#Lechfeld

[theworldatwar]

A German Me 262 V303, a second V7 prototype. This particular aircraft is fitted with experimental wooden stabilizers - Lechfeld Airbase, Germany, summer 1944

[adlerwache]

Die Ungarnschlacht auf dem Lechfeld

Michael Echter 1850

[illustratus]

The Battle of Lechfeld 955 by Michael Echter

The Battle of Lechfeld in which the Kingdom of Germany, led by King Otto I the Great, annihilated the Hungarian army led by Harka Bulcsú and the chieftains Lél and Súr. With the German victory, further invasions by the Magyars into Latin Europe (Western Europe) were ended. During these military campaigns (Hungarian invasions of Europe), the Magyars had threatened much of Western Europe; therefore a common saying at that time was "A sagittis Hungarorum, libera nos Domine" (Lord, save us from the arrows of the Hungarians")

[fafayayarhen]

Any Austria headcanons?

shaking

vibrating

tumbling over

hi. yes. so. enjoy my ramblings of specific Austria | Roderich headcanons from me because my credentials include 5 - 6 years of RP experience writing, researching, writing, musing him

some canon points i took and expanded upon with prevalent historical elements that does fit what i see from the series, certain elaborations that comes from further delve into the unique entanglement of the Habsburg influence upon their claim to the imperial fief of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Duchy

Austria being a far more rowdy, feral, unrestrained youth when the Austrian Duchy absolutely flourished during the Babenberg rule by the successive lead of dukes Leopold. (Yes, dukes. All of them were named Leopold and distinguished only by the numerical order.) During Leopold III, Leopold the Illustrious reign, he was a bit of a punk that not only successfully expanded the duchy with more towns and cities, he joined the third crusade and took command of the German battalion when the previous commander died (Duke Frederick of Swabia). This is the origins of the legend where Austria's flag was created, the signature triband of red, white, red. The Duke's bloodstained uniform when he removed his belt revealed the untouched hidden stripe of white and he went with that - given the track record of these dukes and their prosperous deeds in battle, Roderich would've been that young man who eagerly joined his dukes in each and every conflict, fighting alongside them, and that bit with the bloodstained uniform would've been applied to Roderich as well.

He was a country bumpkin because of this. Had been one since he first came to be, which honestly in my years of writing him is difficult to pinpoint exactly which year given the interesting track records that offers Roman roots (the Noricum province in the then Roman empire), or the first documented use of "Marcha Orientalis" meaning the eastern march, first established by the Bavarian following the battle of Lechfeld in 955 that drove out the rest of the Magyars and fortifying the eastern front once the stronghold is built and fortified. Often I go with this latter interpretation whilst also making good of applying the possible Roman lineage given Noricum was where the land of the east would be. He was just a little country boy Bavaria found after the battle and was like ay yO I GOT A KID.

Bavaria would've spoiled the kid. Cutie. Little march. Sure it's concerning he can already wield a sword but hey you gotta do what you can do to survive! Very apt in swordsmanship and I honestly see his preferred blade of choice is the curved style of a saber, that in turn encompasses his then more outlandish nature - because in sword fighting, saber attacks are far more aggressive despite the refined, graceful look to it. Bavaria would've taught Austria all there is when it comes to fighting when the little march was growing and maturing.

Austria physically matured fast. Which lends itself to the state of his mentality as an empire being pretty fucked because he didn't get to be a child for too long, given how quickly he rose and was refined into this eminent symbol, representative, personification of this imperial fief. During his time as margraviate, he would've already looked like a 10 - 11 y/o pretty soon, then when the later Babenberg generations manage to obtain the Privilegium Minus elevating their territory into a dukedom, he would've had the appearance of a 15 - 16 y/o boy. Because this was a crucial period entering the 1200s onwards, when the succession claim for the duchy became a widely contested issue after the Babenberg line went extinct.

The Bohemian kingdom snatched it pretty quickly with Austrian nobilities actually being in favour for them to rule the duchy, but there was an issue. As imperial fief, the dietary court ruled by the prince electors was the one who called the shots of who'll get to rule the fief next. King Ottokar disregarded this and claimed the duchy for himself and he would've spoiled the Austrian duchy rotten because guess what. Ottokar was incredibly wealthy. I find it absolutely hilarious it was thanks to this man Roderich became... the pampered gemstone he is. To really contextualize how rich Ottokar was, not only was his moniker the Golden King, his earnings was ten times more than the imperial revenue itself that they do not. Want. Ottokar. As emperor. Roderich didn't mind, the former country bumpkin went from a fighter to being throw into this new lavish life where he gets to be comfortable and in prettier clothes, and introduced to Bohemian culture, way of religion, made friends with Bohemia, of course he'd be placated the same way the Austrian nobilities welcomed Ottokar!

