A Photographic Examination of the Me 163Bs sent to the USA

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1946

40. At some point, likely in early June 1945, it was decided to put on a display of captured German technology at Kassel, Germany for American servicemen. Included were three tailless fuselages of Me 163Bs that were being prepared to be crated for shipment to the US. To provide a better view of the MK108/30 cannon of the closest Me 163B the long upper and lower wing root fairings were removed. In this case, a part of the upper fairing is bent out of shape.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1947

41. This is another view of the three Komets. Note that in this photo the far aircraft, "KE+SX" is upright. The recessed MK108/30 can be inferred by the gunport in the middle of the wing root of the Me 163B at the left. If you look closely you can make out the tip if the muzzle of the MG151/20 of the middle aircraft and the far aircraft has no gunport in its wing root.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1948

42. This comparison confirms the left hand Komet is "191301".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1949

43. In this photo "191301" has been removed. Also, with its long wing root fairings removed, a clear view of the MG151/20 with its protruding muzzle was made. Perhaps this explains the "Armament" placard in the background. The bulbous fairing covering the air vents of the tailpipe is conspicuous.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1950

44. A comparison with the previous taxiway line-up photo confirms that the nearer aircraft is "White 42" that along with "191301" was recorded as "Rocket plane" on the June 26, 1945 manifest provided by Richdic in post # 7 of this thread.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1951

45. This is another view if the tailless "White 42" at the Kassel exhibition with its dark-looking camouflage. The top of the canopy is about six feet off the ground and the width of the fuselage is about five feet.
Researching the specifications of the Me 163B, the length was 19 ft, 2 in. and the tare weight was 4200 lbs. Add 800 lbs. for the wooden crate and the total weight would indeed be "5000". With room for an upright wing on each side of the fuselage, a crate about 20 ft. long, 6.5 ft. high and 5.6 ft. wide would take up 728 Cu.ft. ... with room for one Me 163B, not 89!

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1955

46. After re-assembly at Freeman Field, "191301" was chosen as the more photogenic in its original German makings of the Me 163Bs and sent to Wright Field as part of the display of captured German aircraft at the enormous "Army Air Forces Fair", 13-21 October 1945.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1956

47. This colour photograph at the Fair gives a good idea of the original German camouflage patterns, mottling and late war German national markings on a Me 163B. Note the extra large white circle indicating the T-Stoff filler cap. Also, the replacement wing root fairing doesn't quite match.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1957

48. The diminuative Me 163B looks even smaller next to a Junkers Ju 290.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1958

49. The T-Stoff circles in this comparison suggest that at Merseburg the second Me 163B from the right was "191301".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1959

50. In November 1945, it was decided to make "191301" airworthy for flight trials in 1946 in California by using spare parts from "FE501" and "FE502". In this photo, the wings and most of the fairings and hatches have been removed for complete inspection. The "X"'s of the windows identify the same hangar that "White 54" was in.

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1967

51. By 21 March 1946, "191301" was ready for flight testing and had been given a new paint job with a high demarcation including dark mottling on the upper surfaces. In large white lettering, "FE500" was painted on the tail.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1962

52. On 12 April 1946, it was airlifted by a C-82 Packet transport aircraft to the Material Command flight test centre at Rogers Dry Lake, Muroc, California, later Edwards Air Force Base. It had been recoded "T-2-500".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1963

53. As in Germany, the first test flights were to be "TG" [Towed Glider] with a B-29 towing the "T-2-500" to 35,000 feet. The first test flight was supposed to take place on 3 May 1946 at Muroc with designer Alexander Lippisch present. Unfortunately, just before lift-off, the tow rope detached and the Me 163B rolled on for several miles. A few towed glider flights were made by Gustav E. Lundquist but any further powered flights were cancelled when failure of the glue in the plywood of the wings [delamination] was detected.


forum.12oclockhigh.net/album.php?albumid=73&pictureid=1964

54. "T-2-500" then went to Norton Air Force Base, California, for storage. The starboard wing is missing in this view. In 1954 it was transferred to the NASM Paul Garber Facility at Old Silver Hill, Maryland, for storage.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1965

55. From 1996 to 2008, "T-2-500" with some of the American paint removed, was on display at the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, near Savannah, Georgia.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1966

56. Today, still unrestored, the original werknummer, 191301, can be seen on its tail. It is on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum at Washington's Dulles International Airport.

