Fortress German V-Weapon Sites 1943-45 Osprey Books

The German deployment of missiles in 194344 required new thinking about the best way to defend their expensive and complicated launch sites. Based on the favorable experience of protecting U-Boat pens on the Atlantic coast, Hitler initially ordered the construction of massive bunkers to launch V-1 cruise missiles and V-2 ballistic missiles against London. These were the so-called water-works, largely unknown to most people as the Allied air campaign against them was so effective that they were never used in combat. This book will detail the configuration and planned deployment of the heavy missile sites, as well as unique Allied tactics to deal with this threat such as the remote-control versions of the B-17 bomber used to attack them. Alternative approaches followed, including the famous V-1 ski sites so prominent in the French countryside, even today. This system also failed, leading to a third and final V-1 launch configuration that sacrificed efficiency for survivability. The V-2 units took another approach, using mobile basing - a tactic that has continued to be used until today such as during the famous Scud missile campaigns of the Iraq wars. This book will also examine other secret weapon bases created in France to attack London such as the V-3 high-pressure gun and its massive bunker at Mimoyeques, France.