Me 163B Testing

The production-style Me 163B combat aircraft is featured in this footage taken from the rocket.aero DVD "Me 163: Wings of Fire." For more information, visit: www.rocket.aero

[@hartmutwrith3134]

as a glider pilot student athe Dornier works in Oberpfaffenhofen one of my instructors had been an ey Me 163B fighter pilot. He had such a good humor.

[@dingo1732]

The recovery and transportation vehicle is the Scheuch-Schlepper. An essential vehicle at any Me-163 unit.

[@anthonyxuereb792]

What genius! The rate of climb was just incredible. Hard to believe it happened all those years ago.

[@kylefletcher4549]

instablaster

[@jf7243]

What a frightening aeroplane to fly!

[@ruggikus]

Well explained, Thank you!

[@fredperez3969]

Just imagine the level at which the GoPro’s would be today had this technology not been lost to the war!

[@laihela]

@Wesley Pierce Begone, robot!

[@jerrynorton1080]

Go-go, go-pro! However, that was probably a "Robot" brand, maybe 50 frames from a leica cartridge, 24×24mm exposure on 35mm filmstock, and the cable let him remotely operate it... he dident hafta keep reaching up. If as a guncamera, the cable may have been connected with the machinegun trigger, on the control stick, but guncameras were often mounted in the cockpit or even the wing (behind a window). These me 163 films make me think of the smuggled film inThe Rocketeer,

[@icewaterslim7260]

Old drag racing ditti: "If the ground is shakin' and exhaust flames green it's Hydrazine". And it probably killed more motors than it won races.

[@starguard4122]

This is where the U.S got the Technology for the X-15 Rocket plane

[@tahirusman5929]

Way ahead of everyone at the time. The world moved ahead with their stolen technology.....

[@dont-want-no-wrench]

born of desperation and with no care for the lives of the pilots

[@viktordickinson7844]

@@dont-want-no-wrench sorry, did your people invent jet engines? No? Seethe.

[@viktordickinson7844]

@@dont-want-no-wrench progress is built on risk.

[@nexgensurvey8379]

@@dont-want-no-wrench Nonsense

[@ronnysundt3249]

@@viktordickinson7844 Who invented the gasturbine?

[@michaelhenry4405]

1944 the original GoPro

[@bryanpalmer9660]

An incredible but dangerously flawed aircraft-rather them than me!

[@aureliobrighton1871]

From what I read the rocket fuel used was incredible unstable and almost lethal ... how were they able to produce sealing material and gear to both hold and fill in that hellish brew .. it all seems so 'handmade' . much like the protection from the early Crestarun days :()

[@EVISEH]

The fuel used in the Me163 consisted of two separate chemicals. By themselves they were highly inflammable but relatively safe to handle, however when combined together they became extremely explosive. In the case of the 163, it was usually towed in to the air with the engine not operating. After getting airborne the pilot would open valves allowing the two separate chemicals to mix resulting in an explosion - that was how the rocket thrust occurred. Most of the Me163 pilot deaths that occurred were not from combat but from when the 163 landed. Most often the fuel mixture was not entirely consumed in flight and the slightest jolt on landing was sufficient to cause any remaining fuel, now even more volatile and highly unstable from having mixed with air in the combustion chamber, to explode. Many pilots unable to make a rapid exit from the Me 163's cockpit became trapped and burnt to death. They were the lucky ones, those pilots who did manage to get out more often than not suffered horrific burns, disfigurement and injuries.

[@aureliobrighton1871]

@@EVISEH Thankyou. I see, on the ground it was more 'fire prevention' rather than e.g. aggressive acid biting the barrels and rubber. And breathing protection for the crew. So the rocket motor is 'just' a set of injector valves and an explosion chamber. About the immanent excrutiating risk I can nevertheless imagine this machine held high appeal to a certain kind of pilots. Like even in peacetime seen in early Dragracing, Formula 1 etc. 😰

[@spencer5318]

凄い！！自力で飛ぶのを！初めて見ました！！＼(^o^)／

[@sofftovich]

Starling

[@kevfrancis1992]

commentator sounds like Kevin Costner

[@dginia]

Hazardous enough to be one of the pilots, but the ground crew apparently used no safety clothing? Amazing vehicle, but ....

[@alistairmcdonald2382]

Well what a ya know ! the Nazis are doing burnouts in the carpark ! 🚀