WW2 events

[Cosmo Smallpiece]

Got me wondering whether the airburst was an intended effect or an accidental outcome of the warhead fuse? To be deliberate would require split second timing and as I understand it, the Germans were not able to accurately target them. This makes a timing mechanism unlikely?

[MartinR]

That's basically it.  The V2s came down faster than the speed of sound, and so the V2 arrived first, with the sound of it coming later (assuming you survived or weren't deafened by the explosion).  FWIW the "barrier" really only applies to flight, it is a dramatic increase in drag and other effects which took a while to understand and overcome.

[castle261]

They were, the V2 was silent in the air, even when it landed - people heard the explosion -
then, a swush - ( like it was coming down ) - followed seconds later - ( sound barrier ? )

[stuartwaters]

Is it not true that when V2s landed in built up areas, they were reported as 'gas explosions' because the Government didn't want people to know that the nazis had a weapon against which there was no defence?

[grandarog]

As Castle261 has mentioned V1's .There were 3 V1 strikes on the Island .Another 3 or 4 around Sittingbourne area on the mainland.
In the big picture our area got off quite light. We suffered far more with bombing earlier during the War

[castle261]

No recognition of that event - I said on the old site - we recorded the very first V1 - it crossed
Chatham - landed at Greenhithe - We recorded it as an aircraft with it`s engine on fire - flying
very low. I personally - have watched two `V1 crash, the one in Frinsbury, I watched it
cut out & dive. The second - nearly killed me - near Tonbridge - crashed 200 yards away.
I also saw 7 V1`s - in the sky at once - also near Tonbridge - all heading - towards London.

[grandarog]

That Air burst was over Rydes Farm. there was another V2 strike on the Island also an Airburst..
incident 94 at Queenborough at 02.07 Tuesday 24 October 1944 .

[Colin walsh]

Dave smith,I have no information on your particular incident,but about that time  the Germans started to fit the warhead on some V1s with 17B type fuzes,this was a delay fuze that could be set at random time periods ,if this was a anti disposal mesure,or dilibratly done to cause air blast damage I can't remember, ex BD Royal Engineers .

[Smiffy]

This was mentioned on the old forum but I don't think anyone could add any further information apart from the fact that the source came from a hand-written note. I'm sure there must be a more official report somewhere.

Map of V1 hits on Kent:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/22124479@N03/4987338972/in/photostream/

[Dave Smith]

In the absence of a dedicated subject a la KHF1, I've just been reading about V1's & V2's in October 1944. It is recorded that at 08.15 on the morning of 4th Oct., 1944, a V2 (Big Ben no.44) airburst over Eastchurch, Sheppy. Does anyone have recollection of the event ( very few of us around then!) or details of what happened please?