Me-262 “Schwalbe”: Germany’s Flying Wunderwaffe

The Me-262 "Schwalbe" (Swallow) was the world's first jet-powered fighter aircraft, and it was arguably Hitler's most visible Wunderwaffe aircraft. It would have seen active service earlier in the war, but problems with metal quality, the engine, and political interference delayed its deployment until April 1944. The Me-262 was so superior in the air that the Allies could only counter it by destroying it on the ground, as well as during take-off and landing. Because of its incredible rate of climb compared to prop-driven fighter planes at the time, the Me-262 was nearly impossible to intercept once airborne.

If the Me-262 had been introduced earlier in the war, it could have had a significant impact, but in reality, far too few were built. The Allied bombing had a disastrous effect on Germany's ability to source quality materials, and it significantly slowed production time. As a result, Germany decided to concentrate on producing aircraft that were simpler to produce.