Germany Part 11 - Messerschmitt ME 163 Komet



Schematic Diagram from Deutsche Museum

 

Engine Propulsion Walter WHK 109-509A

Designed by Alexandra Lippisch
Top speed: 959 km/hr

Engine type: Walter HWK 109-509 A
The motor served as an auxiliary take-off propulsion system for airplanes as well as a powerful propulsion system for military aircraft.
Production of the 109-509 motor began in August 1944 with the A1 version. The motor was used for military aircraft, such as the Bachem Ba349 "Natter" and the Messerschmitt ME 163, as well as the DFS228 experimental high altitude plane.
The rocket motor could only fired for a few minutes due to its high fuel consumption. On the ME 163, for example, it could only be fired for approximately 7 minutes.
The motor was designed to permit the aircraft to climb to a high altitude in a matter of minutes to intercept enemy aircraft, defend ground installations, and to glide back to the ground.
The motor ran on diamide hydrate (C-fuel) and hydrogen peroxide (T-fuel). The mixing of these 2 substances produces an intense reaction. For this reason, the utmost diligence and care was required during refueling. Numerous and often fatal accidents occurred at landing when the remaining fuel in the tanks exploded.
Approximately 500 Walter HWK 109-509 rocket motors were built for aircraft.
Thrust (adjustable): 0.1 to 15.7 KN
Fuel consumption: Max 7.5 kg/sec
Total motor length: 2.53m
Total weight: 175 kg
(Source: Deutsche Museum)

You can see the letter "C" and "T" on the underside of the aircraft indicating the fuel types.

While reading on test pilots of ME 163, I came across a female test pilot by the name of Hanna Reitsch who had successfully flown the ME 163. Reading her story in wiki is fascinating. She and fellow comrade Ritter von Greim were in the Fuhrerbunker on the last days of the World War 2. Hitler gave von Greim and Reitsch capsules of poison for committing suicide. Reading her views, I could sense her honor, discipline and love for her motherland (Deutschland). I could also sense that in the people of the second axis of power, the Japanese, the same honor and duty to serve the Emperor. That honor drove ordinary citizens towards patriotism and eventually to sacrifice themselves in the war.  Japanese had the kamikaze and reading wiki, one could also see that Reitsch had proposed a similar idea of Operation Suicide to Hitler in 1944.

The Japanese had also tried to copy the ME 163. Mitsubishi had used the plans from ME 163 to develop the J8M Shusui plane.

When I was a young boy, around 9 to 10 years old, I was amazed by both ME 163 and ME 262 from the boxes of model planes.  I recalled I bought a model plane of the ME 163, although at that time, I did not know the history behind these planes. It was an awesome experience to see these planes in real life after all these years.