List of V-2 test launches

The list of V-2 test launches identifies World War II launches of the A4 rocket (renamed V-2 in 1944). Test launches were made at Peenemünde Test Stand VII, Blizna V-2 missile launch site and Tuchola Forest using experimental and production rockets fabricated at Peenemünde and at the Mittelwerk. Post-war launches were performed in Germany at Cuxhaven, in the USSR at Kapustin Yar, in the USA at White Sands Proving Grounds, Cape Canaveral, and on the USS Midway during Operation Sandy.

List of test launches at Peenemünde and the Greifswalder Oie

Launch Sites:

  • P-VI = Test Stand VI (Prüfstand VI)
  • P-VII = Test Stand VII (Prüfstand VII)
  • P-X = Test Stand X (Prüfstand X)
  • P-XII = Test Stand XII (Prüfstand XII)
  • Oie = Greifswalder Oie, a small island used for vertical launches
  • Karlshagen = area of destroyed settlement Karlshagen after air raid on 17 August 1943
  • Rail = Launches from a train
Rocket number Date Burning time (s) Range (km) Pad Remarks
1942
V-1 18 March,[1]: 160  1942 - 0 Tower The first A-4 flight-test model was completed 25 February 1942,[2] but slipped out of its "corset" after being fully tanked at Test Stand VII, fell 2 meters, smashed three fins, and came to rest on the rim of the engine nozzle.[1]: 158  After being repaired and renamed Versuchsmuster 1 (V1: Experimental Type 1),[3]: 9, 41 [4] the rocket failed during a test firing (witnessed by Albert Speer) and was scrapped

without any further launch attempt.[1]

