German Guided Missiles of World War II

German Guided Missiles of World War II
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2019-11-28
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472831934

Although not as well-known as the V-1 buzz bomb and the V-2 missile, the first German missiles to see combat were anti-ship missiles, the Henschel Hs.293 guided missile and the Fritz-X guided bomb. These began to see extensive combat in the Mediterranean in 1943. In their most famous use, the Italian battleship Roma was sunk by a Fritz-X attack in September 1943 when Italy attempted to switch sides. The serious threat posed by these missiles led to a vigorous but little known 'Wizard War' by the Allies to develop electronic counter-measures, the first effort of its kind. Besides the anti-ship missiles, the other major category of German missiles were the air-defence missiles. Germany suffered extremely heavy losses from Allied strategic bombing attacks, and German fighter and flak defences proved increasingly unsuccessful. As a result, the Luftwaffe began an extensive programme to deploy several families of new air defence missiles to counter the bomber threat, including the Wasserfall, Schmetterling, and others. This book traces the origins of these missile programmes and examines their development and use in combat. With full-colour illustrations and detailed explorations of the stories behind the missiles, this study offers a comprehensive overview of German guided missiles in the World War II era.

German Guided Missiles

German Guided Missiles
Author: Heinz J. Nowarra
Publisher: Schiffer Pub Limited
Total Pages: 47
Release: 1993
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9780887404757

Covers air-to-air and ground-to-air development from WWI to WWII.

German Guided Missiles of World War II

German Guided Missiles of World War II
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2019-11-28
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472831942

Although not as well-known as the V-1 buzz bomb and the V-2 missile, the first German missiles to see combat were anti-ship missiles, the Henschel Hs.293 guided missile and the Fritz-X guided bomb. These began to see extensive combat in the Mediterranean in 1943. In their most famous use, the Italian battleship Roma was sunk by a Fritz-X attack in September 1943 when Italy attempted to switch sides. The serious threat posed by these missiles led to a vigorous but little known 'Wizard War' by the Allies to develop electronic counter-measures, the first effort of its kind. Besides the anti-ship missiles, the other major category of German missiles were the air-defence missiles. Germany suffered extremely heavy losses from Allied strategic bombing attacks, and German fighter and flak defences proved increasingly unsuccessful. As a result, the Luftwaffe began an extensive programme to deploy several families of new air defence missiles to counter the bomber threat, including the Wasserfall, Schmetterling, and others. This book traces the origins of these missile programmes and examines their development and use in combat. With full-colour illustrations and detailed explorations of the stories behind the missiles, this study offers a comprehensive overview of German guided missiles in the World War II era.

History of German Guided Missiles Development

History of German Guided Missiles Development
Author: Guided Missiles Seminar. 1er. 1956. Munich
Publisher:
Total Pages: 419
Release: 1957
Genre:
ISBN:

The Physical and Technical Development of Infrared Homing Devices; Review of the Development of Proximity Fuses; Some Special Problems of Power Plants; The Design and Development of the Solid-Fuel Rocket and its Performance; Development of Hydrogen Peroxide Rockets in Germany; The Development of the V-2 Rocket Engine; BMW-Developments; History of the Air-Borne Towing Experiments with Large Size Ram-Jet Ducts in Germany during 1941-1945; High Velocity Free-Flying Ram-Jet Units (TR-Missiles); On the History of the Development of the Schmidtrohr; Development of the V-1 Pulse Jet; Research and Development of the Guided Missile "Feuerlilie".

American Guided Missiles of World War II

American Guided Missiles of World War II
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2020-06-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472839277

World War II was a significant period of development for American missile programs, during which time the US built pioneering examples of guided weapons systems. However, whilst the German missiles of World War II are famous around the world, their American counterparts have remained shrouded in secrecy, despite the fact that they formed the basis for the later revolutions in precision warfare. Among the most sophisticated missiles of World War II was the US Navy's radar-guided Bat anti-ship missile, which was on the verge of deployment in the final months of the war. The war also saw the first use of guided assault drones, including the US Army Air Force's Aphrodite program of 1944, and the US Navy's Project Anvil and TDR-1. This book draws back the veil on these weapons, examining the principal avenues of missile development in America during World War II, including the early glide bombs, radio-controlled bombs and electro-optically controlled bombs. Some of the more peculiar efforts, such as the “Bat bomb” and pigeon-guided bombs, are also explored. The text is supported by specially commissioned, full-colour artwork and diagrams.

American Guided Missiles of World War II

American Guided Missiles of World War II
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2020-06-25
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472839242

World War II was a significant period of development for American missile programs, during which time the US built pioneering examples of guided weapons systems. However, whilst the German missiles of World War II are famous around the world, their American counterparts have remained shrouded in secrecy, despite the fact that they formed the basis for the later revolutions in precision warfare. Among the most sophisticated missiles of World War II was the US Navy's radar-guided Bat anti-ship missile, which was on the verge of deployment in the final months of the war. The war also saw the first use of guided assault drones, including the US Army Air Force's Aphrodite program of 1944, and the US Navy's Project Anvil and TDR-1. This book draws back the veil on these weapons, examining the principal avenues of missile development in America during World War II, including the early glide bombs, radio-controlled bombs and electro-optically controlled bombs. Some of the more peculiar efforts, such as the “Bat bomb” and pigeon-guided bombs, are also explored. The text is supported by specially commissioned, full-colour artwork and diagrams.

The Origins of Surface-to-Air Guided Missile Technology

The Origins of Surface-to-Air Guided Missile Technology
Author: James Mills
Publisher: Casemate
Total Pages: 267
Release: 2022-10-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 1636242782

"Author James Mills presents an amazing, detailed history review of the German surface-to-air guided missile technology development." —Military Review World War II saw the appearance of numerous revolutionary armaments on both sides of the conflict that would radically change the nature of warfare, from jet aircraft to the ballistic missile and the atomic bomb. The greatest conflagration in history also saw the conception of the first surface-to-air guided missile systems, technology pioneered by German scientists and engineers through an extensive development program which ran from 1942 to 1945. Although the program did not achieve its main objective – to introduce a functional weapon system into the Luftwaffe air defense network – German research and development in most aspects of the technology was ahead of comparable research in the United Kingdom and the United States. The history of the transfer of German SAM technology to the Allies after 1945 has previously been overshadowed by the well-published transfers of the V-1 and V-2 guided missiles. This book presents the first complete history of Germany’s wartime development of surface-to-air missile (SAM) technology, how the Allies acquired this secret research towards the end of World War II in Europe and in the early postwar period, and how they then exploited this knowledge.

German V-Weapon Sites 1943–45

German V-Weapon Sites 1943–45
Author: Steven J. Zaloga
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 66
Release: 2012-08-20
Genre: History
ISBN: 1849080712

Designed to change the course of the war, the V weapons required ambitious plans to defend their expensive and complicated launch sites. Steven J Zaloga describes the configuration and planned deployment of heavy missile sites, as well as the unique Allied tactics developed to counter this threat, including a remote-control version of the B-17 bomber. From the V-1 ski sites to the mobile basing employed by the V-2 units and the other secret weapons bases like the 'V-3' high-pressure gun at Mimoyeques, this book examines the impact of these weapon systems and defences not only on the war but on modern weaponry. With many of the sites described still surviving today, this is a perfect companion for a tour of the V weapon sites built during World War II.