Wunderwaffe
Encyclopedia
Wunderwaffe (ˈvʊndɐˌvafə) is German for "wonder-weapon" and was a term assigned during World War II
by the German
propaganda ministry to a few revolutionary "superweapon
s". Most of these weapons however remained more or less feasible prototypes, or reached the combat theatre too late, and in too insignificant numbers (if at all) to have a military effect. A derisive abbreviation of the term emerged: Wuwa, pronounced "voo-vah".
The V-weapons
, which were developed earlier and saw considerable deployment (especially against London
and Antwerp), trace back to the same pool of highly inventive armament concepts. Therefore, they are also included here.
Although the Wunderwaffen failed to meet their strategic objective of turning the tides of World War II in Nazi Germany's favor at a time when the war was already strategically lost, they represented designs and prototypes that were extremely advanced for their time.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
propaganda ministry to a few revolutionary "superweapon
Superweapon
A superweapon is an extremely powerful weapon by the standards of its time and its scale. Examples include the Tsar Bomba , various superguns and other various weapons employed to give a decisive advantage over opposing countries or forces. The given advantage is usually based on intimidation and...
s". Most of these weapons however remained more or less feasible prototypes, or reached the combat theatre too late, and in too insignificant numbers (if at all) to have a military effect. A derisive abbreviation of the term emerged: Wuwa, pronounced "voo-vah".
The V-weapons
Vergeltungswaffe
V-weapons also, known in the original German as Vergeltungswaffen , were a particular set of long range artillery weapons designed for strategic bombing during World War II, particularly terror bombing and/or aerial bombing of cities. They comprised the V-1 flying bomb, the V-2 rocket and the V-3...
, which were developed earlier and saw considerable deployment (especially against London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Antwerp), trace back to the same pool of highly inventive armament concepts. Therefore, they are also included here.
Although the Wunderwaffen failed to meet their strategic objective of turning the tides of World War II in Nazi Germany's favor at a time when the war was already strategically lost, they represented designs and prototypes that were extremely advanced for their time.
Aircraft carriers
- Graf ZeppelinGerman aircraft carrier Graf ZeppelinGerman aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin was the lead ship in a class of two carriers ordered by the Kriegsmarine. She was the only aircraft carrier launched by Germany during World War II and represented part of the Kriegsmarine's attempt to create a well-balanced oceangoing fleet, capable of...
- a 33,550 ton aircraft carrier laid down in 1936, never completed - Flugzeugträger BFlugzeugträger BThe Flugzeugträger B was the sister ship of the Kriegsmarine's only launched aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin....
- planned sister ship to the Graf Zeppelin - German aircraft carrier IGerman aircraft carrier I (1942)The German aircraft carrier I was a planned conversion of the transport ship Europa during World War II. The loss of the battleship Bismarck and near torpedoing of her sistership Tirpitz in May 1941 and March 1942, respectively, spurred the Kriegsmarine to acquire aircraft carriers...
- a planned 56,500 ton aircraft carrier, converted from a transport
Battleships
- H class battleshipH class battleship proposalsThe H class was a series of battleship designs for the German Kriegsmarine, intended to fulfill the requirements of Plan Z in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The first variation, "H-39," called for six ships to be built, essentially as enlarged s with guns. The "H-41" design improved the "H-39"...
- a series of proposals for battleships, culminating in the H-44, a 140,000 ton battleship with eight 20 inch guns
Oceangoing U-boats
- Rocket U-boatRocket U-boatThe Rocket U-boat was an abandoned military project to create the first ballistic missile submarine. It was conceived of by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Plans for the rocket U-boat involved an attack on New York City with Germany's newly-invented V-2 rockets.-Timeline:The Second World...
- a planned ballistic missile submarineBallistic missile submarineA ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident... - Type XVIII U-boatUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a U-boat designed to use air-independent propulsionAir-independent propulsionAir-independent propulsion is a term that encompasses technologies which allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a snorkel to access atmospheric oxygen. The term usually excludes the use of nuclear power, and describes augmenting or replacing the diesel-electric propulsion...
