Although the Me 163 rocket-powered fighter had a frighteningly high top speed and rate of climb, its endurance was very limited
With cameras, a more powerful engine, and a larger oil tank in the nose, the Mark XI was essentially a Mark IX Spitfire interceptor that had been upgraded for photographic reconnaissance (PR). All guns and armor were removed, and the fuel capacity was greatly increased; speed was the unarmed Mark XI’s defense. 471 Mark XIs were built between April 1943 and January 1946. Great Britain and its allies flew various photoreconnaissance versions of the Spitfire with great success in all theaters during World War II.
As told by Andrew Fletched in his book Spitfire Photo-Recce Units of World War 2, on May 29, 1944, Flt Lt G R Crakanthorp of No 542 Sqn was tasked with covering the German North Sea ports in Spitfire PR XI MB791. After refueling at Coltishall, the pilot set course for Germany, where he photographed Bremen, Hamburg, and Wilhelmshaven from 37,000 ft without incident.
He noticed what he identified as a Me 163 climbing quickly as he left the Wilhelmshaven area, at a speed of roughly 3000 feet per minute. When Crakanthorp reached 41,000 feet, the enemy aircraft was only a few thousand feet below him. He started climbing right away. He was about to turn into an anticipated attack when the Me 163’s exhaust plume stopped and it turned away without gaining any further height. Soon, his pursuer was out of sight, and he headed into Coltishall to refuel.
Crakanthorp recalls;
‘After covering Wilhelmshaven, I observed an aircraft climbing rapidly at about 3000 ft per minute. I climbed as soon as I saw him, and as I reached 41,000 ft he was only 1000 yards to the south of me, but still a few thousand feet below. As I readied to turn into his attack, the exhaust plume on his aircraft stopped, and he turned away without gaining any more height.’
Crakanthorp had encountered a Me 163 of Erprobungskommando 16, based at Bad Zwischenahn. The rocket-powered fighter had commenced combat trials earlier that month, and this was the first known instance of a PR Spitfire being intercepted by the type. It seems likely that the Me 163 ran out of fuel just as the pilot was about to commence his attack.
Although it had a frighteningly high top speed and rate of climb, its endurance was very limited. Fortunately for Crakanthorp, he had been intercepted west of Wilhelmshaven, so the Me 163 was operating at the limit of its endurance, and the extra few thousand feet he gained probably saved him from being attacked.
Spitfire Photo-Recce Units of World War 2 is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by Gareth Hector via Osprey
