Der Doppelkomet - The Me163Z

[Leading Observer]

Der Doppelkomet – The Me163Z

The Me163Z Doppelkomet was developed by Klemm Flugzeugwerk at their Böblingen factory, under Messerschmitt supervision, Messerschmidt being too busy with production of other aircraft to handle the project, in an attempt to improve the flight time of the standard Me163.
It was effectively two Me163's joined to a central fuel pod, which contained tanks for the very reactive and corrosive T-Stoff hydrogen peroxide oxidizer, whilst the C-Stoff hydrazine/methanol-base fuel was held in tanks in both the fuselages. Like the standard Me163, the aircraft was armed with with two 30 mm (1.18 inch) Mk.108 cannon, but in addition it carried the Sondergerät 500 Jägerfaust, 20 single-shot, short-barreled 50 mm (2-inch) guns pointing upwards, similar to Schräge Musik. Five were mounted in the wing roots on each side of the aircraft. A photocell in the upper surfaces triggered the weapons by detecting the change in brightness when the aircraft flew under a bomber. As each shell shot upwards, the disposable gun barrel that fired it was ejected downwards, thus making the weapon recoilless.
Construction of the Me163Z was slow, as Klemm struggled to overcome quality control problems, and the Doppelkomet was not ready for testing until early 1945, having been damaged during the July 1944 bombing of Böblingen. The first flight took place on 16th February 1945 and ended in disaster when the aircraft broke up in flight, killing the pilot and flight engineer. The exact reason for this was never established, but it has always been assumed that the aircraft experienced Flutter due to the formation of shock waves on curved surfaces

[PR19_Kit]

Could be a very relevant entry in the current 'Bad Idea' GB. 

[Leading Observer]

Could be a very relevant entry in the current 'Bad Idea' GB. 

Trouble is I had started it a while ago and had no pictures of the early part of the build. I agree it would have been a VERY bad idea though!

[NARSES2]

  

I find the idea of the "but in addition it carried the Sondergerät 500 Jägerfaust, 20 single-shot, short-barreled 50 mm (2-inch) guns pointing upwards, similar to Schräge Musik. Five were mounted in the wing roots on each side of the aircraft. A photocell in the upper surfaces triggered the weapons by detecting the change in brightness when the aircraft flew under a bomber. As each shell shot upwards, the disposable gun barrel that fired it was ejected downwards, thus making the weapon recoilless." fascinating

[Rheged]

Could be a very relevant entry in the current 'Bad Idea' GB. 

It certainly would be a "Bad Idea".   Just think of  the extra opportunities to explode on landing, for a start!

[Dizzyfugu]

Looks SO dangerous, an ideal candidate for the "Bad Idea" GB. 

[frank2056]

Good build... bad idea. Is that the old Hawk/Testors 1/48 Me163 kit? I remember my dad building one in the 60's. It came with a V-1 and both kits had clear red rocket exhausts.

[Leading Observer]

Good build... bad idea. Is that the old Hawk/Testors 1/48 Me163 kit? I remember my dad building one in the 60's. It came with a V-1 and both kits had clear red rocket exhausts.

This is the Lindberg 1/72 kit which, handily, had 2 aircraft in the box! It is [was?] a basic kit of minimal parts, but ideal whif fodder