Special Hobby – 72183 – Messerschmitt Me 163A with Scheuch-Schlepper

Description:

Messerschmitt Me 163A with Scheuch-Schlepper

Messerschmitt Me 163A with Scheuch-Schlepper
The Messerschmitt Me 163A was the world´s first rocket-powered aircraft produced in larger numbers. Production aircraft were used for testing as well as for the training of the pilots who were to fly later with the true fighter version known as the Me 163B. On October 2, 1941, German pilot Heini Dittmar, flying in the Me 163A V1, became the very first man to exceed a speed of 1000 km/h (in fact, he reached 1003.67 km/h). The rocket-powered Komet took off using a two-wheel jettisonable dolly and landed on a skid retracting from under the lower fuselage. However, having already landed, the Komet was not able to move using its own powers and therefore Scheuch Schlepper vehicles (originally agricultural tractors) were used with trailers equipped with inflation bags for transporting the plane back. The kit comprises a frame with Me 163A plastic parts, an injected clear canopy part, detailed resin parts to enhance the cockpit area and a PE-fret. All these are accompanied with Scheuch Schlepper vehicle components sprue and again with a specific resin and etched parts. The decal sheet caters for three Me 163A machines, one of which is interesting to be the very machine to have exceeded the 1000km/h speed limit, and a machine used in under-wing rocket trials is also catered for in the sheet.