An illustrated account of the clashes between the Luftwaffe’s Me 262, the first operational jet fighter, and the USAAF’s B-26 Marauder bomber during the final months of the war in Europe.

As the world’s first jet-engined fighter aircraft, the Luftwaffe’s Messerschmitt Me 262 heralded a new dawn in design, performance, and combat capability upon its operational debut in 1944, outclassing its Allied counterparts for both speed and firepower. The skies over Austria and southern Germany saw the Me 262 enter savage aerial clashes as fighter ace Adolf Galland’s JV 44 engaged three USAAF bomber groups, targeting their formidable – but ill-prepared – Martin B-26 Marauders with often devastating results.

In this dramatic new study, Luftwaffe historian Robert Forsyth examines how USAAF crews in twin-engined Marauders endeavoured to fulfil their bombing missions while jet pilots in Me 262s attacked with 30 mm MK 108 nose-mounted cannon and, eventually, 55 mm R4M air-to-air rockets. First-hand accounts, newly commissioned artwork and archive photography enhance the fascinating and action-packed story of these two aircraft and the fearsome combat that was waged between them.

The work is ably illustrated to the usual Osprey standard with artwork showing views from within the cockpit and other fighting stations and external views of the combats. * Army Rumour Service *

Robert Forsyth is an author specializing in military aviation and history. He has written over 30 titles for Osprey, as well as articles for The Aviation Historian, Aerojournal, Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News, Combat Aircraft and FlyPast and is a member of the Editorial Board of The Aviation Historian. He lives in East Sussex, UK.

The illustrators for this book are Gareth Hector (cover and battlescene) and Jim Laurier (armament views, three-views and engaging the enemy artwork).