ME 163B1

The Messerschmitt Me 163B-1 was a German rocket-powered interceptor aircraft designed and built by Messerschmitt AG during World War II. It was the first operational rocket-powered aircraft in the world, and the only fighter aircraft ever to be powered by a rocket engine. The Me 163B-1 was developed in response to the need for a high-altitude interceptor to defend Germany against Allied bomber raids. It was armed with two 30 mm MK 108 cannon and could reach speeds of up to 600 mph. The Me 163B-1 was first flown in April 1941 and entered service in 1944. It was used in combat against Allied bombers and achieved some success. However, the Me 163B-1 was a difficult aircraft to fly and had a high accident rate. It was also very expensive to produce and was not widely used. A total of 370 Me 163B-1s were built.