Me 163 crash on 22 January 1945
 

In the book ""Helicopters of the Third Reich" by Steve Coates and Jean-Christophe Carbonel (ISBN 1-903223-24-5), I found the biography of a Luftwaffe airman, Gottfried Wagner, who was killed in January 1945 in a Me 163.

"GOTTFRIED WAGNER
Born on 31 May 1916 in Hohenstein. He joined the Luftwaffe on 15 October 1936 and served with a variety of maritime front-line and training units. Promoted to Lt. and Oblt, on 1 November 1941 and 1 April 1942 respectively, his RDA for both ranks would retrospectively be amended to 1 September 1939 and 1 December 1941. He was awarded the KVK II with Swords on 20 April 1941 and the Frontflugspange fur Aufklärer in Bronze on 22 June 1943 as a result of missions flown with 2./SAGr 125. On 15 July 1943 he joined 3./Bflgrp 196 and assumed command of the Fl 282 Aussenkdo shortly thereafter. His appreasal of 30 September 1943 considered him 'A conscientious officer. By nature very lively and objective. He displays good flying skill and an ability to assimilate information quickly.' Following the disbandment of 3./Bflgrp 196 in June 1944 he was transferred to 2./Bflgrp 196. At the beginning of August he was then transferred to Ekdo 16 and was killed at Brandis on 22 January 1945 following an accident in the Me 163 V30 CI +02 (W. Nr. 16310039)."

I would like to complete the above with more details about his fatal crash. I know that several extensive books exist on Me 163, and if someone can check if more details about the crash are told, I am interested.

Also, what was the subtype of Me 163 V30 ?

Thanks in advance

Laurent

Re: Me 163 crash on 22 January 1945
 

Laurent. The Me 163 V30 was a B-0 machine. There is very little that can be added on the accident other than it occurred at Brandis and that it was put down to pilot error on landing. The Monatsbericht for Ekdo 16 for January 1945 merely reports: Am 22.1.45 ging V30 Fuehrungsfehler bei der Landung 75% zu Bruch. Beyond this and the NVM I've never seen another document covering this incident.

If you're looking for a reference work on the Me 163, then I'd recommend the two volumes put out by Classic 'Me 163 Rocket Interceptor' jointly authored by Stephen Ransom and Hans-Hermann Camman. Also well worth reading is 'Top Secret Bird' by Wolfgang Spaete which has a very readable text.

Re: Me 163 crash on 22 January 1945
 

I checked in my copy of Wolfgang Spaete's book but found no reference to the crash.

Re: Me 163 crash on 22 January 1945
 

Thanks a lot