[baronbutcher]

Agree with oddball - the Me262 wasn't a dogfighter - it was meant for bomber interceptions - Using its speed advantage to try and avoid the esorts and then use its firepower against the bomber streams. the 262 was a good jet let down by the short life and unreliable engines. It was a early jet with different role to the P-80. Had it better engines and more development the 262 could have been much more. Eric Brown RAF who tested many aircraft of WW2 liked the Me 262. The Luftwaffe had other stuff on the horizon which is more compairable a match with the P-80 but time, engine reliability, (the British had far better reliable engines), shortages etc. it was far too late - the war being lost along time ago. Some German designs did influence developments after the war. The P-80 later than Me 262 into service can be compared with early Russian jets. Earlier Russian jets weren't very successful at all compared with American and British jets which were more reliable and better overall but when the Russians came up with the Mig 15 the Americans really needed an answer. The Sabre proved with the right tactics it could match the Mig 15.