V-2 13 June 1942 36 1.3 P-VII After being photographed by a British Supermarine Spitfire on 15 May, the second flight test model was damaged during its fourth firing test on 20 May, and then at the launch (observed by Speer, Erhard Milch, Fromm, Leeb, Witzell); a roll-rate gyro malfunctioned immediately after launch.[1]: 161–2  After the rolling missile became supersonic, the propellant feed system failed, telemetry ended at 54 sec (15000 ft), and the missile fell cart-wheeling into the Baltic less than a kilometer[5] away and exploded.[6][7]
V-3 16 August 1942 45 8.7 P-VII Nose broke off
V-4 3 October 1942 58 190 P-VII Too steep due to pitch program error, otherwise success. Altitude 85 – 90 km - approximately the Kármán line altitude (85 ~ 100km), where aerodynamic lift vanishes. It was described at the time as the first rocket to reach the edge of space,[8][9] though not according to the modern FAI definition of 100km altitude. However, both the physical Kármán line and jurisdictional FAI definitions were made much later.
V-5 21 October 1942 84 147 P-VII Steam generator misbehaved
V-6 9 November 1942 54 14 P-VII Vertical, height 67 km
V-7 28 November 1942 37 8.6 P-VII Tumbled, lost vanes
V-9 9 December 1942 4 0.1 P-VII Hydrogen peroxide explosion
1943
V-10 7 January 1943 - 0 P-VII Explosion on ignition
V-11 25 January 1943 64.5 105 P-VII Too steep, rolled
V-12 17 February 1943 61 196 P-VII Too shallow
V-13 19 February 1943 18 4.8 P-VII Fire in tail
V-16 3 March 1943 33 1.0 P-VII Vertical, explosion
V-18 18 March 1943 60 133 P-VII Too steep, rotated
V-19 25 March 1943 28 1.2 P-VII Tumbled, exploded
V-17 3 April 1943 64.5 ? P-VII
V-20 14 April 1943 66 287 P-VII Fell on land
V-21 22 April 1943 59 252 P-VII Fell on land
V-22 14 May 1943 62 250 P-VII Cut-off switch failed
V-26 26 May 1943 66.5 265 P-VII The Kommission für Fernschießen (English: Commission for Long-Range Firing/Weapons/Bombardment), including Albert Speer, Karl Dönitz, and Erhard Milch[3]: 45 [10]—viewed two successful Peenemünde A-4 launches (V26 around noon, V25 late afternoon),[1]: 190  followed by two launches of the V-1 flying bomb[11][12] (both V-1s plunged into the sea.)[5]
V-25 40 27 P-VII Brennschluss (engine cut-off) at 40 s
V-24 27 May 1943 55 138 P-VII -
V-23 1 June 1943 62 235 P-VII Premature engine cutoff
V-29 11 June 1943 63.5 238 P-VII -
V-31 16 June 1943 60.5 221 P-VII Premature engine cutoff
V-28 22 June 1943 62.5 75 P-VII exploded after 75 s
V-30 24 June 1943 65.1 287 P-X Cut-off switch failed, first launch on Prüfstand X
V-36 26 June 1943 64.9 235 P-VII -
V-38 29 June 1943 15 3 P-VII Fell on airport
V-40 63.6 236 P-VII Impact not observed
V-33 1 July 1943 - 0 P-VII Engine cutoff at take-off, exploded
V-41 9 July 1943 4 0.1 P-VII Fell on pump building
V-34 - 0 P-VII Engine cutoff at take-off, exploded
V-54 12 August 1943 64 ? P-VII Successful launch
V-49 6 October 1943 68 ? P-VII Successful launch, duration 272 s; first launch after raid on 17 August 1943
V-71 15 October 1943 ? ?
V-67 21 October 1943 ? ?
V-69 25 October 1943 63 ? P-VII Successful launch, duration 286 s
V-43 9 November 1943 ? ?
V-73 4 December 1943 63 ? P-VII Successful launch, duration 286 s
V-60 10 December 1943 69 ? P-VII Successful launch, duration 247 s
V-59 21 December 1943 33 ? P-VII Only partial success, premature engine cutoff, duration of flight 104 s
V-91 30 December 1943 ? ?
January 1944
V-32 7 January 1944 43 ? P-VII Exploded 43 s after launch
V-82 11 January 1944 ? ?
V-77 20 January 1944 ? ?
V-75 25 January 1944 ? ?
MW 17003 27 January 1944 ? ? P-VII First test of Mittelwerk-built rocket detonated three seconds after ignition without liftoff: "We just blew a million marks in order to guess what could have been reported accurately by an instrument probably worth the price of a small motorcycle." (Hartmut Kütchen, Engineer in Charge of Test Stand VII)[5]
February 1944
V-106 4 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17009 9 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17007 10 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17010 11 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17001 13 February 1944 ? ?
V-98 15 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17004 16 February 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-85 17 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17021 18 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17006 21 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17011 23 February 1944 ? ?
MW 17015 ? ? P-VII
V-112 28 February 1944 ? ?
March 1944
V-84 2 March 1944 ? ? P-VII Exploded
MW 17016 4 March 1944 ? ?
V-151 7 March 1944 ? ?
