|
This page shows Komet 'Yellow 11' as it was displayed in the UK after the war. A wartime picture of the same aircraft is also shown.
Concise history from Phil Butler's "War Prizes":
AM 204 Messerschmitt Me 163B W Nr 191454
Coded 'Yellow 11' of JG400. Surrendered at Husum and shipped to the RAE. Despatched from Farnborough to No. 6 MU, Brize Norton, on 12th July 1945 and used as a static exhibit in Hyde Park, London, during September 1945. Later returned to No.6 MU, being recorded there at the Census on 21st March 1946. On 25th June 1946, transferred to No. 47 MU, Sealand, for packing and transfer to Canada. AM 204 left Salford Docks on 28th August 1946, aboard the SS Manchester Commerce and arrived at Montreal on 9th September. One of the record cards for this aircraft has been interpreted as reading 191452, but photographic and other documentary evidence supports the view that 191454 is the correct identity. This aircraft is believed to have been scrapped at Arnprior, Ontorio, in about 1957.
Pictures clearly show the identity of this aircraft: Werknummer 191454, and a code '11' that is consistently reported to be yellow. Since it was captured at Husum it must have been an aircraft belonging to II. Gruppe of JG400. No Stammkennzeichen is known, nor of the production batch.
Unless the English played with the Komet's rocket engine after its capture, the photo below shows 191454 in Germany. Location could be Husum, where this Komet was captured.
|
|
An exhibition of Luftwaffe aircraft was organised in London's Hyde Park from 16-22 September 1945. The photos below shown an Me 163B, a He 162A, a Bf 110G and a Ju 88G. Reportedly a Me 108, Fw 190 and an Fi 156 were also present.
These four pictures taken before and during the exhibition, and one possible before or after.
|
|
|
|
|
Detail photographs were also made during the Hyde Park exhibition. John Buckley found these in old Scale Models issues.
|
|
|
|
|
Joe Grasela (USA) acquired two 4.5 x 3 inch photos of Me 163B 191454 'Yellow 11' in 2019. The photos partially show the He 162A, Bf 110G and Ju 88G also present. The colors of the Ju 88 are notably lighter than the base color of the Komet. The tonal difference with the Bf 110 is much less though.
|
|
It is not clear whether the photo below was made during the same display, or another occasion. Two other aircraft are visible. Interestingly, the mottling looks much lighter (less dense) in this photo.
|
A rather unique 1945 report about the camouflage of this particular Komet was found in an article titled 'German Aircraft at Farnborough October-November 1945' by Micheal Young. It was published in the 25 January - 7 February 1985 issue of Aviation News, and focussed on the public display of captured German aircraft at Farnborough. According to the article:
'Although not relating to aircraft displayed at Farnborough, there also exist excellent contemporaneous colour descriptions of two other late war Luftwaffe fighters, namely the Me 163 and He 162. The Me 163 was described as being painted in two shades of green on the upper surface, the greens being mottled in application, and light grey (76) on the lower surface. The nose tip and code '11' were yellow, with the number outlined in dark grey while the nose cone was black. The werk nummer also appeared in black on the left side of the fin only. The He 162 ... '
From the above report it appears that 191454's colours were much like the Australian Komet (before its repaint), and that the red-brownish version of RLM 81 was not used on this Komet.
This Komet shows a detail not seen on any other Komet to my knowledge: it has no cooling vents on the rear fuselage. Otherwise it appears to be a standard production Komet.