German experiments with V-2 rocket 


Based on findings made by America's Dr. Robert H. Goddard following World War I, the Germans hit a peak production of V-2's during 1944 and 1945 at Peenemunde, and terrorized Allied populations of Europe and England until the end of the war.

The German program started in early 1940, and the first V-2 was launched July 6, 1942. The third missile, launched in October 1942, flew 170 miles and was the first successful V-2 in flight.

Between August 1944 and February 1945, the Germans made some 3,000 rockets with a peak production of 30 missiles in one day. Hitler's production target was for 3,600 rockets in one year.

The Germans had an underground production plant in Nordhausen with a 900,000 square-foot production area. The plant was constructed in two parallel tunnels 500 feet apart, each a mile and a quarter long and cut completely through a mountain.

The main rocket assembly line started at one end of the first tunnel and missiles, moved along on rails, were finished and tested upon reaching the opposite end of the tunnel and were ready for delivery to launching sites.

The second tunnel was used for bringing in units and parts for subassembly lines which were 46 smaller tunnels cross-connecting at strategic points the two main missile arteries.

Subassemblies were channeled to tunnels and timed so that they reached the main assembly line at the time and place required. The total length of the entire tunnel-web was 18 miles.

Ref: #57 bij V2 duitsland zetten ref: http://zurakowskiavroarrow.weebly.com/k-szrajer.html KAZIMIERZ SZRAJER, 1919-2012 & the German Rocket V-2, WWII, July 1944 Kazimierz Szrajer (1919-2012) Polish pilot in the World War II "Third Bridge" operation

From June 13. 1942 till February 19.1945, 282 experimental flight tests realized at Peenemuende. 175 rockets were fired from P-7, 46 from P-10 and from Oie 28 rockets were fired for maximum vertical heigth. 117 rockets were made in Mittelwerk, others at Peenemuende.

Next figures are based on book of Willy Ley: Rockets, Missiles and Space Travel.

1942:

No. Date Burning time /s Range /km Remarks
2 June 13 36 1.3 rolled, unstable
3 Aug. 16 45 8.7 nose broke off
4 Oct. 3 58 190 too steep; success
5 Oct. 21 84 147 steam generator misbehaved
6 Nov. 9 54 14 vertical, height 67 km
7 Nov. 28 37 8.6 tumbled, lost vanes
9 Dec. 12 4 0.1 hydrogen peroxide explosion

1943:

No. Date Burning time /s Range /km Remarks
10 Jan. 7 - 0 explosion on ignition
11 Jan. 25 64.5 105 too steep, rolled
12 Feb. 17 61 196 too shallow
13 Feb. 19 18 4.8 fire in tail
16 March 3 33 1.0 vertical; explosion
18 March 18 60 133 too steep, rotated
19 March 25 28 1.2 tumbled, exploded
20 April 14 66 287 fell on land
21 April 22 59 252 fell on land
22 May 14 62 250 cut-off switch failed
26 May 26 66.5 265 -
25 May 26 40 27 Brennschluss at 40s
24 May 27 55 138 -
23 June 1 62 235 premature Brennschluss
29 June 11 63.5 238 -
31 June 16 60.5 221 premature Brennschluss
28 June 22 62.5 75 exploded after 75s
30 June 24 65.1 287 cut-off switch failed
36 June 26 64.9 235 -
38 June 29 15 3 fell on airport
40 June 29 63.6 236 impact not observed
33 July 1 - - Brennschluss at take-off, exploded
41 July 9 4 0.1 fell on pump building
34 July 9 - - Brennschluss at take-off, exploded

    Numbers of rockets are their production numbers. Rockets 1 to 6 weighed about 1 ton more than later A-4. No.8 was used for crew training; nos. 14,15,17 were stored in the open for more than a year with tarpaulin covers only to test for storability; they were fired after 1943. Nos. 27,32,37 and 39 had various experimental equipment for development purpose.

    No.1 was used as a mock-up (Ley) but first prototype exploded during static firing test.

    First rockets (during 1942) had rather complicated "chess" camouflage with 9 B&W chess fields in tail section and white horizontal band on black field in space between two others vanes. From the opposite side of view  has tail section inverse color scheme.

 

Experiments in Blizna (Poland) started on the November 11. 1943 and came to end at the end of July 1944. 139 rockets were fired in sum. Next figures are from book of M. Wojewódzki: Akce V-1 a V-2.

Flight Date Hour Long flight Short flight (failure)
1 25.11.43 2.00 - Niwisk course Kobuszowa
2 5.12.43 2.00 - -
3 5.1.44 2.00 - -
4 6.1.44 2.00 Sandomierze -
5 6.1.44 2.00 Czestochowa -
6 - - Czestochowa -
7 17.1.44 10.35 (?) -
8 29.1.44 22.30 - Blizna
9 16.2.44 15.50 (?) -
10 17.2.44 10.20 (?) -
11 19.2.44 21.00 (?) -
12 23.2.44 13.50 - -
13 26.2.44 15.20 - Near Blizna course Trzesnia
14 2.3.44 15.00 west course -
15 4.3.44 16.30 - Niwisko
16 5.3.44 16.00 - Niwisko
17 6.3.44 1.30 - Niwisko
18 6.3.44 16.30 - Niwisko
19 17.3.44 11.30 - Niwisko
20 18.3.44 12.00 - Niwisko
21 20.3.44 18.00 south-east course -
22 21.3.44 16.30 south-east course -
23 25.3.44 2.00 - -
24 31.3.44 23.50 - Niwisko
25 1.4.44 - - -
26 2.4.44 - (?) -
27 4.4.44 - - -
28 6.4.44 - -  Stawy-Kolbuszowa

 Thenceforth between 15.-17.4 1944 two rockets fell near Stalowa Wola, 21.4.1944 two near Kozienic. From 20.4 till 7.5 in area of Platerów, Sarnaki and especially around MeŸienin-Ogroniki (Losice county) explosions of 19 rockets espied. During July lot of rockets were fired in direction of Wlodawa and Brzeœæ. They fell in Rejowec area. But the main aim point was Sarnaki village. From April till May about 60 rockets were fired.


External links:


Ref: #34, #98 - Update: 06.03.2026