Messerschmitt Me-263A (Special Hobby 1/72)

[Darkfold]

A small rocket propelled bumblebee



History of aircraft:

Messerschmitt Me-263A buno 122342 was build on 19.1.1646 by Klemm Leichtflugzeugbau GmbH factory in Böblingen.After maiden flight on (23.1.1946 by test pilot hpt.Gerhard Semmler) was fighter on 24.1.1946 transferred to Rheine-Hompstern AFB and assigned to Erprobungskommando 20.Here was assigned to maj.Fridrich Müller and signed by unit number "8".Maj.Müller fly on this fighter until 19.2.1948 when he was wounded in combat with RAF fighter Gloster Meteor and forced to emergency land.
During repair was fighter rearmed by MK-118 cannons with longer snout and higher muzzle velocity.After repair was fighter send back to unit and assigned to hpt.Georg Heinrich who shoot down three US bombers Consolidated B-32 (two on 11.3.1946 and third on 5.4.1946) on this fighter.From 7.6.1946 was fighter assigned to commander of Erprobungskommando 20 obst.Rudolf Opitz.Unfortunatelly, fighter was destroyed already on 7.6.1946 when was during attack against group of US bombers Boeing B-29 hit to T-Stoff tank and exploded.

Camouflage:

Fighter was in factory painted by two colour camouflage (RLM81 and RLM82) on upper surfaces.Lower surfaces and vertical tail fin was painted by light grey RLM76 with spots of RLM82 on vertical tail fin.Luftwaffe identification areas were painted by yellow RLM04.
On 25.6.1946 was fighter during revision repainted by new camouflage scheme used from 1.6.1946.This consist from sharp field of RML81 and RLM82 on upper surfaces (including vertical tail fin) and light grey RLM76 on lower surfaces.Yellow identification areas weren't changed.
Unit and national marking was applied in accordance with order for marking on Me-263 from 1.9.1945.This consist of white corner crosses marking on upper surfaces of the wings and on the fuselage and full colour crosses on lower surfaces of the wings.On vertical tail fin was black nazi cross without white border.Unit marking "red 8" was set in nose and was painted with white border.Addition of this marking was green hearth with white border as sign of JG-54 which was command unit of Erprobungskommando 20.From 1.6.1946 were on vertical tail fin signs of 73 kills (complete score of obst.Opitz)

Rudolf Opitz (*9.8.1910, +7.6.1946)

Rudolf Opitz was born on 9.8.1910 in Landeshut.When he was young, he very often sails on gliders (in 1934 he build glider with his own construction) and he worked up as sail instructor of sail schooů in Wasserkuppe.He starts his cooperation with famous constructor Alexandr "Tornado" lippish and in 1936 he start work as test pilot fir Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug (DFS) where he tested many Lippish planes and gliders.
In 1940 was accordance of gen Ernst Udet orders send to Pennemünde where he fly in secret tests of Me-163A fighters and lately he tested Me-163B fighters.Tests were ended in November 1944 and in the same month, he was assigned as commander to II.gruppe of JG-400 in Stargard.His first kill he claimed on 3.12.1944 when he shoot down two Boeing B-17G bombers over Berlin.Till 2.9.1945 when he was send out from II/JG-400 he claimed 58 kills, mostly strategic bombers.
In 5.9.1945 was obstlt.Opitz transferred as commander of Erprobungskommando 18 on Brandis AFB.Here he tested Me-163B and Me-163S (cocpit of instructor was replaced by operator of FuG240 Berlin N6 and FuG248 Eule radars) as night fighter.Tests were unsuccessful neverthles he with operator hpt.Hans Gobler claimed rare shoot down of RAF bomber Avro Lancaster over Berlin-Moabit (for this kill was obstlt.Opitz awarder by Knight cross).Erprobungskommando 18 was dismissed on 1.12.1945 and it's pilots were sended to Erprobungskommando 20 formed under command of obstlt.Opitz on 10.12.1945 in Berlin-Tempelhoff AFB.
Erprobungskommando 20 was assigned for combat tests of new Me-263A fighter which were for combat tests released on 30.11.1945.First six fighters was to Erprobungskommando 20 send on 13.12.1945 and from 1.1.1946 they will used for combat operations.First kill of Me-263A claimed obst.Opitz (promoted on 1.1.1946) on 6.1.1946 by kill P-51H fighter over Belzig.After crasn on 13.1.1946 (during take-off was oblt.Frizt Wagner in his Me-263A hit in cockpit by fuel leak and fighter crash in village where killed thirty eight civilians) was Erprobungskommando 20 transferred to Rheine-Hompsten AFB and subordinated under JG-54 "Grünherz".In this area obst.Opitz claimed his first killon 29.11.1946 when he shoot down Mosquito over Ems and till 7.6.1946 he shoot down 14 enemy fighters and bombers.
On 7.6.1946 obst.Opitz take-off with flight of Me-163A fighters for interception against group of B-29 bombers over Hannover.Over Emlichheim fighters found enemy bomber group and from height they attack them.During first attack obst.Opitz shoot down one B-29 bomber but enemy gunners hit his fighter and broken T-stoff tank and set the fighter on fire.Obst.Opitz try to bail out but before he leave cockpit, fighter explode and kill him.
Remains of Obst.Rudolf Opitz were buried on military cemetery in Rheine.In memoriam was on 17.6.1946 awarded by Knight cross with Oak leafs.

[172flogger]

Build on 19.1.1648 in Klemm

And found by Indiana Jones 

[Darkfold]

Tohle letadlo překračuje možnosti historie, ne hranice času (a Indianu do toho netahej, ten tam měl vrtulový samokřídlo )

Díky za opravu

[beowulf]

nice....i like that....bravo

[Ed S]

Nice model and interesting history. 

As a side note.  The real world Rudi Opitz was in fact a Luftwaffe test pilot in WWII and flew the Me-163 Komet.  He started flying as a glider pilot which helped considerably flying the Komet.  A very interesting person, I had the pleasure of meeting him back in the 70's.  His son and I were good friends and flew together in the same OV-10 squadron and he came to visit at one time.  To the best of my knowledge, he is still alive.

Ed

[Allan]

This is a very fine model indeed--and you've pulled off the yellow on the wings with great aplomb.
My congratulations.
Allan in Canberra

[batmancustoms]

Very nice!

[ysi_maniac]

you've pulled off the yellow on the wings with great aplomb.

Not an easy task, I must say.

High quality modeling! 

[Darkfold]

Thank you boys

[sequoiaranger]

I like this!

I don't think that tiny propeller in the front would give enough thrust to get the plane airborne, so I'm glad there are rockets in the rear!

[buzzbomb]

Neat Finish.

Love the backstory stuff.. something I can never seem to get around to doing convincingly