http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1923
17. This is a poor photo of the fuselage of the Me 163B that was unloaded from its truck at Merseburg to be flown to the United states. This first attempt to load "White 54" was a disaster. The transport aircraft was a Curtiss C-46 Seriial 44-77588 "R" and the building to the right is the same as in #11.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1924
18. This photo shows it being shoehorned into the C-46. "White 54" can be easily recognized by the inverted "V" dark camo pattern on the lower part if its port nose.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1925
19. When it was reassembled at Freeman Field at Seymour, Indiana, in the United Stated, parts were missing. Along its back spine, the Morane aerial, the access hatch to the MK 108 cannon as well as that to the
C-Stoff tank are missing. Below, the fairings over the wing root and base of tail are gone. But more significant is the brace under the port wing. The starboard wing is missing in every picture of "White 54" in the USA. There is also damage to the tip of the tail module.
forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1926
20. In this photo even more parts have been stripped from "White 53" Note the "X"s in the windows of this hangar at Freeman Field.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1927
21. Finally, the entire rear of "White 54" is missing, including the tail module.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1928
22. In this photo, the damaged tail of "White 54" has been attached to the fuselage of "White 42" that will become "FE495". Note the "X"s in the windows.
"White 54"'s fuselage and wing were most likely used as spares to make "FE500" flight worthy between November 1945 and March 1946. However, the damage to the tail precluded it from being used. The designation "FE501" appears never to have been painted on. The remains of "White 54" were undoubtedly scrapped at Freeman Field.