So as is typical for me I’m reading a new book I just bought on JG 400, and although I’m not done with the book yet I had a few questions, I was hoping some could answer.
(For the record, the book is titled JG 400 – Germany’s Elite Rocket Fighters. It is part of the Aviation Elite series from Osprey Publishing.)
Anyway on to my questions:
1. In one instance it refers to a Bf-110 towplane carrying an extra dolly for the Me-163 it was carrying in case the two aircraft were forced to land and take-off again somewhere else enroute to their destination. So my question is simply…where in the world would they put the two-wheel dolly in/on the Bf-110? The cockpit isn’t that spacious is it? Any thoughts?
2. In a few encounters it was described by Allied pilots that the Me-163’s would leave contrails at times when their engine was on, and then at times they would cut it off for a bit before cutting it back on. I know the Komet had a throttle, but could the pilots turn the engine on and off during flight without any trouble?
By: JägerMarty - 25th June 2011 at 13:17
2. In a few encounters it was described by Allied pilots that the Me-163’s would leave contrails at times when their engine was on, and then at times they would cut it off for a bit before cutting it back on. I know the Komet had a throttle, but could the pilots turn the engine on and off during flight without any trouble?
I’d highly doubt that they had time or fuel to restart those rocket motors.
The contrails may have been either T or C Stoff Leaking off after the other ran out? Just a thought
By: pagen01 - 25th June 2011 at 13:16
I think Tony (he’s not the only forumite to have sat in the Me410;)) is referring to the Ki-46 ‘Dinah’ at Cosford.
Before the Axis aircraft collection joined the two main RAF Museum sites they were kept at a couple of RAF MUs, the majority at St Athan where many of them were kept in ground running condition. Nice picture of the Me163 at St Athan here, http://www.flickr.com/photos/emdjt42/3620238080/.
There are various threads with pictures of the collection on here, but unsure if ‘search’ function is working again.
By: PhantomII - 25th June 2011 at 11:20
The Dinah as in the Ki-46?
By: TonyT - 25th June 2011 at 10:24
Actually is was quite roomy with a good view in every direction bar to the rear, we had lightnings in the training hangars and i found that to be a closer cockpit than the 163, possibly due to the higher sidewalls. My memories were that the Dinah was small and cramped in the nose.
might be a lot tighter these days sadly 😉
By: PhantomII - 25th June 2011 at 02:55
A stopwatch huh? Interesting, but sounds like it would have been an effective way of reminding the pilot.
What was it like sitting in the cockpit? Obviously I can imagine it was a bit tight, but was the visibility decent? Did you have a good view of the wing from that perspective?
By: TonyT - 24th June 2011 at 16:44
On another note, Tony, how did you get the chance to sit in a Komet? I’d love that opportunity sometime although I’m sure it will never happen.
RAF Saint Athans had a shed full of old Junk when doing my training…. FW 190, Dinah, Spits galore, Komet, Bleriot, ME410 etc… sat in em all 🙂
If only you’d had a Scheuch-Schlepper!
Dated a few, but never had one behind a tractor before :p
By: oldironside - 24th June 2011 at 16:03
2. In a few encounters it was described by Allied pilots that the Me-163’s would leave contrails at times when their engine was on, and then at times they would cut it off for a bit before cutting it back on. I know the Komet had a throttle, but could the pilots turn the engine on and off during flight without any trouble?
I remember reading somewhere (it was a book that accompanied a BBC programme about WW2 secret weapons, but I can’t recall the name for the life of me) that 163s were fitted with a stopwatch in the middle of the instrument panel to stop the pilot trying a relight too soon (minimum wait of one minute, if I recall correctly). The same source stated that the 163’s throttle had five settings- off, idle and three positions of thrust.
By: PhantomII - 24th June 2011 at 14:53
Well the dolly wasn’t rated for landing was it? Of course I suppose they could have jettisoned the dolly over the airfield before landing.
The book seemed to make it sound like they had TWO dollies though…one attached to the Komet and the other carried by the -110.
On another note, Tony, how did you get the chance to sit in a Komet? I’d love that opportunity sometime although I’m sure it will never happen.
By: Augsburgeagle - 24th June 2011 at 13:16
Had to move one accross the runway at Biggin Hill many moons ago.What an awful awkward heavy lump to move on the ground !!!!!!!!.
If only you’d had a Scheuch-Schlepper!
When transporting 163’s with the 110 would they just have not jettisoned the dolly and flown with it attached to the 163???
By: TonyT - 24th June 2011 at 12:34
Mine was the one at Cosford, wasn’t one of the ones we ran lol, think it went back to Germany in the end, sat in all of them and when at Cosford looking at the ME410 that they frown if you fart near it, so to speak, and we when it lived at Saints used to jump all over it..
By: Firebex - 24th June 2011 at 12:26
Had to move one accross the runway at Biggin Hill many moons ago.What an awful awkward heavy lump to move on the ground !!!!!!!!.
By: TonyT - 24th June 2011 at 12:21
Carry the trolly on a bomb rack?
Sat in a 163 once, not a lot of room… 🙂
Sign In
June 24, 2011 at 1:47 am