Geheimprojekt Bachem "Natter"

[Otto]

Geheimprojekt Bachem "Natter" - Höllenritt auf der Holzrakete

Letzter Ausweg Wegwerfflieger: Noch bis 1945 werkelten die Nazis
fieberhaft an Geheimprojekten für die Wende im Weltkrieg. Eines davon
war die "Natter", eine bemannte Einwegrakete aus Sperrholz, die
alliierte Bomber vom Himmel holen sollte. Tödlich war sie am Ende nur
für einen. Von Achim Schnurrer

http://einestages.spiegel.de/static/topicalbumbackground/6219/hoellenritt_auf_der_holzrakete.html


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The Bachem Ba 349 Natter (Adder) was a World War II era German
experimental point-defense rocket-powered interceptor aircraft which
was to be used in a very similar way as manned surface-to-air
missiles. After vertical takeoff which eliminated the need for
airfields, the majority of the flight to the bombers was radio
controlled from the ground. The primary mission of the (inexperienced)
pilot was to aim the aircraft at its target bomber and fire its
armament of rockets. The pilot and the main rocket engine should then
land under separate parachutes, while the wooden fuselage was
disposable. The only manned test flight, on 1 March 1945, ended with
test pilot Lothar Sieber being killed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachem_Ba_349

Sieber gets into the rocket:

http://einestages.spiegel.de/hund-images/2010/02/24/47/3b3eb66b1739f952c423dbcd00a645cb_image_document_large_featured_borderless.jpg