First significant cruise missile. German engineer, Paul Schmidt, working from design of Lorin tube, developed and patented a ramjet engine later modified and used in the V-1 Flying Bomb.
AKA: Vergeltungswaffen-1.
Status: Retired 1945.
More... - Chronology...
Associated Countries
See also
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missile Guided self-propelled military weapon (as opposed to rocket, an unguided self-propelled weapon). More...
Bibliography
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Emme, Eugene M, Aeronautics and Astronautics: An American Chronology of Science and Technology in the Exploration of Space 1915-1960, NASA, 1961. Web Address when accessed: here.
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Ley, Willy, Rockets Missiles and Men in Space, Viking Press, New York, 1968.
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Dornberger, Walter, Peenemuende, Moewig, Berlin 1985..
V-1 Chronology
June 1932 - .
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- V-1 engine concept patented. - .
Nation: Germany. Related Persons: Schmidt, Paul. German engineer, Paul Schmidt, working from design of Lorin tube, developed and patented a ramjet engine later modified and used in the V-1 Flying Bomb. The concept of the world's first jet-powered cruise missile was originated by Flight Staff Engineer Bree. The pulse engine was based on a French patent dating to the 1890's. The engine, which operated by creating 500 fuel-air explosions per minute, was designed for a specific operational altitude. The guidance system consisted of propellor in the nose. When this had turned a preset number of times (corresponding to the desired range to the target), the counter pushed the missile's rudder hard over, resulting on a dive to the ground. A V-1 could be produced for one tenth of the cost of a V-2.
October 1943 - .
Launch Site:
Peenemuende.
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- German 'ski ramps' - .
Nation: Germany. British photo-intelligence interpreters discover what they call 'ski ramps' along the Atlantic coast of occupied Europe. These are 100 m long, and a total of 21 are discovered by mid-November. It is soon noted that whatever their location, all of the ramps point toward London. Fantastic theories are proposed - they are iceberg or poison gas launchers.
1943 December 3 - .
Launch Site:
Peenemuende.
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- Decision to destroy the ski ramps - .
Nation: Germany. Summary: Although their purpose is not understood, it is decided to start a bombing campaign to destroy the German 'ski ramps'. By December 1, 64 had been found, and 75 by 21 December..
1943 December 25 - .
Launch Site:
Peenemuende.
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- Raid against V-1 launchers - .
Nation: Germany. Summary: A raid is launched by Allied 1300 aircraft. The tactics have been developed at Eglin AFB, Florida, where a replica 'ski ramp' was built in an effort to understand its purpose and how best to bomb it..
1944 June 1 - .
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- Manned V-1 test flights. - .
Nation: Germany. Summary: Geman "Reichenberg" program began for use of manned V-1's air launched from He-111's for suicide missions..
1944 June 13 - .
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- V-1 first attacks. - .
Nation: Germany. Summary: The first German V-1's fired in anger, launched from France against England with 4 of the 11 striking London..
1946 January 7 - .
LV Family:
V-1.
Launch Vehicle:
V-1.
- Loon first launch. - .
Nation: USA. First missile launched at Naval Air Facility, Point Mugu, Calif., a KVW-1 Loon, USN name for AAF robot bomb (JB-2) modeled on the German V-1. The inert Loon was launched from an XM-1 launcher, a split-tube catapult with seven sequentially fired powder chambers.
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