Me163 at the Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow, Berlin. # 191904

Me163 at the Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow, Berlin. # 191904

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Me163 at the Luftwaffe Museum, Gatow, Berlin. # 191904

Messerschmitt Me 163 'Komet'

The Messerschmitt Me 163A was as a research aircraft with rocket propulsion designed by Dr. Alexander M Lippisch.

Developed from the Me 163A was the Me 163B, A single seat target defense fighter. It featured a constant 22.3 degrees of wing sweepback at quarter chord, lacked horizontal tail surfaces and utilized a jettisonable twin-wheel dolly for take off and a retractable skid for landing.

A total of six prototypes and 70 pre-series were ordered. The first prototype (Me 163B V1) was completed in April 1942, but it had to wait for the completion of the first HWK R II-211 rocket motor for it's propulsion. The first flight with the rocket engine took place on June the 23rd 1943 (prototype Me 163B V2)

The HWK 509A-1 production rocket engine produced a max. thrust of 1700 kg for 7.5 minutes.

In May 1944 the Luftwaffe accepted it's first Me 163B, unofficially it was called 'Komet' a total of 279 Me163's were delivered, it was not very successful, 80 per cent suffered damage from take off or landing accidents and 15 per cent lost control in a dive or had fire onboard in the air.

Development of the Me 163C from the Me 163B with improved rocket engine that could last for 19 minutes started in January 1943, testing scheduled for August 1944 newer took place. No Me163C was ever completed or tested.

Research : M. van Leeuwen

Last page-update  © zap16.com 17-Oct-2007