V-126 ? ?
MW 17020 9 March 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-116 10 March 1944 ? ?
V-128 ? ?
V-88 11 March 1944 59 ? P-VII Flight duration 282 s
MW 17022 15 March 1944 ? ?
MW 17018 16 March 1944 ? ?
MW 17033 18 March 1944 ? ?
V-145 21 March 1944 ? ?
V-121 23 March 1944 ? ?
MW 17031 24 March 1944 ? ?
MW 17019 27 March 1944 ? ?
V-132 29 March 1944 ? ?
April 1944
MW 17098 3 April 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-86 5 April 1944 ? ? P-VII exploded after 17s
MW 17043 7 April 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17063 14 April 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17108 20 April 1944 ? ? P-X
May 1944
MW 17200 10 May 1944 ? ? P-X
V-152 12 May 1944 ? ?
MW 17320 14 May 1944 ? ?
V-136 16 May 1944 65 ? P-VII
MW 17323 17 May 1944 ? ?
V-144 22 May 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17312 23 May 1944 ? ?
V-89 MW 17309 24 May 1944 ? ? P-X Launch Sequence #89:[13] Beginning with launching 89, temperature measurements at the tip of the rocket were used for diagnosing the airburst problem.[14]
V-170 27 May 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-146 31 May 1944 58 ? P-VII
June 1944
MW 17558 1 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-140 2 June 1944 60 ? P-VII
MW 17656 3 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17746 6 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17557 7 June 1944 ? ? P-X
V-171 8 June 1944 69 ? P-VII
MW 17747 ? ? P-X
V-159 9 June 1944 11 ? P-VII
V-158 10 June 1944 68 ? P-VII
V-209 11 June 1944 61 ? P-VII
MW 17725 ? ? Oie
V-89 13 June 1944 ? 350 The "Bäckebo Bomb" (Crashed in Sweden)
V-172 14 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17727 ? ? Oie
MW 17840 15 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17839 17 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18012 18 June 1944 ? ? Oie
V-177 20 June 1944 ? ?
MW 18014 ? ? Oie Apogee 176 km, first man-made object to reach space by the modern definition (100 km altitude).[15]
MW 17940 ? ? P-X
MW 18017 21 June 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 17939 ? ? P-VII
V-157 22 June 1944 ? ?
MW 18007 23 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 17657 24 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18016 ? ? Oie
MW 18013 ? ? Oie
MW 18008 26 June 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18015 ? ? Oie
V-208 27 June 1944 59 ? P-VII
V-167 28 June 1944 ? ?
V-173 29 June 1944 ? ?
V-211 30 June 1944 ? ? P-X
July 1944
MW 18011 1 July 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18010 3 July 1944 ? ? P-X
V-212 4 July 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18143 5 July 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 18144 6 July 1944 ? ? Oie
V-214 7 July 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18020 8 July 1944 ? ? Oie
V-210 10 July 1944 60 ? P-VII
V-160 14 July 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18019 21 July 1944 ? ? Oie
V-178 29 July 1944 ? ? Oie
V-205 31 July 1944 67 237 P-X
August 1944
MW 18207 1 August 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 18203 ? ? Oie
MW 18204 2 August 1944 ? ? Oie
V-202 3 August 1944 ? ? P-X
V-179 4 August 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 18200 12 August 1944 ? ? Oie
V-181 13 August 1944 50 0,5 P-XII exploded
V-182 10 0.07 P-XII exploded
MW 18267 15 August 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 18266 ? ? Oie
MW 18263 16 August 1944 61 227 P-VII
V-227 17 August 1944 ? ?
MW 18239 66 284 P-X
MW 18238 20 August 1944 66 239 P-X
MW 18243 64 235 P-VII
V-216 22 August 1944 57 196 P-VII
MW 18233 67 224 P-X
V-226 23 August 1944 ? ?
MW 18222 24 August 1944 64 189 P-X
MW 18240 26 August 1944 61 226 P-X
MW 18299 30 August 1944 ? ? P-VI
September 1944
V-225 1 September 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18293 2 September 1944 ? ? P-VI
V-206 4 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-230 5 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-222 8 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-231 13 September 1944 ? ? Oie
V-223 14 September 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18257 15 September 1944 ? ? Oie
MW 18330 17 September 1944 ? ? Oie
V-234 19 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-240 ? ? Oie
V-217 20 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-239 ? ? Oie
V-218 21 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-232 ? ? Oie
V-219 22 September 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 18179 ? ? Oie
V-241 26 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-238 28 September 1944 ? ? P-X
