Misfiring Neurons Just another geek with a blog

BMW 109-003 and Rolls Royce Merlin

I had a great day out at the SA National Museum of Military History with a bunch of people from a local photography club. I spotted this curious exhibit in one of the halls:

The sign reads:

BMW 109-003 Turbojet Engine

Developed for the Heinkel He 163
Germany, 1945

This aircraft was designed in response to a last desperate attempt to produce quantities of simple jet-powered fighters in the closing months of World War II.

Intended to be flown in the final defence of Germany by the young glider pilots of the Hitler Jugend, the He 162 went from specification to maiden flight in the incredibly short period of the last three months of 1944.

A number of these aircraft were completed despite the very difficult conditions in Germany in 1945 but none saw actual combat.

More info. And just for balance: they have a beautiful example of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine there as well: