Me 163B

Usage

Single seat target-defense rocket interceptor

Status

Operational

Powerplant

One Walter HWK 109-509A-2 rocket motor, 1,700 kg thrust

Span

9.30 m

Length

5.70 m

Wing Area

18.50 m2

Aspect Ratio

4.68

Maximum Weight

4,310 kg

Wing loading

232.97 kg/m2

Maximum speed

960 km/hr @3,000-9,000 m

Climb Rate

 5,000 m/min

Endurance

3 minutes powered flight

Armament

Two MK 108 30 mm cannon or two MG 151/20 20 mm cannon,
 augmented by five 50 mm rocket shells fired vertically by light-sensitive cells from each wing root
Construction of the 163B was started on December 1, 1941. Seventy aircraft were ordered. Due to changes in the Air Ministry, the priority was lowered, and this caused delays, especially in the rocket production at the Walter Company. The first completed airframe was then towed for it's first flight in May 1942. The first powered flight took place in July 1943. The first fully armed Me 163B, V 14, was delivered to the test squadron in January 1944.

 The first operational unit received a flight of Me 163 Bs late in June 1944, and were first used operationally in July of that year. The first interception of American B-17 bombers followed on August 16, though none were shot down. Although 300 or so Komets were built, only around 11 successful attacks were recorded, and against this the type gained a reputation as a dangerous aircraft to fly and land. On landing the Komet tended to flip over on the belly skid, the wheels having been jettisoned on takeoff, and remnants of the highly volatile F-Stoff and C-Stoff fuel left in the tanks tended to explode in a horrifying manner when accidentally mixed. Because of this, only 25 percent of the 279 Me 163B built by the end of the war ever saw action.

 The summer of 1944 saw the introduction of a new rocket motor, the HWK 809C, which supplanted the 3,750 1b (1,700 kg) thrust HWK 509A-2 fitted to the Me 163B. The new motor had a 660 1b (300 kg) thrust cruising chamber, and powered flight endurance was greatly increased when the new unit was incorporated info the redesigned Me 163C.

The Me 163B took three minutes to climb to 37,000 ft. Powered flight duration was between 8 to 15 minutes, with a range of about 100 km. Due to the very large speed difference between the fighter and it's bomber targets, only about 3 seconds were available for aiming!

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The Me 163B

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Me 163B taking off

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Nice overhead view of the Me 163B V-2 prototype

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Large cutaway view of the Me 163B

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Beautiful rendering of the 163B. I can't remember who sent this to me, but if you remind me, I'll post the credit.