; several were under construction when the war ended - Type XXI U-boat "Elektroboote"German Type XXI submarineType XXI U-boats, also known as "Elektroboote", were the first submarines designed to operate primarily submerged, rather than as surface ships that could submerge as a means to escape detection or launch an attack.-Description:...
(Electric boat) - the first U-boat designed to operate completely submerged, 118 were built - Type XXIV U-boatUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a planned U-boat designed to use air-independent propulsion - Type XXVI U-boatUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a U-boat designed to use air-independent propulsion; several were under construction when the war ended
Littoral U-boats
- Type XXII U-boatUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a U-boat designed to use air-independent propulsion; two were under construction - Type XXIII U-boatGerman Type XXIII submarineGerman Type XXIII submarines were the first so-called elektroboats to become operational. They were small coastal submarines designed to operate in the shallow waters of the North Sea, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea, where larger Type XXI Elektro boats were at risk in World War II. They were so...
- a U-boat designed for littoralLittoralThe littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...
missions - Type XXV U-boatUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a planned all-electric U-Boat designed for littoral missions
Submarine aircraft carrier
- Type XIUncompleted U-boat projectsDuring World War II the German Navy considered a number of submarine designs for specialized operations or improving U-boat performance. However, many of these designs did not come to fruition for various reasons. Some were abandoned due to practical considerations...
- a U-boat designed to carry the Arado Ar 231Arado Ar 231The Arado Ar 231 was a light-weight Floatplane, developed during World War II in Germany as a scout plane for submarines. The need to be stored inside the submarine necessitated compromises in design that made this single-seat seaplane of little practical use....
collapsible floatplane; four were laid down but canceled at the outbreak of World War II
Anti-aircraft weapons
- Flakpanzer "Kugelblitz"KugelblitzThe Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz was a German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed during World War II. By the end of the war, only a pilot production of five units had been completed...
(Ball Lightning) - a self-propelled anti-aircraft gunSelf-propelled anti-aircraft weaponAn anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon or self-propelled air defense system , is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability...
Super-heavy tanks
- Landkreuzer P. 1000 "Ratte" (Rat) - a planned super-heavy tankSuper-heavy tankSuper-heavy tanks are armored vehicles of very large size, generally over 75 tonnes. Programs have been initiated on several occasions with the aim of creating an invincible vehicle for penetrating enemy formations without fear of being destroyed in combat; however, only a few examples have ever...
, weighing 1000 metric tons and armed with two 280mm cannons, 128mm anti-tank gun, 8 20mm flak guns and 2 15mm heavy machine guns - Landkreuzer P. 1500 "Monster"Landkreuzer P. 1500 MonsterThe Landkreuzer P 1500 Monster was a German pre-prototype super-heavy tank designed during World War II, representing the apex of the German extreme tank designs.- Conception :...
- a proposed super-heavy self propelled gun, weighing 1500 metric tons and armed with the 800mm Schwerer GustavSchwerer GustavSchwerer Gustav and Dora were the names of two massive World War II German 80 cm K railway siege guns. They were developed in the late 1930s by Krupp for the express purpose of destroying heavy fortifications, specifically those in the French Maginot Line...
/Dora gun - Panzer VII "Löwe"Panzer VII LöweThe Panzerkampfwagen VII Löwe was a design for a Super Heavy Tank created by Krupp for the Nazi German government during World War II. The project never left the drawing board, and was dropped in late 1942 in favor of the Panzer VIII Maus....
(Lion) - a planned super-heavy tank, weighing 90 metric tons and armed with a 105mm cannon - Panzer VIII "Maus"Panzer VIII MausPanzerkampfwagen VIII Maus was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armoured fighting vehicle ever built. Only two hulls and one turret were completed before the testing grounds were captured by the advancing Soviet forces.These two...
(Mouse) - a super-heavy tank, weighing 180 metric tons and armed with two cannons of 128mm & 75mm calibre, two operable prototypes completed - Panzerkampfwagen E-100Panzerkampfwagen E-100The Panzerkampfwagen E-100 was a German super-heavy tank design developed near the end of World War II.-History:The basic design was ordered by the Waffenamt as a parallel development to the Porsche Maus in June 1943...
