Snautzer01
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I have never seen before pic 1 and 3 in any publication. T-2-500
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eBay: Messerschmitt Me163
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Crimea_River
Marshal
Great shots.
Oddly enough I've seen 1 and 3 somewhere, but don't recall number 2 
I've never seen them in this resolution so thanks for posting them.
There were no powered flights. The Me 163 was towed behind a B-29 and released at altitude for gliding flight. There were many problems and even with Lippisch present nobody seems to have known how all the systems worked, particularly the undercarriage.
Cheers
Steve
I've never seen them in this resolution so thanks for posting them.There were no powered flights. The Me 163 was towed behind a B-29 and released at altitude for gliding flight. There were many problems and even with Lippisch present nobody seems to have known how all the systems worked, particularly the undercarriage.
Cheers
Steve
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
These photos were taken during the tests at Muroc during spring of 1946...
I used to have a few photos somewhere that showed both the tow cable and a communications cable attached.
I used to have a few photos somewhere that showed both the tow cable and a communications cable attached.
bobbysocks
Chief Master Sergeant
did they remove the engine and replace it with ballist? or did they have enough of those engines laying around risking it in a crash didnt worry them?
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Don't know about the 2nd photo, but the first and third photo were taken at Edwards (Muroc). You could see the mountains in the background, especially in the 3rd picture.
Found this info from another fourm...
"Post-War research was carried out by the USA
Britain, France and the USSR.
United States: tested in 1946 towed by B-29 for unpowered flight. Powered test were planned, but not carried out due to the delamination of the 163s wings.
Aircraft was stored until 1954 and later trasferred to the Smithsonian, were it is on display today.
Britain: Tested the Me 163 in unpowered and
powered flight with the assistance of German technicians. The Me 163 Reached 32,000ft in 2 1/2 minutes what a ride!...
France: Tested in unpowered flight its unknown if any powered flights were carried out.
USSR: The Russians captured a number of 163s
at the Junkers plant plus some trainer models
After the war, unpowered tests were conducted its unknown if any powered test took place.
The supply of T-Stoff and C-Stoff were limited, and if the fuel was available it wasn't enough to use for testing, the fuel was unstable and dangerous, this was a problem all the Allies faced.
Delamination:
Splitting, pealing of layers of the Me 163s wooden wings, this would make the aircraft
dangerous to fly."
Me 163 Komet Jet Fighter | World War II Database
Also thought this was interesting as we have discussed the Komet's combat record on many occasions..
2 Oct 1941 The third Messerschmitt Me 163A rocket-powered prototype aircraft, piloted by Heini Dittmar, achieved an unofficial world speed record of 623.85 mph.
13 May 1944 Major Wolfgang Späte, in a Me 163 jet aircraft launched from Bad Zwischenahn in northern Germany, pursued two USAAF P-47 fighters. Mechanical problems with the aircraft cause Späte to eventually lose contact with the US fighters.
29 Jul 1944 A Me 163 jet fighter attempted to disrupt a B-17 raid on Mersburg, Germany but was instead pursued by Captain Arthur Jeffrey in a P-38 fighter. Jeffrey chased the Me 163 jet fighter to a very low altitude and confidently reported a victory, but post war records indicated that there was no Me 163 lost on this particular date.
7 Oct 1944 1st Lieutenant Elmer Taylor and 1st Lieutenant Willard Erfkamp of USAAF 364th Fighter Group, flying P-51 fighters, together shot down the German Me 163 rocket fighter piloted by Husser; Husser would survive the subsequent crash landing.
2 Nov 1944 About 12 Me 163 rocket fighters of German Jagdgeschwader 400 fighter wing intercepted a group of US bombers escorted by P-51 fighters east of Leipzig, Germany. The Germans shot down two bombers, while the American fighters shot down four Me 163 rocket fighters; the four German pilots shot down were Oberfeldwebel Horst Rolly, Oberfeldwebel Herbert Straznicky, Oberfeldwebel Gunther Andreas, and Jacob Bollenrath (rank unknown). Bollenrath's fighter would be the final Me 163 downing by a P-51 fighter.
Found this info from another fourm...
"Post-War research was carried out by the USA
Britain, France and the USSR.
United States: tested in 1946 towed by B-29 for unpowered flight. Powered test were planned, but not carried out due to the delamination of the 163s wings.
Aircraft was stored until 1954 and later trasferred to the Smithsonian, were it is on display today.
