Messerschmitt Me 262
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Warpaint Series 93
Author: Kev Darling
Publisher: Warpaint Books
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 40
The Messerschmitt Me 262 is easily the most famous jet fighter of the Second World War, and its swept wing, low slung engine pods, and triangular tail make it an easily recognizable plane from any angle. As such an historic aircraft, there is no shortage of books on the Me 262, and it seems that every publisher has a go at the plane at some point or another. Over the years, new research has illustrated new and interesting features, so this constant refreshing of the subject is not necessarily a bad thing.
This new title in the Warpaint Series is not one that breaks new ground in Me 262 research, but what it does provide is a solid summation of the current state of Me 262 knowledge. The book covers the developmental history of both the airframe and the powerplant, as well as the operational story of the Me 262. Post-war operations and research is also covered, as many nations wanted to know how it all worked.
Complementing the text are plenty of photographs, most of which have been seen elsewhere across many publications. For an iconic aircraft with such a short life as the Me 262 had, this is not a surprise, as it is increasingly difficult to find new unpublished photos of the Me 262. Adding to the photos are the color profiles, and these are well done across the board. The camouflage schemes of the Me 262 varied greatly, and these illustrations attempt to highlight that diversity. Scale drawings and detail photos round out the book.
If you have a copious Me 262 library, this book might be redundant, but if you are looking for a solid generic reference on the famous German jet fighter, this book could be a perfect fit for you. My thanks to Warpaint Books for the review copy.