Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg

The Fieseler Fi 103R, code-named Reichenberg, was a late-World War II German crewed version of the V-1 flying bomb (Fieseler Fi 103) produced for attacks in which the pilot was likely to be killed or at best to parachute down at the attack site, which were to be carried out by the “Leonidas Squadron”, V. Gruppe of the Luftwaffe’s Kampfgeschwader 200.

It was proposed that a He 111 bomber would carry either one or two Reichenbergs beneath its wings, releasing them close to the target. The pilots would then steer their aircraft towards the target, jettisoning the cockpit canopy shortly before impact and bailing out. It was estimated that the chances of a pilot surviving such a bailout were less than 1% due to the proximity of the pulsejet’s intake to the cockpit.

When Werner Baumbach assumed command of KG 200 in October 1944, he shelved the Reichenberg in favour of the Mistel project. He and Speer eventually met with Hitler on 15 March 1945 and managed to convince him that suicide missions were not part of the German warrior tradition and later that day Baumbach ordered the Reichenberg unit to be disbanded.

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 5.72 m (18 ft 9 in)
• Wingspan: 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
• Gross weight: 2,250 kg (4,960 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Argus As 109-014 pulsejet, 2.9 kN (660 lbf) thrust – static thrust: 2.2 kN (500 lbf); max thrust: 3.6 kN (800 lbf)

Performance

• Cruise speed: 650 km/h (400 mph, 350 kn) at 2,400 m (8,000 ft)
• Never exceed speed: 800 km/h (500 mph, 430 kn)
• Range: 329 km (204 mi, 178 nmi) from point of launch, cruising at 2,500 m (8,200 ft)
• Endurance: 32 minutes

Armament
850 kg (1,874 lb) high-explosive warhead

Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg 1/72 Scale Model by Encore

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