DawnDawn

OF THE CRUISE MISSILE

CHRIS GOSS TELLS THE STORY OF THE LUFTWAFFE’S BRIEF AIR-LAUNCHED FLYING-BOMB

CAMPAIGN AGAINST BRITAIN

H

e was only 25, but already a

highly experienced bomber

pilot. In the spring of 1944,

Hptm Martin Vetter was given

command of a new unit, which

would change the face of aerial

warfare, if only briefly.

Vetter was tasked with the second

phase of the V-1 flying-bomb’s

deployment; air-launching the

primitive cruise missiles from

Heinkel He 111 mother ships.

Previously Gruppen Kommandeur

of II. Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader

51 (II./KG 51) on the Russian

front, Vetter had been awarded

the Honour Goblet in April

1942 and the German Cross in

Gold the following July. After

he took command of the newly

re-designated III./KG 3, his crews

converted to the He 111 and began

training on air-launching V-1s at

Karlshagen and Peenemünde, both

on the Baltic coast.

Variants of the Heinkel involved

were the He 111H-16, ’H-20

or ’H-22 with the normal bomb

stowage removed. A V-1 was slung

under the starboard centre section,

between the fuselage and engine.

Two lugs held a ‘T-piece’ on the

flying-bomb, the sole point of

suspension under the aircraft.

The training course lasted

ten days, with seven or eight

crews taking part. Four sorties

were staged, with and without

a dummy bomb, after which

personnel returned to their Gruppe

(squadron) in northern Germany.

At this time III./KG 3 appeared to

flit between Hespe, Grieslinen and

Jesau, but in June 1944 moved to

bases in northern France,

such as Rosières, Amy and

Amiens, in preparation for the

air-launched offensive.

It is believed the assault was

delayed following a USAAF attack

on Beauvais, France, on June 16,

and a strafing run on Plantlünne,

near Wesel, on the 20th. A number

of aircraft were destroyed at the

former, while at the latter at least

another He 111 was wrecked and

personnel wounded.

INTO ACTION

The first V-1s were launched from

ramps against Britain on June 13,

1944, but the airborne versions

were not far behind, the inaugural

attack taking place on July 3-4

(some records cite the previous

night) by 14 aircraft, all of which

returned unscathed. There was

another sortie over July 6-7.

On the 8th, two He 111s of 9./KG

3, piloted by Uffz Wilhelm Nolte and

Uffz Martin Mehnert, collided on the

runway at Amy. Both aircraft were

totally destroyed, but amazingly just

one crew member died.

Missions were also flown on the

9th, but as before, little is known

other than details of the fate that

befell Fw Gerhard Alisch’s 8./KG 3

He 111, which crashed on the return

leg at Doudeville, near Rouen, with

the deaths of all five crew.

In early July, III./KG 3 moved to

Venlo in the Netherlands where

operations resumed; some flown

from Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands, and

again from Rosières. While returning

from a sortie on July 22, Lt Ludwig

Schmalholz (8./KG 3) crashed at

Jutphas, near Utrecht; he and the

rest of his crew were killed.

To avoid detection, the

mother ships kept at low level

as a British report stated:

“A minimum safety height

for release is laid down at

500m. The aircraft usually

flies at a height of 100m

over the sea and shortly

before release the pilot

makes height to 500m,

or 100m higher than the

minimum laid down.”

CAMPAIGN AGAINST BRITAINCAMPAIGN AGAINST BRITAIN

e was only 25, but already a e was only 25, but already a

highly experienced bomber highly experienced bomber

pilot. In the spring of 1944, pilot. In the spring of 1944,

Hptm Martin Vetter was given Hptm Martin Vetter was given

command of a new unit, which command of a new unit, which

would change the face of aerial would change the face of aerial

warfare, if only briefly.warfare, if only briefly.

Vetter was tasked with the second Vetter was tasked with the second

phase of the V-1 flying-bomb’s phase of the V-1 flying-bomb’s

deployment; air-launching the deployment; air-launching the

primitive cruise missiles from primitive cruise missiles from

Heinkel He 111 mother ships.Heinkel He 111 mother ships.

