Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hello,
Just seen some photos of Ford Willow Run plant production lines of Jet engines remarkably like the V-1 Doodlebug used by Germany.
I understand that the Allies became aware of such jets as early as 1943 and first fell on the UK in early 1944 but these Ford plant pictures are dated November 1944, so how was this possible from discovery to mass production ? What use were the US versions put to between 1944 and wars end ?
I know some were used from B17's after ww2.
Were these Ford types sold to a forign country and then sold on to Germany to be used against the Allies ?
Alex

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Are you sure about the date? The US built copies of the V-1 post war, for launch from aircraft and from the decks of submarines. They were a joint Ford/Republic project, known as the Loon.

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hello Bill,
well yes at least 11/13/1944 that is the date given along with each picture.
See at photo number 238 onward -
http://public.fotki.com/Kos/members_...d=fs_slideshow
alex

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hi,
No doubt the pictures shows V-1 engines and in substantial numbers. The only explanation I can offer is that 1944 is a typo and should read 1945.
bregds
SES
www.gyges.dk

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

So, it seems that the US was secretly supplying advanced technology to Germany in 1944, or there is a typo on the Internet. Take your pick.

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

I kind of doubt that ;).
But Sweden supplied Germany with ball bearings which, were used in the V-2 and the US with other ball bearings that were used in the Norden bomb sight, which was used to bomb V-2 production facilities.
Both Germany and the allies had regular flights to the swedish airfield Bromma. Please see:
http://www.gyges.dk/Courier%20flight...%20sweeden.htm
bregds
SES

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hello,
Typo error on one picture caption I would accept but on sixteen photo captions I question.
Alex

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

JB-2 Loon photo. Under the photo there is a link to a Wikipedia article on the JB-2 suggesting that it was reverse engineered from crashed V-1s.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2455401...n/photostream/

All the best

Scott

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hello Scott,
Happy new Year to you.

Thanks for the photo of the Loon in the museum.
But the 16 photos that I refer to are shown at Willow Run in 1944.
I counted about 40 in one photo.

Alex

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hi,
The date on the caption is seemingly correct. The weapon was in production for the USAAF, with delivery starting in january 1945.
Please see:
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/fac...eet.asp?id=510
bregds
SES

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Thank You SES,
and a Happy New Year to you.

So that seems to clear up the uestions i had on the production of V-1's in the USA in late 1944.
The date of the photos has also been confirmed as correct (13/11/1944).
It seems that after the production of the B24 at Willow Run came to an end in October 1944, Ford produced the motors for the 1000, plus Republic V-1 copy the "Loon".
These US built V-1's were delivered to service in January 1945 ans some were in transit by ship to be used in the landings on the Japanese mainland but WW2 ended before they were given the chance to be used in anger.

Thank you All for your replies.
Happy New year
Alex

Re: Doodlebugs from the USA
 

Hi Alex,
My pleasure and I learned something too.
Happy New Year.
bregds
SES