The book, Rocket Fighter (Weapons Book # 20) chronicles Messerchmitt's development and deployment during World War II of the world's first operational rocket powered fighter.  Germany was the only country to succeed in bringing a rocket powered combat aircraft, the Me-163 Komet, to operational status during World War II.  The first operational test groups equipped with the Me-163 Komet interceptor was formed in 1944.  Given the short duration of the rocket "burn" all Me-163 units were located immediately adjacent to Allied high value targets such as large synthetic fuel plants inside Germany.  The Me-163 Komet carried two 30 mm cannon and was powered by one Walter HWK 109-502A-2 bi-fuel liquid-rocket motor that developed a peak thrust of 3,750 pounds.  This rocket motor was capable of giving the Me-163 a top speed of 596 mph at 30,000 feet.  When Allied bombers were closing in on their high-value targets, the Me-163s were launched to intercept them.  The limited amount of rocket fuel usually meant that they only had one rocket powered pass at a given bomber.  Once the Me-163's fuel was spent, it glided back to their designated airfield and landed on a fuselage-mounted skid.  Unfortunately for the Germans, this remarkable rocket technology produced only limited success and therefore did not material change the outcome of World War II.  The major sections of "Rocket Fighter (Weapons Book # 20)" are as follows: 1) Birth of a Concept; 2) 'To be burned before reading'; 3) Meanwhile further East...; 4) From lowest to highest priority; 5) Advanced concept-abysmal failure; 6) The Komet committed; 7) Variations on a theme; 8) The exotic and the fantastic; 9) Death of a concept and 10) Bibliography.  In addition to an informative narrative, "Rocket Fighter (Weapons Book # 20)" includes the following features: 1) Approximately 75 black and white photographs; 2) About 19 black and white aircraft illustrations; 3) 1 black and white B1 Rocket Fighter illustration with component description; 4) 1 black and white Messerschmitt Me-163 B-1a illustration with component description; 5) 1 three-view black and white Messerschmitt Me-163 B-1a illustration with specifications and 6) 1 black and white Bachem Ba-349 a Natter illustration with component description.  This book is 160 pages and is in very good condition.  The author is Willam Green.  Edition published in 1971.