New propulsions
Besides the work at the A 4, the scientists and technicians are in cooperation with Messerschmidt and Heinkel at the investigation of the rockets and jet propulsion for aeroplanes. The Heinkel He 176 flies in June 1939 as the first rocket-propelled aircraft of the world. Test-pilot Erich Warsitz achieves a top speed of far over 800 km/h. Shortly after this the He 178 flies over Peenemünde, the first jet of the world. But both types suffer from children's diseases which cannot be cleared out till the end of the war.
Another weapon which should be developed in Peenemünde in 1942 was the Fi 103 which was known later as V 1 (V for Vergeltungswaffe = retaliation weapon). The idea of an unmanned aeroplane was not new. Already in World War I Dr. F. W. Buck from Flagler, Colorado built an "aerial torpedo" with biplane wings and piston engine. This construction was started off a car by means of a compressed air apparatus. In 1918 the Americans made ready for frontline duty a little, only 135 kg heavy flight apparatus that could aim the same quantity of explosives as its tare weight at a target. A unit went to the front in October 1918 to fire thousands of these apparatus. It did not come to that because of the armistice any more.
The "Kirschkern" (cherry stone) as it was called, was the first cruise missile of its kind. The Fi 103 was propelled by a "Pulsionsstrahltriebwerk" (pulsating flow duct motor) which was invented and patented in 1930 by certified engineer Paul Schmidt. Schmidts propulsion tube excited the Luftwaffe. For the production of this engine cost only a fraction of a normal engine and was easy to manufacture. In 1939 the Argus Company also got interested in the concept. But only in 1941 there was a first flying test. The Luftwaffe then engaged the Argus Motorenwerke (engine plants) to develop a pulsating flow duct motor in cooperation with Paul Schmidt, this motor got the name AS (Argus Schmidt).
The Fieseler Werke (company) in Kassel got the development order for the cell. This flying object was made of mild steel, tubular steel, wood and metal profile ribs. General Field Marshal Milch gave the order for mass production in June 1942. Peenemünde-West shall make the weapon which shall transport a warhead of 830 kg to England ready for front-line service. Gerhard Fieseler supervised the first catapult starts already in December, 1942. These catapults were necessary for the take off of the V 1.It would have taken a runway of three kilometres if the V 1 would have taken off the normal way. It took a while until Professor Walter, however, invented a 48 m long ramp rising by 6 degrees using a piston mechanism to propel the missile into the air at a speed sufficient enough to allow the duct motor to function and keep the missile airborne.
In the meantime the A 4 programme went on with full force. The mass production was inaugurated and decentralized. A wise decision as it proved later.
On July 7, Dornberger and von Braun presented a movie at the Führerhauptquartier (the Führer`s HQ). Essence and purpose of this exercise was the assurance of the project with the highest priority. The desired effect comes true. Hitler ordered to put Peenemünde to the top of all armament programmes, he also appointed Walter Dornberger to Major General and Werner von Braun professor.
By that time the English discussed the construction works and expansion at Peenemünde. They received agent reports with information about the long-range missiles program already in autumn 1942. The notes accumulated in April 1943 and reconnaissance flights to the Baltic Sea are increased. At the same time notes from French resistance circled reporting gigantic bunker constructions that could not be explained arrive in London. There was talk of "enormous trenches with 3 m of thick concrete floors" which were dug out near Watten. The British decided to reconnoitre the Pas de Calais and the other coast.
Reconnaissance flights were initiated all spring. Duncan Sandys who had been sent to lead the committee for the secret weapon reconnaissance further collected circumstantial evidence. Already in the middle of May one had gained an approximate impression of the size of the new bunker at Watten and other big buildings in the Pas de Calais. In July the torrent of classified reports about rocket construction inflated dangerously. British interpreters of aerial photographs referred to "cigar-shaped flying objects" as well as "tail-less little aeroplanes". They also noticed that the entire complex had been fortified with an enormous number of anti-aircraft gun and fog batteries in no time. Churchill decided to get rid off this threat by a big bombing raid. The given code-name: "Hydra".
