For Sale: German Me163 Komet Rocket Powered Interceptor

[unokitty]

Wikipedia: Komet ME 163

Ebay

ORIGINAL static restoration of Me163 B V53, as flown by Uffz. Kurt Schiebeler of 1./JG 400! All parts found at the wrecksite are incorporated ... engine currently not installed. Comes with the rare and 100% ORIGINAL transportation trolley.

Located in Germany. Can send anywhere in the world.

Too big for my man cave. Still an interesting piece.

Uno

 

[Thump553]

I was taught to fly sailplanes (in the 1970s) by one of the very few German test pilots of that plane who survived WWII.

 

[rudder]

Shouldn't be to hard to find a rocket engine and fuel.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Shouldn't be to hard to find a rocket engine and fuel.

Don't forget the cows to tow it around the air field too.

 

[Meghan54]

Shouldn't be to hard to find a rocket engine and fuel.

According to the auction, the engine's included, but only 70% restored and not installed.

Ought to take a look at the auction. The owner/seller has quite a few photos of its restoration, just scroll past the verbiage.

 

[davmat787]

The ME-163's rocket used an extremely dangerous bipropellant, Hydrogen Peroxide as the oxidizer and a hydrazine hydrate/alcohol mix.

When the two met in the combustion chamber the chemical reaction forced through the nozzle created thrust. About 7-8 minutes worth.

Problem was, for the Nazis at least, the likelihood of catastrophic fuel explosions during take off or even ignition.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Imagine the first successful flight. The pilot must have felt a huge adrenalin rush then thought WTF how is this possible?

 

[davmat787]

Imagine the first successful flight. The pilot must have felt a huge adrenalin rush then thought WTF how is this possible?

V-2's had been around for a bit by the time these ME-163s came around. But yeah the performance was an enormous leap. 30000 feet in 2 minutes and a very impressive flight envelope.

The reason it wasn't a factor was it's late appearance in the war and it's 7-8 minutes of fuel. Also by the time incoming bomber wings were spotted and the Komet launched without blowing up, often it was too late. The bombers were long gone by the time it was airborne and reached altitude.

 

[Thump553]

V-2's had been around for a bit by the time these ME-163s came around. But yeah the performance was an enormous leap. 30000 feet in 2 minutes and a very impressive flight envelope.

The reason it wasn't a factor was it's late appearance in the war and it's 7-8 minutes of fuel. Also by the time incoming bomber wings were spotted and the Komet launched without blowing up, often it was too late. The bombers were long gone by the time it was airborne and reached altitude.

Plus these factors:

-you had to be an ace of a pilot to land it and do it exactly right, very unforgiving

-they went like a bat out of hell on the way up but once you ran out of fuel you were a slow flying sitting duck for any enemy fighters or bomber guns.

-by the time these came on board the Germans had next to no safe airfields to launch or land them.

 

[mizzou]

I remember historians on history channel saying that the ME262 was so devastating, that if it was there earlier in the war it is strongly possible the allies would have never achieved massive air dominance.

I think most allied kills on these jet fighters was plinking them while they were still parked on the runway.

What's the range on the Komet? I don't know why you would ever want a rocket fighter

 

[rudder]

I remember historians on history channel saying that the ME262 was so devastating, that if it was there earlier in the war it is strongly possible the allies would have never achieved massive air dominance.

I think most allied kills on these jet fighters was plinking them while they were still parked on the runway.

What's the range on the Komet? I don't know why you would ever want a rocket fighter

The engines in the ME262 had an average life of about 25 hours run time. It took a lot of resources to build and maintain one of these jets. The allies goal during the war was to cripple Germany's manufacturing capability. The ME262 would have wreaked havoc especially before the P51 entered the picture... But I wonder if Germany had the manufacturing capacity to make enough me262's early on to make a difference if they were introduced at the start of the war.

 

[Blanky]

That could be restored and flown again--by RC. Would be insane to put a human in its cockpit.

 

[trenchfoot]

I think it would be far more useful if it were attached to one of the arms on a octopus carnival ride.

 

[mizzou]

reminds me of the bud light jet

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I remember historians on history channel saying that the ME262 was so devastating, that if it was there earlier in the war it is strongly possible the allies would have never achieved massive air dominance.

I think most allied kills on these jet fighters was plinking them while they were still parked on the runway.

What's the range on the Komet? I don't know why you would ever want a rocket fighter

Years ago I saw a show about famous battles on history channel(?). They featured famous dog fights, they spoke with a guy who managed to shoot one down. Allied pilots were all briefed about jets and they'll be to fast to chase or engage. They were all told get out of any jets path and use a steep dive to do it because the jets couldn't dive as steeply.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

Saw one of these in person while I was at the Heritage Flight Museum. The guys must have had balls of steel in order to fly the things.

 

[mizzou]

Years ago I saw a show about famous battles on history channel(?). They featured famous dog fights, they spoke with a guy who managed to shoot one down. Allied pilots were all briefed about jets and they'll be to fast to chase or engage. They were all told get out of any jets path and use a steep dive to do it because the jets couldn't dive as steeply.

Yep!

Could you imagine being a 30-something WW2 flyboy cockpitting the finest american steel, kicking the shit out of germany and rolling mile after mile...only to encounter these freaking super-beast jets?!

I can't imagine the range of emotions and fear people had about the completely uncalculable power of their enemy. One day you spend strafing tank lines, and the next you are being briefed about how to fight a next-generation combat ready fighter.

I'm sure they heard about the status of up-and-coming USA jets, but to face one in a combat situation with a prop plane must have been terrifying.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I took a picture of one last month at the National USAF museum:

And the ME-262A as well:

 

[mizzou]

I took a picture of one last month at the National USAF museum:

And the ME-262A as well:

That place is amazing. Combat aircraft are one of those things you rarely get to see up close.

 

[cabri]

Yep!

Could you imagine being a 30-something WW2 flyboy cockpitting the finest american steel, kicking the shit out of germany and rolling mile after mile...only to encounter these freaking super-beast jets?!

I can't imagine the range of emotions and fear people had about the completely uncalculable power of their enemy. One day you spend strafing tank lines, and the next you are being briefed about how to fight a next-generation combat ready fighter.

I'm sure they heard about the status of up-and-coming USA jets, but to face one in a combat situation with a prop plane must have been terrifying.

Very few flyboys were in their 30s.

 

[skyking]

The engines in the ME262 had an average life of about 25 hours run time. It took a lot of resources to build and maintain one of these jets. The allies goal during the war was to cripple Germany's manufacturing capability. The ME262 would have wreaked havoc especially before the P51 entered the picture... But I wonder if Germany had the manufacturing capacity to make enough me262's early on to make a difference if they were introduced at the start of the war.

Much like the russian tanks and planes, the allies could always smother the superior German technology with vast numbers built abroad. The outcome was inevitable.

 

[skyking]

I took a picture of one last month at the National USAF museum:
snip

I was lucky to have a couple of days there on a business trip. You had to make an appointment to get on base for the presidential and experimental hangars, so I came back the next morning.

 

[OutHouse]

what is the propeller on the nose for?

 

[K1052]

what is the propeller on the nose for?

To provide electrical power.

 

[Me163Komet]

Wikipedia: Komet ME 163

Ebay
Too big for my man cave. Still an interesting piece.

Uno

Hi does any one know if the Me 163 is still for sale? Thanks.