Only for his rival, king Rudolf of Habsburg with ambitions to become emperor absolutely get in his way. It was a mess and the then still immature, teenage duchy didn't quite understand the perilous struggle over something he thought was a simple territorial claim and would later learn of the significance when Ottokar was defeated, died in battle, and was finally claimed into Habsburg possession. But it's important to note that Rudolf didn't succeed as emperor. God bless. He was a menace and Roderich would've more than kicked and screamed and tried to bite Rudolf's ear off because guess what. Rudolf was less richer than Ottokar. At least five shillings in bad coin poorer that the country bumpkin having tasted wealth looked at the new ruling figure over his land with disdain because where was the splendour? Where is his comfort?

I may get booed for this but I honestly envisioned he didn't need eyewear until after the dissolution of the empire. Listen to me, he was in good health and perfect physical condition as a rapidly growing fief, he was a good boy who ate his meals, went hunting, practiced his swordsmanship, kept fit, that any and all semblance of incapacitation wouldn't be until after the end that signifies the loss of status and power. The worsening vision thus making him require the glasses on a daily, the frailer physicality simply because in the present day he is not needed to fight, to fend, to exhaust himself tirelessly to grow as a power he no longer was, hence his more laidback habits, hobbies, and being winded easily. And there's nothing wrong with that, you know? He said he wanted to live a good, modest life from here on out and he got that. He's had his run.

Back to more history stuff, remember the bit about his country bumpkin identity? The Spanish Court Ceremonials beat every ounce of it from him. Because one, it was infamously a strict set of conduct by the Spanish constituents in court. And secondly, following the creation of the Spanish Habsburg branch when the succession of marriages into the Spanish monarchy obtaining the crowns of Castile and Aragorn through Maximilian's descendants, Philips and Charles, the Austrians eagerly adopted the customs of their Spanish in laws to foster a harmonious relationship between each other, and in turn Roderich learned the etiquette to a T that perfectly shaped him into the elegant, composed, refined imperium representative he was, finally the revered gemstone befitting the surname he wears; Edelstein. In part, acclimatizing to the Spanish identity was an attempt to better cement his and his first husband, Spain, matrimonial arrangement.

This is completely self indulgent on my part because I love the domino effect and exploring Austria's | Roderich's dynamic with the significant rulers of the dynasty. Maximilian would've been behind the machinations of Roderich's eventual marriage to Antonio. This reflects how his will to bring Spanish inheritance into Habsburg's possessions was achieved when Philip married Joana of Castile, and their heir, Charles, the next Holy Roman Emperor; legitimized the claim over much of the New Worlds and the Holy Roman Empire ... massive wealth and treasure reserves. I imagined the conversation between Maximilian quizzing Roderich on how to better secure their chances of success, thus in turn being one of the rulers that taught the Austrian better when it comes to these political schemes which becomes his weapon later on, telling Roderich to get married. Roderich would have stared and responded, "What?"

Speaking of marriages and the Habsburg being notorious for abusing the ever living daylights out of this strategy? "O'happy Austria, you marry," that saying? The full quote is, "Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube. Nam quae Mars aliis, dat tibi ragna Venus." Let others wage war, but thou, O'happy Austria, marry. For those kingdoms which Mars gives to others, Venus gives to thee. Coined by Matthias Corvinus, the then Hungarian king in the 1400s. And when did Maximilian reigned? 1459 - 1519. The king of the Romans, the most celebrated warlord with a pension for fishing (I kid you not) masterminded some couple of marriages including his own to Mary of Burgundy which brought the possessions of the Low Countries soon into his and the empire's ownership, would have been the instrumental force imparting the wisdom of marriage being the solution to every problem unto Roderich. Young, impressionable Roderich thought, you know what? He's right. Poor Austria didn't think he'd be delivered on the altar is all.

Austria is a polyglot. One, not only are languages and the arts were some of the core subjects for the monarchs, two, Roderich would have more than enough time on his hands to literally retain the fluency of multiple languages. Guess what, another historical tidbit and whom the princess would be inspired by; Emperor Charles. The man could speak an array from French, Dutch, Spanish, even Basque, and Portuguese, and having this disposition to outperform himself each time because Roderich was entangled with that drive to succeed through any and every means, this skill is not only handy but gives him a reason to flex that he can speak Latin still even if rusty from the un-use, Castilian Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Dutch, Portuguese, French, the High German in use today, and bit of Polish. Something about it gives him an advantage that if he can find anything, everything to impose himself above a person, Roderich would absolutely refine it.

