12. Henschel HS 293 Radio-controlled Glide Bomb
This anti-ship missile was probably the most effective guided weapon the war. These destroyed numerous naval destroyers and merchant ships. At 13 feet long and weighing about 2,000 lbs, about 1,000 of these were manufactured for use by the German Luftwaffe, “Air Force.” They were basically a radio-controlled glider with a rocket engine attached underneath, and, of course, 650 lbs of explosive in its warhead.
They were intended to be used against unarmored naval vessels. The sturdier Fritx X was manufactured for use with armored ships (more on this later). After being dropped by a bomber, its rocket would ignite and fire for about 10 seconds, leaving it to glide to its target for the rest of the journey. It featured tail lights in its rear so that the gunner could observe its progress.
One drawback was the bomber had to maintain a straight and level trajectory with a stable speed and altitude parallel to the target in order to maintain a remote line of sight with the missile. This meant the bomber could not take evasive action if approaching enemy fighters were attempting to intercept it. To do so would basically abort the bombing run.
These were first deployed in August 1943, and one was used to sink the British sloop HMS Egret, the first ship ever to be sunk by a guided missile. It wasn’t long before the Allies had a way to tap into the missile’s radio frequency, allowing them to hamper their controls. Needless to say this significantly reduced their effectiveness for the rest of the war.
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