Me 163 K (Prototyp)

[Sticky Fingers]

The Messerschmitt Me 163 K ('K' for Kriegsmarine) was a point defence fighter used by Trägergruppe 11 aboard the second German aircraft-carrier, the "Graf Wahnsinn", stationed off occupied Greenland in 1946. Pictured here is a piston-powered prototype, used solely for carrier take-off and landing testing. Take-offs were done with the catapult connected to the dolly under the landing skid. The pilot no longer has to release this dolly manually. (A great improvement over the hazardous take-offs in earlier years where the dolly had a tendency to bounce back up after release and hit the aircraft, usually with disastrous consequences.) The production version would use a revised Walter HWK 109–509C rocket engine powered by newer, more stable and less corrosive versions of the infamous C and T-stoff rocket fuels.



Main differences with the more familiar Me 163 B are the folding wings and tail section, an arrestor hook and a revised cockpit, with a canopy that hinges up instead of to the right.



The prototype pictured does away with the armoured glass in front and behind the pilot. In this particular case the cockpit is test fitted with a possible alternative for the Revi bomb sight: a telescopic night sight, a convenience for those months were the sun doesn't reach the pole.



Revell's 1:48 Me 163 B1-a Komet and CMK's German Pilot and groundcrew (minus the groundcrew), modifications scratchbuild or kitbashed. Decals from the sparesbox, all paint Vallejo Air.



And before anyone mentions it: No, it will not be able to land with those prop blades, and, no, the tail section won't fold with the rocket engine installed. They're still working on those little inconveniences...

[PR19_Kit]

Beyond weird! 

But totally superb. 

[Captain Canada]

That is so cool ! Love the look of it, and the tail fold...with the tyre turned the right way and everything ! Nice work.

[Dizzyfugu]

LOL... I just wonder what engine that is and how it's mounted to the rest of this Marinefloh!

With Ma.K. dice nose art?

The subtle shades of light grey are nice, BTW! 

[TomZ]

Beautiful!

TomZ

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks a lot gents!

...with the tyre turned the right way...

Glad you noticed  

I just wonder what engine that is and how it's mounted to the rest of this Marinefloh!

It's half of a 1/72 Bv P194  BMW 801D engine (so it's now a seven-cylinder), mounted with the newly synthesized Sticky Unobtanium™.

With Ma.K. dice nose art?

Yes yes! And the "17" 's are Maschinen Krieger, too. Lots of Ma.k decal artwork is copied or modified from existing (often German) WW2 artwork. Only fair to use it on stuff other than Ma.K. I used some on the Zaku too, by the way. Making it a recurring theme  

[loupgarou]

The Messerschmitt Me 163 K ('K' for Kriegsmarine) was a point defence fighter used by Trägergruppe 11 aboard the second German aircraft-carrier, the "Graf Wahnsinn", stationed off occupied Greenland in 1946. Pictured here is a piston-powered prototype, used solely for carrier take-off and landing testing. Take-offs were done with the catapult connected to the dolly under the landing skid. The pilot no longer has to release this dolly manually. (A great improvement over the hazardous take-offs in earlier years where the dolly had a tendency to bounce back up after release and hit the aircraft, usually with disastrous consequences.) The production version would use a revised Walter HWK 109–509C rocket engine powered by newer, more stable and less corrosive versions of the infamous C and T-stoff rocket fuels.

And before anyone mentions it: No, it will not be able to land with those prop blades, and, no, the tail section won't fold with the rocket engine installed. They're still working on those little inconveniences...

Really impressive.
And, if I may say so, your note is so typical of german technology, especially in late WW2. 

[Tophe]

The Messerschmitt Me 163 K ('K' for Kriegsmarine) was a point defence fighter used by Trägergruppe 11 aboard the second German aircraft-carrier, the "Graf Wahnsinn", stationed off occupied Greenland in 1946. Pictured here is a piston-powered prototype, used solely for carrier take-off and landing testing. Take-offs were done with the catapult connected to the dolly under the landing skid. The pilot no longer has to release this dolly manually. (A great improvement over the hazardous take-offs in earlier years where the dolly had a tendency to bounce back up after release and hit the aircraft, usually with disastrous consequences.) The production version would use a revised Walter HWK 109–509C rocket engine powered by newer, more stable and less corrosive versions of the infamous C and T-stoff rocket fuels.

Uh??? Do you mean... the Me-163K was "Real" We (Official Historians, severe  ) had sent to garbage the documents about Zwilling Me-163ZK (-1 & -2) with such nose radial engine(s)   as being completely crazy  , like "what-if" (the deepest insult in our job)... But maybe we were wrong, and we will make big money if the garbage cans have not been evacuated...

(thanks Sticky Fingers!)

[dumaniac]

very radical - nice build

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks guys!

That's the cherry on the cake, Tophe, merci bien 

Here are some in-progress photos. I didn't take many, mainly because, well, I forgot.

[Tophe]

That's the cherry on the cake, Tophe, merci bien 
Here are some in-progress photos. I didn't take many, mainly because, well, I forgot.

Thanks to you, inventor of this Me-163K...
The detailed cockpit is impressive. You built a complete marvel, it seems...

[NARSES2]

Amazing build 

[PR19_Kit]

Amazing build 

What Chris said, VERY impressive indeed. 

[Hotte]

Beautiful 

Hotte

[DogfighterZen]

Great work!!