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Heinkel He280V3 Prototype Heinkel produced the world's first jet airplane designed strictly as a fighter. Though it never went into service because the RLM chose the Me-262 over the He-280, it remains a landmark aircraft. Huma Models 1/72 Scale.

Heinkel He280V3 (again?!) I thought it was fairly boring that they painted the plane overall 02 gray. So I painted Eduard's beautiful new 1/48 scale kit in operational markings for the 1940 period.

Arado Ar-234C The world's first operational jet bomber and recon aircraft, which began operations a year before the end of the war. Monogram/Pro Modeler's 1/48 issue using the basic Hasegawa 2-engined kit plus a lot of ill-fitting add-on parts. I did my best. Since it turned out rather badly, a decided to skip the real markings and put it in more colorful fictional service markings.

Messerschmitt Me-262 Schwalb (Swallow) The world's first operational jet fighter, also in service for the last full year of the war. A pair of 1/72 Scale Hasegawa kits.

Messerschmitt Me-262 Sturmvogel (Stormbird) The jabo (bomber) version of the fighter. Tamiya's nifty 1/48 kit with Kettenkraftrad tow tractor. The pose is based upon a piece of film taken during the war.

Messerschmitt Me-262A-1a/U4 Experimental version of the fighter armed with a big-ass 50mm cannon. Hobby Boss' 1/48 kit with Aeromaster decals for "what if" JG7 scheme.

Messerschmitt Me-262B-1a 2-seat trainer version of the 262 Hobby Boss' 1/48 kit with random decals for "what if" North Africa scheme. The model's rear seat is totally inaccurate for the trainer, rather being the night fighter configuration. I therefore added a tissue-paper tarp to hide the lack of detail.

Heinkel He-162 Sparrow (or Salamander) The "Volkjager" (Peoples' Fighter) that was meant to be flown by quickly-trained Hitler Youth, and could barely be handled by experienced fighter pilots with breaking apart. Records are unclear, but it MAY have gotten into combat in the last weeks of the war. Trimaster's incredible 1/48 scale kit.

Fiesler Fi 103 R4 "Reichenberg" An attempt to make the V-1 flying bomb more accurate by adding a cockpit. The pilot was supposedly to bail out after aiming the bomb, but few in the project kidded themselves that it was possible. Several aircraft were flight-tested, but none were used operationally. Bronco Models' 1/35 plastic kit.