Q&A ยท 1:46:14-1:48:00

Why the early Me 262 bomber counterfactual requires a different design

The bomber follow-up separates a reliable fighter from the redesign and attack performance needed for anti-ship bombing.

Question

Could an early reliable Me 262 carry bombs and threaten Royal Navy ships?

Short answer

It had a theoretical bomb-carrying capability, but the response expects fighter-bomber redesign to delay entry and questions its bombing accuracy.

Notes

An early reliable Me 262 fighter would not automatically provide a 1941 anti-ship bomber. Redesigning it as a fighter-bomber is expected to add time beyond fixing the fighter's defects. A theoretical load of two 250 kg or two 500 kg bombs is mentioned, but bombing accuracy remains a concern. Those qualifications limit the proposed threat to Royal Navy ships.