Messerschmitt Me 262 - Variants

Variants

Me 262 A-0

Pre-production aircraft fitted with two Jumo 004B turbojet engines, 23 built.

Me 262 A-1a "Schwalbe"

Production version, fighter and fighter/bomber.

Me 262 A-1a/R-1

Equipped with provisions for R4M air-to-air rockets

Me 262 A-1a/U1

Single prototype with a total of six nose mounted guns, two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons, two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103 cannons, and two 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons.

Me 262 A-1a/U2

Single prototype with FuG 220 Lichtenstein SN-2 90 MHz radar transceiver and Hirschgeweih antenna array, for trials as a night-fighter.

Me 262 A-1a/U3

Reconnaissance version modified in small numbers, with Reihenbilder RB 20/30 cameras mounted in the nose (sometimes one RB 20/20 and one RB 75/30). Some retained one 30 mm (1.18 in) cannon, but most were unarmed.

Me 262 A-1a/U4

Bomber destroyer version, two prototypes with an adapted 50 mm (2 in) MK 214 (or BK-5) anti-tank gun in nose.

Me 262 A-1a/U5

Heavy jet fighter with six 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108s in the nose

Me 262 A-1b

As A-1a but powered with BMW 003 engines. Few were built, two are known to have existed at experimental establishments; maximum speed of 800 km/h (500 mph).

Me 262 A-2a "Sturmvogel"

Definitive bomber version retaining only the two lower 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108s.

Me 262 A-2a/U1

Single prototype with advanced bombsight.

Me 262 A-2a/U2

Two prototypes with glazed nose for accommodating a bombardier.

Me 262 A-3a

Proposed ground-attack version.

Me 262 A-4a

Reconnaissance version.

Me 262 A-5a

Definitive reconnaissance version used in small numbers at end of the war.

Me 262 B-1a

Two-seat trainer.

Me 262 B-1a/U1

Me 262 B-1a trainers converted into provisional night fighters, FuG 218 Neptun radar, with Hirschgeweih antenna array.

Me 262 B-2

Proposed night fighter version with stretched fuselage.

Me 262 C-1a

Single prototype of rocket-boosted interceptor (Heimatschützer I) with Walter HWK 109-509 rocket in tail, first flown with combined jet/rocket power on 27 February 1945.

Me 262 C-2b

Single prototype of rocket-boosted interceptor (Heimatschützer II) with two BMW 003R "combined" powerplants (BMW 003 jet, with a single 1000 kg thrust BMW 718 rocket engine mounted atop the rear of each jet exhaust) for boosted thrust, only flown once with combined jet/rocket power on 26 March 1945.

Me 262 C-3a

Never-completed. possible Heimatschützer III prototype of rocket-boosted interceptor with Walter rocket motor in belly pack.

Me 262 D-1

Proposed variant to carry Jagdfaust mortars.

Me 262 E-1

Proposed cannon-armed variant based on A-1a/U4.

Me 262 E-2

Proposed rocket-armed variant carrying up to 48 × R4M rockets.

Me 262 S

Zero-series model for Me 262 A-1a

Me 262 W

Provisional designation for Me 262 with pulse jet engines