“Weapon of retaliation” - the V-1 projectile, also known as the V-1
V-1 rocket during transport
On June 13, 1944, Nazi Germany first used the Fieseler Fi 103, also known as the V 1, missile. On that day, several of these missiles were launched towards London with the aim of causing maximum damage and terrorizing the population. The missile launches continued, and by the end of March 1, the Germans troops spent at least 15-16 thousand flying bombs. This weapon caused noticeable damage, but its real effectiveness turned out to be extremely limited, and opponents were quickly able to find means and methods of counteraction.
Development and preparation
The future V-1/A-2/Fi-103 ground- or air-launched missile/cruise missile has been developed since the mid-thirties with the participation of a number of German organizations. Work on the final version of the project began in June 1942, and the first flight of the prototype rocket took place in December. Flight testing and development of the product lasted about a year and a half.
The new weapon was supposed to be used primarily against Great Britain. In this regard, in the first half of 1943, in the north-west of occupied France, at a minimum distance from the British Isles, construction began on a large number of launching positions for the new rocket. In addition, an option was being developed to launch missiles from converted He-111 bombers.
The plan called for the construction of four fully protected bunkers with launchers, as well as about 100 "light" positions, practically devoid of protection. To operate these facilities and use the missiles, the 1943th Special Forces was formed in November 65. army body.
Work on the V-1 topic was quite difficult and took a lot of time. First of all, this was due to the overall complexity of the project and the need to develop a number of new units and mechanisms. In addition, in May 1943, the anti-Hitler coalition learned about the existence of a certain promising project and corresponding construction, and took action. Since the end of summer, the Peenemünde test site, where missile development and testing took place, as well as launch positions under construction in France, have been regularly subjected to aviation blows.
Due to the overall complexity and active opposition of the enemy, Germany was able to bring its new “miracle weapon” to a state of operational readiness only by the summer of 1944. The planned positions were built, mass production of projectile aircraft was established, and other measures were carried out.
Against Great Britain
The first combat launches of V-1 missiles took place on June 13, 1944. On this day, only 10 missiles were launched from “light” complexes in France. London was chosen as their target. Five products crashed immediately after launch or during flight. Probably the same thing happened with the sixth one, but there is no exact information about it. Three more fell on British soil, and only one reached the capital. The ammunition fell in the Benthal Green area and destroyed or damaged several buildings. 6 people died. and 9 were injured.
A few days later the second launch took place; this time, 294 missiles were sent to Great Britain within a few hours, incl. 244 to London. About a hundred products did not even reach the British coast. However, of the remaining 73 fell within the capital and its suburbs, killing several dozen people.
Subsequently, V-1 launches became regular. With a frequency of no more than a few days, German troops launched dozens of projectile aircraft. Some of these products reached their destinations - London and other large cities. At the same time, a significant part of the missiles did not reach due to technical reasons or due to the impact of British air defense.
Rocket layout - British diagram for reference
It should be noted that the combat use of V-1 missiles began after the landing of allied forces in Normandy. Moving deeper into French territory, the Allies gradually captured or destroyed launch sites for missiles. As a result, the intensity of missile use dropped sharply in the fall of 1944. At the same time, German troops began to more actively use air-launched cruise missiles. The last launches of this kind were noted at the end of March 1945.
Over the entire period, approx. 10,5 thousand projectile aircraft - approx. 8,9 thousand ground-based and only 1,6 thousand air-based. Only 3,2 thousand rockets fell on or near British cities, i.e. about a third of those launched. The main target of the attacks was London, which reached only 2,4 thousand missiles. They destroyed approx. 23 thousand buildings and killed up to 6,2 thousand people. With all this, there was no talk of hitting specific targets and objects - the missiles accidentally hit different areas and buildings.
On the continent
German troops tried to stop the advancing Allied forces by all available methods. In October 1944, the existing V-1 missiles began to be used for this purpose. With their help, they again planned to inflict various damage in the rear, and also counted on damaging strategic objects.
