Hitler's Jet Plane by Mano Ziegler Page A

10.5-cm, 16 x 8.8-cm, 24 x 3.7-cm, 6 x 2-cm and 2 x 2-cm quadruples and a 646-strong smoke-making unit. The Führer’s air-raid centre was 30 metres below the Goeringhügel rock. It was linked to the national system and had a wall-map with numerous electrical circuits which lit up to show current enemy air movements over the Reich. If aircraft approached nearer than 100 kilometres to Berchtesgaden the air-raid alarm went off. Since the possibility of a paratroop drop was also considered a possibility, on the roof of the produce warehouse lower down an observation bunker had been erected from where aerials and a scissors-type artillery binocular could be extended.
    Hitler greeted the party only fleetingly, apparently deep in thought. Finally he took a seat and with a tired movement of the hand invited his guests to do the same. With seeming disinterest he listened to the briefing about the Jägerstab conference, occasionally making a short observation. His gaze was fixed on the Hoher Göll mountain which could be seen through the extensive south-facing window of the study. As Minister of Aircraft Production, Generalfeldmarschall Milch then delivered in a calm and factual manner a report about fighter output and fighter units which Hitler had requested, and mentioned the twenty Me 262s. Suddenly Hitler lowered his gaze to Milch as if horrified and asked in a guttural undertone: ‘I thought the Me 262 was being produced as a fast bomber? How many of the completed 262s can carry bombs?’
    Milch replied, ‘None, mein Führer. The Me 262 is being built exclusively as a fighter aircraft.’ By way of explanation he added that the conversion of the fighter into a fast bomber could not be achieved overnight but would take some time. Additionally the prototypes would have to be tested in flight. Milch concluded with the observation that even then the Me 262 would not be able to carry a bombload in excess of 500 kg.
    In great excitement Hitler responded, ‘That is irrelevant – I am only asking for a 250 kg bomb! I ordered it without asking anybody’s opinion and I never left anybody in any doubt that it is to be produced as a fighter bomber!’ At that moment, Oberst Petersen saw Goering incline himself towards Hitler’s armchair and say in an undertone, ‘See how they obey your orders, mein Führer!’ Now it was obvious how deeply rooted Hitler’s demand had been, and the importance he vested in the Me 262 as a fast bomber. The aircraft seemed to represent the fulfilment of a desire, the means finally to force his enemies to their knees. He had believed in Messerschmitt’s assurance, had ordered that it become reality, he had the men now standing in his presence to carry it through and – could they have dared to defy his orders?
    Petersen, who in common with most others at the conference had never been informed by Goering or Milch of this Hitler requirement, felt his mind reeling. He heard Saur reciting the individual weights for the Me 262 armour and weapons, adding that they exceeded 500 kg. Hitler hardly allowed him to finish before barking: ‘This aircraft is so fast that it doesn’t need armour or guns. They can all be taken out!’ 3
    With that he turned directly to Petersen and said ‘Is that so or not?’ Still dazed by events Petersen, who was sure that a long dissertation would be pointless if not dangerous, merely answered, ‘Yes, that goes without saying.’ Milch, despairing as never before, attempted to interest Hitler in other opinions, but Galland, holding forth on the theme that no more time remained for modifications, was shouted down so brusquely by the Führer that he relapsed into silence.
    Milch resumed by explaining calmly to Hitler that to have the Me 262 as a successful two-seater bomber represented a substantial reconstruction for which time was simply too short. Hitler rode over him rough-shod and with such violence of tone that Milch lost his head and shouted back, ‘Mein Führer, every