Military Aviation Museum Me-262 takes to the sky

For the first time in a long period N262MF (c/n 501243), the Messerschmitt Me-262 owned by the Military Aviation Museum, has taken to the sky on 10 May 2025. The flight was performed from Chesapeake Regional Airprt (VA) by Mike Spalding, the Flying Heritage' chief pilot.

The previous grounding had been caused by concerns over the capacity of the brakes. Since then heavier brakes have been installed. According to comments on the Warbird Information Exchange forum, Spalding seemed to be satisfied by the plane's new brakes.

N262MF is one of the five reproduction Me-262s built by Herb Tischler/ Texas Aircraft Factory, Fort Worth (TX) in the years 1993 to 1998. It was prepared for flying by Legend Flying LLC, Paine Field (WA), making its first flight as "501243 White 3" on 22 July 2011. It was delivered to the current owner Military Aviation Museum, in Virginia Beach (VA) in October 2011.

It is expected that the Me-262 'Schwalbe' (German for Swallow) will be present at the coming Air Venture 2025 in Oshkosh by the end of July.

Photo by Richard Connell