- a planned super-heavy tank, weighing 140 metric tons and armed with either 128, 149 or 170mm cannon
Gliders
- Junkers Ju 322 "Mammut"Junkers Ju 322-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-356-02382-6....
(Mammoth) - a flying wingFlying wingA flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which has no definite fuselage, with most of the crew, payload and equipment being housed inside the main wing structure....
heavy transport glider.
Piston engine aircraft
- Focke-Achgelis Fa 269 - a planned tilt-rotor VTOLVTOLA vertical take-off and landing aircraft is one that can hover, take off and land vertically. This classification includes fixed-wing aircraft as well as helicopters and other aircraft with powered rotors, such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and tiltrotors...
fighter - Focke-Wulf Ta 152Focke-Wulf Ta 152The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was a World War II German high-altitude fighter-interceptor designed by Kurt Tank and produced by Focke-Wulf. The Ta 152 was a development of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft...
- a high-altitude interceptor - Focke-Wulf Ta 400Focke-Wulf Ta 400|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Griehl, Manfred. Luftwaffe over America. London: Greenhill Books, 2006. ISBN 978-0-7607-8697-0....
- a planned Amerika BomberAmerika BomberThe Amerika-Bomber project was an initiative of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium, the Nazi Germany Air Ministry, to obtain a long-range strategic bomber for the Luftwaffe that would be capable of striking the continental United States from Germany, a range of about 5,800 km...
candidate with six radial engines and two jet engines with a range of 13,000 km in bomber configuration - Heinkel He 111Z - a five engined aircraft created by combining two He 111s and designed to tow large gliders
- Heinkel He 274Heinkel He 274The Heinkel He 274 was a German Luftwaffe heavy bomber developed during World War II, purpose-designed for high-altitude bombing with pressurized crew accommodation.- He 177 ancestry :...
- a high altitude heavy bomber with four in-line engines with a range of 3,440 km - Heinkel He 277Heinkel He 277The Heinkel He 277 was a four-engine, long range heavy bomber design, a derivative of the He 177, intended for production and use by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. The main difference was in engine configuration...
- a planned, advanced long range bomber design, evolved to be an Amerika BomberAmerika BomberThe Amerika-Bomber project was an initiative of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium, the Nazi Germany Air Ministry, to obtain a long-range strategic bomber for the Luftwaffe that would be capable of striking the continental United States from Germany, a range of about 5,800 km...
candidate, to be powered with four BMW 801BMW 801The BMW 801 was a powerful German air-cooled radial aircraft engine built by BMW and used in a number of German military aircraft of World War II. The engine's cylinders were in two rows of seven cylinders each, the bore and stroke were both 156 mm , giving a total capacity of 41.8 litres...
radial engines - Junkers Ju 390Junkers Ju 390The Junkers Ju 390 was a German aircraft intended to be used as a heavy transport, maritime patrol aircraft, and long-range bomber, a long-range derivative of the Ju 290...
- an Amerika Bomber candidate with six radial engines with a range of 9,700 km - Junkers Ju 488Junkers Ju 488-References:* Filly, Brian. Junkers Ju 88 in Action, part 2. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., 1991.* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War:Volume Ten Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft. London:Macdonald, 1968....
- a heavy bomber with four radial engines with a range of 3,395 km - Messerschmitt Me 264Messerschmitt Me 264|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Duffy, James P. Target: America. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2004. ISBN 0-275-96684-4....
- an Amerika Bomber candidate with four radial engines and a range of 15,000 km - Messerschmitt Me 323 "Gigant"Messerschmitt Me 323The Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant was a German military transport aircraft of World War II. It was a powered variant of the Me 321 military glider and was the largest land-based transport aircraft of the war...
(Giant) - a heavy transport with six engines
Jets and rocket-propelled aircraft
- Arado Ar 234Arado Ar 234The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first operational jet-powered bomber, built by the German Arado company in the closing stages of World War II. Produced in very limited numbers, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role, but in its few uses as a bomber it proved to be nearly impossible...