He is fond of horses. He is absolutely fond of, and would own one of the original dynasty of the Lipizzaner breed. Let him have his immortal pet. Please. Horseback riding is another favourite activity of his in the past, he'd practice it still in present but not at the same capacity and intensity he once did. So a little about the Lipizanner and why they're special - a product of the Habsburgs. They wanted an agile. faster horse and the cross breeding with Spanish breeds resulted in the end product called a Lipizzan, and where it was first conceived was in a stud farm at Lipica (present day Slovenia) established by a Habsburg monarch. I forgot the dude's name but he would've been thrilled unveiling this creation to Roderich, and was gifted one. And if you're wondering, that's right, these same horses are the specially preserved breed in use for dressage at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Yet another pride and labour of love of the Habsburgs. And in turn, Roderich.

Austria | Roderich strikes me as the type who'd own two large dog breeds. A German shepherd and Dobermann. Something about this pretty looking man and the scariest dogs guarding him gives such immaculate vibes, and frankly the dogs are required to stave off unwanted attention and bite anyone untowards.

Multiple residences owned throughout the nine federal states of Austria. One, for ease of travelling for work purposes so he'd have a cozy place to stay in and two, it's such a thing that since the end of his major power days, becoming closer to and working alongside his people contributes to his growth and goal of living an honest life for himself that he gets to be an authentic person doing what he believes is the best for his people. As opposed to during his time as an empire, he was too high up and never saw for himself the subjects he ruled when he was the emblem of hegemony.

TBC. Because it's midnight and I am passing out. But. Just.

Yeah

[usafphantom2]

Short gallery of Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) photos, the world's "first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft" - seen here at Lechfeld in Germany late 1944 into 1945.

🧵1/5

@WW2 airfields via X

[nullnvoid911]

A German soldier secures a CH-53 transport helicopter during the Air Defender 2023 deployment exercise at Lechfeld Air Base.

Ingo Tesche / Bundeswehr, June 19, 2023

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (July 4)

St. Ulric was born in 890 at Kyburg, Zurich, Switzerland. He died on 4 July 973 at Augsburg of natural causes. He was buried in the Church of Saint Afra.

He was the son of Count Hucpald and Thetbirga. He was related to the dukes of Alamannia and the imperial family of the Ottos.

He was a sickly child. As a boy, he was educated at the monastic school of Saint Gall and proved to be an excellent student.

He also served as chamberlain to his uncle, Blessed Adalbero, bishop of Augsburg.

He was ordained as Bishop of Augsburg on 28 December 923.

During his time as bishop, he built churches, visited from parish to parish, worked with the sick in hospitals, set a good example for his priests to follow, and brought relics from Rome.

His good works paid off in the form of improved moral and social conditions for both the clergy and laity.

When the Magyars plundered Germany, they besieged Augsburg.

Due to Ulric's courage, his leadership, and his ability to organize the resistance, Augsburg held firm until Emperor Otto arrived.

On 10 August 955, a battle was fought in Lechfeld, and the invaders were finally defeated.

Some legends say that Ulrich actually fought in the battle but that was impossible.

After 48 years as bishop, an ill and exhausted Ulric resigned his seat.

He handed the diocese over to his nephew — a move that had the blessing of the emporer but which the Synod of Ingelheim ruled uncanonical.

They charged and tried the aging bishop for nepotism.

Ulrich apologized, did penance, and was forgiven, the message of which reached him on his death bed.

A letter circulated for a while that indicated Ulric did not support priestly celibacy, seeing it as an unnecessary burden.

However, this was later proven a forgery, and Ulric had certainly enforced the discipline upon himself as well as his clergy.

Ulric was the first saint to be canonized by a Pope, which led to the formal process that continues today.

Legend has it that pregnant women who drank from his chalice had easy deliveries, thus developed his patronage of pregnant women and easy births.

The touch of his pastoral cross was used to heal people bitten by rabid dogs.

Ulric was canonized on 3 February 993 by Pope John XV.

