Before the Me 262 HG II (Werk Nummer 111538)could commence flight
trials it was seriously damaged in a ground accident. Repairs were not
completed by war's end.
- from "Luftwaffe Secret Projects: Fighters 1939-1945" pg 85
I know about that claim - "Prototype for swept wing and tail, HGII - Damaged by
another aircraft on the ground - (Erprobungsberichte 56)" -- I have friends
that collect those reports and have a copy myself, buried somewhere. However,
the aircraft is often reported as "completed" i.e., flight worthy, and further,
that it made test flights. We've been working that knot for year: the
airframe was substantially complete, reported ready for testing within 48
hours, then, the official record goes silent - no wreckage or airframe in this
configuration was found following the war.
The HG I (aka Me 262 V9, werk nummer 130004) flew with chief test
pilot Karl Baur at the controls in Jan 1945 while the unfinished HG
III was windtunnel tested by the British in the LFA wind tunnel at
Volkenrode in Nov 1945 with standard unswept tail unit.
I have the photos of the wind tunnel model being tested - pretty damn shocking
when Richard first found the report buried at NARA, showing clearly that German
scientists were demonstrating their wind tunnel, using the HG III analog!, to
prove their WT technology to their American captors.
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR
Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send your old photos to a
reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone.
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