- the first operational turbojet bomber - Arado E.555Arado E.555The Arado E.555 was a bomber proposed by the German Arado company in response to the Amerika Bomber project.-Project request:This was an initiative of the Reichsluftfahrtministerium , RLM, to obtain a long-range bomber for the Luftwaffe that would be capable of striking the continental United...
- a planned jet-powered Amerika bomber - Bachem Ba 349 "Natter"Bachem Ba 349The Bachem Ba 349 Natter was a World War II German point-defence rocket powered interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. After vertical take-off, which eliminated the need for airfields, the majority of the flight to the Allied bombers was to be...
(Adder) - a rocket-powered vertical takeoff interceptor - Blohm & Voss P.178Blohm & Voss P.178The Blohm & Voss P.178 was an experimental jet-powered dive bomber designed during World War II by Blohm & Voss. The bomber had an unusual, asymmetric configuration.-Overview:...
- a turbojet dive bomber - DFS 194 - a rocket-powered experimental aircraft
- DFS 228DFS 228-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. Warplanes of the Third Reich. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1970 . ISBN 0-356-02382-6.* Myhra, David. DFS 228. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-76431-203-0....
- a rocket-powered high altitude reconnaissance aircraft - DFS 346DFS 346The DFS 346 was a German rocket-powered swept-wing vehicle subsequently completed and flown in the Soviet Union after the World War II. It was designed by Felix Kracht at the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug , the "German Institute for Sailplane Flight"...
- a rocket-powered research aircraft - Fieseler Fi 103R "Reichenberg" - a manned version of the V-1 flying bombV-1 flying bombThe V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
- Focke-Wulf Fw "Triebflügel"Focke-Wulf Fw Triebflugel-External links:* * * *...
(Powered Wings) - a planned ramjet tailsitterTailsitterA tailsitter is a type of VTOL aircraft that launches and lands on its tail. One of the most famous examples of this type of aircraft is the Ryan X-13 Vertijet. Among the propeller-driven versions were the Lockheed XFV, and the Convair XFY Pogo. Studies and wind tunnel models were made of a...
interceptor - Focke-Wulf Ta 183 "Huckebein"Focke-Wulf Ta 183The Focke-Wulf Ta 183 Huckebein was a design for a jet-powered fighter aircraft intended as the successor to the Messerschmitt Me 262 and other day fighters in Luftwaffe service during World War II. It was developed only to the extent of wind tunnel models when the war ended, but the basic design...
- a planned swept wingSwept wingA swept wing is a wing planform favored for high subsonic jet speeds first investigated by Germany during the Second World War. Since the introduction of the MiG-15 and North American F-86 which demonstrated a decisive superiority over the slower first generation of straight-wing jet fighters...
turbojet fighter - Focke-Wulf Ta 283Focke-Wulf Ta 283The Focke-Wulf Ta 283 was an unbuilt German jet fighter designed during World War II. Power was to be provided by a Walter HWK rocket engine for take-off and two Pabst ramjets. The ramjets were located on the tips of the sharply swept tailplanes and would be used for cruising. The wings were swept...
- a planned swept wing ramjet and rocket-powered fighter - Heinkel He 162 "Volksjäger"Heinkel He 162The Heinkel He 162 Volksjäger was a German single-engine, jet-powered fighter aircraft fielded by the Luftwaffe in World War II. Designed and built quickly, and made primarily of wood as metals were in very short supply and prioritised for other aircraft, the He 162 was nevertheless the fastest of...
(People's Fighter) - a turbojet fighter - Heinkel He 176 - a rocket-powered experimental aircraft
- Heinkel He 178Heinkel He 178|-See also:*List of firsts in aviation-Bibliography:* Warsitz, Lutz: The First Jet Pilot - The Story of German Test Pilot Erich Warsitz, Pen and Sword Books Ltd., England, 2009, ISBN 9781844158188.-External links:...
- the first turbojet aircraft - Heinkel He 280Heinkel He 280The Heinkel He 280 was the first turbojet-powered fighter aircraft in the world. It was inspired by Ernst Heinkel's emphasis on research into high-speed flight and built on the company's experience with the He 178 jet prototype. A combination of technical and political factors led to it being...
