V-2 rocket bomb - Aircraft of World War II

Micdrow · 08-02-2009, 03:13 PM

Short document on the V-2 rocket bomb

Enjoy!!!

timshatz · 08-02-2009, 03:14 PM

Thought the V1 was the Buzz Bomb.

trackend · 08-02-2009, 03:18 PM

It was TS sept over here it was called the doodle bug

Micdrow · 08-02-2009, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timshatz

Thought the V1 was the Buzz Bomb.

Dohh, yep your right. Correcting now.

wheelsup_cavu · 08-02-2009, 03:50 PM

I've heard the V1 being called the buzz bomb and doodlebug but I haven't heard of any nicknames for the V2.

Wheels

GrauGeist · 08-02-2009, 03:54 PM

Don't know if there ever was a name for the V2 other than A-4 while it was being developed.

The V in the designation (V1, V2, etc) stood for Vengeance.

trackend · 08-02-2009, 04:04 PM

Thats because it just went bang and most people in the begining thought they were land mines going off It was only later that the V2 rocket info was released as telling the public that there was no way of stopping them was not very good for moral

wheelsup_cavu · 08-02-2009, 04:13 PM

I wonder what would possess them to think it was landmines ?
Were there that many unmarked minefields dotting the countryside ?

Wheels

GrauGeist · 08-02-2009, 04:20 PM

They would be pretty hard to spot, as they reached 2 1/2 times the speed of sound in thier terminal dive.

The V1s were no where near as fast, and made a distinctive sound as they cruised along. Once the V1's engine cut out, people knew it was about to dive, so they had a little warning.

wheelsup_cavu · 08-02-2009, 04:28 PM

What I mean is how would you make the leap that it was a landmine ?
I fully believe that people thought that at the time but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.
Especially when they hit in the middle of the city where no landmines would have been placed.

I guess a mine sounds better to the public than an unstoppable weapon anyday.

Wheels

GrauGeist · 08-02-2009, 04:40 PM

Ahh...I see what you're asking.

They had no idea what the heck was going on at first. These things were coming in undetected, no one had a clue. The landmine theory was the only explanation that made sense at the time.

There was even speculation for a short time that the Germans were using a "Paris" gun (Like the Gustav), but the ranges were too extreme for a "Schwerer" gun and the shells made a distinct sound in flight, so that was quickly ruled out.

trackend · 08-03-2009, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelsup_cavu

I wonder what would possess them to think it was landmines ?
Were there that many unmarked minefields dotting the countryside ?
Wheels

In the UK landmines was a name the civvies gave to the Parachute mines that were dropped in large numbers. these had a delayed action fuse and would detonate after a variable predetermined period if the mine layed undiscovered (woodland ,old bombsites, warehouses etc) there would just be a huge explosions with no enemy aircraft around.

SteveW · 08-07-2009, 01:55 PM

...which was driven by a pulsed jet motor, which kind of put-putted along with a very characteristic noise, easily detectible on the ground. When it went quiet it was out of fuel and time to take cover.

The V1 flew, thanks to small wings, and was slow enough to be intercepted by the faster fighter planes. The V2 was, as described, a ballistic missile and travelled very quickly and virtually silently from the point of view of ground observers.

The initial assumption that V2 damage was due to land (parachute) mines was also reasonable because of the extent of the damage and lack of warning. Land mines contained large amounts of explosive (see the picture above) and would level complete streets with little warning if the mine hadn't been detected.

Listened to many stories from my uncles and aunts on the subject when I was young, it was recent history experienced by many ordinary people. All gone now, unfortunately.

wheelsup_cavu · 08-07-2009, 02:12 PM

Thanks Trackend and Steve.

Wheels

trackend · 08-07-2009, 03:12 PM

Lost me dad the other year Steve but my mum is still about and where she lives and I grew up (Brentwood), it got a fair pasteing by the Luftwaffa and she has told me of several landmines and Doodlebugs that went off there. The Church (St Thomases) has a high spire and the enemy aircraft would do a turn right over it then follow the rail lines into the east end of London but sometimes it was the Ilford Selo factory, that made X-ray and recon film in the town that was the target.
For a small place it lost quite a few civvies during the raids and ofcourse if things got too hot approaching the smoke (London), Brentwood made a good secondary target on the way back.

