Michael Neufeld - The Rocket and the Reich

13. Ordnance patent, 1.5.36, NASM, FE189, WvB to H. Walter, 12.3.36, in NASM, FE724/c; Ordnance-Walter corn, 2.4.36–30.9.36, in NASM, FE724/b; Schilling, “Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 289–91; Reisig, “Peenemünder ‘Aggregaten’,” 47; WvB to LC II 2e, 5.2.38, and Dellmeier report, 2.8.38, in NASM, FE746; WvB development status report, 1.8.39, DM, (FE720).

14. WvB, “Behind the Scenes,” 24a, SRCH, WvB Papers; WD, “German V-2,” 403; WD, V-2 , 63; von Brauchitsch (WD) order, 5.9.39, in NASM, FE342; WD to HVP and Kummersdorf, 3.10.39, in SRCH, Tschinkel Papers; Hölsken, V-Waffen , 20–21.

15. Ebert and Rupieper, “Technische Wissenschaft”; Ludwig, Technik , 216–31; Mehrtens, “Die Naturwissenschaften”; Trischler, Luft- und Raumfahrtforschung , 174–283.

16. Walker, German National Socialism , 17–20; Ludwig, Technik , 220, 230–31, 288–89; Trischler, Luft- und Raumfahrtforschung , 241–45.

17. Stegmaier minutes of 14.9.39 meeting at TH Dresden, and Thiel memo on 28.9.39 Kummersdorf meeting, in NASM file “Peenemünde #2”; WvB, “Behind the Scenes,” 24a, SRCH, WvB Papers.

18. WD to Schumann, 19.9.39, in NASM file “Peenemünde #2.”

19. Thiel to WD, 8.7.40, and list of university propulsion contracts, 1.2.41, in NASM, FE728/e; WD to Kummersdorf, 19.7.40, in NASM file “Peenemünde #2”; WvB estimate, 27.3.42, in NASM, FE692/f; Schilling, “Development,” in Benecke and Quick, eds., History , 284–87; Reisig, “Peenemünder ‘Aggregaten’, 46–47, 73–77.

20. Thiel, “Empirische und theoretische Grundlagen,” c. 7.37, DM, GD634.190.8; Thiel, “Unterlagen über die Grenzen der Leistungssteigerung durch Ofendruckerhöhung,” 7.2.39, DM, GD634.19.2; Thiel memo on 1939–40 program, 2.6.39., in NASM, FE171; WvB dev. status report, 24.4.41, in BA/MA, RH8/v.1260; Thiel, “Vorschläge zur Triebwerksvereinfachung des A 4,” 4.9.41, in DM, (FE1068); final report on eighteen-pot engine dev., 15.9.41, NASM, Arch. 81/10.

21. H. H. Kurzweg, “The Aerodynamic Development of the V-2,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 53; WD, “German V-2,” 399; Reisig OHI, 1989, 16–17. American designers similarly used the .50 caliber machine gun bullet’s shape for the fuselage of the X-1 rocket plane, which in 1947 became the first aircraft to break the sound barrier.

22. Constant, Origins , 108–9, 154–57; Hallion, Supersonic Flight , 11–12.

23. Zanssen and WvB report, 26.3.35, in DM, (FE722); WvB to Busemann, 4.4.35, and Ordnance-TH Aachen corr., 15.1.36–19.1.37, in NASM, FE727/a; WvB to Vogelpohl, 4.6.35, in NASM, FE727/c; WvB to Lorenz/RLM, 3.11.35, in NASM, FE746; Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 55; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 435–36.

24. WD, V-2 , 53; Trischler, Luft- und Raumfahrtforschung , 202–3, 262–64; Hermann et al , “Denkschrift,” 1.6.39, NASM, Arch. 66/11.

25. WD, V-2 , 53–54; Hermann et al , “Denkschrift,” 1.6.39, NASM, Arch. 66/11.

26. WD, V-2 , 114; H. Kurzweg FOIA release, INSCOM; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 436–38; Smelt, “Critical Review,” 903.

27. Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 436–38; Hermann et al , “Denkschrift,” 1.6.39, NASM, Arch. 66/11; WD, V-2 , 115.

28. Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 438–40; Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 51–52, 58; Kurzweg interview by Neufeld, 1990; Aerodynamische Hauptabt., “Jahresbericht 1940,” 10.1.41, NASM, FE346.

29. Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 53–56. It is often asserted that the A-5’s design was based on the A-4, but in 1936–37 the A-4’s shape and internal layout could only have been modeled on the A-3.

30. Ibid.; Kurzweg FOIA release, INSCOM; Kurzweg interview; WD, V-2 , 56–57; Schröder to KWI f. Strömungsforschung/Göttingen and LZ, 10.3.38, in NASM, FE727/c; Zanssen (WvB) to WD, 13.10.39, in BA/MA, RH8/v.1260.

