This motor is displayed in one of the aircraft exhibition hangars within the museum.

This exhibit shows another novel way of displaying the Walter motor. From what one can see, a large wooden profile shape of a Komet fuselage has had the middle section cut away to show the location of the motor as it would appear when installed in the aircraft.

The display goes some way to showing how the motor is fitted in the airframe, albeit in a stylised manor.

It is quite clearly an HWK 109-509.A-1 motor, with electrical starter and accessories gearbox.

Known History.

Thanks to fellow rocket motor enthusiasts Dr Brett Gooden (author of the thoroughly recommended "Projekt Natter" the definitive work on the Bachem Ba.239) and Jim Masocco we have been able to gather some meagre information about this motor. Apparantly it was donated by the USAF, but why is unclear, as is any of its previous history.

The initial photographs were taken in Autumn 2001, with Jim Masocco's excellent close-ups taken in September 2011.

Description.

From the photographs the motor seems to be in comparatively good condition.

The steel parts of the motor, the frame and the gearbox, seem to have been painted, to give the unit a greater degree of longevity, but luckily, the painting is in keeping with most genuine paint schemes, and the aluminium cast pieces have not been painted.

The copper-bronze colour of the thrust tube and combustion chamber is a painted approximation of the graphite oiled steel. I suspect this was a conservation measure, but it seems a little bright.

Photographs © Gil Johnson and Jim Masocco - used with kind permission -

A closer view of the motor in profile shows that it has the classic lines of the "A-1" motor, with large heavy accessories gearbox. The steam generator is shown clearly in this view. Both features classify this as the "A-1" model.

Seen from a slightly different angle, the T-Stoff inlet riser pipe is shown, together with a better view of the fuel flow/pressure equalising unit. The strange addition, which you can see as a pipe opening in the middle of the forward part of the motor frame, is the fuel pump steam turbine exhaust outlet pipe. For some reason this is not fixed in its correct position, beneath the pump. This is presumably because the fixings are lost or damaged, or maybe no-one knows where it is supposed to fit.

This is different angle, showing off the steam generator.

This is the C-Stoff and T-Stoff fuel flow/pressure equalising unit. C-Stoff enters here from the main pump and is carried forward to the jacket of the combustion chamber.

Returning via the fuel filter in the background, the C-Stoff is then metered to the combustion chamber. Flow rates of this fuel through this unit govern rates of flow of the T-Stoff in its corresponding side.

This view shows the classical and definitive view for a Walter 109-509. It illustrates the large accessories gearbox and also the electrical starter motor.

The propellant flow and metering unit is in the upper part, shown together with the C-Stoff filter which it overlaps in the background. The curious large opening in the centre of the T-Stoff outflow pipe from the T-Stoff pump, is actually the end of the exhaust steam outflow pipe. This has been disconnected from the bottom of the turbine pump and "posted" into the back of the motor, presumably to keep it safe.

Also shown in this view, are the yellow cables of the electrical system. These deliver electrical power through the aircraft's power loom to the starter motor. At the termination of the cables is a multi-pin connector which plugs into a socket inside the fuselage of the Me.163 Komet.

It's not unique to find electrical cables still present on a Walter motor, but it's not common, and may indicate a motor which has not been radically modified since it was manufactured.

Jim Masocco was particularly dilligent in capturing the data plate for this motor.

As can be seen, this a 109-509.A-1 model, manufactured by Walter's Heinkel sub-contractor. The Werke Nr. of M-1772 is not too far from the pair of 109-509.A-1 motors M-1734 and M-1739 which are both in store in the Science Museum reserve at Wroughton.

It's possible that it is from a similar manufacturing batch.

Jim Masocco's pictures from 2011 act as an interesting comparison between the current state of the motor, and how it appeared in 2001. Sadly, the general appearance is one of a steady deterioration.

In the image on the right, the left picture is the earlier from 2001, on the right, the later image. The comparison shows a steady accumulation of dust and the spread of rust over the steel parts. The two images are ten years apart, but interestingly there has been no change in the care of the motor - the C-Stoff control valve actuator rod has not changed position, and the two spots of paint on top of the steel frame remain - although now considerably dulled by a coating of dust and dirt.

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