Volunteers are recovering a rare WWII Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter accidently unearthed during excavation near a former German-occupied air base in The Netherlands, Warbirds News reports. The aircraft was found buried in a filled-in bomb crater near Deelen Air Base near Arnhem, in the east central Netherlands, last October. The Me-262 was likely dumped there near the end of WWII. Few examples of the world’s first operational jet fighter remain today, and enthusiasts have reason to believe the recently discovered Me-262 may be the first production airframe to roll off the line, according to Warbirds. Large sections of the aircraft including the nose, one wing, engine, and two 30 mm cannons were pulled from the ground largely intact. The Deelen AB museum is currently working to definitely identify and preserve the aircraft for display. (Photos of Me-262 components at the Deelen museum’s Facebook page.) (Me-262 Airpower Classic)
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.