This motor is an absolute must for anyone who is interested in looking at the details of the Walter motor.

The unit is displayed nicely on the floor of the Deutsches Museum in Munich. Although it only has a couple of the Walter motor's parts, these are major system units. They are shown without the usual heavy frame, and offer an unparalleled opportunity to see the castings at close quarters and in great detail.

Ideal for photographers and researchers, the current display is highly recommended.

Known History.

The exact details of the motor are not currently known. The Messerschmitt Me.163 airframe suspended from the Museum's ceiling has another, different motor fitted, which is discussed elsewhere.

In this partial motor display, are parts which have probably been stripped from a Walter motor for examination or display. After the war, in 1945/46, the RAE at Farnborough retained a number of units for dissection and it may be that some of these parts made their way to Germany, or the display may contain recovered parts from wreck recovery.

When further details are know, these will be included.

The following photographs were taken in 1999, by Komet fan Reinhold Stadler.

Description.

In the display are the fuel pump unit, the fuel flow and pressure equalising control unit, a motor thrust tube and combustion chamber.

The fuel pump and pressure equalising unit are very well preserved and in beautiful condition. It is very easy to see the details of the complex castings.

The thrust tube and combustion chamber have undergone work to preserve them, but it would seem that they do not come from the same place as the other parts. Although the aluminium would have been more resistant to corrosion, I assume that the obvious, heavy corrosion of the steel of the combusion chamber cover indicates that it has been subject to oxidising conditions - burial in the ground, immersion under water or uncovered storage out of doors.

Photographs © Rheinhold Stadler - used with kind permission

This view shows the fuel pump (below) and the fuel flow equalisation unit, as seen from the port side of the airframe - the nose of the Komet would be to the left.

In the centre of the end of the fuel pump is a toothed wheel which is the portion of the pump common shaft which fits to the gear train of the motor accessories unit. Without having been close to the unit it is difficult to say exactly, but my feeling is that this is a pump from an "A-1" motor having an electrical starter.

Clearly shown is the "helical" casing of the T-Stoff pump collecting ring, just beyond the pump end plate which curves anti-clockwise to the square outlet. Onto this would be bolted the T-Stoff fuel delivery line.

The steam exhaust outlet points down to the right of the pump.

At the top, the fuel flow equalisation unit can be seen very clearly. The cylinder of the C-Stoff fuel flow unit on the right, with the C-Stoff outlet lines. On the left is the T-Stoff half, with the three outlet lines arrayed one above the other.

Also in this view, on the fuel pump one can see the large central steam turbine, with the steam exhaust outlet curving down towards the ground.

On the right is the large diameter C-Stoff inlet pipe, and inboard from that, the C-Stoff pump.

The metal supports holding the fuel flow unit above the pump are not usually fitted on the motor, these are modern additions to support the display in its natural arrangement.

In this view, the teeth of the gear at the end of the fuel pump common shaft are slightly clearer. The large number of bolts holding the components of the pump castings together, are also in evidence.

From this angle, you can see the view of the fuel flow equalising unit that is visible on most full motors. All the fuel pipes lead off from the other side, so the picture above is an unusually clear view, but this side view is the one most often seen.

The combustion chamber and its outer casing. The double-walled combustion chamber is to the left, and the connections to the cooling jacket for the C-Stoff inlet and return pipes are at the top of the picture.

The heavily marked/corroded steel casing for the fuel pipes is shown.

The depth of the corrosion on the steel cover is quite evident in this picture. Through the aperture you can see the fuel pipes connecting to the heavy base plate of the combustion chamber. On the other side of the base plate are the fuel injectors.

The view down the end of the combustion chamber venturi. This view shows all twelve fuel injectors ("burners") and their arrangement.

One of the construction details of the burner plate is also visible, in the circular milling rings which you can just make out in the steel's surface. The plate has been turned on a lathe, or milling machine during manufacture.

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