UniMax Wheels-2-Wings Heritage Collection 35089
Messerschmitt Me 262A Diecast Model
Luftwaffe II./JG 7 Nowotny, Heinz Arnold, 1944 |
| 1:72 Scale | | Length | | Width |
|---|
| Messerschmitt Me 262A | | 5.75" | | 6.75" |
The museum's aircraft was captured at Lechfeld, Germany, by a special USAAF team led by Col. (later Maj. Gen.) Harold M. Watson. Watson directed Operation Lusty, the discovery and seizure of advanced German aircraft. Watson's men brought the airplanes, including the Museum's Me-262, to Cherbourg, France, loaded them aboard the British aircraft carrier HMS "Reaper," and sailed to the United States.
The NASM Me-262A-1a offloaded at Newark, New Jersey, and an Army Air Forces pilot flew it to Freeman Field, Indiana, with a stop in Pittsburgh. The Technical Intelligence staff assigned the inventory and tracking number FE-111 to this airplane.
At some time during the testing process, the standard fighter nose on FE-111 was swapped for a reconnaissance nose removed from FE-4012, a Messerschmitt Me 262A-la/U3. This aircraft was sent to the Hughes Aircraft Company for rebuilding and for comparison with the Lockheed XP-80, while FE-111 was sent to Park Ridge, Illinois, for storage. It arrived at the Silver Hill Facility in 1950, and restoration work began in 1978.
The biggest challenge in the restoration project was to remove the corrosion that had built up over thirty-four years. The second-biggest problem was the restoration of the fighter nose, which involved much tedious but skillful metal work. After 6,077 man-hours, the aircraft appeared as it did when it served with the famous JG 7 (Fighter Wing 7), complete with unit insignia and victory markings. The latter show forty-two victories over Soviet aircraft by Oberfeldwebel Heinz Arnold in piston-engine fighters, and seven (perhaps not all by Arnold) over American bombers and fighters in NASM's Me 262.
Designed to meet Adolph Hitler's vision of a high-speed, light-payload ground attack bomber, the Me 262 was first flown on April 18, 1941. As the world's first operational jet aircraft, development of the 262 was dominated by confusion, with Hitler envisioning a bomber and designers envisioning a jet fighter. Capable of outpacing the P-51 Mustang by 120 miles per hour, the 262 was clearly the best fighter plane to serve in WWII but was too late to help the Luftwaffe. Its specialized maintenance requirements and fuel shortages, coupled with aggressive Allied ground attacks prevented it from having any serious impact on the outcome of the war. © Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
Forces of Valor's 1:72 scale Me 262 is a beautifully executed replica featuring fine details that are usually seen only in higher priced models. The landing gear's metal struts are constructed as complete subassemblies, and structural detail can be seen inside the wheel wells. Mounted on a solid metal wing, the engine nacelles feature turbo fan and exhaust details. The access panel at the front of the model is removable, revealing structural details and four highly detailed 30mm cannons (an unusual addition in this scale). The nose has four cannon ports with shell casing vents, and the metal fuselage features multiple antenna below and a dorsal-mounted ADF antenna.
© Copyright 2003-2021 The Flying Mule, Inc.
The UniMax "Wheels-2-Wings Heritage Collection" range presents affordable, ready-made diecast models of military aicraft replicating iconic machines from world-class collections around the world.
UniMax "Wheels-2-Wings" diecast airplanes feature:
- Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
- Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
- Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.
- Interchangeable extended/retracted landing gear.
- Fixed display stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
- Detailed pilots and crew members.
- Authentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.
© Copyright 2003-2024 The Flying Mule, Inc.
