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Amerika Bomber

http://www.unmuseum.org/hitlernyc.htm

Sänger’s Silbervogel was manned winged vehicle that would be launched into orbit from a two mile long track in Europe using a rocket sled to propel the vehicle. The sled would launch the bomber to an altitude of 5,550 ft. where a rocket engine would take over increasing the altitude to 90 miles. At this height the bomber would bounce off the denser atmosphere in order to maintain its altitude. Once over America, a single 8,800 lb. bomb would be dropped over its target. It would then reenter Earth’s atmosphere and land somewhere in the Pacific, which was controlled by Japan at the time of the plans conception.

As impressive and clever as the idea was, there was a flaw. The Silbervogel as designed would have burned up from the friction of the atmosphere. This could have been fixed but at the expense of the bomber’s payload.

Prufstand XII
Dr. Bodo Lafferentz came up with the idea to build canisters, capable of housing V-2 rockets. These canisters could then be towed by a submarine within 100 miles off the Atlantic coast of America. A remote control would be used to flood the back of the container which would bring it to and upright position suitable for launched the V2. With the top of the container exposed, technicians would be able to enter it to ready the rocket for launch within an estimated 30 minutes. Once the V-2 rocket was launched the U boat would cut the rope and return to Germany.

This project was approved with construction beginning in early 1945. However, the war was coming to a close and the Soviet army took control over the shipyard where the construction was underway.