World War II European Air Campaign--German Ballistic and Guided Missles


Figure 1.--the German V-2 ballistic missle was perhaps the most advanced weapon system of the World War II. The technology and the designer would eventually take America to the moon. Here a V-2 has destroyed this little London boy's home during early 1945. As a World War II weapon. however, it was am abject failure. Not only could the V-2 not target important military assetts other than cities, but the resources used to build the V-2 exceeded the damage done. Wars are won by desrtoying enemy military forces, not demoloishing civilian homes. Whike the Gernans with V-1s and V-2 wre destroying a few city blocks, the allies were lelveling Germany's industrial cities and ability to mke war.

The Germans developed a number of sophisticated guided missle weapons. These weapons have received very little attention by World War II historians, presumably because they were not manufactured and used in numbers. They were, however, substantial technological aschievements that had Germany not lost air superority could have played an important role in the War. These were different than the more well-known surface to surface variants (V-1 fixed-wing ramjets--a kind of early cruise missle--and the V-2 balistic missle) because they could be guided to the target by remote operators after launch. All of these weapons except the V-1 employed rocket engines. Many of these German guided missles systems had bugs, but if the Germans had had more time, and here we are talking about months, not years, they could have become very effective weapons systems. The Allies had nothing like these weapons. The Soviets and Allies both had rocket weapons, but not guided missle weapons. The Americans wwere experimenting with remotely guiding planes into targets, but not with any guided rocket weapons. There was a complele panoply in the German aresnal. There were 1) surface to air, 2) air to surfce, 3) air to air, and 4) anti-ship missles. These weapons if they could have been produced in numbers could have devestated Allied air fleets. The loss of air superority, however, made it difficult for the Germans to both produce and use these weapons. Had they done so, when cmbined with jet aircraft, the Germans could have regained air superiority. The breathing room the Allies had proved to be a very narrow one indeed.

Importance

The Germans developed a number of sophisticated guided missle weapons. These weapons have received very little attention by World War II historians, presumably because they were not manufactured and used in numbers. They were, however, substantial technological aschievements that had Germany not lost air superority could have played an important role in the War.

Long Range Surface to Surface Variants

The German guided missles were different than the more well-known surface to surface variants (V-1 fixed-wing ramjets--a kind of early cruise missle--and the V-2 balistic missle) because they could be guided to the target by remote operators after launch. The V-1 and V-2 were guided in the sence that the target was programmed into them before launch. There was no way of changing the flight after lasunch or of monitoring the target area if the flight trajectory could be chnged. The guidance system on both the V-1 and V-2 were very crude. The best the Germans could hope for was to hit a specific system. And this meant that the V-1s and V-2s were not military weapons that could hit identified military targets. Rather they were terror wreapons to kill civilians. Tghey could destroy a city block, but could not be guided to targets of real military value.

Rockets

All of these weapons except the V-1 employed rocket engines. The Soviets and Allies both had rocket weapons, but not guided missle weapons.

Specific Guided Missle Systems

German scientisdts feveloped a number of what might be called precession guided misskles. They were short-range weapons that could be guided after launch on to a moving target. This made them very valuable military werapons. Many of these German guided missles systems had bugs, but if the Germans had had more time, and here we are talking about months, not years, they could have become very effective weapons systems. The Allies had nothing like these weapons. The Americans were experimenting with remotely guiding planes into targets, but not with any guided rocket weapons. There was a complele panoply in the German aresnal. There were 1) surface to air, 2) air to surfce, 3) air to air, and 4) anti-ship missles. Several missles were developed for these different basic types. There were verifiable instance of these werapons being used to bring down bombers and destroy ships.

Potential

These weapons if they could have been produced in numbers could have devestated Allied air fleets. Unlike the V-1 and V-2, these gioded missles were military weapons of some signioficance. The loss of air superority, however, made it difficult for the Germans to both produce and use these weapons. Had they done so, when cmbined with jet aircraft, the Germans could have regained air superiority. The breathing room the Allies had proved to be a very narrow one indeed.






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Created: 4:21 AM 4/22/2011
Last updated: 4:21 AM 4/22/2011