Messerschmitt Me 163

E15854

World War II aircraft rocket-powered interceptor aircraft single-seat fighter aircraft

The Messerschmitt Me 163 was a German World War II rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, notable as the only operational rocket fighter ever deployed in combat.

Observed surface forms (4)

Surface form	As subject	As object
Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet	0	5
Messerschmitt Me 163B	0	2
Messerschmitt Me 163 series	0	1
Messerschmitt Me 163A	0	1

Statements (48)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	World War II aircraft → rocket-powered interceptor aircraft → single-seat fighter aircraft →
armament	20 mm MG 151 cannon (early plans / variants) → 30 mm MK 108 cannon →
category	German fighter aircraft → experimental aircraft → rocket aircraft →
conflict	World War II →
countryOfOrigin	Germany →
crew	1 →
designer	Alexander Lippisch →
developedFrom	DFS 194 →
engineModel	Walter HWK 109-509 →
era	1940s →
firstFlight	1941-08-13 →
fuelType	C-Stoff (hydrazine-methanol-water mixture) → T-Stoff (high-test hydrogen peroxide) →
inspired	Mitsubishi J8M →
introduced	1944 →
landingGear	retractable skid →
manufacturer	Bayerische Flugzeugwerke → surface form: Messerschmitt AG
maximumSpeed	over 590 mph → over 950 km/h →
museumDisplay	Deutsches Museum → Imperial War Museum Duxford → National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C. → surface form: National Air and Space Museum
NATOReportingName	Komet →
nickname	Komet →
notableFor	only operational rocket-powered fighter used in combat →
numberBuilt	~370 →
operationalIssues	dangerous and unstable propellants → high landing accident rate → short powered flight duration →
operationalUse	defense against Allied bomber formations →
primaryUser	Luftwaffe →
productionStatus	out of production →
propulsion	liquid-fuel rocket engine →
retired	1945 →
role	interceptor →
serviceCeiling	about 12,000 m → about 39,000 ft →
status	retired →
takeoffMethod	jettisonable two-wheeled dolly →
usedBy	Luftwaffe →
variant	Messerschmitt Me 163 self-linksurface differs → surface form: Messerschmitt Me 163A Messerschmitt Me 163 self-linksurface differs → surface form: Messerschmitt Me 163B
wingConfiguration	swept wing →

Referenced by (11)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Komet → aircraftFamily → Messerschmitt Me 163 →

this entity surface form: Messerschmitt Me 163 series

Mitsubishi J8M → basedOn → Messerschmitt Me 163 →

this entity surface form: Messerschmitt Me 163B

Mitsubishi J8M → designedAsCounterpartTo → Messerschmitt Me 163 →