TOP SECRET BIRD

Bookplate on the title page signed by

Major Wolfgang Späte KC

Published by Independent Books, third printing 1995. 270 pages and well illustrated with photos.

Very Fine condition hardback book and dustjacket. Clean, tight and unmarked.  As new and unread. 

This is a first hand account of how the Germans designed, constructed, tested and mass-produced a revolutionary aircraft. The author, Wolfgang Spate, an internationally famous gliding champion and successful WWII squadron commander, was uniquely qualified to command E-Kdo 16, the unit which tested the top secret Me-163 rocket powered fighter, designed by Alexander Lippisch. 

In May, 1944 Spate flew the first combat mission in this revolutionary aircraft but was soon sent back to Russia to gain ‘more’ command experience. In June, JG 400 entered combat but achieved poor results because the 30mm cannon installed in the Me-163 was aligned for an attack at a range of 500 metres… a point at which the pilot had to break off an attack to avoid collision!  Spate returned to command JG400 in December and quickly developed successful interception tactics but lack of fuel soon grounded the new fighter.  Spate ended the war flying the Me-262 jet fighter in which he added 5 victories to the 94 he had scored in the Me 109 and FW 190. This book is a history of the aircraft through a personal narrative of Wolfgang Spate which shows an in depth insight to the background of the fighter.

A super book on this iconic aircraft with a neat Wolfgang Spate signature.