ME-262 in Rumania, Info asked: about Me-262 in Rumania

To competent forum members:
I am curious to know if Me-262 participated in protecting of Ploest or Bukarest in 1944? Pls. reply in forum or to famstoyanov@abv.bg.
Thanks

Not even remotely possible.
The first 262s reached the Erprobungskommando 262 (262 Test Unit) in August 1944, when the Germans were leaving Romania. The 262 did not see any kind of significant operational use until early 1945, when it was relegated mostly to Home Defence.
HTH
Radu

Actually the first 262s were delivered to their test unit in April 1944, but "Radub" is right, anyway: "Not even remotely possible".
The first successes of Me-262 were at the end of July 1944, against some very unlucky "Mosquito" or other lonely Allied spy planes. And that was in France and Germany, far from Normandy.

I would argue with "Radub" that the first significant action of Me-262 was not in early 1945, but in December 1944. It is about the Battle of the Bulge, of course.
I recall general's Eisenhower book, "Crusade in Europe".
He mentioned that at the beginning of the German offensive, the morale of the average American soldier was very low. Then he is mentioning that he was concerned by the new types of Tiger (actually "in touch" with the Allies since September), and then he recalls: "... I was myself surprised by a very impressive action of the enemy: tens of jet airplanes (the first in the world) destroyed hundreds of our planes in the air, and other few hundreds on the ground."
It seems the poor guy (i.e. Eisenhower ) got very confused by that offensive who was too much for him. While there were tens of Me-262 flying over the Battle of the Bulge, I think the hundreds of planes he is mentioning were lost during that German action in the morning of January the 1st, 1945, when about 1000 old style Me-109 and Fw-190 destroyed all they could on the Allied airports.

This post has been edited by Florin on January 23, 2008 09:03 pm

In this very rare genuine color film, you can see a Me-262 flying over Romania...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V-o9E-TCDw

Florin,
You are right about the first deliveries to EKdo262. I should have opened my books rather than my mouth (or keyboard) and quote from "memory".

From Volume 2 of the book "Me 262" by Richard Smith and Eddie Creek:
Me262 prototype V8 was delivered to Erprobungskommando 262 on 19 April 1944. The pilots were snet for retraining.
During May, Me262 prototypes S3 and S4 were delivered to the unit. Around this time, Hitler issued his famous directive that the 262 should be used as bobmer only. Confusion ensued for a while and deliveries stopped. It is known that at some stage around late July the unit had only 6 aircraft and 8 pilots tasked with the job of developing tactics for the aicraft.

On 25 July 1944, a Mosquito from 544 Squadron RAF flown by Flt Lt. A. E. Wall was intercepted by a 262 from EKdo262 near Munich. (no such me262 flight recorded)He survived the attack and landed sfaley at Ferno in Italy. On 26 July 1944, Lt. Alfred "Bubi" Schreiber flying Me262 "White 4" recorded a Mosquito shot down over Bavaria. (mo such loss recorded) This is the first recorded kill by a 262. It appears that the two events are one and the same but were confused.

As for first significant action... well that is debatable. What is "significant"?
From the book "JV 44" by Robert Forsyth:
III./EJG 2 was formed in September 1944 from the remnants of EKdo262.
JG 7 was formed in Mid November 1944.
KG 51 (bomber unit) got their first 262s in late Autumn 1944.
KG 54 (bomber unit) got their first 262s on 19 January 1945.
NJG 11 (nightfighters) got their first 262 in December 1944.
JV44 (the largest and most famous 262 unit) was formed in January 1945.
All of these saw action, but nothing major or groundbreaking.

Anyway, to make a long story short, 262s over Romania could not happen.

HTH
Radu

Thank you guys!