GUIDED ANTI-AIRCRAFT MISSILE “WASSERFALL”

In the development of controlled anti-aircraft weapons of Germany during the Second world war, of course, surpassed all other countries. Work in this direction started there quite early and was based on a high level in the development of German science and technology. September 1, 1942, appeared the Memorandum of the inspector General, defenses of General von Axhelm, supported by Goering, who provided the following directions:

 

– the creation of cheap unguided rockets with engines for solid fuels for the barrage of fire in order to strengthen the existing air defense system on the following paths bombers;

 

– research and development of the larger guided missiles, solid and liquid fuel. The creation of missiles with visual tracking and radio control that could be established in the shortest possible time;

 

– research and development of guided missiles and proximity fuses.

 

It should be noted that this Memorandum was published and was distributed to various companies and organizations long before the massive bombing of German cities. Various companies and research organizations began to form small groups, departments, and bureaus, which worked to address these issues proactively, without an absolute funding from the state. Any coordination of work at this time was also lacking.

 

Enterprises with large tension work on the implementation of current military programs, so funding and supplying these groups and departments was carried out by a residual principle. The consequence of this was the slow pace of work and the lack of tangible success. Soon, however, a massive bombing became a reality, and design work has intensified dramatically.

 

By the spring of 1943, several projects ZURS was already well developed, and you could choose the most promising for further action. But a decision was delayed, and the Board of Dornberger made it only to the end of 1944, the Delay led to the fact that none of the samples ZURS did not have time to apply in a combat situation. In addition, they formed another bottleneck in the development of ZURS – by the summer of 1944, the research center in peenemünde was literally flooded with requests for testing prototypes of various systems and control samples themselves missiles. With these objectives the centre quickly and efficiently could not handle.

 

 

Purge a model rocket “Wasserfall” with the suspension

 

 

A model rocket “Wasserfall” in a wind tunnel

 

 

Start rocket “Wasserfall” W-1. The missile has a “checkerboard” coloring

 

Missiles “Wasserfall” (German – “waterfall”) – was one of the projects approved by the Board of Derenberger. At the root of the project was engineer Ludwig Roth, who worked in the Institute of ground forces in Peenemunde, who made the first estimations of the guided missile and believed that it will be able to adopt in 1945, about the time he was not far from the truth.

 

In response to the Memorandum from 01.09.1942, the plant of the Institute of ground forces sent their proposals under the name “missile” signed by the technical Director Wernher von Braun. The document contained a detailed calculation of three types of anti-aircraft missiles: 1 (length 6.4 m), two variants of 2 (length 6.1 m) and two With 3 (length of 10.06 m). Rocket 1, 2P (P-Pulver), and 3 were equipped with engine solid fuel, and 2F (F – Flüssig) – liquid fuel. Suggestions more than a year has lain in the vaults of the Ministry of aviation without movement.

 

In concept it was the most advanced system ZURS from all created at that time. In 1941 it was formed special design Bureau under the direction of V. von brown, who on 2 November 1942 the Ministry of aviation has concluded a special contract (and only in that time in this area of research) for the construction of missiles 2F, officially named Wasserfall W 1, so that the funding followed by the state. Simultaneously at the site of peenemünde-West was established “Test center of anti-aircraft guns” -in fact, the area in the stands to check not only weapons, but also missiles. There and based KB anti-aircraft missiles.

 

In fact, anti-aircraft missile “Wasserfall” was a side branch of the development of the rocket A-4, so it has traces of the many design solutions worked on V-2. For example, the fuselage of the “Wasserfall” is reduced by approximately twice the copy of the body of the rocket A-4, and as a construction material is also widely used steel and steel plate. Fuels were to be a pair: nitric acid plus alcohol, which was used in one prototype of the rocket A-4.

