ME-163 Komet Question: Rear Vision Panel Ports

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MrSmoothie

Airman
66
66
Jan 21, 2019
I'm working on an R/C Model of the ME-163 Komet and collecting reference photos. The Komet had triangular panels aft of the canopy for rearward vision. There were two round ports per side, and curiosity has gotten the best of me . Can anybody explain what these are, or their purpose? Are we seeing something through these ports? I looked as closely as I could at the Komet at the Air Force Museum recently and the lighting was too poor to tell much (my photo below). I read something about oxygen bottles being located there, but that still doesn't make sense of what I'm seeing. Could these actually be gauges visible to ground crew?

Does anybody have better reference photos taken much closer?

The way things usually go, I'll take my best guess at a representation, and find the real answer a day or two after!



Messerschmitt-Me-163-B-1-Komet-14.jpgIMG_4093.JPG
 
I find it interesting that whatever it is that I can see through the aft port (white lines?) is the very same on both Komets.
 
I would say these are just the lightening holes with faded edges. So I agree with CR. The white lines are markings on the oxygen bottles put there as memo serves.
 
Wow, this is great -- I knew I could get a "real" answer here! So the white line is on the bottle, and the silver is presumably a metal bracket or strap. Is that narrow tube the actual O2 line?

Thanks guys for the solid information. I learned something new today, including the odd shape of the O2 bottles.
 
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