V-242 30 September 1944 ? ? P-VII
October 1944
MW 18786 1 October 1944 ? ? Karlshagen
V-235 3 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18889 ? ? Karlshagen
V-245 4 October 1944 ? ? P-X
V-236 7 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18787 ? ? Karlshagen
V-248 9 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-249 11 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18781 12 October 1944 ? ? Karlshagen
V-237 ? ? P-VII
MW 18782 13 October 1944 ? ? Karlshagen
V-250 14 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18338 ? ? Karlshagen
V-251 17 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-252 18 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-246 19 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-256 23 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-247 24 October 1944 ? ? P-X
V-258 ? ? P-VII
V-257 25 October 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-259 30 October 1944 ? ? P-VII Hermann Göring attended the launch: "That's terrific! We must have that at the first Party Rally after the war!"[16]: 256 
V-260 ? ? P-VI Hermann Göring at the launch: "Why is it that this fellow [ Walter Dornberger ] manages all right and you [ developer Dr. Kramer of Ruhr Steel ] don't? Let him show you how it ought to be done."[16]: 257 
November 1944
V-253 1 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-220 3 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-262 6 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 19304 7 November 1944 ? ? P-X
V-263 8 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-261 9 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-264 ? ? P-X
V-266 13 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-265 15 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-267 17 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-221 20 November 1944 ? ?
V-268 22 November 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 19862 23 November 1944 ? ? Karlshagen
MW 19866 ? ? Karlshagen
V-271 24 November 1944 ? ?
MW 19864 25 November 1944 ? ? Rail
MW 19861 26 November 1944 ? ? Rail
V-272 27 November 1944 ? ?
V-276 28 November 1944 ? ? P-X
MW 19868 ? ? Karlshagen
MW 19873 29 November 1944 ? ? Rail
MW 19305 30 November 1944 ? ?
December 1944
V-423 1 December 1944 ? ?
V-269 ? ?
MW 19302 ? ? Rail
V-243 2 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 19020 ? ?
V-277 4 December 1944 ? ?
MW 19301 ? ? Rail
V-254 6 December 1944 ? ?
MW 19874 7 December 1944 ? ? Karlshagen
V-278 8 December 1944 ? ?
MW 19020 9 December 1944 ? ? P-VI
V-282 12 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
MW 18783 ? ? Karlshagen
V-283 14 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-288 16 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-289 19 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-291 22 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-290 28 December 1944 ? ? P-VII
V-286 30 December 1944 ? ?
January 1945
V-287 3 January 1945 ? ?
MW 20835 4 January 1945 ? 262 Karlshagen
MW 20826 6 January 1945 ? 323 Karlshagen
V-294 8 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
V-292 9 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 20821 11 January 1945 ? 285 Karlshagen
MW 20840 13 January 1945 ? 314 Karlshagen
MW 20831 15 January 1945 ? 325 Karlshagen
MW 20348 ? ? P-X
V-275 16 January 1945 ? ? P-X
V-293 ? ?
MW 20850 ? ? Karlshagen
MW 20348 ? ?
MW 20832 17 January 1945 ? ? Karlshagen
V-301 19 January 1945 ? ? P-X
V-295 22 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
V-302 ? ? P-X
MW 20465 25 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 20829 ? ? Karlshagen
MW 20827 27 January 1945 ? ? Karlshagen
MW 20338 30 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
V-303 31 January 1945 ? ? P-VII
February 1945
V-284 3 February 1945 ? ? P-X
V-274 4 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
V-285 5 February 1945 ? ? P-X
V-309 6 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 21402 47 ? Karlshagen
V-296 7 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 21401 ? ? Karlshagen
V-310 8 February 1945 ? ? P-X
V-297 9 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
V-298 ? ? P-X
V-270 10 February 1945 ? ? P-X
V-313 ? ? P-VII
MW 21404 ? 380 Karlshagen
V-273 12 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 21405 ? ? Karlshagen
V-299 13 February 1945 ? ? P-X
V-314 ? ? P-VII
MW 21406 ? 358 Karlshagen
MW 21403 ? ? Karlshagen
V-255 14 February 1945 ? ? P-VII
MW 21407 16 February 1945 ? 380 Karlshagen
MW 21399 18 February 1945 36 ? Karlshagen
MW 21408 19 February 1945 ? 430 Karlshagen
MW 21400 20 February 1945 ? 350 Karlshagen

