What Happened to the Nazi Me 262 Jet Fighters After WW2

When Nazi Germany surrendered in May 1945, approximately 1,430 Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighters—the world's first operational jets—were scattered across Europe. What happened next sparked a technological race that would shape the Cold War.
American, British, and Soviet forces scrambled to capture Hitler's revolutionary jets before their rivals could. Operation Lusty saw Americans shipping examples to Wright Field and Freeman Field for testing. The British evaluated aircraft at Farnborough. The Soviets transported entire factories eastward, reverse-engineering the technology that would power their first jet fighters.
But of nearly 1,500 aircraft produced, fewer than ten substantially original examples survive today. This is the story of how the world's most advanced fighter became scrap metal, museum pieces, and the foundation for modern jet aviation.
Discover the race to capture, test, and ultimately destroy one of WWII's most feared weapons.

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