- the first turbojet fighter - Heinkel He 343Heinkel He 343The Heinkel He 343 was a four-engine jet bomber project.-Design and development:It was designed by the German Ernst Heinkel Flugzeugwerke in the beginning of 1944. 20 of these aircraft were ordered. For shortening the development time and for re-use of existing parts, its general design was...
- a planned four engined jet bomber based on the Arado Ar 234Arado Ar 234The Arado Ar 234 was the world's first operational jet-powered bomber, built by the German Arado company in the closing stages of World War II. Produced in very limited numbers, it was used almost entirely in the reconnaissance role, but in its few uses as a bomber it proved to be nearly impossible... - Henschel Hs 132Henschel Hs 132-Note:There is a widely available image that purports to show the completed Hs 132V1 outside the Henschel plant. This is actually an artist's impression by Gert Heumann.-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
- a planned turbojet dive bomber and interceptor - Horten Ho 229Horten Ho 229The Horten H.IX, RLM designation Ho 229 was a late–World War II prototype fighter/bomber designed by Reimar and Walter Horten and built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik...
- a turbojet flying wing stealth jet fighter/bomber - Horten H.XVIII - a planned flying wing jet bomber based on the Horten Ho 229Horten Ho 229The Horten H.IX, RLM designation Ho 229 was a late–World War II prototype fighter/bomber designed by Reimar and Walter Horten and built by Gothaer Waggonfabrik...
- Junkers EF 132 - a planned turbojet bomber
- Junkers Ju 287Junkers Ju 287-Bibliography:* Hitchcock, Thomas H. Junkers 287 . Acton, MA: Monogram Aviation Publications, 1974. ISBN 0-914144-01-4.-External links:*...
- a forward-swept wingForward-swept wingA forward-swept wing is an aircraft wing configuration in which the quarter-chord line of the wing has a forward sweep. The configuration was first proposed in 1936 by German aircraft designers.Perceived benefits of a forward-swept wing design include...
turbojet bomber - Lippisch P.13aLippisch P.13aThe Lippisch P.13a was an experimental ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft designed in late 1944 by Dr. Alexander Lippisch for Nazi Germany...
- a planned ramjet delta wing interceptor - Lippisch P.13bLippisch P.13bThe Lippisch P.13b was a World War II German ramjet powered fighter aircraft designed by Alexander Lippisch. Designed in December 1944, the P.13b was a further development of the similarly delta-winged Lippisch P.13a, which was also a ramjet fighter. The cockpit was located in the nose of the...
- a planned ramjet delta wing interceptor developed from the Lippisch P.13aLippisch P.13aThe Lippisch P.13a was an experimental ramjet-powered delta wing interceptor aircraft designed in late 1944 by Dr. Alexander Lippisch for Nazi Germany... - Messerschmitt Me 109TLMesserschmitt Me 109TLThe Messerschmitt 109TL Turbo-Lader Strahltriebwerk was an alternative design proposed as a backup for the Me 262.-Development:...
- a turbojet fighter designed as an alternate/back-up for the Me 262 - Messerschmitt Me 163 "Komet"Messerschmitt Me 163The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, designed by Alexander Lippisch, was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. It is the only rocket-powered fighter aircraft ever to have been operational. Its design was revolutionary, and the Me 163 was capable of performance unrivaled at the time. Messerschmitt...
(Comet) - the first and only operational rocket-powered fighter - Messerschmitt Me 262 "Schwalbe"Messerschmitt Me 262The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
(Swallow)- the first operational turbojet fighter/bomber - Messerschmitt Me 263Messerschmitt Me 263-See also:http://www.aviastar.org/air/germany/me-263.php-References:* David Myhra, "Messerschmitt Me 263", Schiffer Publishing, 1999...
- a rocket-powered fighter developed from the Me 163 - Messerschmitt Me P.1101Messerschmitt Me P.1101|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Myrha, David. Messerschmitt P.1101- X Planes of the Third Reich Series. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 1999. ISBN 0-7643-0908-0....
