Valiant Wings The Me.163 Komet

[Mike]

The Me.163 Komet

A Detailed Guide To The Luftwaffe's Rocket-Powered Interceptor

Valiant Wings Airframe Album 10

 

 

Eric Brown famously (and naughtily) flew the diminutive and ground-breaking rocket fighter under power after WWII ended, and described it as something of a wild ride.  It was a point-defence fighter, taking off on a disposable trolley and climbing at an incredible rate for the day into the bomber streams that were then devastating the remains of the Third Reich, with the intention of cutting them to ribbons.  Due to the difficulties in building any meaningful number of aircraft at that time of the war, the volatile nature of the propellant and the paucity of experienced pilots, coupled with a huge speed differential, resulted in relatively few kills.  Delivered too late in the war and in too few numbers, the little Komet became the beginning of an evolutionary dead-end in fighter design, as jet engines became more powerful and reliable.

 

The Book

Valiant's Airframe Album series is a valuable resource for the modeller and aviation enthusiast alike, packed with contemporary photographs, diagrams, plans and quality descriptions of both the airframe itself, and the development and deployment of the type.  As well as the black & white imagery, there are also many photographs of the few preserved examples in museums across the world, and a number of colour profiles by regular profile artist Richard J Caruana.

 

 

The book spans 112 pages in high quality glossy paper, perfect bound within a card cover in portrait format.  It is broken down into chapters as follows:

 

i) Introduction

A brief narrative history of the development and operation use of the Me.163 by the Luftwaffe, as well as captured and evaluated examples.

1) Technical Description

Detailed coverage of construction and equipment.

2)Evolution – Prototype, Production and Projected Variants

3D isometrics illustrating differences between variants.

3) Camouflage & Markings

Colour side profiles, notes, stencils and photographs.

4) Models

1:72 PM DFS 194 by Libor Jekl

1:72 Special Hobby Me.163A by Libor Jekl

1:48 Trimaster Me.163B by Steve A Evans

1:32 Meng Me.163B by Steve A Evans

Appendices

I Messerschmitt Me.163 Kit List

II Messerschmitt Me.163 Accessory & Mask List

III Messerschmitt Me.153 Decal List

IV Bibliography

 

 

Conclusion

Another superb little book from the Valiant Wings stable by the prolific Richard A Franks.  If you want a one-stop reference book for this rocket-with-a-man-in-it, you would do well to consider this book, even if you're not a modeller.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Review sample courtesy of