Please pardon my posting, but I was wondering if anyone here could help me an RAF squadron patch that I saw on the Discovery Channel the other night…
It was painted on a captured Me-163 that the British test flew after the war. The insignia itself had a gnome or a “red cap” riding a bottle rocket. Does that ring a bell to anyone?
Well, thanks for your time,
Ranchoth
You should probably check at a more specific board, like this one:
AVIATION COLLECTIBLES For Sale/Wanted
They have separate boards for many different items, and people who are on mailing lists when new items are posted as wanted.
Blast. My OP skipped a word.
It should say “help me an identify RAF squadron patch.” Or, more accurately, ID the squadron itself.
'Last time I post after taking Tylenol Flu.
Was it this insignia?
The only guess I have is No. 6 Maintenance Unit (MU) RAF. Can’t find a patch, unfortunately.
Are you sure it’s actually an RAF insignia? Because one of the German squadrons that flew the Me163 used the insignia shown in the picture Crusoe linked to (it’s Baron von Münchhausen riding on a cannonball). There was also a variation with him riding a champagne bottle with the cork shooting out the back).
The best, however is the one showing the flea shooting skyward with the rocket blast shooting out it’s ass! 
Do fleas have asses?
I don’t know if the British or American pilots who tested them after the war used any special insignias of their own. As far as I know the post war flights were unpowered (because the rocket fuel was awfully temperamental).
Slight highjack - I recently watched a short clip of the first test flight of the Classic Fighter Industries reproduction ME262. It was really cool. I’m hoping they do some flights at airshows when they finish the flight testing.
Eric
THAT’S it! I must have mistaken the background of of the German insignia for the “badge” background used by RAF squadrons. Mea culpa.
I don’t suppose anyone has a link to an image of the “champagne bottle” insignia, somewhere?
And…thanks to all!
Here ya go: It’s on the 163 at the Duxford Museum.
http://www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/me163/images/large/duxfo058.jpg
Doesnt seem to work (for me at least). Here’s the url:
http://www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/me163/images/large/duxfo058.jpg
Here are two scans from a book I’ve got (unfortunately they’re B&W):
http://www.toymiata.com/me163.jpg
http://www.toymiata.com/me163-2.jpg
Eric
Cool! Thanks for the links, all. I really appreciate it.
But…WHY did they ever choose Baron von Münchhausen as a mascot? Not that I’m complaining, but it just seems a little…esoteric.
The Baron claims that he rode a cannonball in one of his many stories. Maybe that has something to do with it.
Also, flying an ME-163 might have been somewhat like riding a cannon ball. (Fast, and it didn’t stay in the air long. 
)