- a variable-sweep wing ramjet fighter - Messerschmitt Me P.1106Messerschmitt Me P.1106The Messerschmitt P.1106 was an intended improvement to the Messerschmitt P.1101. It went through several redesigns; the first version had a T-tail with cockpit faired into the vertical stabilizer, the later design having a V-tail with the cockpit moved slightly forward. In both cases the wings...
- a jet fighter based on the Messerschmitt Me P.1101Messerschmitt Me P.1101|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Myrha, David. Messerschmitt P.1101- X Planes of the Third Reich Series. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History, 1999. ISBN 0-7643-0908-0.... - Silbervogel (Silverbird) - planned sub-orbital antipodal bomber
Helicopters
- Flettner Fl 184Flettner Fl 184The Flettner 184 was a German night reconnaissance and anti-submarine autogyro developed during the 1930s.- Design :Its designer, Anton Flettner, designed the Fl 184 to have a single, torqueless rotor. This was done with two 30 hp engines that drove small propellers attached to the rotor...
- a night reconnaissance and anti-submarine autogyroAutogyroAn autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust... - Flettner Fl 185Flettner Fl 185The Flettner Fl 185 was an experimental German helicopter developed by Anton Flettner.This helicopter was developed in 1936 with support of the German Navy. It was powered by a BMW-Bramo Sh 14 A radial piston engine with forced-air cooling, mounted at the nose...
- an experimental helicopter - Flettner Fl 265Flettner Fl 265-References: Nowarra, Heinz J.: Die Deutsche Luftrüstung 1933-1945, Bernard & Graeffe Verlag, Koblenz 1993, ISBN 3-7637-5464-4-External links:*...
- an experimental helicopter - Flettner Fl 282 "Kolibri"Flettner Fl 282|- References :NotesBibliography* Coates, Steve and Jean-Christophe Carbonel. Helicopters of the Third Reich. Crowborough, UK: Classic Publications Ltd., 2002. ISBN 1-903223-24-5....
(Hummingbird) - a reconnaissance helicopter - Focke Achgelis Fa 223 "Drache" (Dragon) - an anti-submarine, search and rescue, reconnaissance, and freight helicopter
- Focke-Wulf Fw 61Focke-Wulf Fw 61|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Coates, Steve and Jean-Christophe Carbonel. Helicopters of the Third Reich. Crowborough, UK: Classic Publications Ltd., 2002. ISBN 1-903223-24-5....
- an experimental helicopter
Artillery
- Schwerer GustavSchwerer GustavSchwerer Gustav and Dora were the names of two massive World War II German 80 cm K railway siege guns. They were developed in the late 1930s by Krupp for the express purpose of destroying heavy fortifications, specifically those in the French Maginot Line...
(Heavy Gustav) - an 800mm railway gunRailway gunA railway gun, also called a railroad gun, is a large artillery piece, often surplus naval ordnance, mounted on, transported by, and fired from a specially designed railway wagon. Many countries have built railway guns, but the best known are the large Krupp-built pieces used by Germany in World... - V-3 cannon "Hochdruckpumpe"V-3 cannonThe V-3 was a German World War II supergun working on the multi-charge principle whereby secondary propellant charges are fired to add velocity to a projectile....
- "High Pressure Pump" a supergunSupergunA supergun is an extraordinarily large artillery piece. This size may be due to a large bore, barrel length or a combination of the two. While early examples tended to have a fairly short range more recent examples sometimes had an extremely high muzzle velocity resulting in a very long...
Missiles
- Aggregate seriesAggregate (rocket family)The Aggregate series was a set of rocket designs developed in 1933–1945 by a research program of Nazi Germany's army. Its greatest success was the A4, more commonly known as the V-2. The German word refers to a group of machines working together.-A1:...
- A1 - the first German experimental rocket
- A2 - an experimental rocket, gyroscopicallyGyroscopeA gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
stabilized - A3 - an experimental rocket with an inertial guidance system
- A4/V-2 - the first ballistic missileBallistic missileA ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
and the first human-made object to achieve sub-orbital spaceflightSub-orbital spaceflightA sub-orbital space flight is a spaceflight in which the spacecraft reaches space, but its trajectory intersects the atmosphere or surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched, so that it does not complete one orbital revolution....