Launches of A4b

Rocket number Date Launch site Range Remarks
G-1 27 December 1944 Pad 10 0 Guidance failure 50 metres above ground
G-2 13 January 1945 Failure. Launch attempt controversial
G-3 24 January 1945 Oie Successful launch, but wing broke at flight

Blizna test launch list

Launch number Rocket number Date Range (km) Remarks
1943
1 5 November 1943
2 5 December 1943
3 V-96 22 December 1943
January 1944
4 5 January 1944
5 6 January 1944 success
6 7 January 1944 tail explosion
7 success
8 8 January 1944 failure
9 17 January 1944
10 V-107 18 January 1944 failure
11 V-105 29 January 1944 failure
February 1944
12 16 February 1944
13 17 February 1944
14 19 February 1944
15 MW 17 071 23 February 1944 early cut-off
16 MW 17 036 24 February 1944 success
17 26 February 1944
March 1944
18 2 March 1944
19 4 March 1944
20 5 March 1944
21 6 March 1944
22 MW 17047 17 March 1944
23 18 March 1944
24 20 March 1944
25 21 March 1944
26 25 March 1944
27 31 March 1944
April 1944
28 1 April 1944
29 2 April 1944
30 4 April 1944
31 6 April 1944
32 16 April 1944
33 MW 17354 20 April 1944 Attempt cancelled and made on 22 April 1944 as launch number 38
34 MW 17355 257 Airburst
35 MW 17342 21 April 1944 85 Failure
36 MW 17356 157 Airburst
37 MW 17360 216 Airburst
38 MW 17354 22 April 1944 261 Airburst
39 MW 17382 257 Airburst
40 MW 17344 23 April 1944 Failed at launch
41 MW 17341 28 April 1944 256 Airburst
42 MW 17349 255 Airburst
43 MW 17351 29 April 1944 254 Airburst
44 MW 17378 257 Impact
45 MW 17350 30 April 1944 255 Impact
46 MW 17361 150 Airburst
May 1944
47 MW 17359 1 May 1944 338 Airburst
48 MW 17381 253 Airburst
49 MW 17388 29 Failure
50 MW 17352 3 May 1944 5.2 Failure
51 MW 17353 0.1 Failed after lift-off
52 MW 17357 nil Failure
53 MW 17365 Failure
54 MW 17369 257 Airburst
55 MW 17358 4 May 1944 250 Airburst
56 MW 17367 Failure
57 MW 17368 Failure
58 MW 17362 5 May 1944 Failure; also failed on attempt on 9 May 1944
59 MW 17366 259 Airburst
60 MW 17385 258 Airburst
61 MW 17364 6 May 1944 258 Airburst
62 MW 17386 258 Airburst
63 MW 17392 1.7 Failure
64 MW 17383 7 May 1944 293 Airburst
65 MW 17387 294.0 Guidance failure
66 MW 17348 8 May 1944 nil Failed at launch
67 MW 17333 9 May 1944 Failed
68 MW 17389 Failure
69 MW 17332 10 May 1944 259 Impact
70 MW 17384 4.8 Failure
71 MW 17327 11 May 1944 262 Impact
72 MW 17331 260 Impact
73 MW 17398 12 May 1944 300 Airburst
74 MW 17 399 success
75 MW 17330 13 May 1944 258 Airburst
76 MW 17390 14 May 1944 161 Impact
77 MW 17334 15 May 1944 261 Airburst
78 MW 17393 258 Airburst
79 MW 17401 17 May 1944 259 Airburst
80 MW 17683 18 May 1944 4.3 Failure
81 MW 17687 32.0 Guidance failure
82 MW 17686 20 May 1944 Failure
83 MW 17748 21 May 1944 254 Impact
84 MW 17749 Failure
85 MW 17753 Failure
86 MW 17757 259 Airburst
87 MW 17760 Failure
88 MW 17764 330 Airburst
89 MW 17750 22 May 1944 255 Airburst
90 MW 17762 130 Airburst
91 MW 17766 Failure
92 MW 17767 109 Airburst
93 MW 17751 23 May 1944 2 Failure
94 MW 17752 253 Airburst
95 MW 17754 258 Airburst
96 MW 17755 Failed
97 MW 17758 255 Airburst; Re-launch from 21 May 1944
98 MW 17759 251 Airburst
99 MW 17761 263 Airburst
100 MW 17765 256 Airburst
101 MW 17768 337 Airburst
102 MW 17403 24 May 1944 264 Airburst
103 MW 17769 252 Impact; (Failed attempt on 22 May)
104 MW 17682 26 May 1944 259 Airburst
105 MW 17397 27 May 1944 178 Airburst
106 MW 17400 262 Airburst
107 MW 17405 Failure
108 MW 17688 86 Airburst
109 MW 17773 162 Airburst
110 MW 17774 28 May 1944 244 Airburst
111 MW 17329 29 May 1944 129 Airburst
112 MW 17402 Failure
113 MW 17670 257 Impact
114 MW 17770 207 Airburst
115 MW 17775 251 Airburst
116 MW 17782 240 Impact
117 MW 17783 240 Airburst
118 MW 17771 30 May 1944 254 Impact
119 MW 17784 226 Airburst
June 1944
120 MW 17776 1 June 1944 202 Impact
121 MW 17779 153 Impact
122 MW 17780 178.0 Guidance failure
123 MW 17781 45.5 Guidance failure
124 MW 17777 5 June 1944 58 Failure
125 MW 17772 6 June 1944 199 Airburst
126 MW 17802 213 Impact
127 MW 17 809 14 June 1944 success
128 MW 17 796 failure
129 MW 17 995 15 June 1944 success
130 MW 18022 16 June 1944 270 Airburst
131 MW 18024 270 Airburst
132 MW 18025 333 Airburst
133 MW 18027 203 Airburst
134 MW 18028 267 Airburst
135 MW 18026 17 June 1944 270 Airburst
136 MW 18029 231 Airburst
137 MW 18030 115 Airburst
138 MW 18031 270 Airburst
139 MW 18032 268 Airburst
140 MW 18035 133 Impact
141 MW 18037 13 Failure
142 MW 18038 132 Airburst
143 MW 18042 262 Airburst
144 MW 18033 18 June 1944 258 Impact
145 MW 18039 296 Airburst
146 MW 18047 276 Impact
147 MW 18048 269 Airburst
148 MW 18050 269 Airburst
149 MW 18051 Failed
150 MW 18056 270 Airburst
151 MW 18058 334 Airburst
152 MW 18059 Failed
153 MW 18060 224 Airburst
154 MW 18061 262 Airburst
155 MW 18 041
156 MW 18040 19 June 1944 136 Airburst
157 MW 18043 Failed
158 MW 18044 303 Airburst
159 MW 18046 20 June 1944 5 Failed
160 MW 18049 Failed
161 MW 18062 Failed on lift-off
162 MW 18064 226 Airburst
163 MW 18065 206 Airburst
164 MW 18066 204 Airburst
165 MW 18067 308 Airburst
166 MW 18068 253 Airburst
167 MW 18069 272 Airburst
168 MW 18070 283 Airburst
169 MW 18073 270 Airburst
170 MW 18079 214 Airburst
171 MW 18080 287 Airburst
172 MW 18052 21 June 1944 300 Airburst
173 MW 18057 Failed
174 MW 18093 Failed
175 MW 18053 22 June 1944 209 Airburst
176 MW 18054 219 Airburst
177 MW 18091 Failed
178 MW 18092 278 Airburst
179 MW 18094 242 Airburst
180 MW 18103 217 Airburst
181 MW 18072 24 June 1944 Failed
182 MW 18087 155 Impact
183 MW 18097 211 Impact
184 MW 18098 119 Impact
185 MW 18085 25 June 1944 243 Airburst
186 MW 18086 249 Airburst
187 MW 18096 26 June 1944 289 Airburst
188 MW 18099 285 Airburst
189 MW 18113 261 Impact
190 MW 18114 266 Impact
191 MW 18116 282 Impact
192 MW 18115 27 June 1944 Failed
193 269 Airburst
194 MW 18123 Exploded on pad
195 MW 18124 Impact
196 MW 18125 161 Airburst
197 MW 18126 251 Impact
198 MW 18112 28 June 1944 295 Impact
199 MW 18117 266 Impact
200 MW 18118 32.5 Failed
201 MW 18121 274 Airburst
202 MW 18122 221 Airburst
203 MW 18 089 30 June 1944 success
204 MW 18 108 success