 

At the end of June 1943, by order of the Minister of armaments, peenemünde, visited the General Manager of chemical industry Professor, Dr. S. Crouch. After the inspection of new weapons and one of the prototypes of the rocket “Wasserfall”, d-R. Krauch wrote to the Minister A. SPIRA about a strategic error in the development of weapons. He offered to change priorities: to minimize the program of ballistic missiles A-4, focusing in favor of anti-aircraft rocket “Wasserfall”. Moreover, in July 1943, it was ready to test the first version of rocket engines for W 1. However, this appeal went unheeded. On the contrary, the program A-4 was rated the Highest importance (SS – SonderStufe), what’s worked so hard for von Braun. This decision allowed him to gradually pull professionals and funds in favor of the project A-4. Thus, administrative means almost managed to block the further development of missiles W 1. Neighbours from peenemünde-West was given the role of poor families and helpless supplicants. For comparison: on June 1, 1944 on anti-aircraft missiles worked 355 specialists, including 220 people on the program “Wasserfall” and 135 – on the program “Typhoon”, while on a program A-4 worked 2210 professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prototypes of the rocket “Wasserfall” in the “checkerboard” coloring of the Photo: LuftArchiv.de

 

 

Scheme guidance ZURS “Wasserfall” with radar systems And Rheinland

 

 

Radar means of Rheinland And

 

 

The operator controls the missile. The right – joystick left – cathode ray tube

 

 

Erratic cart for missiles “Wasserfall” (newsreel scenes). At the start of the prototype truck somehow, not separated, and the rocket flew with her. After a climb of 100 – 200 meters, the rocket fell to his side and collapsed to the ground, 300 – 400 m from the start

 

However, work on the missile “Wasserfall” continued. The rocket was supposed to use against dense combat formations of enemy bombers, so that one blow to knock at least a couple of goals. However, studies have shown that despite the large warhead to achieve this will not be easy. Because the damaging effects of high-explosive charge is reduced to the third power of the distance. From one step to the use of liquid explosives, which will be discussed below. Therefore (according to requirements) rockets were used against individual targets, flying at high altitude with a speed of 720 km/h and maneuver with an overload to 2D. The firing range was assumed to be 25 km and reach heights of 15 km. To the other demands included term (several months) finding with fully fueled tanks to ensure operational use in any weather, regardless of ambient temperature, simple maintenance and simple discharge device for fuel.

 

The first task of the designers was to determine the size and shape of the rocket body, which, when large-scale production must not restrict or reduce the existing capacity of the arms industry. The result suggested that full metal rocket, fusiform shape with a diameter of 0.88 m, with the extension of 8.46, provided in the rear large stabilizers.

 

Aerodynamic venting the first model rockets (scale 1:25) was started in early 1943 in a supersonic pipe in peenemünde. After a night air RAID on this base, in August 1943 (at that time was not known yet important results of pipe dimensions) decided to stop aerodynamic venting and to relocate the pipe in southern Germany. In January 1944, in the town of Kochel, the pipe was again collected, but only in October put into operation. However, failed to reach the previous load on the pipe (in Peenemunde, she worked 500 hours a month, in Kochel – less than 200). Thus, was not timely received detailed and reliable scientific data from the field of aerodynamics of high speeds, which could be applied in the design of the “Wasserfall”, and why the designers left the only way is to rely on measurements and practical experience gained in the development A-4.

 

Time was running out, allied air raids intensified, forcing engineers to take missiles A-4 form of housing and stabilizer. Added only had gas and aerodynamic rudders, which could take from several tube experiments with rocket-4B with wings. In addition, during the purging has investigated different forms of aerodynamic control surfaces at subsonic and supersonic speeds, as well as the shape and position of the wings of different shapes.

 

The total length of the rocket was 7.8…of 7.93 m, maximum diameter – 885 mm, wingspan of stabilizers on the rudder -2510 mm. Rocket “Wasserfall” -1 nes a trapezoidal wings with a small sweep on the leading edge, as shown in the drawing. Then due to the large resistance at transonic speeds, they were replaced by smaller wings with sharp leading and trailing edges and a large sweep. First, the wings were attached with an offset of 45 degrees relative to the stabilizers. This was done to avoid shading of the wing stabilizers. Further research showed that the fears were unfounded, and the wings and stabilizers began to mount in the same plane.

 

Body, wing and stabilizer was a design with a working shell, representing a frame of prefabricated steel elements and cladding from steel sheets with thickness of 0.5…0.8 mm, welded to it by spot welding.

 

In the forward fuselage housed the equipment of the proximity Fuze (which had yet to develop) and a detonator triggered by radio command from earth.