[lightdancer1]

Wrapped up the last book:

This book stopped in 2001, so it didn't have to deal with the impolitic reality that the fragile post-Soviet democracy turned into a pro-Russian dictatorship under the misrule of one Viktor Orban. It did, however, cover the entire span of Hungarian history from the migration to Europe and the Battle of Lechfeld, which settled the brief age of Magyars as one of many migrant horse nomadic Asian cultures that rampaged over Europe and marked the transformation of them, like the Estonians and Finns, into a very self-consciously European and Europeanized culture.

The reality of Magyar culture, like that of Finland, Estonia, and the Basques is that they are small islands of non Indo-European culture in a vast sea of Indo-European languages. This in turn has been something that the Hungarians are always very consciously aware of as well, and it accounts in no small part for old model feudal Hungary preserving Latin as the official language of the Hungarian assemblies into the mid-19th Century. Latin was more easily understood by the Indo-European cultures around them than Magyar, which like Finnish looks like a sneeze when written and unlike Finnish tends to sound like one in speech (but not nearly as bad as Welsh in reading or trying to speak Kartuli, f'rex).

This accounts for much of the self-imposed view of Hungarians of their culture, of their successes, and their failures. Until the Treaty of Trianon the kings and magnates of Hungary led a state that would go on to account for over half the territory of the future Habsburg Empire, and some of the kings, like Matthias Corvinus and Isvtan I/Stephen went on to fame, most of them fitting outside Hungary into the generic grey blur of Central and Eastern Europe that isn't Habsburg, German, or Russian.

Hungarians managed to preserve the huge state on paper, even if the institutions became increasingly sclerotic in a kind of inverse mirror of Poland. No Liberum Veto, instead overmighty subjects without whom Hungary could not be governed, but with whom it underwent a time of serfdom matching anything in the broader expanse of Muscovite and Romanov Russia.

Nationalism became the bane of this state as it did the rest of the world and this one more than most, and Trianon is to it what Sevres is to Turkey, the ever-ready excuse that ultimately played a minor role in the rise of Orban and in the willingness of Hungary to join with Hitler.....and the Hungarian view of periodic uprisings on behalf of freedom as it defined it under Kossuth and Imre Nagy in 1956 also co-existed with a pattern of Hungarian freedom ridden down by Cossacks or gunned down by canister fire from Soviet tanks.

This is a part of the modern duality of Hungary, a state consciously aware that most of its neighbors were once peasants farming the fields of Hungarian magnates, and aware of a democratic-bulwark tradition that has seen great heroism producing a string of disasters matching much of the tradition of Poland when the Slzachta finally buried the commonwealth and the peasants took up where their overlords left off.

9/10.

[witekspicsoldpostcards2]

LAGER LECHFELD - Bayern, GERMANY

[autodidactprofessor]

The Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I’s Triumph Over the Magyars and the Birth of a New Europe

The Magyar Threat and the Fragmented Heart of Europe The Magyars, ancestors of modern Hungarians, originated from the vast steppes east of the Ural Mountains. As skilled horsemen and archers, they embodied the quintessential nomadic warrior culture. Their society was organized around clan structures, with a strong emphasis on mobility and warfare. By the end of the 9th century, pressure from…

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.10 (before 1950)

