Me 262 Schwalbe

The first operational, jet-powered fighter aircraft, the Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) was both groundbreaking and doomed to operational ineffectiveness, but it would be disrespectful to call it a failure. The original design incorporated the engines into the wing root, but the early jet engines used in the 262 were prone to failure, so they were relocated to wing pods. This design change made engine maintenance and even swapping out complete engines much easier. The heavily armed Me 262 was faster than anything in the European theater, but it arrived late in the war and in relatively small numbers, so it wasn’t more effective.

To counter the Swallow’s speed and weapon effectiveness, Allied fighter pilots adjusted their tactics and attacked the 262 while it was vulnerable, during takeoff or landing or when parked on the ramp at German airfields.