Top Secret Bird: The Luftwaffe's Me-163 Comet

`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.

Top Secret Bird gives one a first person account of the development of a rocket powered interceptor and the enormous technical difficulties regarding such a task. The author Wolfgan Spate commanded the Luftwaffe unit whose task was to test the revolutionary craft. Spate was also the first to fly the Me163 on a combat mission. Needless to say Spate's qualifications for authoring this book are outstanding. I found the book very readable and entertaining as well as informative. The book contains photographs of this "top secret bird" some of which are color photos of Me163s in various museums.If you are looking for a detailed, in depth study of the technical aspects of the Me163 you wont find it here. But you will find a personal memoir regarding one of the most unique aircraft of World War II.

Wolfgang Spate has masterfully described the human and technical details of developing the Me-163 Komet, the world's first rocket fighter. He was the military officer in charge of the program and his keen insights into the technical challenges and human issues in this program are remarkable. Well illustrated with black and white photographs, this book is an excellent resource for historians, model-builders, and students of World War II events. Highly recommended!