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Messerschmitt Me 262B
in Detail
Radar, armament and other night fighter equipment
Dramatic view of the aircraft's nose
adorned with large radar antennae. Modellers will find this view helpful
when bending and positioning those photoetched antenna parts. On the subject
of photoetch, note that the real antenna braces are of circular
(small) or aerofoil (large braces) section. |
The author believes that the two
extra diagonal braces holding the radar antennae were added by the British
after a taxiing accident damaged the radar array. Anyway, they cannot be
seen on the (somewhat blurry) wartime photos of the Red 8 and other
10./NJG11 machines. |
Red 8 had a full complement
of four 30mm MK 108 cannon, but it is believed that some night fighter Me
262s flew with only two cannon to compensate for the extra weight of the
radar equipment. The cannon are unfortunately no longer in the aircraft, but
all the feeds, spent cartridge chutes and electrical wiring on the rear
bulkhead are in place. |
Inner detail of the cannon bay cover
(starboard side). |
The distinctive and elegant
triangular fin of the 262 is shown to advantage here. The ruder and elevator
were mass-balanced, which was another one of Messerschmitt's "usuals". |
Besides the forward-looking radar
equipment, the night fighter was to be equipped with a tail-warning FuG 218
Neptune radar. For some reason, this was never fitted to the operational
aircraft and the only visible sign of the original intention was
this antenna mounting pipe under the rudder. |
The port rear fuselage of the night
fighter variant featured four sets of flare chutes, as compared to two of
the Me 262A or the B-1 trainer. |
Details of the rear flare chutes and
some stenciling. |
The mass balance of the port
elevator. |
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