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The Henschel Hs 293 was designed to be launched from a
bomber to attack ground targets. The Hs 293 was very promising and
served with much success. It can also be regarded as the first "smart
bomb." |
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The X-4 project was originally developed as an
air-to-air missile, but later versions included the X-10, which was
an anti-tank projectile. The X-series missiles are the ancestor of all
wire-guided missiles today. |
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The Rheinbote surface-to-surface missile was developed
and manufactured to attack sizable ground targets like cities. It saw
limited action in early 1945. |
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The Rheintochter air-to-ground missiles were developed
to intercept bomber formations at high altitudes. It was highly
successful in test trials but failed to reach production status. |
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The Schmetterling anti-aircraft missile was originally
rejected by the Luftwaffe because of its defensive purpose. But as the
air war deteriorated the project was reactivated but arrived too late
to change Germany's fate. |
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The Ruhrstahl/Kramer X-1 (Fritz X, SD 1400) was
essentially a free-falling bomb that could be remotely guided and
aimed. Its simplicity made it all the more lethal since almost all
Luftwaffe bombers could carry this anti-shipping missile. However,
there were not enough of them to make tip the naval balance for
Germany. |
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The Vergeltungswaffe 1, or V-1, was a ground-breaking
weapon in many ways. It was essentially a modern day cruise missile
that could be launched from ground or air. The V-1 was a terror weapon
that not only lived up to its name but actually caused significant
damages. |
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The Vergeltungswaffe 2, or V-2, was rightfully the
most famous of all German missiles. The V-2 is the ancestor of all
ballistic missiles. Supersonic and reasonably accurate against cities,
the Allies could not stop a V-2 once its airborne. |
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The Wasserfall anti-aircraft rocket seemed to be a
promising means for the Reich to defend its skies. Fast, light and
mass-produceable, the Wasserfall could shoot down any Allied aircraft
from the sky. Its development, however, was delayed and it did not see
combat during the war. |
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The Fieseler Fi 103R was the manned version of the V-1.
Designed to attack high-precision targets, the Fi 103R would plunge
into a dive towards the target, the pilot baling out at the last
moment. The project was deemed impractical and abandoned. |