'Fritz X'

[wiltaz]

I'm alittle confused. I've read two accounts, both claim to be documenting the "Fritz X'.

One says it was designated as PC-1400 X and was an unpowered guided bomb that was released but could get course corrections by remote control. It was based on the PC-1400 AP bomb.

The other says it was the SD-1400 X and was rocket powered.

Both claim they were launched from 10km away and have similar data with the exception of the rocket power.

Are their two weapons?

[Tiornu]

"Fritz" referred to the 1400kg bomb itself. The Fritz X or FX-1400 was the guided version of the bomb. It was a bomb--not a missile. It had a tail flare to increase its visibility for the operator, but there was no rocket. Perhaps the SD weapon was a proposed rocket version.

[wiltaz]

Thanks for the info. That confirms the more "believable version" of what I've read. I realized this morning while looking for the thread I clicked Kriegsmarine instead of Luftwaffe when I posted this. Oooops.

[Troy Tempest]

"Fritz" referred to the 1400kg bomb itself. The Fritz X or FX-1400 was the guided version of the bomb. It was a bomb--not a missile. It had a tail flare to increase its visibility for the operator, but there was no rocket. Perhaps the SD weapon was a proposed rocket version.

According to 'German Guided Missiles' by Heinz J Nowarra, the Fritz X was the nickname for the PC 1400X. This was one of only two guided bombs to see use at the front. It was a development of the PC 1400 bomb. A circular tail section containing two gyroscopes and radio guidance gear was attached to the PC 1400 bomb, as well as a set of 'X' wings were fitted to the fuselage, mounted at angles of +/- 28 degrees.

The most famous use of these futuristic weopans was on 9th September '43, when Dornier Do 217 K-3's from III/KG100 sank the Italian battleship Roma, and heavily damaged another, the Italia. On the same day, the Allies landed at Salerno, where the following day the US cruiser Savannah and a few destroyers received hits. On 16.9, the Dorniers of III/KG100 struck again, when the British battleship Warspite was damaged so badly at Salerno, it had to be towed to Malta and was out of action for six months.

The other guided bomb used by the Luftwaffe was the Henschel Hs 293 A, about 1250 were built. This used a HWK 109-507B rocket engine for propulsion, and were radio guided. In order to avoid eventual disruption to radio guidance, the Hs 293 B, wire guided by 12 or 16 kilometres of wire, 200 were built. The Hs 293 C, of which 60 were built, was intended to be used underwater, but were never deployed. The Hs 293 D was the worlds first guided bomb to be fitted with a television camera, the operator would guide the bomb via the transmitted picture on his screen.

I can not find any mention of an SD1400X, with or without rocket power!

Troy
19.45 - tue, sydney

[Demonskates]

I have read that the Fritz X was used as early in the war as D-Day.

[phylo_roadking]

See above! Salerno makes it eleven months before D-Day.

[Tiornu]

If you see pictures of the hit to Savannah, it's truly frightening how powerful this weapon was. You can see the explosion venting from the top of a turret at the same time as blast erupts from under the hull.

[phylo_roadking]

After all, you could say that its whole principle was the forerunner of the Exocet! The kinetic engery of its speed in flight added to its penetrating power.

[Tiornu]

Check it out.
Guaranteed to bug-out your eyes.
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/imag ... h95562.jpg

[Troy Tempest]

Wow tiornu, thanks for the link. Pretty lucky for the photographer to be taking the picture right at that moment.

Troy

[Tiornu]

Pretty lucky for the photographer to be taking the picture from the right ship. Savannah suffered 200 fatalities from that one hit

[Tom Houlihan]

Pretty lucky for the photographer to be taking the picture from the right ship. Savannah suffered 200 fatalities from that one hit

Aye! There's a classic photo that I believe is the moment the bomb burst on the deck of a carrier. The photographer didn't live to see the picture.

[Tiornu]

I know the photo you're thinking of. The ship was USS Enterprise, but I believe the story about the photographer's death is urban (maritime?) myth.

[Tiornu]

Here, I found it:
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/imag ... g17489.jpg
Here's a notation from the NHC site: "Note: According to the original photo caption, this explosion killed the photographer, Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Robert F. Read. However, Morison's "History of U.S. Naval Operations in World War II" (volume 5, page 97) states that Read was killed by the bomb that had earlier hit the after starboard 5"/38 gun gallery, which can be seen burning in the upper left. Morison further states that the bomb seen here exploded with a low order detonation, inflicting only minor damage."
Hm. Hard to say. Somebody took the picture....

[Troy Tempest]

Wow, I've never seen that photo before, was NO-ONE killed by that blast? Looks pretty potent...

Troy