Tuchola forest test launch list

Launch number Ongoing number Rocket destination Date Range (km) Remarks
September 1944
1 127 MW 18757 10 September 1944 Abandoned
2 128 MW 18769 12 September 1944 221
3 129 MW 18767 13 September 1944 Failed on pad
4 130 MW 18761 178
5 131 MW 18765 220
6 132 MW 18745 14 September 1944 218
7 133 MW 18758 210
8 134 MW 18751 Failed on pad. Returned to HAP
9 135 MW 18756 15 September 1944 4 Guidance failed after lift-off
10 136 MW 18763 12 Propulsion system explosion
11 137 MW 18746 16 September 1944 217
12 138 MW 18750 193 Airburst
13 139 MW 18752 17 September 1944 168 Airburst
14 140 MW 18754 164 Airburst
15 141 MW 18755 18 September 1944 165 Impact
16 142 MW 18747 171 Impact
17 143 MW 18766 166 Airburst
18 144 MW 18762 141 Impact
19 145 MW 18753 19 September 1944 199 Airburst
20 146 MW 18764 162 Airburst
21 147 MW 18822 21 September 1944 160 Impact
22 148 MW 18824 173 Impact
23 149 MW 18825 22 September 1944 143 Impact
24 150 MW 18826 177 Impact
25 151 MW 18823 23 September 1944 42 Early impact
26 152 MW 18821 151 Impact
27 153 MW 18831 242 Impact
28 154 MW 18827 24 September 1944 141 Impact
29 155 MW 18820 Abort. Returned to HAP.
30 157 MW 18806 25 September 1944 168 Airburst
31 158 MW 18807 143 Airburst
32 159 MW 18808 164 Airburst
33 160 MW 18815 164 Impact
34 161 MW 18803 162 Airburst
35 162 MW 18801 26 September 1944 171 Airburst
36 163 MW 18804 165 Impact
37 164 MW 18805 166 Airburst
38 165 MW 18802 162 Airburst
39 166 MW 18803 Abandoned; damaged fin. Launch tried on 5 October 1944
40 167 MW 18770 92 Airburst
41 156 MW 18837 27 September 1944 138 Airburst
42 168 MW 18771 160 Airburst
43 169 MW 18774 30 September 1944 170 Airburst
44 170 MW 18788 167 Impact
45 171 MW 18794 179 Impact
October 1944
46 172 MW 18777 1 October 1944 166
47 173 MW 18772 170
48 174 MW 18773 173
49 175 MW 18778 2 October 1944 132
50 176 MW 18776 170
51 177 MW 18796 247 Airburst
52 178 MW 18795 236 Airburst
53 179 MW 18799 5 October 1944 229 Airburst
54 180 MW 18798 230 Airburst
55 181 MW 18792 225 Impact
56 182 MW 18797 252 Airburst
57 183 MW 18803 228 Impact
58 184 MW 18791 233 Impact
59 185 MW 18790 183 Airburst
60 187 MW 19041 6 October 1944 222
61 188 MW 19048 225
62 189 MW 19045 9 October 1944 213
63 190 MW 19047 210
64 191 MW 19039 205 Impact
65 192 MW 19043 7 Failed after launch
66 193 MW 19042 219
67 194 MW 19046 10 October 1944 220
68 195 MW 19040 224 Airburst
69 196 MW 19044 209
70 197 MW 18810 239 Airburst
71 198 MW 18813 209 Impact
72 199 MW 18809 200
73 200 MW 18811 11 October 1944 272 Impact
74 201 MW 18816 217 Airburst
75 202 MW 18814 216 Impact
76 203 MW 18818 220 Airburst
77 204 MW 18812 14 October 1944 245 Impact
78 205 MW 18819 44 Damaged at launch
79 206 MW 18817 245 Impact
80 207 MW 19487 28 October 1944 223
81 208 MW 19486 29 October 1944 224
82 209 MW 19484 30 October 1944 217
83 210 MW 19498 223
84 211 MW 19488 31 October 1944 223
85 212 MW 19491 223
86 213 MW 19489 231
November 1944
87 214 MW 19504 1 November 1944 2
88 215 MW 19490 221
89 216 Ma241 Failed on pad
90 217 MW 19492 2 November 1944 223 Impact
91 218 MW 19493 218 Impact
92 219 MW 19494 3 November 1944 214 Impact
93 220 MW 19496 221 Impact
94 221 MW 19495 4 November 1944 226 Impact
95 222 MW 19497 224 Airburst
96 223 MW 19502 5 November 1944 224 Airburst
97 224 MW 19500 116 Airburst
98 225 MW 19501 222 Airburst
99 226 MW 19499 112 Airburst
100 227 MW 19508 6 November 1944 250 Impact
101 228 MW 19511 7 November 1944 290 Impact
102 229 MW 19514 250 Airburst
103 230 MW 19506 293 Airburst
104 231 MW 19507 250 Impact
105 232 MW 19509 8 November 1944 1 Failed after launch
106 236 MW 19520 9 November 1944 257 Impact
107 MW 19519 Returned to Mittelwerk
108 238 MW 19516 10 November 1944 248 Airburst
109 239 MW 19518 35 Impact
110 MW 19529 11 November 1944 Returned to MW
111 235 MW 19510 12 November 1944 49 Exploded after launch
112 237 MW 19528 245 Impact
113 233 MW 19513 13 November 1944 267 Airburst
