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Me 163 Komet: A Brilliant Failure

The performance of the Komet was the result of some basic rules of high-performance airplane design: Put the biggest motor possible on the tiniest airframe possible. With the later motors, it had a thrust-to-weight ratio that approached 1:1 as the fuel burned down. It couldn’t help but climb fast and fly fast.

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The Komet was not a war’s-end-crazy-idea born of desperation, as is often believed. In fact, the design began in the late 1930s, and the prototype flew in 1941. It was the hands-down winner for the crown of fastest operational aircraft of World War II, both in speed and climb. From the technological view, it included some of the most advanced aerodynamics airborne at the squadron level during the war, and might have presented the most...

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION

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All the stories featured in Flight Journal are as unique and varied as the airplanes and warriors who flew them. From popular warbirds like the P-51 Mustang and Me 109 to the Lockheed SR-71 and futuristic hypersonic fighters, we cover the whole spectrum of aviation. We’ve heard from countless readers over the years about how much they enjoy the compelling stories and beautiful photography.