Bachem Ba 349 Natter point defense rocket interceptor captured in Germany in 1945

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jacksmachiningreveng@reddit (OP)

Just make sure the canopy is properly closed:

Despite Bachem's concerns that the test programme had been significantly cut short, a young volunteer Luftwaffe test pilot, Lothar Sieber, climbed into the cockpit of the fully fuelled M23 on 1 March. The aircraft was equipped with an FM transmitter for the purpose of transmitting flight data from various monitoring sensors in the machine. A hard wire intercom appears to have been provided between Sieber and the engineers in the launch bunker using a system similar to that used in the manned glider flights. Around 1100 am, the M23 was ready for take-off. Low stratus clouds lay over the Ochsenkopf. The Walter liquid-fueled rocket engine built up to full thrust and Sieber pushed the button to ignite the four solid boosters.

Initially, the Natter rose vertically but, at an altitude of about 100 to 150 m (330 to 490 ft), it suddenly pitched up into an inverted curve at about 30° to the vertical. At about 500 m (1,600 ft) the cockpit canopy was seen to fly off. The Natter continued to climb at high speed at an angle of 15° from the horizontal and disappeared into the clouds. The Walter engine stalled about 15 seconds after take-off. It is estimated the Natter reached 1,500 m (4,900 ft), at which point it nose-dived and hit the ground with great force about 32 seconds later, some kilometres from the launch site. Unknown at the time, one of the Schmidding boosters failed to jettison and its remains were dug up at the crash site in 1998.

The pilot was likely unconscious long before the crash. Bachem surmised Sieber had involuntarily pulled back on the control column under the effect of the 3 G acceleration. Examination of the canopy, which fell near the launch site, showed the tip of the latch was bent, suggesting it may not have been in the fully closed position at launch. The pilot's headrest had been attached to the underside of the canopy and as the canopy flew off the pilot's head would have snapped back suddenly about 25 cm (9.8 in), hitting the solid wooden rear upper cockpit bulkhead, and either knocking Sieber unconscious or breaking his neck.

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Cloudsareinmyhead@reddit

Also likely the first human to go supersonic on the way down

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xerberos@reddit

Doubtful. I know the rockets were very powerful for such a small aircraft, but I can't imagine that it wouldn't have broken up if it had reached supersonic speeds at such low altitude.

I mean, it was made of glued and nailed wooden parts. I doubt anything like that has ever searched supersonic speeds...

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Demolition_Mike@reddit

I doubt anything like that has ever reached supersonic speeds...

Oooh, I think some things like that did sometimes break the sound barrier. Unfortunately, in multiple directions at the same time.

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DarkArcher__@reddit

Not at that meager altitude with those straight wings and 32 seconds of descent

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The Natter was designed to be reusable and survivable. The pilot was not supposed to crash the vehicle into an enemy aircraft, it was supposed to dive through a formation, fire off the rockets, and then pilot would eject themselves and parachute to safety, and the aircraft would also parachute down and be recovered for parts of it to be reused again.

Ohkas were designed to be completely single use and the pilot was always going to die if there was a successful hit. It was basically a manned cruise missile. The Natter was not, it was an aircraft with its own armament that was designed to be reused.

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