Del 05 Jul 1941 Registered to US Army Air Force as FE-0500

This Komet was later placed on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

On display at Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air and Space Museum. It is thought this Komet was tested by Karl Voy of Klemm at Oranienburg in Dec. 1944. Likely captured by the US Army at Esperstedt with other Komets in 1945, it would have belonged to Ergänzungsjagdgeschwader 2 (EJG 2). It was one of five brought back to the USA for evaluation after the war and assigned the code FE-500.

This Komet got some repair at Freeman Field , IN after the war. Parts from two other Me-163s were used so the aircraft could be flight tested at Muroc Lake, CA (now Edwards AFB). Unpowered tow flights were made, but delamination of the wooden wings cancelled scheduled powered flights. The aircraft is displayed in unrestored condition after decades of storage.

The operational history of this Komet, on display in unrestored condition at the Udvar-Hazy Center, is unknown. It was one of five brought to the US after WWII for evaluation, receiving the foreign equipment code FE-500 that is still visible. Gliding tests were completed but powered tests were abandoned after delamination of the aircraft's wooden wings was discovered. It was then stored at Norton AFB until 1954 when it was transferred to the Smithsonian. Note the Walter rocket motor in the foreground