- A4-SLBM - a planned submarine-launched ballistic missileSubmarine-launched ballistic missileA submarine-launched ballistic missile is a ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles each of which carries a warhead and allows a single launched missile to...
- A4b
- A4-SLBM - a planned submarine-launched ballistic missile
- A5 - an experimental reusable rocket
- A6 - an improved A4b
- A7 - an improved A4
- A8 - a planned submarine-launched ballistic missile
- A9 Amerikarakete - a planned intermediate-range ballistic missileIntermediate-range ballistic missileAn intermediate-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km , between a medium-range ballistic missile and an intercontinental ballistic missile...
to be used to strike the eastern United States - A10 - a planned lower stage for the A9 to upgrade it to an intercontinental ballistic missileIntercontinental ballistic missileAn intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
- A11 - a planned satellite launcher
- A12 - a planned rocket, capable of putting 10 metric tons into low Earth orbitLow Earth orbitA low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
- EnzianEnzianThe Enzian was a German WWII surface-to-air anti-aircraft missile that was the first to use an infrared guidance system...
- a planned surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
with infrared guidanceInfrared homingInfrared homing refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track and follow it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared is just below the... - Feuerlilie F-25 "Fire Lilly" - a surface-to-air missile
- Feuerlilie F-55 "Fire Lilly" - a two-stage, supersonic surface-to-air missile
- Fieseler Fi 103/V-1 flying bomb/Vergeltungswaffe 1V-1 flying bombThe V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
- the first cruise missileCruise missileA cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy... - FliegerfaustFliegerfaustThe Fliegerfaust , also known as the "Luftfaust" , was a prototype unguided German multi-barreled ground-to-air rocket launcher designed to destroy enemy ground attack planes.- Overview :...
"Pilot Fist" or "Plane Fist" / Luftfaust "Air Fist" - the first man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) - Fritz XFritz XFritz X was the most common name for a German guided anti-ship glide bomb used during World War II. Fritz X was a nickname used both by Allied and Luftwaffe personnel. Alternate names include Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, Kramer X-1, PC 1400X or FX 1400...
- an air-launched anti-ship missileAnti-ship missileAnti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing... - Henschel Hs 117 Schmetterling "Butterfly" - a manually guided surface-to-air missile
- Henschel Hs 117H - a manually guided air-to-air missileAir-to-air missileAn air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
- Henschel Hs 293Henschel Hs 293The Henschel Hs 293 was a World War II German anti-ship guided missile: a radio-controlled glide bomb with a rocket engine slung underneath it. It was designed by Herbert A. Wagner.- History :...
- a manually guided air-to-ship missile - Henschel Hs 294Henschel Hs 294The Henschel Hs 294 was a guided air-to-sea missile developed by Germany during World War II, in 1943. It was a further development of the Henschel Hs 293, but was of an elongated, more streamlined shape. When launched from an aircraft, it was guided to its target by remote control...
- a manually guided air-to-ship torpedo - Henschel Hs 298 - an air-to-air missile
- R4M OrkanR4M rocketThe R4M rocket, nicknamed the Hurricane due to its distinctive smoke trail when fired, was an anti-aircraft rocket. It was developed by the German Luftwaffe during World War II.-Development:...
"Hurricane" - an air-to-air rocket - RheinboteRheinboteRheinbote was a German short range ballistic rocket developed during World War II. It was intended to replace, or at least supplement, large-bore artillery by providing fire support at long ranges in an easily transportable form....
"Rhine Messenger"- the first short-range ballistic missileShort-range ballistic missileA short-range ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a range of about 1,000 km or less. They are usually capable of carrying nuclear weapons. In potential regional conflicts, these missiles would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low cost... - RheintochterRheintochterRheintochter was a German surface-to-air missile developed during World War II. Its name comes from the mythical Rheintöchter of Richard Wagner's opera series Der Ring des Nibelungen.- History :...
