V-2 CATO

[GregGleason]

Came across an interesting pic of a White Sands CATO.

There wasn't a date stamp, so I can't even begin to guess which round it could have been. Sure is spectacular though.



My guess is that something went wrong in the fin can (where a lot of stuff can go wrong), then the alcohol tank let go. Probably shook the nearby blockhouse.

Greg

 

[Bat-mite]

Poor Nazis...

 

[tightwad]

Do you think they filled out a MESS report?

 

[Bat-mite]

oint:

 

[dr wogz]

There's a video of one V2 falling over, then exploding. that's probably one of my favorites.. (is that right? does that make me a bad person?!)

[video=youtube;Ii7uwp1SRIM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii7uwp1SRIM[/video]
at about 2:28

[video=youtube;OdBh54MoZRE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdBh54MoZRE[/video]
more here..

 

[GregGleason]

Poor Nazis...

Well maybe a few ex-Nazis. I'm not sure how many of the Germans brought over from Operation Paperclip were part of the Nazi Party other than von Braun. But this event took place at White Sands, NM, so there were a few US Army guys present when "blast off" occurred.

Greg

 

[rharshberger]

Came across an interesting pic of a White Sands CATO.

There wasn't a date stamp, so I can't even begin to guess which round it could have been. Sure is spectacular though.

View attachment 297971

My guess is that something went wrong in the fin can (where a lot of stuff can go wrong), then the alcohol tank let go. Probably shook the nearby blockhouse.

Greg

Possibly Bumper 4 November 1, 1948. The markings are consistent with the Bumper Wac series and Bumper 4 had an explosion in the tail. There are pictures of other V2s using those markings as well. There are other incidences of tail explosions in 1950 (iirc 3 rockets).

 

[SaturnV]

Of course V-2 is ugly and imperfect but is the first major ballistic rocket with engine using liquid fuel. Generally you and the russians are watching these missiles as alien technology at least five years before hone.V-2 have all systems that has a modern ballistic missile. And fly to 180 km altitude. Something that most of us will not make in your life.I respect V-2. She is the mother of Saturn V.The father is the greatest rocket designer for all time Mr. Werner von Braun. They say he was a Nazi. In my opinion it dealt only with the construction of rockets.If he was alive I would ask him why he did not put 6 engine F-1. With 5 shows that Saturn V start very slowly.

 

[GregGleason]

Of course V-2 is ugly and imperfect but is the first major ballistic rocket with engine using liquid fuel. Generally you and the russians are watching these missiles as alien technology at least five years before hone.V-2 have all systems that has a modern ballistic missile. And fly to 180 km altitude. Something that most of us will not make in your life.I respect V-2. She is the mother of Saturn V.The father is the greatest rocket designer for all time Mr. Werner von Braun. They say he was a Nazi. In my opinion it dealt only with the construction of rockets.If he was alive I would ask him why he did not put 6 engine F-1. With 5 shows that Saturn V start very slowly.

IMHO, the V-2 is not ugly. It's a balanced design and even reflects an art deco look from the era it sprang from.

Regarding the Saturn V, it was originally designed to only have four F-1s. It wasn't until until they got further in the design process that they realized four engines were not going to be enough and added a center F-1. The outboard F-1s were gimbled, but the center F-1 was static and added only thrust with no added control for flight. There was concern that the center F-1 might overload the thrust structure, but the design team was so good that there design could incorporate the fifth F-1 and stay within their safety parameters. The center F-1 also solved the problem on how to protect the vacant center area of the S-IC from thermal loads. A good book on this topic is Bilstein's "Stages to Saturn" (Amazon).

Greg

 

[SaturnV]

...but the design team was so good ...

In this I have no doubt. They may not have enough time for a big change in design.

 

[cerving]

Came across an interesting pic of a White Sands CATO.

There wasn't a date stamp, so I can't even begin to guess which round it could have been. Sure is spectacular though.

View attachment 297971



Greg

Reminds me of a DMS L1000 cato...

 

[Winston]

Here's a great V2 museum channel. V2 engine parts analysis in this one:

[video=youtube;Gg0zXznU3Tk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg0zXznU3Tk[/video]