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Top Secret Bird: The Luftwaffe's Me-163 Comet
Top Secret The Luftwaffe's Me-163 Comet
- GenresMilitary History
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 23, 2013
Top Secret Bird by Wolfgang Spate is an interesting first-hand account of the Luftwaffe's program to build the Me-163 Komet. This aircraft was one of the early jet fighters designed by the Germans to help turn back the Allied control of the air over Occupied Europe and Germany towards the end of WW2.
The author was an Army Reconnaissance pilot, chiefly employed in the Polish and French campaigns. Thereafter, he served as a fighter pilot, operating mainly in the East. In 1942, he became Head of Erprobungs-Kommando 16, tasked with the development of the Me-163 Rocket Fighter. Returning to operations as a Wing Commander in 1944, he continued flying until the end of the war, by which time he had been promoted Major. He was credited with ninety-nine aerial victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross.
This book goes into great detail about how the Germans designed, constructed, tested and mass-produced this most revolutionary aircraft. The book has numerous black and white photographs throughout which offers great detail in regards to the Komet. The majority of the book covers the frustrating efforts to get the Komet tested and massed produce whilst Germany was slowly losing the war.
Overall it's a great story of brave pilots testing a revolutionary type of aircraft sometimes with quite horrific results. The book is more directed to this aspect of aviation history than about fighter combat but its still a gripping read. The narrative pulls you along, weaving in and out of Nazi politics, the air war, flight-testing and the sometimes-terrible results. This is a great story, well told and should hold the interest of anyone interested in aviation history.
The author was an Army Reconnaissance pilot, chiefly employed in the Polish and French campaigns. Thereafter, he served as a fighter pilot, operating mainly in the East. In 1942, he became Head of Erprobungs-Kommando 16, tasked with the development of the Me-163 Rocket Fighter. Returning to operations as a Wing Commander in 1944, he continued flying until the end of the war, by which time he had been promoted Major. He was credited with ninety-nine aerial victories and was awarded the Knight's Cross.
This book goes into great detail about how the Germans designed, constructed, tested and mass-produced this most revolutionary aircraft. The book has numerous black and white photographs throughout which offers great detail in regards to the Komet. The majority of the book covers the frustrating efforts to get the Komet tested and massed produce whilst Germany was slowly losing the war.
Overall it's a great story of brave pilots testing a revolutionary type of aircraft sometimes with quite horrific results. The book is more directed to this aspect of aviation history than about fighter combat but its still a gripping read. The narrative pulls you along, weaving in and out of Nazi politics, the air war, flight-testing and the sometimes-terrible results. This is a great story, well told and should hold the interest of anyone interested in aviation history.
September 19, 2022
Published in English in 1983, 'Top Secret Bird' is a detailed summary of the testing and introduction of the Me 163 rocket-powered fighter into service with the WW2 Luftwaffe, written by Wolfgang Spate who was appointed in charge of the test process due partly to his engineering knowledge and partly to his extensive fighter pilot combat experience. As such it makes a really fascinating read - after all we are talking about an aircraft that seems to have been more deadly to its own pilots than to enemy pilots. His accounts of meetings with various high-ranking officials in the nazi hierarchy make this special enough whilst accounts of the test units fractious relationship with Hanna Reitsch are illuminating. Supported by over 80 photos and line drawings.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews