The Messerschmitt Me 262 “Schwalbe” holds the distinction of being the first operational jet fighter aircraft. Our plane is one of the few remaining original Me 262s.

Captured by Allied forces at Lechfeld, Bavaria, on April 27, 1945, the aircraft was found painted in the distinctive camouflage scheme typical of Me 262s built at the Eger-Cheb factory. It was marked with a “White Outline 25” on its side. Following the capture, the US Army Air Force's Air Technical Intelligence team requested 15 flyable Me 262s for testing. Our aircraft was selected and flown to Cherbourg, France, where it was loaded onto the HMS Reaper for transport to the United States.

Upon arrival in New York, the Me 262 was offloaded at Newark Army Airfield in New Jersey and flown to Freeman Field, Indiana. There, it participated in numerous air shows for aviation industry professionals, dignitaries, and writers. It was then sent to Wright Field, where it was compared directly with the newest American jet, the P-80. The results were surprising: “Despite a difference in gross weight of nearly 2000 lb, the Me-262 No. T-2-711 was superior to the average P-80A in acceleration and speed, and approximately the same in climb performance.”

Over the years, the aircraft passed through various owners including Howard Hughes, undergoing several restorations and repairs. In 2000, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum (FHCAM) acquired the aircraft and began its restoration to flight status. Two WWII Jumo 004 jet engines were made operational. In 2019, it completed successful taxi tests at Moses Lake, and today, it is fully assembled and on display.

Visit this remarkable piece of aviation history in the Charlie Hangar of FHCAM.