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, the Schwalbe restored to the faltering German Luftwaffe a short-lived qualitative superiority that it had enjoyed earlier in the war.

Created:

March 09, 2015

Photographer:

Eric Long

ID#:

NASM2015-03955

Source:

Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum

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