May 30, 2021

Chasing the Sound Barrier - "Untouchable Pursuit" Me 262 Swallow Relic Art

This limited edition art print features a mounted relic from an aluminum sheet used in the production of the Me 262, salvaged in May 1945 and later repurposed as roofing material; it depicts the dramatic scene of 25 April 1945, when Ens. Hans Guido Mutke, piloting his Me 262 "White 3," evaded pursuing P-51D Mustangs of the U.S. 8th Air Force, in what Mutke claimed was the first instance of breaking the sound barrier in the Me 262.

Details About the RELIC:

May 1945 - Aluminum wing skins and sheets from an Me 262 production line were removed by a fleeing Czech worker when German production ceased at the end of the war. Using a cart and horse, the sheeting was taken to the worker's property and was used as roofing material. Aces In Action was able to acquire most of the roofing material in 2021 which had been used as wing skins on the latest production aircraft. Fortunately, the sheets had been installed with the stamping side down, thus saving the precious markings from the elemtns.

Each relic included with the canvas print was removed from one of those sheets in 2021, which still clearly includes the original AWS (Aluminum Walzwerke Singen) Eagle 3116.5 manufacturer stamp.

Me 262 Relic used in "Untouchable Pursuit" Print

Me 262 AWS 3116.5 Aluminum

Visible Eagle AWS markings inside wing skins

Me 262 Relic as used in "Untouchable Pursuit" Print

The Story Behind the Print:

25 April 1945 - In an untouchable pursuit by the U.S. 8th Air Force P-51D Mustangs, Ens. Hans Guido Mutke accelerates "White 3", his trusted Me-262 to safety. Mutke would later claim that he was the first to break the sound barrier - in the Me-262.

Messerschmitt Me 262 in Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany

On April 9, 1945, German pilot Hans Guido Mutke, flying a Messerschmitt Me 262, undertook a high-altitude training flight as part of the Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 2. During the mission, he detected a P-51 Mustang approaching a fellow pilot and quickly dove into action, pushing his jet into a steep 40° descent. As he passed 12,000 meters (around 39,000 feet), Mutke experienced severe aircraft vibrations. His airspeed indicator hit its maximum limit, suggesting he may have breached the sound barrier—a claim that would spark post-war debate regarding supersonic flight.

While attempting to regain control, Mutke used the Me 262’s unique tailplane adjustment system, which allowed the entire horizontal stabilizer to be angled. This innovation, later adopted by the Bell X-1, helped him briefly stabilize his aircraft. However, after reducing his throttle to slow down, both engines flamed out, leading to further loss of control as his jet shook violently. Mutke managed to restart the engines and regain some control but struggled to bring his speed below 500 km/h.

Upon landing, the damage to his aircraft was apparent: many rivets had been shaken loose, and the wings were visibly distorted. These damages led to speculation that Mutke’s aircraft may have momentarily achieved supersonic speeds, a claim that is still debated. Regardless of the controversy, his flight highlighted the Me 262's cutting-edge design and its potential limitations under extreme conditions.

Mutke’s experience remains a pivotal story in aviation history. It exemplifies the experimental nature of early jet technology, as well as the daring pilots who pushed these machines to their limits in the final days of World War II. Though the question of whether Mutke was truly the first to break the sound barrier remains unresolved, his flight offers valuable insight into the rapid advancements in aviation technology during the war.

Click here to see a video recap of the incident.

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Commissioned by Museums, Treasured by Collectors