[edwest2]

As a point of interest for those unaware, T-2 was code for Technical Intelligence at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Freeman Field also got some captured aircraft. FE stood for Foreign Equipment. An agreement existed with the British who painted USA numbers on aircraft they came across that were of interest to the Americans.

[Karoband]

Thank you, Ed!

[Revi16]

Description of the ME 163 B-0 Construction
https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer...XX.0408_ref648


Me 163 B Airplane Manual, Part 6 - Power Plant - Description, Part 7 - Power Plant Control and Maintenance
https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer...XX.0408_ref534


M E 163, Volume II - Me 163 B Airplane Manual
https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer...XX.0408_ref637

These can be ordered, not on-line yet.
https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm-xxxx...o=doc_position
https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm-xxxx...o=doc_position



If you PM me your e-mail I'll send you the photos that I have. Some may be new to you.

[Karoband]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the documents. I look forward to reading them in detail ... and the resolution of your photos is phenomenal.

with much appreciation,

Jim

[Karoband]

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1968

57. This photo of the starboard side of "White 42" is problematic in that it does not show the dark camouflage seen in every other photo of that aircraft. It has not yet been determined where or when this picture was taken, but the Morane radio mast and wing root fairings were removed from the wingless fuselage at Kassel, Germany. The re-assembly of the wings without root fairings suggests this photo was taken after the arrival at Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana in August 1945. Note the bulbous fairing over the air vents of the tail pipe, not seen on "White 54".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1969

58. However, the camo pattern matches that seen on the starboard side of "White 42" on the truck in my #27. I would suggest that bright sunlight is reflecting off not only the aircraft but the buildings in the picture above.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1970

59. As we have seen, for some reason the tail of "White 54" was attached to the fuselage of "White 42".

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1971

60. This comparison of the forward port fuselage with that of "White 42" on the truck at Merseburg confirms the identity of the fuselage.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1972

61. This is one of two other photos showing the fuselage of "White 42" with the tail of "White 54". The distortion in this photograph is quite apparent in the hakenkreuz. The easiest way to recognize the various identities of "White 42" is the bulbous fairing over the air vents. In addition, this early Me 163B with its MG 151/20 cannon is recognizable by the size of the cannon access hatch. I believe it was David E. Brown who first noticed the smaller hatch with a fairing below compared to the full-sized hatch of the later MK 108/30 models.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1973

62. The other photo, less hakenkreuz by Kumark-Antik, gives a good view of the mismatched wingroot fairing added by the Americans. Again note the damage to the tip of of the tail of "White 54".

[edwest2]

I hope the following is helpful, particularly the photos. It includes a few examples captured by the Soviets.


https://acesflyinghigh.wordpress.com...e-devils-sled/

[Karoband]

Hi Ed,

Thank you. Some of the pictures of "191301" I hadn't seen before. Also interesting was the page of "Winkle" Brown's logbook in which he records his self-authorized powered flight in a Me 163B at Husum on 10 June 1945.

Jim


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1974

63. This high-resolution copy of a picture of "FE495" is courtesy of Revi16. In the U.S.A., it was soon decided that "White 42" would not be used for spare parts to make "191301" flight worthy as "White 54" was the obvious choice. Instead, there was a need for public relations in a post war world. Static display aircraft of German origin were needed at air shows, recruitment fairs and even military parades. An "Air Force Exhibit Unit" was set up at Wright Field, Ohio and they gave "FE495" a beautiful, spurious make over. However, the bulbous air vent fairing on the tailpipe, the smaller access hatch to the MG 151/20 cannon and the damage to the tail tip identifies it as the fuselage of "White 42" with the "White 54" tail.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1975

64. This is another photo courtesy of Revi16. It shows FE495 sitting beside an He 162 at USAAF recruitment fair in about 1945-46.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1976

65. After publicity of the flight trials of FE500 at Muroc in the summer of 1946 people were eager to get a look at this novelty aircraft. This photo was taken, according to the caption, at the Philadelphia Air Show on 11 November 1948. However, the real FE500 was in storage at Norton AFB in California at that time.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1977

66. This "FE500" had an overall coat of dark green paint without mottling, but with the same bulbous fairing and smaller access hatch.


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1978

67. In its final years, "White 42" got numerous make overs. Some were really bad like this very fake "FE500".


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1979

68. Or with streamlining!


http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....pictureid=1980

69. Eventually, the usefulness of "White 42" came to an end. Franks. on page 18 of his book, says, "The remains of FE-495 were scrapped at Wright Field in 1950."