X-series Missiles
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German wire-guided missiles belong generally to the X-series. The X-4,
an air-to-air missile, was the first of the series to be developed in
June 1943. It was a finned and winged projectile with a wingspan of
1.98m and powered by a rocket using a combination of two
fuels (T and C stoff). The wire, coiled around spools, was stored
in the wing tips and carried guidance signals to control spoiler tabs
and ailerons on the wings to alter direction. The warhead composed of
20kg of explosive and a acoustic proximity fuse called "Kranich."
Experimental models were tested and flown with satisfying results in
September 1944, but the wire link was inevitably perceived as too
restrictive, since it was certainly not a fire-and-forget missile. Two
other alternatives were suggested and tried out, one employing the
Pudel" acoustic homing system so the missile would be attracted to the
noise of the target's engines, and the other used radio link system of
guidance. Neither of the proposal was developed beyond experimental
stage when the war ended in May 1945. It was certainly natural and reasonable that a ground-to-ground version of the X-4 was also developed, as an anti-tank weapon, in addition to the successful Panzerfaust. This new cousin missile was called the X-7. The X-7 was navigated and stabilized by a gyroscope and guided by wire, like the X-4, but it contained a hollow charge warhead armed with an impact fuse which could penetrate over 200mm of armor within 1,000m. It was driven by a two-stage, solid-fuel rocket motor and weighed 100kg. The Ruhrstahl AG company of Düsseldorf developed the X-series of missiles. However, like many other German wonder weapons, none of the versions were perfected to proceed to production stage before the Reich surrendered. But it is only fair to give credit to the company and its scientists for being the inventors and developers of wire-guided anti-tank missiles. Today, the anti-armor missiles are very similar to the original blueprints of X-7 and are popular among many nations. |
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Technical data and/or diagram of X-series Missiles. |
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X-4 guided missile. |
