Me 262, Volume Four [Paperback]

J. Richard Smith (Author), Eddie J. Creek (Author)

Book Description

Series: Me 262 | Publication Date: October 26, 1998

This book examines the impact the Me 262 made upon the course of the European air war following its operational debut with Erprobungskommando 262 in the summer of 1944. This extraordinary new aircraft was a vital element to a possible revival of Nazi Germany's flagging war effort for as Hitler told his generals before the Normandy Invasion: "Every month that passes makes it more probable that we will get at least one Gruppe of jet aircraft. The most important thing is that the enemy get some bombs on top of them as they try to invade... If we can pin them on the beaches for just six to eight hours, you can see what that will mean to us..." Indeed as one senior Allied air commander warned in June, 1944: "German jets could wash away our air superiority tomorrow and give the Luftwaffe an immense advantage..."Using the frank and concise personal reports of Messerschmitt's front-line inspectors, as well as combat reports and other eye-witness accounts, the authors reveal the later tactical successes and failures of the aircraft as it was deployed in both the fighter role with Kommando Nowotny and in the bomber role with Kommando Schenk and KG 51 over the western front in the autumn of 1944.Also included is an in-depth look at the array of ingenious and formidable weapons systems designed for the aircraft as well as detailed descriptions of the projected rocket-powered interceptor, BMW-engined and heavily armed and armoured variants.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Classic Publications (October 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903223040
• ISBN-13: 978-1903223048
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,908,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Concluding Volume of The Definitive Me 262 History!, November 28, 2008

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Me 262, Volume Four (Paperback)

J. Richard Smith and Eddie Creek wrap up their magnificent four-volume history of the Me 262 with this final volume published in 2000 by Classic Publications. As with the earlier volumes, Volume Four is a masterful and well-written presentation based on extensive research and illustrated with numerous, rare photographs and well-done artwork.

Having already published some 670-odd pages detailing Willy Messerschmitt's creation, readers might wonder what Smith and Creek had left to present on the Me 262. As demonstrated in Volume Four, there was much material remaining, some 220 pages in all! In Volume Four, Creek and Smith detail the Me 262's final combats in April and May 1945; take an in-depth look at the German aviation industry's research into jet engines, swept-wing aircraft and high-speed flight; summarize the post-war testing of Me 262s done by the U.S., Britain, France, Czechoslovakia and Russia along with Japanese efforts to develop their own Me 262 aircraft; and describe the ten known surviving Me 262s.

The detailed yet eminently readable text is complimented by hundreds of rare black & white - and 14 color - photographs, detailed fold-out general arrangement plans, profiles of various Me 262 variants, engine schematics and 34 gorgeous color profiles by Creek and Tom Tullis. The illustrations alone are worth the cover price!

Smith and Creek's Me 262 four-volume set is not only aviation research/history at its best, it is THE definitive history of the Me 262! I'd give the entire set six stars if possible. Highly recommended.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have !, July 19, 2005

By 

Jacobus H. Erasmus (Pretoria, South Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Me 262, Volume Four (Paperback)

Brilliant book ! A must have for any Luftwaffe enthusiast or anyone interested in the history of the Me 262. Easy reading with good quality pictures and fantastic colour profiles.
Worth every cent I paid for it - buy all of them if you can (Vol 1 - 4)

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, February 16, 2009

By 

JCAL - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Me 262, Volume Four (Paperback)

Mr. Smith continues his superb research and writing.
Buy the entire set of all 4 volumes.