Air Launched V-1s

[stona]

Lindsey (Saguy) recently built a He111 of KG 53 which launched the V-1 missile against the U.K. towards the end of the war. In his thread I mentioned a book dealing with this campaign,a book I couldn't find at the time. Well,a trip to the loft turned it up!

For anyone interested in this largely forgotten episode the book is.

'Air Launched Doodlebugs - The Forgotten Campaign' by Peter Smith. It's published by Pen and Sword,ISBN 1-84415-401-7.

It is well researched and gives a lot of detail about the campaign,it doesn't focus much on the aircraft used to launch the missiles though there are several photos of the aircraft and their V-1s.The appendices have a lot of useful tables dealing with the statistics of the campaign,losses,successes etc.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

That is a fascinating insight into something I had not known.

Read a lot about the V1 & V2 from the work resistance in Europe put in to unearthing the mysteries through to the Tempest destroying them.

Remember as a young boy about 6 years old in 1944 the noise of the things flying over with that sudden heat stopping jerk of the motor then many seconds later an awful bang as the thing hit something. Also lucky enough to watch a Tempest flick over the wing of a doodlebug which then went crashing into the countryside away from the factory area we lived in at that stage, Marconi, KLG Plugs, Davis Diving Gear (also Gala lipstick) etc.

Reading for the Nth time Prof Jones Book Most Secret War. A fascinating insight into the scientists war. Just past the beams now onto the V1 & V2 part. A lot of it due to the courage of the Spitfire & Mosquito photographic branch of the RAF. Flying down radar beams eminating from German installations & over Penumunde to get all those snips of information for the Scientists.

Thanks for that info Steve. Book is already winging its way from Pen & Sword. £8 plus £4 postage most others are near £20.

Laurie

PS interesting I keep most of my 2ndWW books about 800, due to lack of space & female moans, in the loft.

[stona]

Interesting I keep most of my 2ndWW books about 800, due to lack of space & female moans, in the loft.

Me too! I have a few shelves of references (mainly Luftwaffe,surprise,surprise) I use frequently to hand but everything else is upstairs in the loft. When I found the V-1 book I bought a couple of others down for a re-read. I've just started Middlebrook's 'Nuremberg Raid'.

I'm sure you'll enjoy the book,it's got some good piccies of V-1 craters,a lot bigger than I expected.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

If you want a read of a life time Steve, read the book every year, Assignment to Catastrophe by Gen Edward Spears. About the capitulation of France in 1940.

It is almost as if it is fiction it is so bizarre. Spears was Churchill's envoy to the French Cabinet. An incredible story of the French fall which seemed to give stimulus to the British resolve.

One very poignant part where Churchill has been escorted by 8 Hurricanes in his Flamingo to France. He arrives at the deserted French aerodrome on the way back to France just before the capitulation. There he finds the Hurricanes with their pilots standing by their machines arranged in a semi circle around the Flamingo.

Some sight & some heart tugging. Churchill took the time to greet all the pilots. Read elsewhere they were dirty & greasy as they had been in action for many a day.

Takes a few tough chapters to get going but once going you will just want to read & read.

Laurie