Messerschmitt Me263

The Messerschmitt Me 263 was a rocket-powered fighter aircraft developed from the Messerschmitt Me 163 towards the end of World War II. Three prototypes were built but never flown under their own power as the rapidly deteriorating military situation in Germany prevented the completion of the test program.

First unpowered flight of the Me 263 V1 was in February 1945. Several more unpowered flights took place that month. The biggest problem had to do with the center of gravity which was restored with the addition of counterweights. Eventually the production aircraft would have repositioned the engine or the landing gear installation to solve this problem. The landing gear was still non retractable at that time. The results of those first flights was that the aircraft gave a "ziemlich fertigen Eindruck", meaning that it seemed to be ready.