Manufacturer: Revell
Scale: 1/72
Additional parts: 3D printed parts
Model build: Apr - Jun 2020
Messerschmitt Me262/2M V1
Revell
1/72
1/72
The Franz Josef Factor
June 26th, 1944. Bavaria, Germany
Franz Josef Stein, a grizzled Luftwaffe test pilot with a face etched by years of staring into the sun at 30,000 feet, climbed into the unfamiliar cockpit of the Me 262/2M V1. The "M" stood for "Motor," a sardonic joke amongst the engineers who'd cobbled together this piston-powered Frankenstein from the scraps of the jet program.
Franz missed the raw, jet-fueled scream that usually filled his ears. Here, the twin Daimler-Benz engines rumbled like a pair of angry bears. Still, there was a certain charm to the brute force they promised. Today's mission wasn't about chasing phantoms at the edge of sound. Today, it was about getting this ungainly bird back on the ground in one piece.
The pre-flight checks were a dance of unfamiliar gauges and levers. Franz cursed the engineers under his breath. This airplane was a patchwork quilt of Me 262 and Me 110, and it felt like it. As he taxied down the runway, the nose wheel shimmied, a nervous tremor that telegraphed its Me 110 heritage.
Reaching the end of the runway, Franz unleashed the full fury of the engines. The Me 262/2M lurched forward, a reluctant beast prodded into action. It wasn't the jet's exhilarating leap, but a steady, purposeful climb. The airframe, designed for jet speeds, felt loose around the propellers, a constant reminder of the plane's cobbled-together nature.
Reaching altitude, Franz put the Me 262/2M through its paces. It rolled sluggishly compared to its jet brother, but it responded honestly to the controls. He could feel the weight of the engines in the nose, a constant tug-of-war. Yet, there was a raw power here, a thrilling surge of acceleration when he pushed the throttles forward.
Suddenly, the crackle of the radio pierced his focus. A frantic voice reported a formation of B-17 bombers heading straight for Munich. Franz's heart hammered. This wasn't a test flight anymore. This was baptism by fire.
He didn't have time to consider the risks, the untamed potential of this experimental plane. With a surge of adrenaline, Franz turned the Me 262/2M towards the approaching bombers, the mismatched engines roaring in defiance.
The ensuing dogfight was a ballet of smoke and tracers. The Me 262/2M wasn't the fastest bird in the sky, but it was surprisingly maneuverable. Franz weaved through flak bursts, his cannons spitting fire. He managed to cripple one B-17, sending it trailing black smoke on a desperate turn for home.
As the remaining bombers turned tail, Franz pulled back, the adrenaline slowly draining from his system. He glanced at the fuel gauge, a sliver of red screaming at him. He had to get back before the borrowed engines gave out.
The landing was a tense affair. The nose wanted to dip with every gust, the Me 110's landing gear groaning under the unfamiliar stress. But Franz coaxed the plane down, the wheels finally kissing the tarmac with a shudder.
He climbed out, legs wobbly, a strange mix of exhilaration and trepidation coursing through him. The Me 262/2M might have been a Frankenstein's monster, but in the right hands, it could still bite.
As he surveyed the ungainly plane, a thought flickered across his mind. Maybe, just maybe, this ungainly bird had a future after all. The roar of the engines seemed to echo his thought, a challenge, a promise. The Franz Josef Factor, they'd call it. A testament to the pilot who tamed the mismatched beast and, for a brief moment, made it sing.
When production of the Me262 started, many air-frames were produced, but the lack of engines prevented to use them. While on the one hand, engine production was increased, other ideas were discussed how to solve this problem. One of the ideas that came up for a short time was to install two piston engines instead of the jets. With the four nose mounted cannons, this kind of plane would still be quite powerful against allied bombers. History teaches us, that this idea was no brought to the end, so the piston engine Me262 did never exist. But how could it have looked like?
When the production problems of jet engines got worse in early 1944, Messerschmitt took the idea of some Luftwaffe officers to build a piston powered version of the Me262, named Me262/2M. To speed up the production of the prototype, existing designs were taken and modified. Therefore, two Daimler-Benz DB 605 engines were taken from an Me 110G and installed in place of the jet engines. The main landing gear was also moved into the engine gondolas as it was done with the Me 110. Because of the landing gear restrictions, the propellers had to be reduced in diameter.
The first flight of the Me262/2M V1took place on June 24th, 1944. While overall flight characteristics were good, the plane was a bit nose heavy due to the engine positions. On its first flight, which took about 50 minutes, the plane was able to reach a top speed of 650 kph, significant slower than the jet powered version, but as the plane was not flown at full 100%, it was thought that improvements were possible. Unlike the jet powered version, the test pilot like the much more direct reaction of the plane to its throttle.
Just two days after its maiden flight, the plane was badly destroyed after a fuel truck exploded while fueling the plane for its second flight. As the Me 262/2M V1 was the only prototype, no further plans for a second one was made, and the project was finally canceled.
The model shows the Messerschmitt Me262/2M V1 after its maiden flight on June 24, 1944.
The model is based on an old Revell Me262 kit in 1/72. The piston engines, propellers and main landing gear was taken form a 3D model of a Me110 and printed with an Anycubic Photon SLA printer. The aircraft was painted with Revell Aqua Color, the color scheme is inspired by the one of the Messerschmitt P.1011 as it was found after the war. Decals are the original ones plus some self-made ones.
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