GERMAN LUFTWAFFE ME-262B-1A/U1 "RED 10" 2 SEATER NIGHT FIGHTER
ULTIMATE SOLDIER 1:18 SCALE AIRCRAFT
Announcing the imminent arrival of the 1:18 Scale Me-262B-1a/U1 Messerschmitt Two-Seat Night Fighter. This highly accurate model comes loaded with incredible features such as fully functioning nose & main landing gear that retract into authentic gear bays and ammo bay doors that open to reveal four Mk. 108 cannons with ammo feed chutes. The cockpit features an accurately opening canopy, radar operator’s seat, fabric seatbelts and super-detailed instrument panels. The aircraft also features flying surfaces with a full range of motion including rudder, elevators, ailerons, inner & outer flaps as well as six-part extendable leading edge slats. It also comes with an accurately researched and replicated forward array radar. Finally, this scale model includes two (2) nose-mounted drop tanks and optional bombs (w/ pylons), two (2) rocket-assist take-off motors and two (2) articulated pilot action figures.
This Me-262B-1a/U1 was attached to the 10th Staffel of Nachtjagdgeschwader NJG 11 , Kommando Welter, a dedicated Night Fighter unit operating the Me-262 in the final weeks of WWII in Europe. This unit was equipped with a handful of these 2-seat Night Fighters, and each one had a similar, but unique, paint scheme. Red 10 had all upper surfaces painted in Light Blue and Black applied on the undersides. The upper surfaces were further camouflaged with serpentine lines of Grey/Violet. This was a very common finish for German Night Fighters, as experience showed that this light camouflaged color scheme made the aircraft harder to see from above in the dark skies over Germany.
INFO: MOLDED PLASTIC,
1:18
Scale German Messerschmitt Me-262B-1a/U1 Night Fighter - NJG 11 “Red
10” (Spring 1945)
SCALE: 1:18
WINGSPAN: 25 1/4 INCHES
Item Number: CEN_10118S1 Price: $69.95
Historical
Note By Roy Sutherland
It’s
hard to image that in 1939, when the last vestiges of biplanes were finally
starting to disappear, that the end of the era of piston engine fighters was
just around the corner. Jet engine technology was in its infancy, but designs
for what would become the Messerschmitt 262 were started in April of that year.
The Schwalbe
(Swallow) was designed from the outset to be powered by two jet engines, but
development of the new power plant was plagued with technical problems. When the
first 262 prototype flew in April of 1941, it was powered by a single 700 hp
Jumo 210 piston engine in the nose. Initially designed as a tail dragger,
problems with handling on the ground led to a redesign to a tricycle gear
layout. The 262 was finally fitted with a pair of Junkers Jumo 003 turbojet
engines, and made its maiden flight on July 18th, 1942. The much more
powerful Jumo 004 engines finally became available for testing, and were fitted
to the Me-262. Flight testing continued for another year, as there were many
technological challenges to overcome.
The 262 entered service in late July of 1944, and was a shock to the allied forces, as its top speed was close to 100 mph faster than the best allied fighter of the time. Armed with four 30mm cannon in the nose, it packed a devastating punch and could bring down a Mustang with a single hit. While the 262 was a highly advanced fighter with a huge edge in performance, it was also beset with many problems. Weakness in the landing gear design led to many landing accidents. The 30mm cannons were deadly, but had a low muzzle velocity, which made hitting a target difficult. Finally, the jet engines suffered from both poor acceleration (which left them vulnerable during takeoff and landing), and reliability, having a lifespan of about 12 hours. The well known German fuel shortages towards the end of the war did not seriously affect the 262, as the engines ran on diesel fuel, which was not in as short supply.
The need to combat the tireless Allied night bombing campaign became increasingly acute. The Jagdwaffe defended the skies over Germany during the day, but the Luftwaffe’s night fighter force was hard pressed to stem the tide of bombing at night. The Ju-88s and Me-110s were so loaded down with radar equipment that they were not really fast enough to hunt quickly and effectively. Messerschmitt adapted the two seat trainer version of the Schwalbe to a dedicated night fighter by installing two different radar systems; FuG-218 Neptun for long range interception, and Naxos centimetric radar, for tracking at shorter ranges. The two-seat Night Fighter was delivered to only one unit before the War ended. 10./NJG 11, also known as Kommando Welter, flew the radar equipped two-seater for a few weeks at the very end of the war. Records from these final, desperate days are not very complete, but they did fly combat missions, and victories were recorded. Oblt. Kurt Welter (for whom the unit he commanded was named) himself shot down a record five Mosquito bombers in one evening while flying a night fighter Me-262. The War in Europe ended and the unit turned its airplanes over to British forces.
Captured Me-262 aircraft were flown and studied extensively by the Allies. The Schwalbe was 34.9 feet in length and had a wingspan of 41 feet. Powered by two Junkers Jumo 004B axial flow turbojet engines, it had a top speed of 540 mph. It could reach a service ceiling of 37,565 feet and had a range of 652 miles. Its crew was comprised of a pilot and a radar operator. Armament consisted of either two or four 30mm Mk 108 cannons in the nose. Additionally, two 300 liter drop tanks could be carried on pylons under the fuselage to allow the 262 enough loiter time to make an interception. 1,933 airframes were built before the war ended. Of these, only 15 were B-1a/U1 models. The Schwalbe never made a big difference in the night fighting war, but it finally put an end to the Mosquito’s reputation as being immune to interception. The Me-262 is widely considered to be one of the best looking jet fighters of all time, and has had a lasting impact on fighter design.