654 – Pope Eugene I elected to succeed Martinus I. 955 – Battle of Lechfeld: Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor defeats the Magyars, ending 50 years of Magyar invasion of the West. 991 – Battle of Maldon: The English, led by Byrhtnoth, Ealdorman of Essex, are defeated by a band of inland-raiding Vikings near Maldon, Essex. 1270 – Yekuno Amlak takes the imperial throne of Ethiopia, restoring the Solomonic dynasty to power after a 100-year Zagwe interregnum. 1316 – The Second Battle of Athenry takes place near Athenry during the Bruce campaign in Ireland. 1346 – Jaume Ferrer sets out from Majorca for the "River of Gold", the Senegal River. 1512 – The naval Battle of Saint-Mathieu, during the War of the League of Cambrai, sees the simultaneous destruction of the Breton ship La Cordelière and the English ship The Regent. 1519 – Ferdinand Magellan's five ships set sail from Seville to circumnavigate the globe. The Basque second-in-command Juan Sebastián Elcano will complete the expedition after Magellan's death in the Philippines. 1557 – Battle of St. Quentin: Spanish victory over the French in the Italian War of 1551–59. 1585 – The Treaty of Nonsuch signed by Elizabeth I of England and the Dutch Rebels. 1628 – The Swedish warship Vasa sinks on her maiden voyage off Stockholm. 1641 – The Treaty of London between England and Scotland, ending the Bishops' Wars, is signed. 1680 – The Pueblo Revolt begins in New Mexico. 1741 – King Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeats the Dutch East India Company at the Battle of Colachel, effectively bringing about the end of the Dutch colonial rule in India. 1755 – Under the direction of Charles Lawrence, the British begin to forcibly deport the Acadians from Nova Scotia to the Thirteen Colonies and France. 1792 – French Revolution: Storming of the Tuileries Palace: Louis XVI of France is arrested and taken into custody as his Swiss Guards are massacred by the Parisian mob. 1808 – Finnish War: Swedish forces led by General von Döbeln defeat Russian forces led by General Šepelev in the Battle of Kauhajoki. 1835 – P. T. Barnum begins his career as a showman and circus entrepreneur by exhibiting Joice Heth, an octogenerian African slave whom he claims was George Washington's nursemaid. 1856 – The Last Island hurricane strikes Louisiana, resulting in over 200 deaths. 1861 – American Civil War: Battle of Wilson's Creek: A mixed force of Confederate, Missouri State Guard, and Arkansas State troops defeat outnumbered attacking Union forces in the southwestern part of the state. 1864 – After Uruguay's governing Blanco Party refuses Brazil's demands, José Antônio Saraiva announces that the Brazilian military will begin reprisals, beginning the Uruguayan War. 1901 – The U.S. Steel recognition strike by the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers begins. 1904 – Russo-Japanese War: The Battle of the Yellow Sea between the Russian and Japanese battleship fleets takes place. 1905 – Russo-Japanese War: Peace negotiations begin in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. 1913 – Second Balkan War: Delegates from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, and Greece sign the Treaty of Bucharest, ending the war. 1920 – World War I: Ottoman sultan Mehmed VI's representatives sign the Treaty of Sèvres that divides up the Ottoman Empire between the Allies. 1937 – Spanish Civil War: The Regional Defence Council of Aragon is dissolved by the Second Spanish Republic. 1945 – The Japanese government announced that a message had been sent to the Allies accepting the terms of the Potsdam Declaration provided that it "does not comprise any demand that prejudices the prerogatives of the Emperor as sovereign ruler." 1948 – Candid Camera makes its television debut after being on radio for a year as The Candid Microphone. 1949 – An amendment to the National Security Act of 1947 enhances the authority of the United States Secretary of Defense over the Army, Navy and Air Force, and replaces the National Military Establishment with the Department of Defense.

[cervenakoviny]

No wonder Otto I got quite brutal during second battle of Lechfeld, in 955. I'd feel extremely pissed and vindictive too, wanting to stop their bullshit for once and all (and earn emperorship with this "public service"). Sources differ on how heavy were Magyar losses, but they had to flee, stragglers being hunted at length and their leaders Bulcsú, Lél and Súr and many more were taken captive to be publicly hanged. It shook power structure at home base and crippled their means of profit and reputation (see subsequent Byzantine refusal to keep paying them tribute). Afterwards Magyars were forced to settle and build a self-sustaining economy instead of living off booty and mercenary activities. Short-term unpleasant, long-term rewarding.

It also coincides with waning of viking raids. They were mirror images of each other - supremely quick drakkar boats and supremely quick horses carrying them anywhere they wished to wreck havoc and promptly disappear again.

Map of Campaigns of the Magyars in the 10th C. CE

"This chapter attempts to explain the Hungarian conquest of the central Danubian basin. From the outset, the reader should be aware that this task is far from an easy one for at least two reasons. First of all, the Magyars, as nomads from the Pontic steppe, were extremely mobile. As we shall see, during the period 892-907, elements of their confederation attacked Moravia on several different occasions, Bulgaria, as the army of the khan was besieging Constantinople, Italy, at least twice in alliance with various western leaders, and Bavaria, under the pretext of making peace. As a consequence of their mobility, Hungarian armies appear and disappear in a bewildering, but hardly large, variety of laconic sources, leaving one with a confusing picture of their activities. Second, one of our best sources, the Annales Fuldenses, ends abruptly in 901, six years before the decisive battle of Brezalauspurc finally terminated East Frankish attempts to dominate the central Danubian basin. Subsequent annals have left us only scraps of information until the sixteenth century, when humanist historian Aventinus compiled a rather complete account of the final battle, but one that was based on sources that have long since disappeared, if they ever existed at all."

-Charles R. Bowlus. Franks, Moravians, and Magyars: The struggle for the Middle Danube

[paidbychrist]

GOD CARES FOR & PROTECTS ME

From June 12-23, up to 10.000 exercise participants from 25 nations with 250 aircraft will train air operations in European airspace under the command of the German Air Force.

