This motor is a Walter 109-509.A-1, serial M-1734, with a manufacturer's stamp indicating the manufacturer to be "hnx" - Hellmuth Walter Kommanditgesellschaft.

It used to be possible to visit it in the Aircraft Gallery within the Science Museum in South Kensington in London. Previously displayed on a plinth, mounted below the Museum's Messerschmitt Me 163, the motor was well placed for examination and photography. Visitors could walk around all sides of the exhibit, which was also displayed with a sectioned fuel pump from another motor.

The Aircraft Gallery has been re-designed in recent years, and many of the exhibits have been repositioned. Raising the Messerschmitt Komet on a stand, made the underside visible, but the upper surfaces viewable from the elevated walkway. However, it has now been suspended from the gallery ceiling - on very short wires. It is close beneath the roof girders in mock "flying" attitude, giving a very restricted view.

As for the Walter Motor, it has been removed from the Gallery completely and is now in store at the reserve collection at Wroughton. This is very disappointing for the central London visitor.

Known History.

This motor was originally installed in Messerschmitt Me 163B-1a, Wkr.Nr.191316, AirMin 210. That aircraft served in II JG400, and was captured by the British at Hussum in May 1945.

Stored after the war as part of the Air Ministry's Air Historical Branch, the aircraft was transferred to the Science Museum in 1958. During reconditioning work at RAF Halton in 1961, the motor was removed from the airframe and cleaned and prepared for separate static display (the armoured nose cone of 191316 was replaced with a prefabricated unit - as well as reducing the weight for mounting the aeroplane, without the motor, the aircraft was nose heavy and rebalancing the airframe was required).

Description.

This motor is a well preserved example, and largely complete.

An interesting addition to the display as it used to be presented, was a sectioned fuel pump from another motor, clearly showing the two helical suction sides of the fuel pumps.

The following pictures were taken in November 1999 at Wroughton, with the fuel pump photographs taken whilst it was on display in the Science Museum in the early 1980s.

Showing the top of the motor, the unit on the right is the main fuel flow and pressure equalising unit, connected to which (in the background) is the cylindrical fuel filter. Beyond this, towards the top of the shot is the top of the turbine speed control, and the steam generator is on the top left.

The forward part of the motor, showing the very obvious, large diameter T-Stoff fuel feed from the main fuel pump, up to the bottom of the fuel flow equalising unit. On the bottom right is the classically distinguishing feature of an "A-1" series motor, the Bosch electrical starter. Associated with this, are the yellow electrical leads and connections.

Sectioned fuel pump.

C-Stoff section of the main fuel pump, showing the helical suction pump section, visible as the screw thread towards the left of the unit, and the large diameter C-Stoff fuel inlet from the C-Stoff fuel tanks.

Web Master Shamus Reddin