V2 Rocket - Assembly and Launch

[Winston]

I wish I could find an actual German V2 training film, but these are very good:

Very good post-war British film with much German military film of V2 field launch procedures, but disappointing in that it doesn't detail or mention guidance system adjustments:

[video=youtube;_LKAnZsKDCM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LKAnZsKDCM[/video]

V2 Rocket - Assembling and Launching at White Sands (1947)

[video=youtube;tIUxhTYsKBg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIUxhTYsKBg[/video]

Other interesting stuff:

First view of the Earth from 76 Miles (via V2) - Onboard camera - White Sands (silent)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKTSv0_e1Bk

The V2 Rocket - Round No. 59 (1952)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyub0LT7yXg

German V-2 rockets at White Sands (silent)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ipvN6iXzyg

Final assembly of the A-4 rocket (V-2) at Peenemünde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FfNUCFLHyY

1941 Peenemünde status report (silent)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIxjCu_nCOM

1943 Peenemünde status report (silent)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYN1Gw_kJQo

A4 / V2 Rocket in detail: fuel and oxygen injectors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg0zXznU3Tk

The A4 / V2 rocket in detail: Bringing a V2 rocket gyro back to life

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj2QVgfyXik

A4 / V2 Rocket in detail: umbilical cable system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf7dpg9rQ4U

A good general film on WWII German rocketry:

Wings of the Luftwaffe - WWII German Rocketry (and V1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro4ApX7EhJw

 

[Astronot]

Very nice post. I love these old short films on early rockets. Looks like I've got some video watching to do.

Thanks for doing the leg work. Much appreciated.

Has anyone ever done a full documentary on the V-2 from the Germans to the Americans and Russians?

David

 

[Winston]

Has anyone ever done a full documentary on the V-2 from the Germans to the Americans and Russians?

I don't think so. I have watched everything that's ever come up about the V2 and own every decent book about it and the V1 and from the tidbits of film I occasionally see here and there, there must be all kinds of fascinating test and prototype manufacturing film in the archives that is never seen, the vast majority of documentary film makers using the same tired footage over and over and over again. They apparently don't think we'd appreciate seeing anything more enough to put in the extra time, effort, and money and that's a shame. This recent one wasn't bad, but could have been so much better:

PBS: Nazi Megaweapons - The V2

[video]https://video.pbs.org/video/2365052459/[/video]

 

[Winston]

Finally got around to watching this and I'm glad I did. As the green blooded, pointy eared guy would say, "Fascinating...":

The A4 / V2 rocket in detail: Bringing a V2 gyro system back to life

[video=youtube;Wj2QVgfyXik]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj2QVgfyXik[/video]

And the guidance system component that used the gyros' output:

Annals of the History of Computing, Vol. 7, No. 3, July 1985
Helmut Hoelser's Fully Electronic Analog Computer

https://www.nonstopsystems.com/radio/article-hell-DM12-400.pdf

Introduction excerpt:

"This computer is significant in the history not only of analog computation but also of the formulation of simulation techniques. It contributed to a system for rocket development that resulted in vehicles capable of reaching the moon."

Will definetly be buying this:

A-4 / V-2 Rocket Instruction Manual: (in English) Paperback – June 7, 2012

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937684768/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Nice museum:

The Wernher von Braun V2 Rocket Academy Walkthrough (UK)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52oCwSMJdKE&list=PLCF06C6E015357CB3

 

[Winston]

From that pdf on Helmut Hoelser's analog computer about its direct contributions to post-war US rockets:

The success of the analog computer (vehicle control and dynamics simulator) at Peenemunde caused its use to be continued in the United States. In 1946 the members of the von Braun team that had surrendered to the Americans had been esatblished at Fort Bliss, Texas, to continue their research under US Army auspices. One of the two analog computers built during the war had also made the journey. It was pressed into service in development work on the Hermes rocket. Soon it became apparent that a better version of the computer was both possible and desirable. Von Braun ordered the construction of a new analog computer using the same basic principles. This second generation machine was completed in 1950 and had increased flexibility compared with the earlier device. It was in service for a decade, helping in the simulation of the Redstone and Jupiter rockets and the combination booster that sent Explorer 1 into orbit. When Hans Hosenthien and Hirschler were building the second-generation machine, they canabalized the first for parts, so some portions of the original (Peenemunde) computer were in active life for nearly 20 years.

 

[Winston]

English translation of the German A4 operations manual. As I view the file, a few pages are huge in relation to the vast majority of pages, causing most pages to be displayed far too small. Can someone recommend a free PDF editor that I can use to shrink the few too-large pages to the same size as the majority?:

German A4 Operations Manual (English translation)

https://www.scribd.com/doc/91591954/V-2-a-4-Rocket-Operations-Manual

Lots of great drawings and info about the A4's engine:

The Germans and the Development of Rocket Engines in the USSR

https://www.raketenspezialisten.de/pdf/jbisdruckvorlage.pdf

 

[James Duffy]

Has anyone ever done a full documentary on the V-2 from the Germans to the Americans and Russians?

Well, kinda. See:

[VIMEO]17503270[/VIMEO]

Scraping up any film from the former Soviet Union is next to impossible. Believe me, I've tried.

I'll take this opportunity to remind everyone of the availability of my "V-2 in America" DVD:

https://www.rocket.aero/v2.html

James

 

[Winston]

Scraping up any film from the former Soviet Union is next to impossible. Believe me, I've tried.

I'll take this opportunity to remind everyone of the availability of my "V-2 in America" DVD:

https://www.rocket.aero/v2.html

James

I have no idea what hassles there are involved with selling via Amazon.com or what kind of cut they want, but ordering through them is so easy that I'm far more likely to buy something available from them. For example, just today I bought these two items via Amazon:

FZG 76 Geräte-Handbuch (V-1 Cruise Missile) Device Handbook Paperback – January 1, 1944

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CH56JOC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I see that I apparently got the last one of those in stock! I know it's all available on-line in PDF sections, but I prefer a print version and the price is very reasonable for that.

A-4 / V-2 Rocket Instruction Manual: (in English)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1937684768/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

In both of those cases, I recall the price via Amazon being the same as buying directly from the sources. And it's certainly a whole lot easier to purchase on Amazon for those with established accounts.

 

[Wernher]

This was a very nice video. Iwant to congratulate you for this intelligent and interesting documentation.