In the final months of World War II, an American armored infantryman poses beside a captured German Messerschmitt Me 262 of Kampfgeschwader 51, found parked along the Frankfurt Autobahn in March or April 1945. The Me 262, the world’s first operational jet fighter, was a revolutionary aircraft that the Luftwaffe hoped would turn the tide of the war. However, shortages of fuel, experienced pilots, and strategic disarray prevented its full potential. Capturing such advanced enemy technology provided the Allies with valuable intelligence. This rare moment, frozen in time, symbolizes the collapse of Nazi Germany and the technological advancements that would shape post-war aviation.