In Service:
First Flight: August 1943
Manufacturer: Rheinmetall-Borsig
Number built:
Type: Surface-to-Air Missile
Guidance system: multiple systems
Length: 6.30 m
Wingspan: 2.75 m
Diameter: 0.54 m
Weight: kg
Engine: 1 × RI 2 stage solid fuel rocket engine
or 1 × RIII liquid fuel rocket engine solid fuel rocket
boosters
Maximum speed: 1,080 km/h
Range: km
Warhead: 25 kg
Fuze: acoustic proximity
Launch Platform: Moblie
Operators: Luftwaffe
Variants:
Other: Missiles
Articles:
The Rheinmetall Borsig Rheintochter (Rhine Maiden) was surface
to air missile Designed and developed by
Rheinmetall
Borsig AG in 1942.
The Rheinmetall Borsig Rheintochter (Rhine Maiden) was a two-stage
surface-to-air missile, which was designed to help strengthen
the German anti-flak batteries due to the ever increasing
effects of Allied bombing. The Rheintochter had a cylindrical
body tapering into a pointed nose, where four small rounded
steering fins were located and operated by internal servo's
at the end of the second stage. There were six large swept
back fins. And at the end of the first stage there were four
large swept back fins. Power was supplied in the form of a
solid fuel rocket, and later replaced with a liquid fuel rocket
motor. The Rheintochter was launched a modified
8.8
cm Flak carriage.
By July 1944. Only 34 R-I models had been launched. And only
45. R-I had been launched by September 1944. Altogether 82
examples of the R-I had been launched of which only 22 carried
full guidance equipment, however, the performance of this
missile was rather disappointing, although the missile had
similar range to that of
Enzian
(Gentian) and
Hs
117 Schmetterling (Butterfly) it only managed to achieve
half their altitude. And so all further development of the
R-I was cancelled. In December 1944
The R-III was an improved version, which utilised a rocket
motor designed by Dr Walter Konrad and was of similar layout
to the motor used in the
Feuerlile
F-55 though it had a much lower thrust. But burnt for
a much longer period. By December 1944 six R-III missiles
had been launched. However, the entire programme was cancelled
in favour of more advanced missile projects already on the
go.
Although the Rheintochter never became operational this missile
became a testbed for many different forms of guidance systems.
The Warplanes of the Third Reich.
ISBN-10: 0385057822
German Aircraft of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0370000242
Hitler's Luftwaffe.
ISBN-10: 051718771X
For a complete list of
sources
