The Me 262 Swallow had a shape ideal for speed, but the Jumo 004 put out 1,980 lbs of thrust. This thrust translated into a top speed of 540 mph, while the Meteor F.8 could manage 598 mph.

The museum's Me 262 is a meticulously crafted replica of the Luftwaffe's groundbreaking World War II jet fighter, built to closely match the original design while incorporating modern engines for ...

The Storm Bird. The Me-262 is a jet that needs no introduction. Perhaps no German WWII fighter on this side of the Bf-109 and possibly the Fokke Wulf Fw-190 is as recognizable as the Me-262 jet.

Me 262 two-seaters were produced for training and night-fighting duties. It is believed that only 15 or so of the Me 262B-1a tandem two-seat trainers were converted into Me 262B-1a/U1 night fighters.

Wolfgang Czaia, the Whidbey Island test pilot for the Paine Field-based Me-262 Project, had the rare opportunity to fly the first authentic reproduction of the famous World War II German jet fighter.

The Me 262 was the first operational fighter jet in history, and while it outmatched Allied aircraft, it couldn't turn the tide of the war. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

Nicknamed Schwalbe (Swallow), the Messerschmitt Me 262 surpassed the performance of every other World War II fighter. Faster than the North American P-51 Mustang by 190 kilometers (120 miles) per hour ...

Nazi Germany's Me 262 fighter jet influenced later generations of U.S. military aircraft as the world's first operational turbojet aircraft.