More on BOC: ME262

[Jon Jarrett]

On Thu, 2 May 1996, Steve wrote:

> Your post on the Me262 contained a few factual errors.  I suggest "JG7: The
> World's First Jet Fighter Unit 1944-1945" by Manfred Boehme1992 Schiffer
> Pub. Atglen, PA 19310.
>
> For example, the R4M rockets were used operationally.  They were fired from
> underwing racks. The weapon received its baptism of fire on 18 March 1945:
> six aircraft of 9 Staffel, each with 24 R4M rockets attacked a formation of
> enemy (USAAF) aircraft over Rathenow. The impact was devastating:
> "Shattered fueselages, broken off wings, ripped out engines, shards of
> aluminum and fragments of every size whirled through the air.", stated one
> of the participating pilots, "It looked as if someone had emptied out an
> ashtray."

        Now, I don't want to be childish about this, but that's not what
I said: I know they used R4Ms underwing, but the one bird they converted
to carry them in the nose in place of the cannon didn't use them in
combat because of flame-blindness. Me.262A-1/R4, I believe it was, though
I could be wrong.
        Mind you, since that one bird was rigged to carry the underwing
ones _as well_, the effect it could have had on a bomber group can be
imagined. Similar problems were had with one they rigged with a 50mm gun
in the nose, but that looked far too silly to be taken seriously and used
in a rock song...
                  Jazza

ObApology for trivia: Sorry!
 _____________________________________________________________________________
           Jon Jarrett
           Pembroke College Cambridge      "Two men say they're Jesus,
           (01223 460728)                  One of 'em must be wrong.."
           jaj20 at hermes.cam.ac.uk           (Knopfler)
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