Atomic tipped v1 or v2?

[tomsong3320]

could the allies or axis produce an atomic tipped missle.I saw a pic of an Amercain buzz bomb it had a skid on the catapult?Where it was launched.I don't know how late in the war it was whenthe pic was taken.

[Sal Monella]

I assume you mean during WWII. The answer is no.

The Germans had not yet advanced their nuclear program to where they had a nuclear weapon and the Allies (Americans), who did have a nuclear weapon, could not have launched it as a warhead on a rocket. It was too heavy for the rockets existing in their program and similarly too heavy for the much more advanced German rockets in existence.

Now, if you want to be creative, a nuclear bomb could have been delivered through a remotely guided aircraft.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The Germans were very close to being able to make a "dirty" missle I guess you can call it. Basically a dirty bomb.

The Germans were not ready for a full nuclear warhead but they had the stuff to make a dirty bomb. There was some interesting stuff here posted with pictures of dirty bombs that were discovered by the French near Stuttgart Germany in 1945.

[Sal Monella]

Of course, Mr. Adler is right. A "dirty" package could be delivered in artillery rounds even.

It should be noted though that the real purpose and effect of a dirty package is to inflict terror on a civilian population. Necessary for the imposition of such terror is at least a rudimentary understanding of the dangers of radioactive material.

The civilian populations of the axis and allied countries did not possess this knowledge. Moreover, the press was truly allied with their respective countries and likely would not fan the flames of any such knowledge.

It's not like it is now where the press tries to undermine the war effort and take down a commander in chief or prime minister.

[P38 Pilot]

Also, alot of Germany's greatest scientist fled the country who could of helped developed atomic weapondry had he not created the Holocaust. But thank god those scientist fled to the U.S and Britain.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Sal Monella

It should be noted though that the real purpose and effect of a dirty package is to inflict terror on a civilian population. Necessary for the imposition of such terror is at least a rudimentary understanding of the dangers of radioactive material.

Exactly they would not have been able to win the war. If anything it would have brought a full nuclear strike on Germany.

[Twitch]

The Germans always eluded to the forthcoming nuclear bomb. It was more than propaganda. The upper echelon were well informed about the effects of nuclear explosions and their devestation and commented publically on it relatively often. And simply because Werner Heisenberg alone was passively sabotaging Germany's nuclear effort doesn't mean others weren't going in the general right direction. Thankfully the rivalry and distrust of competitors as fostered by Hitler kept any serious success from happening.

The missile you saw was the American JB-1. The JB-1 flying wing had two small jet engines and was launched from rails using JATO rockets in late 1944. Range was said to be 670 miles with 4,000 lbs. of explosives on board. The JB-1 was fraught with technical difficulties and shelved.

The JB-2 was a straight copy of the V-1 (Fi-103) using an 800 lb. thrust Ford pulsejet. Several were launched from B-17s and from ground ramps beginning in late1944. Other configurations were designated through the JB-10, which was a pulsejet flying wing carrying a 3,209 lb. warhead. It flew 400 MPH for 200 miles in tests. Some JBs were wingless rockets. The program ended in March 1946.

The JBs were nothing more than cloned V-1s offering nothing improved over the original.

The Germans had the capability to deliver a radiation or dirty bomb at any time after 1942. There were plans for a Super V-1 if you will, that was capable of greater speeds than earlier versions which could just be intercepted by the fastest Allied planes. It and the V-2 could carry a 2,200 lb. warheadAny atomic device would have had to have been reduced to this required size. No so easy for any country in the 1st days for nukes but simple enough for a radiation-spreading device.

The Germans had this type of device planned:
The nuclear apparatus consisted of ten layers of uranium formed into circular plates of different diameters stacked inside the top half of a sphere. The plates did not lie atop of one another but would have had spaces between them so that kerosene could flow between them. So they had alternating layers of uranium and kerosene. Kerosene was used for its excellent absorbsion of the neutrons so that the plates did not interact in an atomic manner.

They used about 551 kilograms of uranium. A tube ran vertically through the bomb’s axis. A small ball of beryllium and polonium was used to release a spray of neutrons at the beginning of the fission process. The bottom half of the sphere was filled with a solid ballast, probably steel or iron.

At supersonic speed the projectile pierces a building. The impact force shears the pins holding uranium plates. The sphere shatters under the pressure of its compressed kerosene load, which then ignites and spews out in all directions. The detonator cap in the nose unleashes a spray of neutrons into the uranium. If the device does not detonate in chain reaction fashion the uranium commences meltdown similar to the 1942 lab incident but not with just uranium powder. Once the material bores through to the water table a mass of superheated water will arise in a colossal cloud of radioactive steam that will poison the area for decades hence.

Yes, the real German atomic weapon was a feasible reality. Its construction was quite similar to the experimental sphere. Ten uranium layers were to be spaced within the 2.5-foot diameter sphere so that kerosene could flow between them. Why? Kerosene absorbs neutrons very well to insulate against contact and reaction. Then once the small golf-ball-sized sphere of beryllium is fractured neutrons commence the fission process.

The meltdown scenario is a possibility since the American A-bomb functioned with a 1,000 FPS shot of collision to smash its uranium plates together and produce the chain reaction. A free falling bomb might not travel so fast.

The A-4 or V-2, as it was known, impacted at 3,000 FPS.

[Jank]

"Little Boy" weighed 8,900lbs.

"Fat Man" weighed 10,200lbs.

Sal's right. A remotely controlled aircraft would be the most reliable and accurate delivery system of a such a device.

[P38 Pilot]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

Exactly they would not have been able to win the war. If anything it would have brought a full nuclear strike on Germany.

Exactly. Especially when a Dirty bomb can cause full scale panic, death, and new diseases the allies might not have had a cure for. Nuclear retaliation would have been a reality in Germany.

Also, the Japanese came close to using a dirty bomb. In fact, they were planning to somehow drop one in California two weeks before the war ended.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by P38 Pilot

Also, the Japanese came close to using a dirty bomb. In fact, they were planning to somehow drop one in California two weeks before the war ended.

What information do you have on this? I am not saying that you are wrong, just that I dont ever recall this.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Also Twitch I am trying to find the pictures I have of the German "dirty" bombs found outside of Stuttgart in 1945.

[tomsong3320]

if the us had the capbilties for a v1 type weapon could they have launched it from a carrier?

[Sal Monella]

Sure, why not.

Keep in mind thought that even for many years after WWII, the best way to deliver a nuclear, or any high explosive weapon for that matter, was by dropping it in the form of a bomb from an airplane.

[evangilder]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

What information do you have on this? I am not saying that you are wrong, just that I dont ever recall this.

Actually, I do remember reading about this a few months ago. They found one of the big Japanese subs, I seem to recall near Pearl that had an airplane and some other stuff in it. Can't remember where I read it though.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

the V1 carried a payload of about 1,102lbs correct? well even if i'm not it only carried a small load, and the atom bomb weighed about 10,000lbs, so it's out of the question by weight alone, next issue, balance, the entire missile would have to be re-desgined, next it's accuracy, it's one hell of an expensive weapon to just fire into the countryside, it's highly likely the missile would miss..........