08-02-2009, 03:50 PM	#5
wheelsup_cavu Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona, California Posts: 1,534	I've heard the V1 being called the buzz bomb and doodlebug but I haven't heard of any nicknames for the V2. Wheels __________________ Cheers Wheelsup_cavu Wheels's Photos - Time lapse build of an F/A-18 Super Hornet - Lock N' Load

08-02-2009, 03:54 PM	#6
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,346	Don't know if there ever was a name for the V2 other than A-4 while it was being developed. The V in the designation (V1, V2, etc) stood for Vengeance. __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

08-02-2009, 04:13 PM	#8
wheelsup_cavu Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona, California Posts: 1,534	I wonder what would possess them to think it was landmines ? Were there that many unmarked minefields dotting the countryside ? Wheels __________________ Cheers Wheelsup_cavu Wheels's Photos - Time lapse build of an F/A-18 Super Hornet - Lock N' Load

08-02-2009, 04:20 PM	#9
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,346	They would be pretty hard to spot, as they reached 2 1/2 times the speed of sound in thier terminal dive. The V1s were no where near as fast, and made a distinctive sound as they cruised along. Once the V1's engine cut out, people knew it was about to dive, so they had a little warning. __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

08-02-2009, 04:28 PM	#10
wheelsup_cavu Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona, California Posts: 1,534	What I mean is how would you make the leap that it was a landmine ? I fully believe that people thought that at the time but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Especially when they hit in the middle of the city where no landmines would have been placed. I guess a mine sounds better to the public than an unstoppable weapon anyday. Wheels __________________ Cheers Wheelsup_cavu Wheels's Photos - Time lapse build of an F/A-18 Super Hornet - Lock N' Load

08-02-2009, 03:14 PM	#2
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,446	Thought the V1 was the Buzz Bomb.

08-02-2009, 03:18 PM	#3
trackend Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 4,029	It was TS sept over here it was called the doodle bug

08-02-2009, 04:04 PM	#7
trackend Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 4,029	Thats because it just went bang and most people in the begining thought they were land mines going off It was only later that the V2 rocket info was released as telling the public that there was no way of stopping them was not very good for moral

08-02-2009, 04:40 PM	#11
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,346	Ahh...I see what you're asking. They had no idea what the heck was going on at first. These things were coming in undetected, no one had a clue. The landmine theory was the only explanation that made sense at the time. There was even speculation for a short time that the Germans were using a "Paris" gun (Like the Gustav), but the ranges were too extreme for a "Schwerer" gun and the shells made a distinct sound in flight, so that was quickly ruled out. __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

08-07-2009, 01:55 PM	#13
SteveW Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1	Doodlebug and buzz-bomb were the V1... ...which was driven by a pulsed jet motor, which kind of put-putted along with a very characteristic noise, easily detectible on the ground. When it went quiet it was out of fuel and time to take cover. The V1 flew, thanks to small wings, and was slow enough to be intercepted by the faster fighter planes. The V2 was, as described, a ballistic missile and travelled very quickly and virtually silently from the point of view of ground observers. The initial assumption that V2 damage was due to land (parachute) mines was also reasonable because of the extent of the damage and lack of warning. Land mines contained large amounts of explosive (see the picture above) and would level complete streets with little warning if the mine hadn't been detected. Listened to many stories from my uncles and aunts on the subject when I was young, it was recent history experienced by many ordinary people. All gone now, unfortunately.

08-07-2009, 02:12 PM	#14
wheelsup_cavu Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona, California Posts: 1,534	Thanks Trackend and Steve. Wheels __________________ Cheers Wheelsup_cavu Wheels's Photos - Time lapse build of an F/A-18 Super Hornet - Lock N' Load

08-07-2009, 03:12 PM	#15
trackend Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 4,029	Lost me dad the other year Steve but my mum is still about and where she lives and I grew up (Brentwood), it got a fair pasteing by the Luftwaffa and she has told me of several landmines and Doodlebugs that went off there. The Church (St Thomases) has a high spire and the enemy aircraft would do a turn right over it then follow the rail lines into the east end of London but sometimes it was the Ilford Selo factory, that made X-ray and recon film in the town that was the target. For a small place it lost quite a few civvies during the raids and ofcourse if things got too hot approaching the smoke (London), Brentwood made a good secondary target on the way back.

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