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Old 7th Dec 2014, 10:29
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Flybiker7000
 
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Considering how long the development towards Mach-1 flying actual was, due to the american X-planes, and that even though the americans had captured ME262 to learn(?) from, I find it absolute unlikely that any plane before that have recovered an accidential(!) crossing of the sound-barrier (consider how that word was created).
Even propellar-planes have experied the troubles of getting close to the Mach-1 and I understand this picture as the artisits mis-conception of jet-propulsion = Mach-1!
Another thing is that Mach-1 not exactly would have been an advantage to the 262 in the actual situation: Even if unseen by the P51 the jet-pilot would probably overshoot the target(*)! Beside, the slow rate of fire of the 262's huge cannons would be a disadvantage with such high speed.
Finally it's common forgotten that the 262 was'nt a fighter as much as a bomber-destroyer (to wich the cannons were much effective) and any german jet-pilot would use the speed to avoid dogfights and instead return for refuelling for the next bomber-attack and the few downed jets was actual caught on inflight to their airbase.
Conclusion: The situation is unlikely in every detail :-|

(*) A Messerschmitt 109 on the eastern front is known to have overshot a polish Polikarpow biplane due to the speed-difference. The biplane didn't survive as it was hit in a second strafing-pass - But for this the 109-pilot had slowed his plane to an absolute minimum and stalled to a crash because of the recoil of the shooting.
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