Interesting twin engine jet training film

[Adam the Akrodude]

Here's I think something interesting and of possible amusement for you pro-jet jockeys! Here's how the first jet pilots trained - under fairly difficult circumstances! They also had a fairly severe termination package!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR8GM9Du ... re=related

Some comparisons between B737-800 and Me-262 (Capt NG - please verify B737 stat's)

B737-800 vs. Me-262

Wing aspect ratio: 9.45 7.32

Thrust/Weight ratio: 0.2789 0.28

Wing sweep: 25 deg 18.5 deg

Max Wing loading: 634 kg/sq.m 328 kg/sq.m

Is the B737 just a up scaled Me-262 (without the cannon)? Of course I'm not being serious, but I did find the video interesting. As I understand from reading, 2-seater 262's were only available in very limited numbers in the last months of the war (Brad - verify please). So, a lot of training was done over the shoulder on the single seater as per this video.

A lot has been written and said about this aeroplane over the years since WW2 - could it have changed the course of history if deployed in greater numbers as a fighter earlier? My personal belief is that I still doubt it would have made that bigger difference. A couple of hundred more 262's could not have slowed down the steam roller of the Russian army. The USAAF would just have ended up dropping those two nukes on Germany as was the plan in any case. The Luftwaffe training system was in complete tatters as was their rail/transport system. The 262 was a fairly complex aeroplane and well beyond the capability of the typical late war trained Luftwaffe pilot. Suitable pilots were few and far between - those available pretty war weary. The engines were a issue with a life span of less than 25 hours typically due to lack of high temp metals (nickel based). Many of the failures of this aeroplane were with the weak nose wheel. It had very poor engine acceleration, making it very vulnerable on t/o and landing. Lack of a speed brake also compromised it's operation.
So, the 262 was very much rushed into service before many of it's issues were ironed out. Arguments about "what if..." I think are largely irrelevant. The 262 was a incredible piece of engineering that pushed aeronautical technology of the time beyond the jet turbine and metallurgy technology available. The 262 did show great promise - at best it may have just delayed the inevitable defeat a couple of months. Luckily, the bad guys lost!