Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z
Groettrup, Helmut
Groettrup
Groettrup
Groettrup, Helmut
German engineer. Head of German design group held in Russia German rocket guidance expert, worked at Peenemuende and later headed German rocket team in Russia, 1945-1953. Headed the group that fired V-2 rockets at Kapustin Yar in 1946.

Born: 1916. Died: 1981-01-01.



Subtopics

G-2 The G-2 design objective was to create the first IRBM - to deliver a 1000 kg payload over a 2500 km range. The missile would use three V-2 derived engines with a total thrust of 100 metric tons. A variety of alternate configurations (R-12A through R-12K) were considered by the German team in Russia. These included parallel and consecutive staging, gimbaled motors, and other innovations. The R-12K was particularly interesting because it represented a concept later used on the US Atlas missile - jettisoning of the two outboard engines at altitude to significantly improve range. The G-2 was given the secret designation R-6 and overt designation R-12 by the Russians.

G-1 Russian intermediate range ballistic missile. The G-1, an improved 600 km range version of the V-2 missile, was the first design produced by Groettrup's German engineering team after they had been moved to Russia. A Soviet state commission found in 1948 that it was superior to Korolev's R-2 concept. Nevertheless the R-2 was put in production instead.

G-4 Russian intermediate range ballistic missile. The G-4 was designed by the Groettrup German team in the Soviet Union in competition with Korolev's R-3. Rocket chief Ustinov informed Groettrup of the requirement on 9 April 1949: to deliver a 3000 kg atomic bomb to a 3000 km. This requirement meant a massive improvement over existing V-2 technology. The G-4 was evaluated against Korolev's R-3 on 7 December 1949 - and the G-4 was found to be superior. Neither ended up in production, but the design concepts of the G-4 led directly to Korolev's R-7 ICBM (essentially a cluster of G-4's or R-3A's) and the N1 superbooster. Work on the G-4 continued through 1952.

G-3 German aerodynamicist Albring designed the G-3 missile for the Russians in October 1949. This would use a rocket-powered Groettrup-designed G-1 as the first stage. The cruise stage would have an aerodynamic layout like that of the Saenger-Bredt rocket-powered antipodal bomber of World War II. Cruising at 13 km altitude, the supersonic missile would carry a 3000 kg warhead to a range of 2900 km.

G-5 Russian intercontinental ballistic missile. Some sources indicate the G-5 / R-15 designation was assigned to an ICBM designed by the Groettrup team. If so, it may have been the 'packet of G-4's' that was the direct ancestor of the Korolev R-7. The designation G-5 / R-15 has also been reported as that of the ramjet missile more often referred to as G-3 or R-13.

Country: Germany, Russia. Bibliography: 5470.
Photo Gallery

GroettrupGroettrup


GroettrupGroettrup
Groettrup, Helmut



1946 June - . LV Family: V-2. Launch Vehicle: R-1.
1946 September - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-2.
1947 May 22 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-1.
1947 Sept - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-1.
1948 December 28 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-1.
1949 March - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-2.
1949 April 9 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1949 June - . Launch Vehicle: R-11.
1949 June - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1949 July - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1949 October - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1949 October - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-3.
1950 August 13 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1951 March 21 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1953 November 28 - . LV Family: Groettrup. Launch Vehicle: G-4.
1981 January 1 - .

Back to top of page
Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z
© 1997-2019 Mark Wade - Contact
© / Conditions for Use