Friday, August 29, 2008
Here is the Flying Heritage Museum's description of this aircraft. Please note the cockpit and canopy and see comments at end of description:
"FIESELER FI 103 V-1
Place in history: The V-1 Vergeltungswaffe (German for vengeance weapon) was the first rocket-powered missile used in war. A precursor to today's cruise missiles, it was aimed primarily against England and Belgium. Launched from aircraft or catapult ramps on land, a simple pulse jet engine gave the V1 a distinctive sound that could be heard from ten miles away, earning it the nickname of "buzzbomb" or "doodlebug." The V-1's main production facility was the notorious underground complex of Mittelwerk at Nordhausen in the Hartz Mountains, where slave-laborers assembled the missiles in appalling conditions."
Editor; this was a PILOTED V-1 which, fortunately for German pilots, never saw action in WW II. As you can see in my photo the engine intake is directly above and behind the cockpit. While the idea sounded good on paper (pilot bails out after aiming at target) for obvious reasons it would not have worked well for the pilot. Believe it or not Hitler felt it was "inhumane" and none were ever launched with ordnance. More info at www.flyingheritagemuseum.com.
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Bruce Batchelder, Editor
Bruce Batchelder, Editor
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