GERMAN V-1 BOMB ON DISPLAY: NAZI WARTIME TERROR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22889, 8 March 1949, Page 4

GERMAN V-1 BOMB ON DISPLAY: NAZI WARTIME TERROR

; Immigrants from England who have i come to New Zealand since the cessa- | tion of hostilities would have little i trouble in recognising the German V-1 | bomb—the “doodlebug” as it was called !in 1944 when it was causing destrucI tion to the towns and cities of EngI land.

To New Zealand residents the V-1 is still only something they have read about. The Gisborne public will be given an opportunity of viewing one this week, however. Until Friday the bomb will be on public display at Ormond Motors ■ as part of the R.N.Z.A.F.’s recruiting campaign. The bomb is conveyed cn a massive air force transporter which even on its own attracted a good deal of .attention when parked in Gladstone road yesterday. Three airmen are travelling with the bomb, which is under the charge of Ccrporrd K. Jackman, who has with him L.A.C.s G. Read and J. B. J. Hughes. Carries Ton of Explosive During the latter portion of the war L.A.C. Read, who was a prisoner-of-war, saw German bombers flying overhead and awkwardly carrying, “pick-a-back” fashion, strange stubby looking machines. They climbed and lumbered off in the direction of England. He also saw considerable experimental activity with what later proved to be the flying bomb’s even more deadly successor, the V-2 rocket bomb. The V-1 is an impressive-looking machine. With a top speed of 45QL miles per hour it can remain in the air for about 35 minutes carrying one ton of high explosives. The charge and the firing pin are contained in the nose of the 22ft.-long cigar-shaped fuselage. Short, square-tipped, stubby wings are set about Bft. back from the nose. The wings are of plywood construction, but the body of the bomb is made of steel. At the rear there is a tailplane unit similar to that of a normal aeroplane with elevators and a rudder. Captured in France

A gyro is included in the nose mechanism and this operates the automatic pilot, which is located near the rear of the bomb to control the rudders and elevators. Above the rear of the main structure rests another long tapering cylinder which houses the jet propulsion unit. The fuel used was wood alcohol.

This particular flying bomb was captured intact in France after the invasion and it is destined eventually for the Wellington. Museum. It is the smallest type of V-1 constructed, the biggest models weighing up to 22 tons. The R.N.Z.A.F. transporter in which the bomb is conveyed has been named by the crew “Queen Mary” because of its length, 62ft. 6in. Normally used for the salvaging of wrecked aircraft, the transporter is Bft. 4in. wide. It consumes a gallon of petrol every six miles. Little difficulty was experienced in negotiating the road between Napier and Gisborne. From Gisborne the bomb will be taken to Auckland.