UNFORESEEN DEFECT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 81, 3 October 1944, Page 5

UNFORESEEN DEFECT

THE GERMAN FLYING BOMB

LONDON, October 2. Details of the construction of the flying bomb and an unexpected fault which may have saved hundreds of lives were revealed to Press representatives on a visit to a research station of the Ministry, of Aircraft Production where a flying bomb which-landed without exploding was examined arid photographed. "The Times" says that the distance travelled by the flying bomb is controlled by a small, windmill in the nose. The windmill's revolutions are recorded on an electrical counter, and

when it has travelled a certain distance the flying bomb is pushed over into a steep dive. Experts say. that many lives have been saved by an unforeseen warning given by this action: the flying bomb, when- directed downwards, throws its fuel into the top petrol tank, and the engine is thus starved of fuel and stops. The flying bomb was certainly intended to dive with the engine running, but Londoners learned to listen for the stopping of the engine— a warning which the Germans never intended to give. Belief that the flying bomb is radiocontrolled has not survived investigation; there is nothing in the nature of

a radio receiver, but a small number of flying bombs have carried a wireless transmitter with a trailing aerial, allowing information to be obtained on the flying bomb's course. Flying bpmbs are made for the utmost ease in production, and their construction is almost entirely of mild steel. The jet propulsion unit is cheap and easy to build. The flying bomb examined, filled with fuel ready for launching, weighea 47001b, including the warhead of 20001b, which was composed almost entirely of explosive. There were two mechanical fuses and one electrical fuse.