Early August, 1943 - The War Department, Washington, DC: "Mother of God!" I don't believe what I just saw." General "Hap" Arnold, USAAC exclaims. He had just watched captured German film of a test flight of the most lethal weapon of World War II, the first combat jet fighter plane in aviation history, the Messerschmitt 262! "My God! With the Me 262s, Hitler can put an aerial umbrella over Europe that could win the war for them...No, not could, but would win! How do we stop them!?" Operation Hermes is the story of how a ...
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Early August, 1943 - The War Department, Washington, DC: "Mother of God!" I don't believe what I just saw." General "Hap" Arnold, USAAC exclaims. He had just watched captured German film of a test flight of the most lethal weapon of World War II, the first combat jet fighter plane in aviation history, the Messerschmitt 262! "My God! With the Me 262s, Hitler can put an aerial umbrella over Europe that could win the war for them...No, not could, but would win! How do we stop them!?" Operation Hermes is the story of how a small group of Allied Intelligence agents developed and executed a plan to convince the Germans to delay the mass production of the Me 262. They knew the final answer rested with Adolph Hitler. How would or could they get to Hitler to influence his decision on mass producing the Me 262, the one weapon the Allies knew could guarantee Germany's victory in World War II. From Washington to London, Lisbon to Berlin, Dublin to Stockholm, the Operation Hermes team tried to infiltrate the highest offices of the German war machine to raise questions among the leaders on what the Me 262 should be. Germany had over one million troops in Europe and their leaders were confident that their troops could thwart any invasions the Allies would attempt. The Allies agreed, especially if Hitler produced the Me 262 in great numbers. The success or failure of the efforts of Operation Hermes would determine the fate of the world. Beginning on the Sixth of June 1944, the Allies and Hitler had their answers.
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