"Rhinemaiden" - a manually guided surface-to-air missile - Ruhrstahl X-4Ruhrstahl X-4The Ruhrstahl X-4 was a wire guided air-to-air missile designed by Germany during World War II. The X-4 did not see operational service and thus was not proven in combat...
- a wire-guided air-to-air missile designed for the Ta 183 - TaifunTaifun (rocket)Taifun was a German World War II anti-aircraft unguided rocket system. Waves of Taifuns were to be launched en masse into US B-17 Flying Fortress formations hoping for a direct hit...
"Typhoon" - a planned unguided surface-to-air missile - Wasserfall Ferngelenkte FlakraketeWasserfallThe Wasserfall Ferngelenkte Flakrakete , was a World War II guided surface-to-air missile developed at Peenemünde, Germany.-Technical characteristics:...
"Waterfall Remote-Controlled A-A Rocket" - a supersonic surface-to-air missile - Werfer-Granate 21 - an air-to-air rocket
- G7es/Zaunkönig T-5G7es torpedoThe G7es or Zaunkönig T-5 was a torpedo employed by German U-boats during World War II. It was known as the GNAT to the British.- Description :...
- acoustic homing torpedo used by U-boats
Orbital
- Sun gunSun gunThe sun gun was a theoretical orbital weapon that was researched by Nazi Germany during World War II.-History:In 1929, the German physicist Hermann Oberth developed state of the art plans for a space station from which a 100-meter-wide concave mirror could be used to reflect sunlight onto a...
- a parabolic mirror in orbit designed to focus sunlight onto specific locations on the Earth's surface
Rifles
- JagdfaustJagdfaustThe SG 500 Jagdfaust was an experimental airborne anti-bomber recoilless rifle designed for use in the Me 163 Komet rocket plane by the German Luftwaffe during World War II...
- an automatically firing airborne anti-bomber recoilless rifleRecoilless rifleA recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
for use on the Me 163 - Mauser MG 213Mauser MG 213The Mauser MG 213 was a 20 mm aircraft-mounted revolver cannon developed for the Luftwaffe during World War II. It was never put into service, but the principles formed the basis for several post-war developments by the Allies. A 30 mm version was developed as the MG 213C or MK 213 and it was this...
- a 20 mm20 mm caliberThe 20 mm caliber is a specific size of cannon or autocannon ammunition, commonly the smallest caliber which is unambiguously a cannon and not a heavy machine gun....
aircraft mounted revolver cannonRevolver cannonA revolver cannon is a type of autocannon commonly used as an aircraft gun. It uses a cylinder with multiple chambers, like those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Some examples are also power-driven, to further speed the loading process, but this is by no means... - Mauser MG 213CMauser MG 213The Mauser MG 213 was a 20 mm aircraft-mounted revolver cannon developed for the Luftwaffe during World War II. It was never put into service, but the principles formed the basis for several post-war developments by the Allies. A 30 mm version was developed as the MG 213C or MK 213 and it was this...
- a 30 mm30 mm caliber30 mm caliber ammunition is usually used in autocannon. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30 × 173 mm and 30 × 113 mm and Soviet 30 × 165 mm ammunition widely used around the world....
aircraft mounted revolver cannon - Sturmgewehr 44Sturmgewehr 44The StG 44 was an assault rifle developed in Nazi Germany during World War II and was the first of its kind to see major deployment, considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle...
- the first assault rifle- "KrummlaufKrummlaufThe Krummlauf is a bent barrel attachment for the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle developed by Germany in World War II.The curved barrel included a periscope sighting device for shooting around corners from a safe position....
" - a curved barrel for the StG44
- "Krummlauf
- Sturmgewehr 45 - prototype
Mission equipment
- Zielgerät 1229Zielgerät 1229The Zielgerät 1229 , also known in its code name Vampir, was an active infrared device developed for the Wehrmacht for the Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifle, intended primarily for night use.-Design:...
"Vampir" - active infrared for the Sturmgewehr 44Sturmgewehr 44The StG 44 was an assault rifle developed in Nazi Germany during World War II and was the first of its kind to see major deployment, considered by many historians to be the first modern assault rifle... - FG 1250 Tank Mounted night-vision equipment