Britain: Tested the Me 163 in unpowered and
powered flight with the assistance of German technicians. The Me 163 Reached 32,000ft in 2 1/2 minutes what a ride!...
France: Tested in unpowered flight its unknown if any powered flights were carried out.
USSR: The Russians captured a number of 163s
at the Junkers plant plus some trainer models
After the war, unpowered tests were conducted its unknown if any powered test took place.
The supply of T-Stoff and C-Stoff were limited, and if the fuel was available it wasn't enough to use for testing, the fuel was unstable and dangerous, this was a problem all the Allies faced.
Delamination:
Splitting, pealing of layers of the Me 163s wooden wings, this would make the aircraft
dangerous to fly."
Me 163 Komet Jet Fighter | World War II Database
Also thought this was interesting as we have discussed the Komet's combat record on many occasions..
2 Oct 1941 The third Messerschmitt Me 163A rocket-powered prototype aircraft, piloted by Heini Dittmar, achieved an unofficial world speed record of 623.85 mph.
13 May 1944 Major Wolfgang Späte, in a Me 163 jet aircraft launched from Bad Zwischenahn in northern Germany, pursued two USAAF P-47 fighters. Mechanical problems with the aircraft cause Späte to eventually lose contact with the US fighters.
29 Jul 1944 A Me 163 jet fighter attempted to disrupt a B-17 raid on Mersburg, Germany but was instead pursued by Captain Arthur Jeffrey in a P-38 fighter. Jeffrey chased the Me 163 jet fighter to a very low altitude and confidently reported a victory, but post war records indicated that there was no Me 163 lost on this particular date.
7 Oct 1944 1st Lieutenant Elmer Taylor and 1st Lieutenant Willard Erfkamp of USAAF 364th Fighter Group, flying P-51 fighters, together shot down the German Me 163 rocket fighter piloted by Husser; Husser would survive the subsequent crash landing.
2 Nov 1944 About 12 Me 163 rocket fighters of German Jagdgeschwader 400 fighter wing intercepted a group of US bombers escorted by P-51 fighters east of Leipzig, Germany. The Germans shot down two bombers, while the American fighters shot down four Me 163 rocket fighters; the four German pilots shot down were Oberfeldwebel Horst Rolly, Oberfeldwebel Herbert Straznicky, Oberfeldwebel Gunther Andreas, and Jacob Bollenrath (rank unknown). Bollenrath's fighter would be the final Me 163 downing by a P-51 fighter.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
From what I understand, is that only glide tests was conducted. Dr. Lippisch discovered the delamination in the wings, so they were replaced by wings from the Me163 airframe of FE495 (which was thought to have been scrapped at Wright Field in 1950) and cancelled the planned power tests.
There were a number of problems during the testing, which largely revolved around the landing skid/dolly arrangement. I recall reading that the controls were also troublesome. If that wasn't bad enough, test pilot, Maj. Lundquist, USAAF, had a heck of a time keeping the Komet under control while in tow, due to the wash from the B-29.
Here's an original color photo of it on display at Wright Field during the victory display in 1946
There were a number of problems during the testing, which largely revolved around the landing skid/dolly arrangement. I recall reading that the controls were also troublesome. If that wasn't bad enough, test pilot, Maj. Lundquist, USAAF, had a heck of a time keeping the Komet under control while in tow, due to the wash from the B-29.
Here's an original color photo of it on display at Wright Field during the victory display in 1946
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
There were several airframes available, but the testing of T-2-500 was done with it's engine intact (it was planned to do powered flight tests, but these were cancelled), but the airframe was lightened by removing non-essential items, keeping in mind the CoG needs.
If you look at the first photos posted, you'll see that the pilot's armored glass is removed but in the Victory display photo I posted, it was still in place.
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Snautzer01
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I wonder why the USAF would lightened the aircraft. I was supposed to glide back to base after firing the rocket. Full combat load minus ammo and fuel.
Oh man, look at that Ju 290 in the background. If only...
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Snautzer01
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evangilder
"Shooter"
Interesting. Glad I read through the whole thread, as I was going to say it couldn't be at WPAFB with the mountains in the background. I am surprised they left the swastika on the aircraft, but I guess by 1946 it didn't really matter.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I was thinking the exact same thing Jim!
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
I have a few more color shots of the '46 Victory display at Wright Field, if you guys want to see them...
CORSNING
Tech Sergeant
Color shots? Let 'm rip GrauGeist. Please.
Jeff
Jeff
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Nice shots! Thanks for sharing.
