“The ME262 was an excellent fighter aircraf”
As I understand it, for the longest time Hitler was adamant on using it strictly as a bomb carrying ground attack aircraft. Adolph Galland put up such a stink that Hitler finally relented and allowed it to be used as an interceptor against bomber formations. Nothing the allies had could deal with it until we figured out to attack them in their landing approach. Too late in war otherwise 262’s could have devastated strategic bombing.
They demonstrated a jet for Hitler in 1939 and he dismissed the whole idea.
262 would have forced 8th AF into joing
the RAF in night bombing, but daylight bombing in prep for DDay would have continued as 262 had poor combat radius and Germans would not have based them outside Germany at bases easily reached by 47s and Typhoons and while 17s and 24s were sitting ducks I am sure P51 pilots would have devised tactics to deal with jet performance much the way Jimmy Thach dealt with the Zero. So I don’t believe the 262 appearing in Dec 43 or Jan 44 would have altered the outcome much
Just because the US 8th AF brass in 1943 wanted to believe in the firepower of an unescorted box formation didn't mean a capable escort fighter wasn't available.
Had Hitler not ordered the ME-262 redesign as a bomber and it was available in 1943, I don't see where much would have changed.
The P-38 Lightning was available.
When compared against the ME-262, the P-38 had a slower horizontal speed, much higher climb speed and comparable dive speed.
The Lightning had significantly better low speed performance and had a significantly higher service ceiling than the 262.
In all probability, 262 pilots in 1943 would have been under orders to avoid contact with fighters. The 262's prime target in 1943 would have been bombers and all escorting Lightning had to do was interrupt the 262s pass on the formation.