Flying Me163

[Glider]

I came across this which may be of interest. Its a replica Me163 obviously without an engine and is flown as a glider.

I would love to get my hand on it and see how it handles. I would be suprised if it could soar so it would have to be a one way trip, but what a line to shoot.

Just wish I could find a better photo.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

You and I both - but I'd put an engine in it

 

[Glider]

All that rocket fuel, no thanks the pleasure is all yours.

PS Do you want flowers or donations

 

[FLYBOYJ]

All that rocket fuel, no thanks the pleasure is all yours.

PS Do you want flowers or donations

LOL!
One of the folks who run XCOR told me that he wanted to build a composite -163 and put a rocket engine in it!

http://www.xcor.com/our_team.html

 

[Gnomey]

Cool! I think I will go with Joe on this one, stick an engine it, it will be much safer than it was in WW2 (the fuel - in theory - won't explode so readily) plus in my opinion it would be a lot more fun too.

 

[Nonskimmer]

I'm sure it would be a blast.

Literally perhaps, but still a blast.

 

[syscom3]

Fly it in formation with a Remote Control B17 or Lanc! That would be a photo to show at your local pub!

 

[102first_hussars]

I never could understand why some of those were painted Red, were they just asking for there own guys to shoot at them?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I never could understand why some of those were painted Red, were they just asking for there own guys to shoot at them?

The prototype was red - all operational ones were painted accordingly...

 

[Hunter368]

I posted a 163 video flying and the ground crew fueling it up in the video section on this forum, check it out, its sweet.

 

[Nonskimmer]

I never could understand why some of those were painted Red, were they just asking for there own guys to shoot at them?

The prototype was red - all operational ones were painted accordingly...

Wolfgang Spate's first operational Komet flight was in a bright red plane, which his ground crew had painted without his knowledge. He was furious supposedly, and ordered the red paint removed after the sortie. Can't imagine why.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I never could understand why some of those were painted Red, were they just asking for there own guys to shoot at them?

The prototype was red - all operational ones were painted accordingly...

Wolfgang Spate's first operational Komet flight was in a bright red plane, which his ground crew had painted without his knowledge. He was furious supposedly, and ordered the red paint removed after the sortie. Can't imagine why.

 

[Gnomey]

 

[Glider]

Fly it in formation with a Remote Control B17 or Lanc! That would be a photo to show at your local pub!

Shouldn't that be a B24 or a Lanc?

Sorry, cheap shot I know, but couldn't resist it

 

[DaveB.inVa]

NS is right on, Spate's Komet was painted by the groundcrew as a parallel to the Red Baron.

 

[syscom3]

Fly it in formation with a Remote Control B17 or Lanc! That would be a photo to show at your local pub!

Shouldn't that be a B24 or a Lanc?

Sorry, cheap shot I know, but couldn't resist it

The B24's were too fast for the Me163 to successfully intercept. Or the Me163 pilots were laughing so hard at such an easy target, they lost concentration and missed them.

 

[Gnomey]

Too fast?? How, a B-24J has a max speed of 290mph, the ME-163 had a max speed of 596mph (960km/h) at 32,800 ft. (10,000m). If anything the 163 was too fast to intercept the B-24, however if it can successfully engage the slower B-17 then it can engage the B-24. I will agree though that the 163 pilots probably were laughing at suck an easy target, whether they missed or not is a different question, we will just have to look at the statistics.

 

[Glider]

I think Syscom was joking re the speed.. Hitting anything in a Me163 was in my mind a major feat. With a very high closing speed and the ballistics of the 30mm 108 any hit would have been hard.

 

[syscom3]

I was joking

 

[delcyros]

Me too. I had once the possibility in the early 90´s to have a look at some of the construction works (wing assembly) of this glider back in Frankfurt. Great work.
I also was surprised that it has such an exzellent rate of glide (1:24), particularly for the early 40´s were such rates were only achievable with high performance gliders.