Fieseler Fi 103 "Reichenberg"

Manned air to surface missile

The Reichenberg IV

Specifications for Fi 103A-1/Re IV "Reichenberg IV"

Engine: 1x Argus 014 pulsejet

Wing Span: 5.7 m

Length: 7.50 m m

Height: N/A

Weight: 2,250 kg

Maximum Speed: 645 km/h(800 km/h on final approach)

Ceiling: 2,500 m

Range: 330 km

Crew: 1 Pilot

Armament: 830 kg warhead

History:

The idea of putting a pilot in the Fi 103 V1 for special operations was proposed by Hanna Skorzeny, Otto Skorzeny and Heinrich Lange. Lange sought to form a special group of pilots who if need be would sacrifice themselves. At the same time the DFS were looking into such a idea since 1943, because tests using the Me P.1079 (Me 328) had found it was unsuitable. In 1944 the DFS was given the go ahead to develop such a weapon, given the code name "Reichenberg". With in fourteen days the DFS had designed, built, and tested the four different models needed to convert the volunteer pilots:-

Fi 103A-1/Re I "Reichenberg I": Two man unpowered trainer

Fi 103A-1/Re II "Reichenberg II": Two man powered trainer

Fi 103A-1/Re III "Reichenberg III": One man powered trainer

Fi 103A-1/Re IV "Reichenberg IV": Operational model

Two fuselages of the "Reichenberg" II trainer

The Re I was towed in to the air by a Henschel Hs 126, all the rest were air launched from the Heinkel He 111 H-22. By October 1944 175 Fi 103 "Reichenberg IV"'s were ready for combat with some 60 Luftwaffe personnel and 30 personnel from Skorzeny,s commando unit, who joined Leonidas Staffel 5.II/KG 200(Heinrich Lange's special unit led by himself) to fly the aircraft in to combat. At this point the whole operation was shelved in favor of the "Mistel" program.