114 234 MW 19512 90 Impact
115 241 19525 14 November 1944 250 Impact
116 242 MW 19517 250 Impact
117 243 MW 19549 15 November 1944 197
118 244 MW 19548 196
119 245 MW 19544 18 November 1944 76
120 246 MW 19547 19 November 1944 159
121 247 MW 19545 168
122 248 MW 19553 20 November 1944 183
123 249 MW 19550 194
124 250 MW 19552 189
125 251 MW 19551 21 November 1944 113
126 252 MW 19546 168
127 253 MW 19829 233 Impact
128 254 MW 19843 22 November 1944 229 Airburst
129 255 MW 19830 190 Impact
130 256 MW 19832 Engine failure
131 257 MW 19862 23 November 1944 385 No data returned
132 258 MW 19866 289 Airburst
133 260 MW 19833 24 November 1944 219 Impact
134 261 MW 19834 35 Guidance failure
135 MW 19839 Returned to Mittelwerk
136 262 MW 19835 25 November 1944 58 Guidance failure
137 259 MW 19864 323 No data returned
138 263 MW 19836 26 November 1944 232 Impact
139 MW 19842 Returned to Mittelwerk
140 267 MW 19861 0 Exploded on pad
141 264 MW 19831 27 November 1944 235 Airburst
142 265 MW 19844 230 Airburst
143 266 MW 19840 Failure
144 269 MW 19827 28 November 1944 231 Airburst
145 268 MW 19868 279 No data returned
146 270 MW 19841 29 November 1944 166 Impact
147 271 MW 19825 231 Impact
148 274 MW 19873 315 No data returned
149 272 MW 19846 30 November 1944 132 Failure
150 273 MW 19849 232 Impact
151 MW 19826 Returned to MW
December 1944
152 276 MW 19848 1 December 1944 214 Airburst
153 277 MW 19850 2 Explosion after launch
154 MW 19869 Returned to field station; leaking
155 275 MW 19302 320 No data returned
156 278 MW 19301 4 December 1944 293 No data returned
157 279 MW 19883 5 December 1944 250 Airburst
158 280 MW 19893 246 Impact
159 281 MW 19905 251 Airburst
160 282 MW 19913 6 December 1944 167 Impact
161 283 MW 19891 Failure
162 285 MW 19874 7 December 1944 349 No data returned
163 284 MW 19901 224 Impact
164 285 MW 19894 8 December 1944 243 Impact
165 286 MW 19888 215 Impact
166 290 MW 19020 9 December 1944 347 No data returned
167 287 MW 19900 270 Impact
168 288 MW 19895 Returned to Mittelwerk
169 291 MW 19856 11 December 1944 245
170 292 MW 18783 284 No data returned
171 293 MW 19855 12 December 1944 0 Exploded above pad
172 294 MW 19858 243
173 295 MW 19854 246
174 MW 19871 Returned to field station
175 296 MW 19859 13 December 1944 244
176 297 MW 19870 239
177 298 MW 19857 68 Airburst
178 299 MW 19865 14 December 1944 1 Airburst
179 300 MW 19847 December 1944 230 Airburst
180 301 MW 19837 16 December 1944 216 Impact
181 302 MW 19838 228 Airburst
182 303 MW 19851 17 December 1944 128 Failure
183 305 19828 19 December 1944 52 Failure
184 304 MW 19872 243
185 306 MW 19845 20 December 1944 0 Control failure at lift-off at15m height
186 307 MW 19852 81 Guidance failure
187 308 MW 19853 232 Airburst
188 MW 19186 21 December 1944 229 Impact
189 MW 19676 260 Impact
190 MW 19778 228 Impact
191 MW 19886 23 December 1944 232 Impact
192 MW 19674 222 Impact
193 MW 19776 224 Airburst
194 MW 19650 25 December 1944 225 Impact
195 MW 19681 228 Airburst
196 309 MW 20853 27 December 1944 212
197 310 MW 20844 28 December 1944 234
198 311 MW 20845 229
199 312 MW 20848 Failed
200 313 MW 20820 30 December 1944 230
201 314 MW 20816 231
202 315 MW 20847 31 December 1944 226
203 316 MW 20825 227
January 1945
204 317 MW 20852 1 January 1945 34 Failed
205 Ma419 ( MW 20843) Attempt abandoned - launched on 8 January 1945
206 318 MW 20815 2 January 1945 232
207 319 MW 20817 232
208 320 MW 20818 231
209 321 MW 20838 3 January 1945 229
210 322 MW 20841 224
211 323 MW 20851 223
212 324 MW 20823 4 January 1945 228
213 325 MW 20814 Failed soon after launch
214 326 MW 20843 8 January 1945 231
215 327 MW 20819 234
215 330 MW 20705 10 January 1945 215
216 331 MW 20808 56 Failed
217 332 MW 20809 227
218 334 MW 20810 11 January 1945 226
219 335 MW 20807 161 Failed
220 336 MW 20811 231
221 337 MW 20804 223
222 338 MW 20806 226 High altitude airburst
223 MW 20824 Abandoned
224 MW 20812 Abandoned