Among the 250 aircraft involved are 23 different types of aircraft. 100 of these aircraft alone come from 42 United States federal states and are being deployed to Europe. The U.S. Air National Guard provides the very largest portion of these.

Jagel/Hohn in Schleswig-Holstein

Wunstorf in Lower Saxony

Lechfeld in Bavaria

Spangdahlem in Rhineland-Palatinate

Volkel in the Netherlands

Čáslav in the Czech Republic

The east exercise area will be temporarily reserved for military use between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., the south exercise area between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., and the north exercise area between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. No training flights will take place at night or on weekends.

Flight altitudes during Air Defender in the three training areas range from 2,500 to 15,000 meters and higher. No missions are usually flown below that.

Refueling generally takes place at altitudes ranging from 3,000 to 10,000 meters. Jet-fight training flights take place at altitudes of 2,500 or 3,000 meters, depending on the airspace activated. Low-level flights by jets and transport aircraft are planned in a part of the eastern air exercise area known as Fight 1. This training area extends over northern Brandenburg, parts of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and the Baltic Sea. The airspace is reserved for these low-level flights for three hours at a time every day from June 12 to 22. In addition, sporadic low-level flights will take place at the Baumholder and Grafenwoehr military training areas.

[me being in Germany]

[usafphantom2]

Tap photos ☝️

though only around 300 saw combat. Like most late war Luftwaffe projects, the aircraft would ultimately make little difference against overwhelming Allied air superiority.

The Me 262 possessed several features that would be used in postwar jet fighters, such as swept wings, heavy nose armament and full span wing slats. Its chief advantage lay in speed - it was over 100 mph faster than the P-51 Mustang - so hit and run attacks were often employed against Allied bomber formations. The Me 262’s engines, however, needed careful throttle control to avoid stalling, making fast acceleration and deceleration difficult. It was particularly vulnerable on takeoff and landing, a fact that Allied fighters took full advantage of.

Fighter versions of the Me 262 mounted 4x30mm cannon and, later, 24 R4M rockets on underwing racks. A hit from any of these would usually be enough to down a bomber, though pilots had little time to aim as they flashed through Allied formations. The type is believed to have shot down up to 500 Allied aircraft for 100 losses, an indication that it may have posed far more problems had it been available sooner.

As a fighter-bomber, the Me 262 could carry two bombs on undernose racks, while retaining two cannon. It proved ill-suited to the role, lacking an effective bombsight and having poor downward visibility, and though regular missions were flown from late 1944 they achieved little. In addition, a number of aircraft were lost to Allied flak, particularly in attacks on airfields. Other Me 262 variants included a small number of reconnaissance aircraft fitted with cameras and some radar-equipped 2-seaters used as night fighters on an experimental basis.

Pictured:

1) Messerschmitt 262 V3 prototype takes off under jet power for the first time at Leipheim, 18th July 1942. Note the original conventional undercarriage and an Me 321 glider in the background.

📷 thisdayinaviation.com

2) Flown to U.S. forces at Frankfurt by a Messerschmitt test pilot on 30th March 1945, this aircraft was unpainted due to bomb damage at its assembly plant. It crashed the following year during testing in the United States.

📷 defensemedianetwork.com

3) Two seat night fighter equipped with Neptun radar, captured at Schleswig in May 1945. It’s unclear how many combat sorties were undertaken by night fighter Me 262s, though some sources claim several RAF Mosquitoes were shot down. The ‘FE’ serial number on the rear fuselage was applied to aircraft selected for evaluation in the U.S.

📷 defensemedianetwork.com

4) One outlandish Me 262 variant mounted a 50mm cannon in the nose for use as a bomber destroyer. Two prototypes conducted flight testing, but this configuration was never used in combat. The aircraft pictured here, captured at Lechfeld, crashed while being flown to Cherbourg for shipment to the United States.

📷 key.aero

[hjmarseille]

ABOVE Nowhere to hide. On 28 March 1944, an RAF Mosquito PR IX of No. 540 Sqn, flown by Flt Lt A. T. Leaning, with his navigator, Flg Off S. G. Dale, managed to capture the Me 264 on film as it overflew Lechfeld. The RAF’s Central Interpretation Unit at Medmenham gave the Amerika Bomber the identifier ‘Lechfeld 127’.

Photo and caption featured in Osprey X-Planes 2 Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika Bomber by Robert Forsyth

[nunoxaviermoreira]

Rose Monday Colours by ++sepp++ https://flic.kr/p/2ixhcve