Previously Gruppen Kommandeur Previously Gruppen Kommandeur

of II. Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader of II. Gruppe/Kampfgeschwader

51 (II./KG 51) on the Russian 51 (II./KG 51) on the Russian

front, Vetter had been awarded front, Vetter had been awarded

the Honour Goblet in April the Honour Goblet in April

1942 and the German Cross in 1942 and the German Cross in

Gold the following July. After Gold the following July. After Gold the following July. After Gold the following July. After

he took command of the newly he took command of the newly

re-designated III./KG 3, his crews re-designated III./KG 3, his crews

converted to the He 111 and began converted to the He 111 and began converted to the He 111 and began converted to the He 111 and began

training on air-launching V-1s at training on air-launching V-1s at

Karlshagen and Peenemünde, both Karlshagen and Peenemünde, both

on the Baltic coast.

Variants of the Heinkel involved Variants of the Heinkel involved

were the He 111H-16, ’H-20 were the He 111H-16, ’H-20

or ’H-22 with the normal bomb or ’H-22 with the normal bomb

stowage removed. A V-1 was slung stowage removed. A V-1 was slung

under the starboard centre section, under the starboard centre section,

between the fuselage and engine. between the fuselage and engine.

Two lugs held a ‘T-piece’ on the Two lugs held a ‘T-piece’ on the

flying-bomb, the sole point of flying-bomb, the sole point of

suspension under the aircraft. suspension under the aircraft.

The training course lasted

ten days, with seven or eight

crews taking part. Four sorties

were staged, with and without

a dummy bomb, after which

personnel returned to their Gruppe

(squadron) in northern Germany.

At this time III./KG 3 appeared to At this time III./KG 3 appeared to

flit between Hespe, Grieslinen and

Jesau, but in June 1944 moved to

bases in northern France,

such as Rosières, Amy and

Amiens, in preparation for the

air-launched offensive.

It is believed the assault was

delayed following a USAAF attack

on Beauvais, France, on June 16,

and a strafing run on Plantlünne,

near Wesel, on the 20th. A number near Wesel, on the 20th. A number

of aircraft were destroyed at the

former, while at the latter at least

another He 111 was wrecked and another He 111 was wrecked and

personnel wounded.

INTO ACTION

The first V-1s were launched from

ramps against Britain on June 13,

1944, but the airborne versions

were not far behind, the inaugural

attack taking place on July 3-4

(some records cite the previous

night) by 14 aircraft, all of which

returned unscathed. There was

another sortie over July 6-7.

On the 8th, two He 111s of 9./KG

3, piloted by Uffz Wilhelm Nolte and

Uffz Martin Mehnert, collided on the

runway at Amy. Both aircraft were

totally destroyed, but amazingly just

one crew member died.

Missions were also flown on the

9th, but as before, little is known

other than details of the fate that

befell Fw Gerhard Alisch’s 8./KG 3

He 111, which crashed on the return

leg at Doudeville, near Rouen, with

the deaths of all five crew.

In early July, III./KG 3 moved to

Venlo in the Netherlands where

operations resumed; some flown

from Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands, and

again from Rosières. While returning

from a sortie on July 22, Lt Ludwig from a sortie on July 22, Lt Ludwig

Schmalholz (8./KG 3) crashed at

Jutphas, near Utrecht; he and the

rest of his crew were killed. rest of his crew were killed.

To avoid detection, the

mother ships kept at low level

as a British report stated:

“A minimum safety height

for release is laid down at

500m. The aircraft usually

flies at a height of 100m

over the sea and shortly

before release the pilot

makes height to 500m,

or 100m higher than the

minimum laid down.”

Top right

The III./KG 3 badge. For

obvious reasons the unit

was known as the Blitz

(Lightning) Geschwader.

All AUTHOR UNLESS STATED

Top left

Major Emil Allmendinger

of III./KG 53 – front.

Left

A poor quality but rare

photograph of a V-1

launch from a Heinkel.

London skyline -

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November 2018 FLYPAST 33