jcallen@cs.utah.edu (John Callen, x3933) (06/16/89)
From: esunix!sim.dnet!jcallen@cs.utah.edu (John Callen, x3933) > Article 1138 of sci.military: > From: hhm@ihlpy.ATT.COM (Mayo) > Subject: Need Book About the V1 "Buzz Bomb" > Message-ID: <7259@cbnews.ATT.COM> > From: hhm@ihlpy.ATT.COM (Mayo) > I am looking for a reference book which shows detailed pictures > and drawings of the German V I, or the American built version > nicknamed the "Thunderbug". I thumbed through one very good book > at a hobby store once, however I can't remember the title or any > other details. > > Larry Mayo While I was working in Cambridge, England I got a book from the local library which was a very good overview of the German V1 and V2 rockets. It was primarilly focused on the V1. The best part about the book, was its detailed financial examination of the two delivery systems. Turns out that even though the V1 wasn't as accurate as the V2 and was susceptable to intercepts where the V2 wasn't at all (once launched), the V1 was a couple of orders of magnitude cheaper to produce, required less skilled labor, and a more simplified ground support system for launching. The author's contention was that had the Germans relied more on the V1, rather than being caught up in the high-tech'ness of the V2, the overall effect on the Allies would have been greater. He didn't go so far as say it would have won the war for the Germans, but he did say that it would have modified things significantly. BTW, this book did have cut-away views and other detailed drawings of the V1. Unfortunately, I am unable to remember either the title of the book or the author (big help, huh?). Sorry. I do have a book at home "Hitler's Rockets" which gets into V2's and touches on V1's somewhat. The best thing about this book is its VERY good bibliography at the end. Maybe if you traced down the V1 books referenced in it, you'd find an appropriate one. I'll post the title, author, ISBN information for this book when I get a chance. --John
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (06/22/89)
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) >...The author's contention was >that had the Germans relied more on the V1, rather than being caught up in the >high-tech'ness of the V2, the overall effect on the Allies would have been >greater... W.S. Bainbridge, in his book "The Spaceflight Revolution" (I think I've got names correct here; it's been a while though), came to a similar but more sweeping conclusion: considered strictly as a military weapon, the money spend on the A-4 (popularly known as the V-2) would have been better spent on any of several alternatives, including better cruise missiles. It's only very recently that ballistic missiles have become accurate enough to be arguably a worthwhile way of delivering conventional explosive. (The conventional warheads provided for many tactical missiles are basically political ploys rather than useful weapons.) At one point, Von Braun was arrested by the Gestapo on the grounds that he cared more about spaceflight than about winning the war. He was released when Dornberger insisted that he was vital to the project, said project of course being the apple of Hitler's eye... I don't believe Dornberger ever bothered actually denying the charge, which was undoubtedly valid. Actually, mind you, there is room to doubt that shifting attention to the V-1 would have accomplished much: neither weapon was accurate enough for anything but random bombardment of cities, and that's just not a very useful tactic. Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu