Reichenberg
"Fi 103 Re4"
The manned V1, codenamed Reichenberg, was supposed to solve the V1's limited accuracy but was not itself a vengeance weapon. With an estimated survival rate of 1%, they were referred to as “SO” (Selbst Sacrifice) missions.
Due to the increasingly poor war prospects in Germany, the devised methods to try to turn the tide also became increasingly desperate. Manned V1 versions were planned against land and sea targets, but also for ramming Allied bombers. The volunteers were added to the special K.G.200 in a unit unofficially called “Leonidas”, after the Spartan king who sacrificed himself with 300 warriors against a Persian superior force. Although Hitler was not a big fan of the suicide aspect of the project, he gave the green light and development began in 1944.
Another example of the extreme methods explored in the late Third Reich was the “Natter”. This aircraft had to intercept allied bombers and was equipped with missiles in the nose. Once the pilot had fired the missiles at the bombers, he would have deployed his parachute.
Converting to a controllable version was not too bad but flying and landing it in particular proved to be quite a challenge.
Given the ferocity of a catapult launch, manned V1s were launched by a 2-engine Heinkel bomber. For training purposes the payload was of course replaced by weights. Only the best pilots such as Hanna Reitsch were able to land the aircraft safely with one landing glider at a speed of 220 km/h. With the two-seater version, the instructor could take control at the end of the training flight and handle the extremely difficult landing. After all, being able to land well was of little importance for the final mission…
Types
Re1 Single seater without propulsion
Re2 Two-seater without propulsion
Re3 Two-seater with propulsion
Re4b Single-seater with propulsion
Although supported by, among others, Hanna Reitsch and Otto Skorzeny, the operation was halted in February 1945. The tests did continue.
Despite the test flights, training and production of about 175 units, the Re4 would ultimately never be used. The project was greatly delayed by internal divisions, Hitler did not feel much for it and certainly not the new commander of “KG200” from October 1944. He saw more in missions with alternatives such as the Mistel, without “SO” (Selbst Opfer) aspect. The reports that deployable Re4s were nevertheless found near airfields suggest that the rapid advance of the Allies, supported by the port of Antwerp, may also have played a role. In any case, a document from KG200 drawn up at the end of January 1945 leaves no doubt as to what the main objective had been in the port of Antwerp; “lohnendste Angriffsziele” (most rewarding targets) the “Kruisschans- und Royersschleusen”.
After they fell into the hands of the Allies, most of them were quickly scrapped or fell prey to the ravages of time.
Currently there are only a handful of copies of this very rare weapon in the whole world. One of them is owned by the city of Antwerp. On our “Reichenberg survivors” page you will find the story of how the Antwerp and other specimens survived all these years, sometimes just barely.
Click here for more information on the Antwerp and other Reichenberg survivors.
