The Me 262 was a major improvement over other aircraft of World War II. This German jet was 120 mph faster than the P-51, the previous "worldbeater," and carried a powerful armament package of four 30-mm cannons. Although the Germans did not develop an effective bombsight, the Me 262 discharged its bombs with a great deal of success. Despite this, the Me 262 was not a major factor in the air war over Europe. It was built in a production run of 1,433 aircraft, but only about 300 ever entered combat.
