)

Although the plane didn’t get into combat until 1944, giving Allied fighters, including the British Gloster Meteor, a run for their money, it helped to usher in the era of jet-powered fighters. As I was poking around looking for details on the plane I ran across the ME 262 Project over at stormbirds.com. They’re getting five examples of the vintage craft in airworthy condition.

I love to find this kind of endeavor to preserve vintage machinery of any kind. It’s a dream of mine to some day have a chance to go up in a B-25 and experience, in the most visceral way I can, what flying that plane was like for my Dad during the war. Keeping these old warbirds up and running is a real part of preserving the history of the war so let’s take our hats off today to the Messerschmitt 262. Even if, from an American perspective, it’s an “enemy” plane, she’s still a beauty.

vintage aircraft, jets, Messerschmitt, Gloster Meteor