On 18 Jan 2004 21:48:27 -0800, (robert arndt) wrote:

Merlin Dorfman wrote in message ...
Eugene Griessel ) wrote:

...

: Mmmmm - the steel piston which ran in the tube of the V1 launch ramp
: and was powered by steam was quite a a long object. About 16 foot or
: somewhere thereabouts. It would be interesting to see how this worked
: in a curved steel tube.

Is there a Web resource that explains how the V1 was boosted
into the air? Was the pulse jet engine capable of being started on
the ground or was it started after the missile had attained a
certain air speed?
Thanks.


The Argus-Schmidt pulsejet was incapable of launching the V-1 by
itself so a steam-driven piston got it moving off the launch ramp at
an appreciable speed which gave enough forward energy to open the duct
flaps and commence the pulse detonation cycle.
The V-1 firing on the ramp does not mean it was operable. It was fired
for exactly 7 seconds to warm it up to operating temperature.
Afterwards, T-Stoff and Z-Stoff were remotely pumped into the steam
generation vessel. Pressure built up until it was sufficient to shear
a restraining bolt sending the launch piston up the tube carrying the
launch trolley and missile with it. By the time it reached the end of
the track (.5 seconds later) the missile had been accelerated at a
rate of 16g up to 250 mph with the pulse jet running independently.
On another thread there is dispute that a pulsejet is a form of
ramjet. I think the description of the firing of the V-1 proves
otherwise.

Rob

Wrong. The V-1 engine could operate at zero velocity, thus it was
definitely NOT a "ram jet". No one, other than herr Arndt, referrers
to a V-1 as having a "ram jet" engine.

Al Minyard