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Suicide Weapons
A suicide weapon is a weapon designed to be used in a suicide attack, typically based on explosives. History Suicide weapons have been used both in conventional warfare, as well as in terrorism. In the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese used suicide bombing against the Japanese with Explosive belt, explosive vests. A Chinese soldier detonated a grenade vest and killed 20 Japanese at Defense of Sihang Warehouse#29 October, Sihang Warehouse. Chinese troops strapped explosives like grenade packs or dynamite to their bodies and threw themselves under Japanese tanks to blow them up. This tactic was used during the Battle of Shanghai, where a Chinese suicide bomber stopped a Japanese tank column by exploding himself beneath the lead tank, and at the Battle of Taierzhuang where dynamite and grenades were strapped on by Chinese troops who rushed at Japanese tanks and blew themselves up. During one incident at Taierzhuang, Chinese suicide bombers obliterated four Japanese tanks with gre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ohka
The Yokosuka MXY-7 is a purpose-built, rocket-powered human-guided ''kamikaze'' attack-aircraft deployed by Japan against Allied ships in the Pacific Ocean theater toward the end of World War II. Although extremely fast, the ''Ohka'' had a very short range of , so it had to be carried into action as a parasite aircraft by a much larger bomber that was vulnerable to carrier-borne fighters. In action during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, ''Ohka''s succeeded in sinking or damaging some escort-vessels and transport ships, but never sank any major warships. The Japanese developed improved versions in an attempt to overcome the aircraft's shortcomings, but they came too late for deployment. Allied personnel referred to the aircraft as "Baka Bombs" ( ''baka'' being a Japanese pejorative term meaning "fool" or "idiot"). Design and development The MXY-7 Navy Suicide Attacker ''Ohka'' was a manned flying bomb that was usually carried underneath a Mitsubishi G4M2e Model 24J "Betty" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Messerschmitt Me 328
The Messerschmitt Me 328 was a prototype pulsejet-powered Fighter aircraft, fighter aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmitt AG. The Me 328 arose out of design studies for the Messerschmitt P.1079, P.1079 in 1941, having been envisioned as a parasite aircraft that would protect ''Luftwaffe'' bomber formations from Allied fighter aircraft. Being largely composed of wood, the Me 328 was forecast to be several times cheaper than the cost of traditional German fighter aircraft, such as the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 or Messerschmitt Bf 109, Bf 109. It was proposed to use various forms of propulsion, including a single Jumo 004 turbojet engine, either two or four Argus As 014 pulsejets (as used on the V-1 flying bomb), and even as an unpowered Military glider, glider. The ''Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Segelflug'' (DFS - "German Research Institute for Sailplane Flight") was also involved in its development. Making its maiden flight in August 1942, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Selbstopfer
The ''Leonidas'' Squadron, formally known as "5th ''Staffel'' of '' Kampfgeschwader 200''", was a unit which was originally formed to fly the Fieseler Fi 103R ''Reichenberg'', a manned version of the V-1 flying bomb, in attacks in which the pilot was likely to be killed, or at best to parachute down at the attack site. The Reichenberg was never used in combat because Werner Baumbach, the commander of KG 200, and his superiors considered it an unnecessary waste of life and resources. The ''Mistel'' composite aircraft was preferred. History The establishment of a suicide squadron (''staffel'') was originally proposed by Otto Skorzeny and Hajo Herrmann. The proposal was supported by test pilot Hanna Reitsch. The idea proposed was that Germany would use volunteers as suicide pilots in order to overcome the Allies' numerical advantages with their fanatic spirit. The idea had roots in German mythology that was glorified by Nazi propaganda. Hitler was reluctant, but eventually agreed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blohm & Voss BV 40
The Blohm & Voss BV 40 was a prototype armoured German glider initially designed in mid-1943 by Blohm & Voss to attack Allied bomber formations during World War II. The BV 40 would be towed to high altitude by single-engined fighters and then ram the bombers while in a dive, but this concept was rejected before its first flight in May 1944 in favour of using its guns. The Luftwaffe had lost interest in the BV 40's original mission the month prior; development continued as its mission changed to attacking ships with specialized bombs. Blohm & Voss discovered that the prototypes were significantly overweight, and some of the armour and one gun had to be removed to conduct flight testing. The BV 40 was cancelled in August with only 6 gliders completed out of the 21 ordered. All of the aircraft were destroyed in an air raid in October. Design and description Conceived in mid-1943 by Richard Vogt, chief designer and technical director of Blohm & Voss, the BV 40 was to be towed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zeppelin Rammer
The Zeppelin Rammer () was a design proposal by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin intended to use aerial ramming against the allied bombers attacking Nazi Germany during World War II. Description A rocket-powered small aircraft with straight, constant- chord wings, the aircraft was to be towed or carried aloft by another aircraft and released when near enemy bombers. Igniting a Schmidding 533 solid-fuel rocket engine, it was to make a first attacking pass using the 14 nose-mounted R4M 55 mm rockets, before attempting to ram the enemy bomber's wings or tail. Germany's Secret Weapons in World War II(excerpt via Google Books) - Wood, Paul & Ford, Roger, Zenith Imprint, 2000, , p. 144 The aircraft was expected to survive the ramming of the bomber, owing to the strength of its wing which had a steel leading edge. It would have landed on a retractable skid.Michel Van Pelt, ''Rocketing Into the Future: The History and Technology of Rocket Planes'', p. 100 Owing to the high risk for the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sombold So 344
