Messerschmitt Me 163 B

Me 163 B

Rocket-powered fighter aircraft

Alexander Lippisch came up with the basic concept for the tailless Me 163 rocket-powered fighter aircraft.

The initial preliminary work for this technical milestone started back in 1937 and the aircraft’s maiden flight, as a glider, took place in Augsburg on 13 February 1941. On 2 October 1941, an Me 163 A unofficially broke the 1,000 km/h barrier for the first time (1,003.67 km/h). After being developed further, the Me 163 B flew for the first time, as a glider, on 26 June 1942. Just like the A version, the Me 163 B had an all-metal fuselage and wooden wings.

MESSERSCHMITT MUSEUM OF FLIGHT

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Me 163 BS

SERVICE HISTORY

Me 163 BS - Rocket-powered fighter aircraft (replica in the form of a glider)

The Airbus Me 163 BS is a wooden glider, which has been built partly on the basis of the original plans and modified accordingly.

The external dimensions mirror those of the original aircraft. There are a number of key differences compared to the original – the fuselage is built entirely of wood, it has a skid undercarriage made of ash with a fixed main wheel and tail wheel, there are no landing flaps and a rescue system has been installed. Josef Kurz started building this unique aircraft in 1994. EADS became the owner in 2000 and, following the renaming of the company, it then became the property of Airbus. In 2005, the aircraft was extensively reworked and modified by Bitz Flugzeugbau in Augsburg.

Since the aircraft has been designed purely as a glider, its maximum speed is limited to 200 km/h. The aircraft used to tow the glider up into the air is another traditional aircraft belonging to Airbus – the Do 27 DEMNQ. Both these aircraft are stationed in the Bavarian town of Manching. By 2020, the aircraft had been decommissioned and was displayed as a static exhibit only. There are plans for it to resume flights in 2022.