Wasserfall EWM

[Pilot]

Greetings all,

to regret I have no publication where I can find any info about the Wasserfall EWM and hope you could be able to provide any info. How many of this missiles were built, did any was of series production and during the test did any of them achieved any victory?

Cheers

[edwest]

Here is a place to start.

http://www.luft46models.com/manufact...r/rwasserm.jpg

Yes, such missiles were used operationally.


New York Times, dated 5-12-1944.


"Rockets in Reich Defense

"U.S. Bomber Crews See 'Lots' of Them, Also Nazi Jet Planes

"LONDON, Dec. 4 (AP) -- The Nazis shot "baby V-2's" or anti-aircraft rockets at formations of American Flying Fortresses that attacked Mainz, one of the German rail cities pounded by the Allied air fleets today.

"'We got a lot more rockets than we we usually do,'" said Lieut. Robert Dams of Milwaukee, a bombardier.

"'The flak was light, but the Nazis mingled it with rockets which left heavy trails of bluish white smoke,'" related Lieut. David Barnett of Bromley, Ky., a navigator."


Ed

[Pilot]

Thank you very much for this info! I have just completed resin kit of this missile and some additional info are welcome

[edwest]

You're welcome.



Ed

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by edwest

Here is a place to start.
http://www.luft46models.com/manufact...r/rwasserm.jpg
Yes, such missiles were used operationally.
Ed

There's apparent disagreement between (a) the NYT article you quote and (b) the document you link to which says that the programme was abandoned after relatively few prototypes had been launched. This page gives quite a lot of detail on the test results: http://www.luft46.com/missile/wasserfl.html. Whether any of the tests were against a real target, who knows?

In "German Aircraft of the Second World War" by J.R. Smith, A.L. Kay and E.J. Creek (Putnam, 1972, ISBN 0 370 00024 2) they say that "about 35" were launched in trials and that production was due to begin in October 1945.

As you once posted here long ago, another rocket, the Flakwerfer 44 Föhngerät, was deployed operationally (e.g. at Remagen) but that was a small-calibre weapon, not a big liquid-fuelled missile. Smith, Kay and Creek mention that 600 rounds of the unguided EMW Taifun were completed but there was no information about any use.

[Pilot]

Although it cannot be confirmed by other sources, one report has the Wasserfall deployed once operationally, a "decisive victory was achieved against enemy bombers" by about 50 Wasserfall missiles

I know that site but no idea about this info above, possible or not?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Pilot

I know that site but no idea about this info above, possible or not?

If such a "decisive victory" was ever achieved then the Allies would have noticed it and surely it would be evident from USAAF or RAF records and from the various histories written since the war.

[Pilot]

Thank you Nick, I was a bit doubtful about info.

[edwest]

Hi Nick,


I'm going to stick with the story. If named officers saw what they saw, I see no reason to make it up. It appears the W5 was the culprit. And reports could just state "destroyed by flak." Bad enough the Germans put the V-1 and V-2 together. A smaller, mobile anti-aircraft rocket would have been as tough as a V-2 to shoot down.



Ed

[Pilot]

This will be interesting to follow in future and hope new clear data will be raise up