The Sombold 344 ''Schußjäger'' (Shoot Fighter) was a rocket-powered aircraft designed in 1943/44 by engineer Heinz Sombold in Naumburg/Saale, Germany. The project came about when the ''Luftwaffe'' was seeking an emergency interceptor to combat the allied bombing raids over Nazi Germany in the last years of World War II. Description The So 344 was originally intended as a parasite escort fighter armed with two MG 81 machine guns and one MK 108 cannon, but its original design was changed in January 1944. The second version of the aircraft retained the two machine guns, but its front section was a detachable explosive nose with stabilizing fins filled with 400 kg of explosives. The pilot sat in the cockpit near the tail which was in the back section. The plane proper had a wingspan of 5.7 m and a length of 5.3 m. Including the ejectable nose its length would be 7 m. The plane would have been released from a mother plane upon reaching combat altitude. Then it would ignite its s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fliegende Panzerfaust
The ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'', meaning 'flying tank fist' (literally 'Flying Armor Fist') in the German language, was a project for a Third Reich very-short-range interceptor designed by Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. The ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'' project was part of the Nazi propaganda-based ''Wunderwaffe'' ('wonder weapon') concept. It was proposed to the Emergency Fighter Program against the allied bombing raids over Nazi Germany in the last years of World War II. Description The ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'' was a rocket-powered design meeting the demand for a low-cost aircraft in a very-short-range interceptor role. It was a parasite aircraft meant to be towed behind a Messerschmitt Bf 109G for which it had a special long, "up-turned" nose for towing. Powered by six Schmidding SG 34 solid-fuel rocket engines, three on each side on the rear half of the fuselage, the ''Fliegende Panzerfaust'' was a small aircraft with an armored nose, a v-tail, a wingspan of 4.5 m and a length of 6.0 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bachem Ba 349
The Bachem Ba 349 Natter () is a World War II German point-defence rocket-powered interceptor aircraft, interceptor, which was to be used in a very similar way to a manned surface-to-air missile. After a vertical take-off, which eliminated the need for airfields, most of the flight to the Allied bombers was to be controlled by an autopilot. The primary role of the relatively untrained pilot was to aim the aircraft at its target bomber and fire its armament of rockets. The pilot and the fuselage containing the rocket engine would then land using separate parachutes, while the nose section was disposable. The first and only manned vertical take-off flight, on 1 March 1945, ended in the death of the test pilot, Lothar Sieber. Development Background In 1943, ''Luftwaffe'' air superiority was being challenged by the Allies defence of the Reich, over the ''Reich'' and radical innovations were required to overcome the crisis. Surface-to-air missiles appeared to be a promising approach ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Surrender Of Nazi Germany In World War II
The German Instrument of Surrender was a legal document effecting the unconditional surrender of the remaining German armed forces to the Allies, ending World War II in Europe. It was signed at 22:43 CET on 8 May 1945 and took effect at 23:01 CET on the same day. The day before, Germany had signed another surrender document with the Allies in Reims in France, but it was not recognized by the Soviet Union, which demanded among other things that the act of surrender should take place at the seat of government of Nazi Germany from where German aggression had been initiated. Therefore, another document needed to be signed. In addition, immediately after signing the first document, the German forces were ordered to cease fire in the west and continue fighting in the east. Germany under the Flensburg Government led by the head of state, Grand-Admiral Karl Dönitz, also accepted the Allied suggestion to sign a new document. The document was signed at the seat of the Soviet Military ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allied Bombing Of Germany
World War II (1939–1945) involved sustained strategic bombing of railways, harbours, cities, workers' and civilian housing, and industrial districts in enemy territory. Strategic bombing as a military strategy is distinct both from close air support of ground forces and from Air supremacy#World War II, tactical air power. During World War II, many military strategists of air power believed that air forces could win major victories by attacking industrial and political infrastructure, rather than purely military targets. Strategic bombing often involved bombing areas inhabited by Non-combatant, civilians, and some campaigns were deliberately designed to target civilian populations in order to terrorism, terrorize them or to weaken their morale. International law at the outset of World War II did not specifically forbid the aerial bombardment of cities – despite the prior occurrence of such bombing during World War I (1914–1918), the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial German Navy, Imperial Navy, had been disbanded in May 1920 in accordance with the terms of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, which banned Germany from having any air force. During the interwar period, German pilots were trained secretly in violation of the treaty at Lipetsk (air base), Lipetsk Air Base in the Soviet Union. With the rise of the Nazi Party and the repudiation of the Versailles Treaty, the Luftwaffe's existence was publicly acknowledged and officially established on 26 February 1935, just over two weeks before open defiance of the Versailles Treaty through German rearmament and conscription would be announced on 16 March. The Condor Legion, a Luftwaffe detachment sent to aid Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
