Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1a Schwalbe

"A deadly fighter with jet engines. Man, is it fast!"

- James Chase

The Messerschmitt Me-262 was the first-ever operational jet-powered fighter aircraft, fielded by Germany's Luftwaffe late in World War II. Possessing unparalleled speed and a strong offensive armament of 4x 30mm cannons, the 262 had no equal until after World War II had ended.

In-Game
The Me 262 is first encountered in the 11th mission, in which James Chase destroys a hydro plant in Norway which is producing deuterium for the German atomic bomb project. The 262s, which appear at the end of the mission, decimate his squadron of Mosquitoes, forcing him to retreat, but not without destroying most of Krieger's transport ship which are carrying shipments of heavy water. After the threat of German jet fighters had emerged, James Chase formulated a plan in the 12th mission to steal one from inside Germany. He proposed that a jet base in the Northern mountains of Germany be bombed by a group of B-17s. He would jump out with the bombs, straight into the base, allowing him to steal an Me 262 while the base was in disarray. Although he is met with much criticism for the far-fetched nature of the plan, he pulls it off and successfully steals an Me 262. He uses it to protect the group of B-17s he flew in with from the Luftwaffe as they escape. From there on, the captured 262 is available for use.

262s appear as an enemy aircraft from the 11th mission onward, and pose a formidable threat due to their speed and firepower. It is also available in Multiplayer and Instant Action modes, painted as a Luftwaffe or a Nemesis aircraft, as well as in colours that indicate it as captured and in use by the Battlehawks.