Schwalbe, meaning swallow in German, is the historic nickname for the Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter aircraft. Introduced during the late stages of World War II, it was the first operational jet-powered fighter. Its swept wings and twin axial-flow turbojets gave it a massive speed advantage over Allied propeller-driven fighters, marking a fundamental shift in combat aviation design.
Heard on the job
The bomber formations took heavy losses when the Schwalbes intercepted them at high altitude.
Also heard as
- Me 262