Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet

The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a rocket-powered interceptor and the only rocket-powered fighter to see operational service. Its development began in 1937 with Alexander Lippisch and the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug, and the team moved to Messerschmitt in January 1939. The prototype made its first flight on 1 September 1941, the Me 163B was then optimised for large-scale production, and in July 1944 the test pilot Heini Dittmar reached 1,130 km/h, an unofficial record that no turbojet aircraft matched until 1953. About 370 Komets were completed, but powered flight lasted at most 7.5 minutes, which limited its range and its effectiveness in combat.