Web Page  No 2276

1^st July 2016

Top Picture: An original three wheeled version

Second Picture: Inside the cockpit note the aircraft style steering wheel!

Third Picture: A rare four wheeler

Messerschmitt –that’s an aeroplane isn’t it?

Just after the war the Messerschmitt aircraft company was banned from producing aircraft so they set their expirees onto make a very strange three (of four) wheeled cars.

In 1952, Fritz Fend approached Messerschmitt with the idea of manufacturing small motor vehicles. based on his Fend Flitzer invalid carriage. The first of Fend's vehicles to enter production at Messerschmitt's Regensburg factory was the KR175 under the title of Kabinenroller which means "scooter with cabin". While the Messerschmitt name and insignia were used on the car, a separate companywas created to manufacture and market the vehicle.

The KR200 replaced the KR175 in 1955. While using the same basic frame as the KR175 with changes to the bodywork (notably including wheel cutouts in the front) and an improved canopy design, the KR200 was otherwise an almost total redesign. The rear suspension and engine mounting were reworked, and hydraulic shock absorbers were installed at all three wheels and the tyre sizes were enlarged.

Selling for around DM 2,500, the KR200 was considered an instant success with almost 12,000 built during its first year, which was the highest annual production for Kabinenroller models. A maximum speed in excess of 90 km/h (56 mph) despite a claimed power output of only 9.9 hp reflected the vehicle's light weight and low aerodynamic drag.^[ An "Export" package included a two-tone paint scheme, painted hubcaps, a fully trimmed interior, a heater, a clock, and a sunshade for the canopy.

In 1956, Messerschmitt was allowed to manufacture aircraft again and lost interest in the microcars. Messerschmitt sold the Regensburg works to Fritz Fend who continued production. In 1957, the KR200 Kabrio model was released, featuring a cloth convertible top and fixed side window frames. This was followed by the KR201 Roadster without window frames, using a folding cloth top, a windscreen, and removable side curtains. A Sport Roadster was later offered with no top and with the canopy fixed into place so that the driver would have to climb in and out at the top of the car. Production of the KR200 was heavily reduced in 1962 and ceased in 1964 as sales had been dropping for a few years sales were particularly affected by the increasing popularity of the Mini.

In 1955, in order to prove the KR200's durability, Messerschmitt prepared a KR200 to break the 24-hour speed record for three-wheeled vehicles under 250 cc. The record car had a special single-seat low-drag body and a highly modified engine, but the suspension, steering, and braking components were stock. Throttle, brake, and clutch cables were duplicated. The record car was run on 29-30 August 1955 at the Hockenheimring for 24 hours and broke 22 international speed records in its class, including the 24-hour speed record, which it set at 64 mph.

The narrow body, and corresponding low frontal area, was achieved with tandem seating, which also allowed the body to taper like an aircraft fuselage. The claimed fuel consumption of the car was 87 mpg_- The tandem seating also centralized the mass of the car which, combined with the low center of gravity, low weight, and wheel placement at the vehicle's extremes, gave the KR200 good handling characteristics. 

Over the years over 40,000 of the cars were built but today they are rare. One story about the cars is that they were so unstable that they were banned from using the motorways, but this problem was soon solved when the company added a fourth wheel so stabilizing the car.

There are many tales told about these cars, one chap tells that in the early 1960s he would take his three children to school in his, two children sitting down and the youngest standing up with his head out of the canvas roof. The police did not seem to mind too much in those days as he never got stopped.

Another Messerschmitt enthusiast replaced the original engine with a 600cc NSU unit and managed to top 100mph with it! Rather him than me.

And bearing in mind that the Messerschmitt ME 109 was the arch enemy of the Spitfire one owner on Guernsey has managed to aquire the registration plate 109 for his rare four wheeled example.

Keep in touch

Peter

gsseditor@gmail.com

You Write:

Griff Writes:-

Re The Messiah

               That's me top row, 4th in from the left standing next to John Mortimer to my right as you view the picture.  I was a trumpet player in the school orchestra at the time of the proposed Messiah production.

                I was asked to play trumpet in the Messiah  but I had only been playing trumpet for about a year and there is no easy way of saying this, I was not good enough for this production...lol.

               Playing hymns at school assembly was a far different matter to playing a  trumpet music score from the Messiah and it was eventually decided to bring in a professional trumpet player which, all things considered, was a very wise decision.

Take Care Everyone.

Melvyn ( Griff )  Griffiths.

News and Views:

On this day 1^st July 1960-1965

On 01/07/1960 the number one single was Three Steps to Heaven - Eddie Cochran and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.The big news story of the day was Neale Fraser wins Wimbledon men's singles.

On 01/07/1961 the number one single was Runaway - Del Shannon and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Harpers West One (ATV) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Author Hemingway commits suicide.

On 01/07/1962 the number one single was Come Outside - Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard and the number one album was West Side Story Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/07/1963 the number one single was I Like It - Gerry & the Pacemakers and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/09/1964 the number one single was Have I the Right? - Honeycombs and the number one album was A Hard Day's Night - Beatles. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/09/1965 the number one single was I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher and the number one album was Help - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.