Henschel Hs 293 has

Bend planing radio-controlled anti-ship developed in Germany during the Second world war by the aeronautical factories Henschel Flugzeugwerke of Berlin.

Ordered with the beginning of the year 1940, it was conceived like a plane and had an aerofoil provided with ailerons, an empennage provided with an elevator and an autonomous propulsion by rocket engines which functioned during 10 seconds and conferred on the bomb an additional acceleration of approximately 200 km/h.

Released starting from a plane bomber, it was directed on its target by radio operator signals. This made it possible to launch attacks starting from a low altitude, in lower part of the vapor cloud and unfavourable radars.

The chief of the responsible research department was Herbert Wagner. More than 12.000 specimens were built and approx. 400 bombs were released as from 1943, causing the destruction of approximately 55 ships. During the year 1944, the Alliés acquired the air superiority on all fronts. This caused as well losses in the Luftwaffe as the bomb was not used any more starting from the middle of the year 1944.

Length: 3,82 m
Scale: 3,10 m
Diameter: 0,47 m
total Mass: 975 kg
Altitude of dropping: 600 to 800 m
Carried: up to 20 km
Motorization: Rocket engine Walter HWK 109-507 providing a push from approx. 6000 NR (600 kp) during 10 S.
Remote control:

transmitting (embarked on carrier aircraft) FuG 203 Kehl manufactured by Telefunken and Opta ( FuG - > Funkgerät = radio operator apparatus)
receiving (on the bomb): FuG 230 Strassburg manufactured by StaRu (Stassfurter Rundfunkgesellschaft)

See too

---- Astronautics

]]

Random links: