The early jet age will come back to life at the International Sanicole Airshow 2026 with a legendary aircraft that changed the face of the Second World War in its final year, ushering in the jet age, and which never appeared at a Belgian airshow before: the Me262 Schwalbe.
The Messerschmitt Me 262 was the world’s first operational jet fighter, introduced in 1944 and fast enough to outrun almost anything in the sky. Conceived as early as 1939, it became one of Nazi Germany’s most talked-about “wonder weapons.” Its revolutionary speed gave it a decisive edge in combat, though early jet engine reliability and vulnerability during landing revealed just how new this technology truly was. Beyond its fighter role, it served in reconnaissance and fighter-bomber missions, and its swept-wing, twin-engine configuration went on to influence early Soviet and Japanese jet development. Remarkably, it even continued flying postwar in Czechoslovakia as the Avia S-92 until 1951.
The aircraft appearing at Sanicole belongs to the Messerschmitt Stiftung and operates from the german airfield Manching thanks to Airbus. Built in the United States in 2005 as a faithful reproduction, it pairs authentic lines with modern reliability, powered by two GE CJ610 jet engines, the same type found on classic Learjet business jets. This careful blend of heritage and safety allows today’s audiences to experience the Me262 not as a museum artifact, but as a living, breathing jet in motion. The foundation itself preserves the legacy of renowned German aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt, whose creations defined an era of aviation innovation.
In the air, the display is a study in elegance and power. Long, sweeping passes showcase the aircraft’s impossibly clean fuselage, its engines slung beneath the wings like futuristic nacelles imagined decades ahead of their time.
Be there during the weekend 12 and 13 September 2026, over Hechtel-Eksel: you will not just see a rare aircraft. You will feel the birth of the jet age echo overhead.
Photo Credit: Aviation Photocrew
