The V-1 flying bomb (German: Vergeltungswaffe 1, "Vengeance Weapon 1"), also known as the buzz bomb or doodlebug, was an early cruise missile and the first production aircraft to use a pulsejet engine. Developed by the Luftwaffe during World War II, it was used primarily against British and Belgian targets from June 1944.
Design and Operation
The V-1 was powered by an Argus As 014 pulsejet engine, which gave it a distinctive buzzing sound. It carried an 850 kg (1,870 lb) warhead at a speed of about 640 km/h (400 mph) and had a range of approximately 250 km (160 miles). The weapon was guided by a simple autopilot system that used a magnetic compass for azimuth and a barometric altimeter for altitude.
The engine was set to cut out after a pre-calculated distance, at which point the bomb would dive to the ground. This gave defenders a brief warning — the silence after the engine cut was particularly terrifying for those below.
Deployment
The first V-1 was launched against London on June 13, 1944, one week after D-Day. At its peak, over 100 V-1s per day were launched. Approximately 10,000 were fired at England, of which 2,419 reached London, killing about 6,184 people and injuring 17,981.
Defenses
The British developed a multi-layered defense system including fighter aircraft (Spitfires, Tempests, and Mosquitos), anti-aircraft guns equipped with proximity fuzes and radar-directed fire control, and barrage balloons. The Hawker Tempest was particularly effective, destroying 638 V-1s.