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After reviewing the information provided on Unicraft's V-4 page, I
took a look at the dimensions of the missile and the ramjet engine, which is definately not an Argus or Lorin type. The Pabst ramjet, however, matches exactly in dimension and configuration. It had been successfully tested as evidenced by this 1944 photo: http://www.germanvtol.com/tribflugfolder/5treib.jpg The question is if the ramjet was good enough to be mounted on the missile and production of a number of missiles could have occured in the early months of 1945. The Pabst ramjet was to be used on the Fw Triebflugel but that aircraft was never built, neither was the radical Epps Omega Diskus which would have also used the ramjet. However, the story of the threat to use this weapon against Sweden is known. Ian Hogg mentions the V-4 briefly in his "German Secret Weapons of the Second World War"... but gives no clear description of the missile except to say it was generally thought to refer to the Peenemunde A-9/A-10 ICBM project. Anyway, a Swedish diplomat claimed to know all about the V-4 project in 1945 and when Hitler was informed, he laughed and called the diplomat a conman. Hogg uses this to discredit the entire project, implying it didn't exist if Hitler wasn't aware of it. But I disagree. Hitler is only claiming that the diplomat didn't know what he was talking about when he claimed to know "all about the V-4". Missile launch ramps constructed in Poland and the German diplomatic warning to Stockholm over the V-4 threat contradict Hogg's beliefs. Anyway, the Russians who captured the launch areas moved all the German missile testing to N-II-88, Kaliningrad (former Konigsberg). There, they tested the Wasserfall, Schmetterling, and other captured missile technology. It is interesting that a few years later Russia was building missiles originating from these German designs and guidance systems, although improved by captured German scientists. It is claimed that the V-4 missile was actually turned into a SAM- the Lavochkin La-219 (V-300). Here is a pic of that 1949 missile: http://libraryautomation.com/nymas/Lavochkinmissle.jpg Of similar dimensions, minus ramjet propulsion. No conclusions there. The only thing I can think of is that many of the postwar "Ghost Rocket" sightings in the Baltic (coming from Peenemunde) might have been either extended range V-1s or maybe appearances of the mysterious V-4. Rob |
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