Contact

Please send questions, remarks and contributions to Rob de Bie. I need to point out a few things however:

• I am far behind with my e-mail, and sometimes a reply can take months. I am very unhappy with this, but I don't have unlimited time to spend on the website.
  
  
• If you send material, it can take even longer for it to be added to the site. Updates are almost random from all the incoming material. Some contributions are waiting for almost a year to be added. Please don't be disappointed if you see updates while your material hasn't been processed yet.
  
  
• Please don't send photos of museum Komets if they are almost identical to the ones already shown on the site.
  
  
• If you plan to ask one of the following questions, here are the answers:
  
  
  • Do you know the paint scheme of the aircraft of pilot X?
    Komet camouflages and modeling are a favorite subject of mine, but I don't have any information on the colors and markings of aircraft flown by specific pilots on specific days. This kind of information simply does not exist (yet). Two exceptions are the crashed aircraft of Manfred Eisenmann and Fritz Husser, but no one seems interested in building models of these aircraft. I've made web pages of twelve other individual Komets, and that is the best I can offer.
    
    
  • Do you have details about pilot X?
    I haven't researched Komet pilot histories so far, so my knowledge on the subject is very limited. You could check the JG400/EK16 personel listing in Me 163 Volume One.
    
    
  • Can you supply addresses of Komet pilots still alive?
    No. I have never been in direct contact with any Komet pilots. Of some I know that they are no longer interested in talking about their Komet adventures.
    
    
  • Can you use photographs from the site?
    My answer has two parts. Nearly all wartime photos on my site come from books, and I don't hold copyrights of them, and I don't think they still apply after 60 years. All post-war museum photos were contributed by people all over the world. E-mail addresses are listed with each photo set, so you can ask them yourself. I am sure they will be honoured to see their photos used. But do not use the photos without permission.
    
    
  • Do you have the address or e-mail address of Mr. Kurz, the man who built the Komet glider replica?
    No, I don't have Mr. Kurz' private address, and I don't think Mr. Kurz has e-mail. You could try his club, the Oldtimer Segelflug Club at the Wasserkuppe. Also, he does not speak English, you have a choice of German, French and Latin!
    
    
  • Does Mr. Kurz have drawings of his replica for sale?
    No. When I asked Mr Kurz this question, he was of the opinion that his drawings were not suited as working drawings for another replica. They lacked too many details to allow a safe rebuilding. As a very experienced replica aircraft builder, Mr Kurz added many details during construction that were not shown in his basic drawings. He used a set of 2500 original Me 163B drawings as the basis for his own drawings. Back in 2000, he offered this set of drawings printed on A3 sheets for the sum of 2500 DM. This set has been sold in the mean time.
    
    
  • What is the function of the small propeller on the nose?
    The propeller drives a 2000 Watt generator, to serve the aircraft with electricity. The rocket engine does not have a generator, and if it would, it only runs for a few minutes, leaving the aircraft without electricity during the rest of the flight.