Welcome to Warbird Wednesday! Today, we’re visiting the world’s first combat operational jet-powered aircraft, the ME-262. This is one of the most famous German fighters from WWII. The ME-262 initially encountered many technical hurdles that directly impacted its design. Despite these challenges, the ME-262 was a superior plane for its time. The ME-262 holds tremendous importance in aviation history due to its direct influence on other aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-9, F-86 Sabre, and the B-47 Startojet.