ME 262A-1a/U3
FE-4012
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No photo at Freeman
Source Disposition
War Prizes
pg 224
surrendered to US Forces at Lechfeld and was named Connie the Sharp Article, with the number '444'
War Prizes
pg 224
re-named Pick Il by Watson's Whizzers
War Prizes
pg 224
to the USA aboard HMS Reaper
TSEAL 6D
09/01/1945
08/01/1945 at Newark enroute to Freeman Field
War Prizes
pg 224
flown from Newark to Freeman Field IV Col Watson on 19th August 1945
War Prizes
pg 224
17th May 1946 Col Watson flew the aircraft to Patterson Field
War Prizes
pg 224
flyable at Wright Field in August 1946
War Prizes
pg 224
handed over to the Hughes Aircraft Company - not flown by the Hughes company.
War Prizes
pg 224
disposed of to the Glendale Aeronautical School for use as an instructional airframe
War Prizes
pg 224
acquired by Edward T. Maloney for his Air Museum at Ontario, California
War Prizes
pg 224
currently with the Museum at Chino Airfield, California, marked as W Nr 111617, which is incorrect, the color scheme being copied from the original 111617, which was scrapped on a dump near Munich at the end of the war.

Photo-reconnaissance variant, named 'Connie the Sharp Article' and then 'Pick II'.  Aircraft of Lt Roy W. Brown.  Shipped to the USA aboard the HMS Reaper.  Ferried from Newark to Pittsburgh and then to Freeman Field on 19 August 1945 by Col Harold Watson.  Became 'FE-4012'.  This aircraft had a fighter nose substituted for the bulged reconnaissance version after arrival in the US.  It is now at the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino in California wearing the incorrect W Nr 111617.

This aircraft was surrendered to US Forces at Lechfeld and was named Connie the Sharp Article, with the number '444'. It was later re-named Pick Il by Watson's Whizzers. It came to the USA aboard HMS Reaper and was flown from Newark to Freeman Field IV Col Watson on 19th August 1945. While at Freeman Field it was reconditioned and given an overall smooth finish for performance comparison with the Lockheed P-80. This process almost certainly involved the removal of its photo-reconnaissance-type nose and its replacement by a fighter-type nose without camera bulges. On about 17th May 1946 Col Watson flew the aircraft to Patterson Field for the start of this series of trials. It was flown at Patterson and Wright Fields on test work for 4 hours and 40 minutes (8 flights), being flyable at Wright Field in August 1946. Flight trials were discontinued after four engine changes were required during the course of the tests, culminating in two single-engine landings.

It was later handed over to the Hughes Aircraft Company. Howard Hughes proposed to enter the aircraft in air races in competition with USAF P-80s but this was officially frowned upon and the proposal was cancelled. The '262 had, in the meantime, been shipped to Hughes at Culver City, Ca, and was assembled and the engines run, but it was not flown by the Hughes company.

The '262 was disposed of to the Glendale Aeronautical School for use as an instructional airframe, until, after some years it was acquired by Edward T. Maloney for his Air Museum at Ontario, California. FE-4012 is currently with the Museum at Chino Airfield, California, marked as W Nr 111617, which is incorrect, the color scheme being copied from the original 111617, which was scrapped on a dump near Munich at the end of the war.

source: "War Prizes" by Phil Butler, 224

Comments from Richard Eger, in response to an article at Status of Paul Allen's Me-262 Restoration- - rec.aviation.military ..., (05/11/2010) but not considered for inclusion here:

T2-4012 was flown from Freeman Field to Wright Field late in the afternoon of May 21, 1946, by Ken Holt, not Hal Watson.

The mystery reviewer pooh-pooh's the Me 262 unmercifully. He seems to have no idea that most of the test flying at Wright Field was done on Me 262, T2-711, as T2-4012 had so much engine trouble. It was with the crash of T2-711 on Aug. 20, 1946, that the comparison program was drawn to a close.

The claims that, in certain respects, the Me 262 was found to be superior to its American counterparts are correct. These claims did cause consternation in the Air Force. Brig. Gen. L. P. Whitten wrote on Oct. 17, 1946:

"1. The results of the ME-262 - P80A comparative speed and climb tests as outlined in Air Materiel Command Flight Test Report, Serial No. TSFTE-2008, are viewed with serious concern by this headquarters. ..."

Whitten was the Deputy Chief of Air Staff.

The superiority, however, was quite short-lived. As a matter of fact, report TSFTE-2008, which issued on Sept. 3, 1946, had been written without data from the second XP-84 which, on Sept. 7, 1946, set a U.S. speed record of 611 m.p.h. The XP-86, which first flew on Oct. 1, 1947, achieved a maximum speed of 618 m.p.h. at 14,000 ft., although I don't have a date for this event. The F-86F would eventually have a top speed of 680 m.p.h. at sea level.

Richard Eger
source: Freeman Air Museum & others as noted