Messerschmitt Bf 163

Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW)

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Fate	Transformed into Messerschmitt in mid-July 1938
Headquarters	Germany
Products	Aircraft (including the Bf 163)

Not to be confused with Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet.

The Messerschmitt Bf 163 was a STOL aircraft conceptualized by BFW and constructed by Weser Flugzeugbau prior to World War II.

Design and development

In the fall of 1935, the promising capabilities demonstrated by the Fieseler Fi 156 for short-range reconnaissance and observation missions led the RLM to issue specifications for an army cooperation and observation aircraft. These specifications included the use of either the Argus As 10 or the Hirth HM 508 engine, with a strong focus on short takeoff and landing performance, extensive visibility for a two-person crew, and a broad speed range. The resulting design, which also saw competition from the Siebel Si 201, was intended to be assessed alongside the Fi 156.

The Bf 163 mirrored many design elements of the Fi 156, featuring a high-wing braced monoplane configuration with a metal airframe, automatic leading edge wing slots, double slotted flaps, and an unusually tall landing gear. A distinctive aspect of this aircraft was its wing incidence adjustability—the entire wing could pivot around its main spar. The bracing struts connected to the fuselage through ball joints, allowing their angle to shift in concert with wing movement. Construction of the single prototype was assigned to Weserflug, but since it originated from Bayerische Flugzeugwerke before its transformation into Messerschmitt in mid-July 1938, it retained the Bf prefix designated by the RLM for the earlier company.

Operational history

Powered by an Argus As 10C engine, the Bf 163 V1 took its maiden flight on February 19, 1938. Its performance was comparable to that of the Fi 156; however, it was more intricate and costly to produce. Although parts for a second prototype were fabricated, the Bf 163 V2 never reached completion. Development efforts on the Bf 163 ceased in favor of prioritizing the Fieseler Fi 156 program.

Sources

• Green, William Warplanes of the Third Reich. Galahad Books, 1986. ISBN 0-385-05782-2.