SS officer Otto Skorzeny is credited with the idea of a piloted version of the V-1 flying bomb able to make precision attacks, and design began before the first unguided V-1s fell on London in June 1944.
To study why many test V-1s crashed soon after launch an earlier piloted version was tested. Two pilots were injured before famed woman test pilot Hanna Reitsch confirmed that the engine noise was vibrating the airframe off course.
The operational manned V-1, also called the Reichenberg IV, was not intended as a suicide weapon, unlike the Japanese "Ohka", although in practice the distinction would have been narrow. The 100 volunteers who signed up to fly the bombs were known unofficially as 'Selbstopfermaenner' or 'Self-sacrifice Men'.
Although about 70 Reichenberg IVs were built for use by special unit KG 200, none were actually used operationally and development stopped in October 1944.
