Germany's Secret Weapons

I know that very well. This is why I found it hard to believe that they were able to built self-guided SAMs with only vacuum tubes that take up much space and power. And as we have seen, those SAMs were mostly hand-guided from the ground, as I suspected. There is one thing to build a radar station using vacuum tubes and another to build a missle that will take down Allied bombers. You don't have size limitations for the radar station. But you can't shoot after an aircraft with a V-2!

Victor, to be very short, it was achievable with the technology of the day. To build a remote radio control system is not a big deal, and it does not need complex circuitry. And some of those vacuum tubes were as small as a cherry.
I had a collection of vacuum tubes in Bucharest, some of them with "Kriegsmarine" printed on them.



This post has been edited by Florin on December 26, 2004 11:05 pm

I was not referring to a remote controlled missle, which IMO has little chance of hitting fast moving targets like aircraft. I was referring to self guided missles, that take decisions on their own.

Was too much, even for german scientists...

Iama

Was too much, even for german scientists...

Iama

OK, Victor, I understand your point now. I really don't know what to add.

For Iama: Oh, yes, they searched about that. I am thinking about self-guided torpedoes, to search for sea vessels on their own, and not about anti-aircraft technology.

The Germans also intended to install on Me-163 a rudimentary self-controlled system, against the Allied bombers. The "Komet" was supposed to close fast to the Allied bomber, and once the big body of the bomber changed the shade and the intensity of light in front of the fighter, a photocell could trigger some rockets against the Allied plane. However, once the rockets were released, they had no self control of their own. I don't think this project evolved more than a prototype, and if I remember right, the prototype did not work too well.
It is interesting to recall that tons of paper were filled with tons of ink about Me-163, just because it was the first plane able to reach a horizontal speed of 1000 km/h, but actually this weapon (all fleet of Me-163's) made just one Allied bomber confirmed killed.

This post has been edited by Florin on December 27, 2004 06:28 pm

Im glad to read good points of view, and well documented conclusions.

I dont know yet about such a Me-163. Self controlled. Abut potocells i think i read something - but i dont remember well... was another system with guns, vertically or oblically "aimed"?
You know something about "Hecht" missile? Sol-aer...

How about another subject, Ju-187?

Germans don't included him in service, even if has a new shape (more aerodynamic), not a fixed train, a new tale - oriented/mobile - and a turret with 1*20 and 1*13.2m.m. on dorsal side, etc. I think more speed because of retractable train. And this was not a '44 or '45 project, a dream one. Hm! Germans used Ju-87 for a long time, but not changhed him with more capable "187"....

Iama

From my text does not result that the whole Me-163 was self controlled. I wrote that the Me-163 carried a self controlled system, which is something different. But I also agree that the way I presented the first sentence of that comment, I could mislead somebody in believing that the whole airplane was self-controlled.

Most of the contemporary military aircraft, carrying intelligent devices, still have a pilot to steer them.

This post has been edited by Florin on December 29, 2004 04:39 pm