WI/PC: Germany goes all out attacking Channel Ports with V1/V2's pre-"Overlord"

For "self-guided" weapons like the V2 and the V1, unlike guided weapons like the Fritz-X where the human in the loop make course corrections as needed, you need a precise launch location as well as the location of the target. Sure you can park a portable V1 launch rail in a field, but unless you have a pretty accurate launch location, you've just added to the inaccuracy of the missile. Likewise for the V2.

If you have some method of course correction, such as terrain matching for cruise missiles, this inaccuracy can be corrected for, however both the V1 and V2 have no such system.

my speculation was only regarding the V-1, had they used the alternative propulsion system investigated historically, and been able to dispense with fixed rail launch

meant use them over shorter distances, in addition to historical role, not that you could throw it in a truck, deliver to Italy and be able to launch against a target 100+ miles away.

meant they might use them as they did the K-5 rail guns to strike 15 - 20 miles away?
 
The V-1 navigation system was, in essence, you programmed a compass bearing in based on the launch site, and the system counted the revolutions a small propeller on the front did. When the number of revolutions met a preset number the engine cutoff and the V1 became a bomb, unguided and unaimed. Aside from the inherent inaccuracies in this sort of system, if you are not 100% sure of your rxact location, your siming is going to be off making a bad situation worse.

All modern mobile missile launching systems either use pre-surveyed launch sites or have a way of getting that information from other methods.
 
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All modern mobile missile launching systems either use pre-surveyed launch sites or have a way of getting that information from other methods.

Back in the 1980s we were using inertial survey extension systems, PADS was one such, for accurate location of roving or rapidly moving artillery batteries. The MLRS had such a system onboard. GPS started appearing in the early 1990s.
 
for the V-1? my assumption a single use jet could have been made to work faster than pulse jet due to all the problems with vibration of the pulse jet? (that may be an incorrect assumption)
I believe it is incorrect. Even a single-shot gas turbine requires a lot of precision engineering, a pulse jet has many disadvantages vs a turbine but it’s very cheap and simple to build. The first working examples were built preWW1.
 
I believe it is incorrect. Even a single-shot gas turbine requires a lot of precision engineering, a pulse jet has many disadvantages vs a turbine but it’s very cheap and simple to build. The first working examples were built preWW1.

when they developed the pulse jet the problem was the vibration, never solved to allow it (them) to power a manned aircraft, although they tried numerous concepts.

my understanding the most difficult issue with their jet program was durability, overhaul after 10 hours? etc., etc. ... a speculative V-1 would have (obviously) a single use jet (and smaller, less powerful) than for their manned jet programs?

of course this doesn't mean they could not develop both engines? for different ranges or purposes.
 
when they developed the pulse jet the problem was the vibration, never solved to allow it (them) to power a manned aircraft, although they tried numerous concepts.
But that’s a completely different set of challenges. And why would anyone care about vibration for a V1 unless it shook the thing apart, which it clearly didn’t do?
AIUI pulse jets are utter shite for manned aircraft for many reasons, and trying to address some of those problems makes the other problems worse. But if all you want is a crude cheap sorta-working disposable low-performance engine to push a bomb at constant speed and altitude a short way over the channel then pulse jet is pretty much the perfect solution. Better range and consistency than solid fuel rocket, less explody/facemelty than liquid fuel rocket, much less engineering than gas turbine, far lighter and cheaper than piston. An absolute dumpster fire if you need high performance, throttle response, comfort, etc etc but a tarted-up barrage weapon doesn’t.
 
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