The main target for the projectile aircraft was the Belgian city of Antwerp, whose port was of particular importance for Allied logistics. Until March 1945, more than 2,4 thousand missiles were launched at it. As in the case of Great Britain, most of the products did not reach their target, and the rest fell on one or another area of the city. At the same time, the port, which was the main target, received minimal damage, and its work practically did not stop.
French cities within range were also subject to missile attacks. The Nazis were going to disrupt logistics, hit troops or their command and control agencies, etc. In addition, there were banal revenge and attempts to somehow harm a superior enemy.
Clearing rubble after a German rocket crash. London, 1944
Launches against targets on the territory of continental Europe were carried out over a wide range of ranges, up to the maximum. At the same time, shorter ranges made it possible to improve accuracy to some extent, although in this case it was only about hitting a target the size of a city. In general, the percentage of missiles that flew and fell on cities, as before, remained insignificant.
Technical limitations
From a design point of view, the V-1 product was a projectile aircraft with a torpedo-shaped fuselage 7,75 m long, a straight wing with a span of 5,3 m and a take-off weight of 2,16 tons. The rocket was equipped with an Argus As 014 pulsating air-breathing engine and developed speed up to 700-800 km/h. The maximum flight range was 286 km. Combat load – up to 1 ton.
The rocket received an original autopilot based on gyroscopes and a magnetic compass. He kept the rocket on a given course with the required pitch. There was no roll control. There was a mechanical range counter that determined the moment of transition to a dive on the target. The actuators were made on the basis of pneumatics.
The V-1 project was not perfect - both the rocket as a whole and its individual devices. The result was limited product reliability, low accuracy and vulnerability to various influences. Thus, one of the main causes of accidents at launch and in flight was an imperfect thruster. Some of the engines did not start during the initial acceleration of the rocket, while others could stall in flight.
British pilots study new threat
The control system added problems. According to calculations, it should have given a CEP of no more than 900-1000 m at maximum range. However, the imperfection of instruments, external conditions, etc. led to greater deviation. As a result, an aircraft projectile, both in theory and in practice, could only hit a target the size of a city - of course, if it reached it.
Countermeasures
Faced with a new threat, the UK armed forces began to look for measures to counter it. This problem was solved, and further practice showed the high efficiency of the solutions found. As they were introduced, the share of missiles that did not reach their targets reached the level of 75-80 percent.
First of all, they continued to use and improve the ground-based air defense system built during the Battle of Britain. Existing and newly developed guns were deployed in dangerous areas and equipped with newly developed radar fire control systems. In addition, during that period the introduction of artillery shells with radio fuses began. According to known data, air defense guns account for approx. 1,85 thousand intercepted V-1 missiles.
Ground artillery was supplemented with barrage balloons. For all their simplicity and objective limitations, they were able to shoot down more than 200 flying projectiles.
V-1 at an exhibition of captured equipment. Paris, 1945
Fighter aircraft made a significant contribution to the fight against missiles. It accounts for about 1,8-2 thousand V-1s destroyed. If possible, the missiles were hit by fire from a safe distance - the pilot had to damage the target, but not touch its warhead. They also practiced picking up the wing of a rocket with the wing of a fighter, giving the latter a roll. The imperfect control system could not bring the projectile out of the turn, and it ended its flight on the ground.
With low efficiency
Thus, Nazi Germany used V-1 cruise missiles for 10 months, and during this time spent at least 15-16 thousand of such products. At the same time, no more than 20-25 percent reached their goals. launched projectiles, while the rest fell along the way or were shot down by artillery and aircraft. However, the incoming missiles caused significant damage and killed several thousand people.
However, in general, the combat use of German V-1 projectile aircraft cannot be called successful. The overall imperfection of the design and countermeasures from adversaries seriously limited the percentage of missiles that managed to at least hit the intended city. At the same time, there are known calculations according to which the V-1 had acceptable cost and efficiency indicators, and in these indicators it was superior to V-2 ballistic missiles or bomber aircraft. In addition, Great Britain and other countries had to spend resources and effort on organizing defense. However, the overall result is well known - the V-1 projectile did not become a “miracle weapon” and did not save Germany from defeat.
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