V1 ( FZG 76) Test Flights from Cuxhaven.

In the autumn of 1944, and until March 1945, given the Soviet advances in the east and the heavy bombing the Peenemunde had undergone, it was decided to move research on the long-range V-1 to the Danish west coast. As coastal watch radars were already in place, the move was relatively easy. 'Freya' radars used in these sites, augmented by 'Wurzburg'' radars in the majority of sites. The original range of the missile was 250 km. ( The impact areas here are at 225 and 350 km respectively.) The Fi 103 E1 carried a fuel load of 810 litres, an increase from the original 690. Fi 103 F1 carried 1025 litres. Both were equipped with a smaller, plywood encased warhead, reduced from 850 to 530 kg. These models could reach London from Holland. Ultimately little improvement was made in the range of the weapon without further reducing the explosive payload - an unacceptable solution. In March of 1945 the program was discontinued and staff were re-assigned to combat roles. This information came from a P.O.W. interrogation by the British. see: www.gyges.dk/Air%2040%202875%20Cuxhafen%20V-1%20trials.pdf This area of V-1 research was unknown to me and I would like to thank 'Gyges' for directing me to it. Seven V-1's are reported to have crashed in Danmark, presumably from this firing range. I am trying to learn more about these and will update this post as necessary.



V1 FZG 76 Test Flights from Cuxhaven..kmz (3.71 KB)

Thanks useful and interesting details of wartime history you keep providing Larry!

I have seen your old GEC Layer markers by some of these as the launch site (yet with question mark that time!) or the impact areas. 



Great to see you keep your datasets alive thru the years!

Thanks and all the best!

G

Gyges once told me that at least seven V-1's crashed in Danmark.  I can no longer find this information and so would be very grateful if someone could fill in this part of the story.

I took the time and researched it on the German-language web. Without any significant result. German military / history forums are also puzzling over this topic. It is only known for certain that the SS built launching ramps there on the Altenwalde firing range in 1944/45 to test the reach of the V-1. There is disagreement about the location of the ramps. Remnants have not yet been identified.
While Operation Backfire is well documented, the V-1 attempts are completely lacking in documentation. Allegedly, the Allies are said to have confiscated existing files. Nothing about it should allegedly be found in the Federal Archives-Military Archives in Freiburg either.

Willi - thank you  for the information.  The only data that I have is from the P.O.W. report, which I got from 'Gyges' years ago.  At one point I had marked where a V1 cashed in Danmark, but now I don't know how valid this is.  I tried contacting 'Gyges' a few weeks ago but received no reply.  If anyone knows more about this, it would be him!

There is one V1-launch catapult confirmed on the former Truppenübungsplatz Altenwalde in the still restricted area of the Hinrich-Wilhelm-Kopf-Kaserne.
The aerial photo from 20 March 1945 allow the interpretation of the catapult location by its shadow → oriented to Helgoland, and after its initial flight distance changed to an orientation of 347° by Winkelschuss. See also here.

More details about the V1-activities at the Altenwalde complex in near future (after official publication).

Thank you for the update Chriusha.  Looking forward to more information to come.

Sorry for the late answer!

• Official publication, page 14
• Website christianCH