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Were any Me 163 shot down?
Although it shot down 16 aircraft, mainly four-engined bombers, it did not warrant the effort put into the project. Due to fuel shortages late in the war, few went into combat, and it took an experienced pilot with excellent shooting skills to achieve “kills”.
Did the ME 163 have a throttle?
Although the Me 163 had very short endurance, it had originally been even shorter. In the original design, the engine had only one throttle setting, “full on”, and burned through its fuel in a few minutes. This change greatly simplified the engine, while also retaining much higher efficiency during cruise.
What type of fuel did the ME 163 use?
The new motor used a more volatile fuel mixture of T-Stoff (80 percent hydrogen peroxide and 20 percent water) and C-Stoff (hydrazine hydrate, methyl alcohol, and water), which provided a maximum thrust of 1,500 kg (3,300 lb.).
Does a bullet break the sound barrier?
Bullets break the sound barrier with boring regularity. The speed of sound is roughly 1125 feet per second at standard temperature and pressure (sea level). That speed will vary a bit depending on your elevation, climate and weather conditions, but not much. Even bullets from guns chambered in .
What is the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a German rocket-powered interceptor aircraft. Designed by Alexander Lippisch, it is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational and the first piloted aircraft of any type to exceed 1000 km/h (621 mph) in level flight.
How dangerous was it to fly the Komet?
Even the most qualified and experienced Me 163 test pilot Heini Dittmar was not immune to the dangers of flying the Komet. During a test flight in November 1941 he stalled an Me 163A resulting in a heavy landing which badly injured his spine. Dittmar was apparently in hospital for a year following the accident!
What was the top speed of the German Komet?
German test pilot Heini Dittmar in early July 1944 reached 1,130 km/h (700 mph), an unofficial flight airspeed record unmatched by turbojet -powered aircraft for almost a decade. Over 300 Komets were built, but the aircraft proved lackluster in its dedicated role as an interceptor and destroyed between 9 and 18 Allied aircraft against 10 losses.
Who was the only Allied pilot to fly a Komet with rocket?
Famous Royal Navy test pilot and Scotsman Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown (1919 – 2016) flew this Me 163B Komet on June 1oth, 1945 at Husum. In doing so he became the only Allied pilot ever to fly a Komet with the rocket engine running.