It’s a bit sad that my old friend, Steve Snyder, who was tragically killed in the crash of his
F-86 back in 1998 isn’t around to see his project take flight. It’s also a shame that Steve is rarely, if ever, given credit for being the one originally responsible for the Me 262 project.

He was the brains, the inspiration, the one who thought of modern day replacement engines, and the one who convinced the Navy to lend him their Willow Grove Me 262 to use as a pattern. He also was the one who raised the money to get the project started, first in Texas, then in Washington state. The Me 262 project was his dream.

Steve was not only an aeronautical engineer, he was a prolific inventor. For example, all present day civilian and military skydivers have him to thank for their square parachutes. That was Steve’s work. He did not invent the square parachute, but he made it work and was first in production with one. And the small wrist altimeter … that was Steve.

He loved aviation and loved to share the joy of flight. He once mentioned to me that the downside to flying his F-86 was that he was unable to share the thrill with anybody else because it only had one seat. I’m sure the Me 262 replica he’d planned to keep for himself would have been configured as a two seater.