German suicide pilots

[ccheese]

A short time ago, a thread was started pertaining to the German pilots who
intentionally rammed allied bombers over Germany. These were not intended
to be suicide missions, the pilot was suppose to bail out before the hit, or
hit a bomber with his wing, and (hopefully) bail out after the collision.

But, Germany did start a program of suicide pilots, flying the V-1 designed
with a cockpit. This was the V-1e program. Fortunately it never got passed
the testing phase. Hanna Reitsch, a test pilot, made several flights in the
V-1e, but some German pilots were killed trying to test it.

It was a suicide mission, the V-1e was not intended to be recovered.
It would have been launched, then guided to its target by a pilot on a
suicide mission. Similar to the Japanese kamikaze concept, the V-1e
group was code-named Project Reichenberg.

The V-1e was about 27 feet long and employed a cockpit and pilot
instrumentation. The V-1e was test flown several times by German
test pilot Hanna Reitsch, and other pilots.

Reitsch confirmed that the basic V-1 airframe was prone to severe
vibration resulting from engine noise. She believed the deployment
of the V-1e as introduced would result in significant pilot losses,
even if the pilot had agreed to perform a suicide mission. The Germans
could not sustain design changes late in the war, so the V-1e was never
deployed in combat.

Makes you wonder .......

Charles

 

[Marcel]

Some pics....

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeap this was discussed in that thread as well.

There were never any suicide missions that were undertaken and I seriously doubt that any German pilots would have gone "Kamikaze". It is not in the German nature.

 

[Njaco]

I'm away from my resources but I think it was called the "Baka". I could be wrong (may be the name of the Japanese version)

 

[lesofprimus]

It is the Japanese version Jaco...

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

It looks like a Macchi.

It is not in the German nature.

Adler, just wondering, are you US citizen that served in the US Army now living in Germany, or is Germany your real home country?

 

[comiso90]

Looking at the photos, I don't think bailing out with the engine still running was an option.

Sure would be fun to be launched off a catapult though

 

[Graeme]

It is not in the German nature.

From 'German Jet Genesis'..
.."The concept was soon rejected, though, as such was the revulsion against the inevitably suicidal nature of such weapons."

Looking at the photos, I don't think bailing out with the engine still running was an option.

Sure would be fun to be launched off a catapult though

Very slim indeed Comiso90.
Were they to be catapult launched or air dropped?

 

[Heinz]

i thought they used 2 of them to take out a bridge to stop the soviets right at the end of the war?

 

[Aggie08]

What was the ramming unit called... Sonnderkommando(sp?) I think? Must have scared the hell out of the bomber crews.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Adler, just wondering, are you US citizen that served in the US Army now living in Germany, or is Germany your real home country?

I was born a dual citizen in Germany. Mother is German, Father is American. I split time living in Germany and the United States and have family in both countries.

I later joined the US Army from a recruiting station at a US militay post in Germany and was stationed in Germany and now got out of the army living in Germany until my wife is finished with her university studies and then we will move to Alaska.

 

[luftwaffemesserschmitt]

Alsaka pretty cold out there

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

In the south it is not that bad. Alaska is large eneogh to have several different climate zones in one state.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Thanks Adler. I think having two countries you can feel connection to is a good thing. My parents are also of two nationalities.

I hope you won't miss Germany too much up in Alaska. I think people like Alaska for flying, because of the wide open spaces. Just watch out for Kodiak Bears!

 

[T4.H]

The ramming unit was called "Sonderkommando Elbe".

Perhaps there was only one real suicide (or Kamikaze) attack in WWII.
Kommando Bienenstock

It's said that 40 pilots with there with bombs loaded fighters should crash ito the bridges over the "Oder" at the end of WWII.
14 bridges should have been destroyed.
And rebuild over night.
I saw an interview with one (the only one?) survivor.
He was over one of the bridges, when he recogniced that it woul be nice to survive.

Perhaps the whole story is true, perhaps not.

 

[Erich]

T4 he is not the only survivor, the whole plan failed in part due to the source of invention as well as the pilot/crews as it was more than single-engine pilots that were to take part..............what good would of it done to sacrifice the lives of oneself when the war was lost. it was an excellent avenue for flying away to safer grounds, land and then run and hide till after the war as several pilots did.