The Me 262 Is Reborn

Recreating the flying qualities of one of the rarest airplanes in the world is no easy task. Just ask  dedicated group of aviation buffs in Seattle (WA) who are replicating a Messerschmitt 262, the world's first operational jet fighter. The replicas are duplicating nearly every item of the originals, from paint to gun ports for the four 30-millimeter cannons, although (obviously) no operating weapons are fitted. The single major change is using modern General Electric engines, rather than original Junkers engines that had to be rebuilt about every 20 hours. Of the replica planes, one is going to the Messerschmitt Foundation in Germany and the other, the one with the landing-gear problems, has been purchased by a retired Arizona judge. Three others rem