While restoring the 262’s airframe has certainly been a challenge, the project’s achilles heal has always been the ability to source and restore a pair of original Junker Jumo 004B jet engines to power her. We have to remember that the jet engine was in its infancy during WWII. The technology, while advanced for its time, was incredibly crude by modern standards. Added to this, the German supply chain for materials with appropriate metallurgical properties for jet engines was also under immense strain during their manufacture in 1944/45. As a consequence, German jet engines had a very short life span between major overhaul, reportedly just 10 to 25 operational hours, which means rebuildable core engines are exceedingly rare. Restoring and certifying original Jumo 004 engines to airworthy condition is therefore immensely complex, not to mention expensive. But given Paul Allen’s dedication to the project, this hurdle has also been overcome. Aero Turbine in Stockton, California is the company in charge of restoring the Me 262’s Jumos. They ran one for the first time in February, 2015, probably the first time any Jumo 004 variant has generated power since 1951 when Czechoslovakia retired their Avia S-92s (Czech-built Me 262s). The first fully certified Jumo 004B arrived for installation at Morgan Aircraft about two months ago, and it is now mounted to the 262’s starboard wing.

I have a thing for World War 2 aircraft. I'm not entirely sure why, probably due to some childhood trip to the Oshkosh air show.

I didn't know Paul Allen was restoring one of these. I visited his museum a few years ago, and it's very impressive. The oil drip pans sitting under each engine was ludicrous. I mean, who in their right mind has things like a B-25, P-51, and an Il-2 just sitting in a hanger oiled and ready to go?

posted 2032 days ago