31. “Leuchtfeuer II” documents, 9–18.8.38, in NASM, FE747; Aerodyn. Abteilung, A-5 model report, 11.3.39, NASM, Arch. 66/6; Hermann et al , “Denkschrift,” 1.6.39, NASM, Arch. 66/11; WD, V-2 , 58–59; Aerodyn. Hauptabt., “Jahresbericht 1940,” 10.1.41, NASM, FE346.

32. Hermann drop test memo, 2.7.38, NASM, Arch. 66/3.

33. Hermann to WvB, 20.7.39, in NASM, FE737; Haeussermann OHI, 19–20; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 442; Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 52–53, 62; Kurzweg interview. WD, V-2 , 57, says the drops began in September 1938, which is quite unlikely.

34. Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 56–68; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 441–46; Aerodyn. Hauptabt., “Jahresbericht 1940,” 10.1.41, NASM, FE346.

35. Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 53–54; Aerodyn. Hauptabt., “Jahresbericht 1940,” 10.1.41, NASM, FE346.

36. Patt proposal, 16.6.39, NASM, Arch. 71/1; WD Vortragsnotiz for Becker, 9.10.39, in NASM, FE746; “Entwicklungsstand der Gleiteraggregate am 1.1.1941,” 21.1.41, in DM (FE1604); Schirmer/LZ A-9 reports, 1941–42, NASM, FE65/1–65/22; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 443–44; WD memo, 12.7.43, in NASM, FE333.

37. Kurzweg, “Aerodynamic Development,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 60–61; Hermann, “Supersonic Wind Tunnel,” 443; Kurzweg interview; WD, V-2 , 114–15; Aerodyn. Hauptabt., “Jahresbericht 1940,” 10.1.41, NASM, FE346.

38. Fieber, “Zur Geschichte,” 9; minutes of 9.11.37 meeting at Siemens in NASM, FE119; MacKenzie, Inventing , 46–47; Gievers, “Erinnerungen,” 265.

39. Minutes of 9.11.37 and 24.1.38 meetings with Siemens, in NASM, FE119.

40. Minutes of meetings with KG, 10.1.38, 15.1.38, 20.1.38, in NASM, FE119; Mueller OHI, 25–27.

41. Fieber, “Zur Geschichte,” 10; Karner, “Steuerung,” 47–52; MacKenzie, Inventing, 37–44; Möller, “Die Rechliner Dreiachsensteuerung,” 10.3.38, NASM, FE773.

42. Fieber, “Zur Geschichte,” Vorwort, 2, 19–22; Karner, “Steuerung,” 51–52; Otto Müller, “The Control System of the V-2,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 80–84; MacKenzie, Inventing , 53–55.

43. Schröder, “Steuerung des Aggregats IV,” 13.11.39, 32, NASM, FE303; minutes of meetings with KG, 15.1.38, 20.1.38, 14.2.38, and with Siemens, 24.1.38 and 5.4.38, in NASM, FE119; Steinhoff 1940 BSM report, 10.1.41, 4–5, NASM, FE769.

44. Fieber, “Zur Geschichte,” 19–20; minutes of 3.2.39 meeting with Siemens in NASM, FE119; Mueller OHI, 38; Müller, “Control System,” in Benecke and Quick, History , 82.

45. Fieber, “Zur Geschichte,” 11, 24–26; Karner, “Steuerung,” 52, 64n61; minutes of 5.4.38 meeting at E-West, in NASM, FE119.

46. Würthner–Siemens D13 report, 15.4.40, NASM, FE461; Siemens minutes of 5.4.38 and 15–16.8.38 meetings with HVR in NASM, FE119.

47. Heizer/KG to HVP, 22.10.38, and minutes of 24.1.38 meeting with Siemens, in NASM, FE119; RLM/LC 5 to W. Riedel, 23.5.39, in NASM, FE746; WD to Wa Prüf 12, 13.7.39, in BA/MA, RH8/v.1313; Würthner D13 report, 15.4.40, NASM, FE461.

48. Möller, “Die Rechliner Dreiachsensteuerung,” 14.3.38, NASM, FE773; Askania-HVP corr. and meetings, 30.11.38–8.6.39, and TVA Eckernförde/Navy to HVP, 17.2.39, in NASM, FE119; WvB “Rundschreiben,” 30.8.39, in NASM, FE750.

49. WD (WvB) to Lucht/RLM, 28.4.39, in NASM, FE119; WvB, “Terminlage LF III,” 2.9.39, in NASM, FE750; Schröder, “Steuerung des Aggregats IV” 26–28, 13.11.39, NASM, FE303; WvB to Banse/RLM/LC 4, 9.1.40, in NASM, FE746.