[RodM]

Hi Jim,

it is most unlikely that the Me163 operated at the night, if only because, other than accidentially ramming a enemy aircraft, it is difficult to see what practical use this aircraft could be in the defence of the Reich at night.

From around October/November 1944 onwards, after intelligence reports about the Me262 et al were circulated within the Allied Commands, sightings and claims against 'jets' at night by Bomber Command crews rose dramatically. Sporadic combats were reported and claims made throughout October 1944, and on the night of 2-3 November, Bomber Command crews (all from 4 Group) claimed 8 'jet' aircraft destroyed, including Me163s and Me262s, while on 4-5 November 1944, Bomber Command crews claimed 21 'jet' aircraft as destroyed and another 3 as damaged.

Bomber Command HQ was rightly suspicious of the validity of these claims and an investigation was ordered. Among the various conclusions that resulted from this investigation were:

"At present reporting lights or explosions, or any such phenomena, as jet aircraft, is pretty fashionable." (4/11/44)

"While it is possible that the enemy may be experimenting in a small way with the use of his jet and rocket propelled aircraft by night, the weight of evidence suggests that the phenomenon that is being reported is an expendable projectile other than an aircraft." (6/11/44)


The trend of sightings and claims against 'jet' aircraft by Bomber Command crews continued throughout the remainder of the war. Bomber Command HQ remained doubtful about the validity of the claims, and it is interesting to note that a BCHQ summary of all Bomber Command claims against enemy aircraft for the month of March 1945 ('Monthly Supplimentary Narrative of Operations - 3/45', dated 26/4/45) concluded:

"The position regarding Jet aircraft and/or Rocket or Jet Projectiles is substantially the same as for previous months.

The following claims, which it has not been possible to assess satisfactorily, are not therefore included in this summary:-

Destroyed, 8. Probably destroyed, 1. Damaged, 1."

The Luftwaffe High Command produced daily air situation reports concerning the defence of the Reich (called Reich Luftlagemeldungen) that included details of the Luftwaffe defensive sorties flown against Allied raids. The reports for February and March 1945 survived the war, and now reside at the BA/MA archive in Germany. From these reports, which happen to specifically identify sorties flown by the Me262 and Me163, it is clear that no Me163 sorties were flown at night, and the only night-time Me262 sorties were those flown (by 10./NJG11) against Mosquito raids upon Berlin. The relevant report for 5-6 March 1945, shows that no jet sorties were flown at all on this night.

During the last seven months of the war, Bomber Command crews tended to report any unusual phenomena as 'jet' or 'rocket-propelled' aircraft. While it cannot be entirely discounted that some form of trial by such aircraft to combat four-engined bombers was conducted on a limited scale (if it were, no evidence has come to light to prove it), what the RAF crews were most-likely witnessing were the myraid of visual signals munitions employed by the Luftwaffe during the closing months of the war.

Cheers

Rod