The first time American bomber crews encountered the German Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter in 1944, they were astounded and terrified by its speed. The Me 262 was approximately 150 miles per hour faster than the fastest Allied fighters, making Allied planes feel almost stationary by comparison. The reaction from pilots and ground troops? A mix of fear, awe, and confusion. This was the moment when the face of aerial warfare changed forever. | History In Pictures

This is the world’s first operational jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me 262. In 1944 it was years ahead of its time, flying faster than any piston-engine aircraft. Today only a handful still fly worldwide, mostly modern reproductions built to the original design. The big change is the engines. The wartime Jumo 004s were powerful but often failed after just a few hours. Modern examples use reliable jet engines hidden in replica casings, keeping the look and performance without the breakdowns. So

Stormbird!!! The feared ME-262 flies again! WWII Weekend 2025 saw the first airshow debut in 2025 of the Military Aviation Museums Messerschmitt ME-262 replica. May not be an original airframe but this WAS built from original specs and blueprints but with more modern safety features and reliable engines, so it’s essentially a new build 262. So great to see this grace the skies! #wwii #technology #military #history #wow | Ryan Tykosh Photography

397K views · 11K reactions | Rare Messerschmitt ME 262 #me262 #messerschmitt #Aviation #avgeek #aviationgeek | RVA Aviation | Facebook

On July 25, 1944, a fast mysterious aircraft attacked a British photo-reconnaissance Mosquito flying over Munich. The Allies soon realized that they were dealing with something extraordinary. This sleek, high-speed jet was far beyond the capabilities of any Allied plane at the time. This was to be the the first sightings of the Messerschmitt Me 262 and the first jet airplane to be used in combat. #ww2 #aviation | The War Rooms

2.1M views · 376 reactions | The incredible Messerschmitt Me 262 walk around and takeoff/landing at The Royal International Air Tattoo with thanks to Flugmuseum Messerschmitt for allowing access to the aircraft. https://www.jetsprops.com/fighters/me-262-the-first-combat-deployed-jet-fighter.html | Jets 'n' Props | Facebook