Operation Backfire launches near Cuxhaven

For Operation Backfire, the British collected together and assembled a small number of V-2s to be launched for demonstration purposes.

Date Launch time Maximum height Length of flight Remarks
2 October 1945 14:41 69.4 km 249.4 km
4 October 1945 14:16 17.4 km 24 km Engine failure soon after launch.
15 October 1945 15:06 64 km 233 km Operation Clitterhouse. V-2 performed as planned and landed near target point in the North Sea[17]

Launches of captured V-2 rockets in the United States after 1945

Main article: V-2 sounding rocket

The Upper Atmosphere Research Panel performed experiments on US flights of V-2s.

Rocket number Date Launch site Pad Maximum altitude (kilometres) Remarks
1946
1 15 March 1946 White Sands n/a Static test firing of V-2 Engine.
2 16 April 1946 White Sands Pad 33 5.5 Radio cut-off 19.5 s after launch, Fin 4 failed prior to termination.
3 10 May 1946 White Sands Pad 33 112.6 Nominal flight.
4 29 May 1946 White Sands Pad 33 112.1 Nominal flight.
5 13 June 1946 White Sands Pad 33 117.4 Nominal flight.
6 28 June 1946 White Sands Pad 33 107.8 Nose separation failure
7 9 July 1946 White Sands Pad 33 134.4 Nominal performance.
8 19 July 1946 White Sands Pad 33 4.824 Oxygen pump exploded.
9 30 July 1946 White Sands Pad 33 161.5 Nominal performance.
10 15 August 1946 White Sands Pad 33 6.4 Radio termination 16.5 s after launch.
11 22 August 1946 White Sands Pad 33 0 Control failure resulted in termination command at 6.5s.
12 10 October 1946 White Sands Pad 33 173.8 Nominal performance.
13 24 October 1946 White Sands Pad 33 104.6 Sub-normal propulsion performance, camera made the first picture of Earth from outer space.
14 7 November 1946 White Sands Pad 33 0.32 Guidance failure preceded emergency termination at 31s.
15 21 November 1946 White Sands Pad 33 101.4 Sub-normal propulsion performance.
16 5 December 1946 White Sands Pad 33 152.9 Control system failed at altitude.
17 17 December 1946 White Sands Pad 33 183.4 Rocket exploded at 440s.
1947
18 10 January 1947 White Sands Pad 33 116.2 Degraded performance caused roll rate of 60 rpm.
19 23 January 1947 White Sands Pad 33 49.9 Degraded performance caused roll rate of 80 rpm.
20 20 February 1947 White Sands Pad 33 109.4 Blossom 1 - Propulsion degraded at 55.5s.
21 7 March 1947 White Sands Pad 33 162.5 Nominal performance.
22 1 April 1947 White Sands Pad 33 129.2 Nominal performance.
23 8 April 1947 White Sands Pad 33 102.2 Nominal performance.
24 17 April 1947 White Sands Pad 33 142.4 Successful test of ram-jet payload.
26 15 May 1947 White Sands Pad 33 135.2 Internal explosion at 64.3s.
H-II # 0 29 May 1947 White Sands Pad 33 79.3 Hermes II prototype with dummy Organ ramjet test. Lost control after 4s and crashed outside range near Juarez, Mexico.
29 10 July 1947 White Sands Pad 33 16.25 Early yaw led to termination at 32s.
30 29 July 1947 White Sands Pad 33 160.7 Near vertical trajectory.
28 6 September 1947 USS Midway 1.5 Operation Sandy. Aircraft carrier launch successful. Exploded at 1524 m.
27 9 October 1947 White Sands Pad 33 156.1 Internal explosion at 83.5s.
GE-Sp 20 November 1947 White Sands Pad 33 26.7 GE technology proving flight.
28 8 December 1947 White Sands Pad 33 104.6 Stable flight but less than planned altitude.
1948
34 22 January 1948 White Sands Pad 33 159.3 Payload separation failure.
36 6 February 1948 White Sands Pad 33 111 Successfully manoeuvred by ground control for first 40s of flight.
39 19 March 1948 White Sands Pad 33 5.5 Low altitude flight prevented any data recovery.
25 2 April 1948 White Sands Pad 33 144 Three previous launch attempts failed in year prior. Excellent performance.
38 19 April 1948 White Sands Pad 33 56 Faulty steering caused high roll rate and then flight termination.
Bumper-1 13 May 1948 White Sands Pad 33 127.3 Bumper 1 Premature cut-off of WAC 2nd stage.
35 27 May 1948 White Sands Pad 33 139.7 Steady flight with low roll rate.
37 11 June 1948 White Sands Pad 33 62.3 Blossom 2 - Cut-off at 57.7s; payload separation at 96s.
40 26 July 1948 White Sands Pad 33 86.9 Turbine overspeed caused premature propellad termination at 61s. 2rpm roll began at 70s.
43 5 August 1948 White Sands Pad 33 165.7 Nominal performance.
Bumper-2 19 August 1948 White Sands Pad 33 13.4 Bumper 2 First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption.
33 2 September 1948 White Sands Pad 33 150.6 Vehicle broke up at 370s at 84 km altitude.
Bumper-3 30 September 1948 White Sands Pad 33 150.3 Bumper 3 WAC stage failed.
Bumper-4 1 November 1948 White Sands Pad 33 4.8 Bumper 4 Explosion in tail of V-2.
44 18 November 1948 White Sands Pad 33 145.3 First Hermes B 'Organ' test of ramjet diffuser in place of payload section. Nominal performance.
42 9 December 1948 White Sands Pad 33 108.4 Vane failure at 22s caused erratic flight.
1949
H-II # 1 13 January 1949 White Sands Pad 33 1st Hermes II test.
45 28 January 1949 White Sands Pad 33 59.9 Defective performance.
48 17 February 1949 White Sands Pad 33 100.6 Nominal performance.
Bumper-5 24 February 1949 White Sands Pad 33 129 Successful flight. Separation of stages at 32.2 km.
41 21 March 1949 White Sands Pad 33 133.5 Blossom 3 - Parachute not ejected.
50 11 April 1949 White Sands Pad 33 87.2 Degraded performance from 43s.
Bumper-6 21 April 1949 White Sands Pad 33 49.9 Premature V-2 cut-off; WAC stage failed to fire.
46 5 May 1949 White Sands Pad 33 8.85 Second Hermes II 'Organ' test of ramjet diffuser in place of payload section.
47 14 June 1949 White Sands Pad 33 133.5 Blossom 4 - Nominal performance.
32 16 September 1949 White Sands Pad 33 4.2 Blossom 5 - payload. Explosions caused early termination.
49 29 September 1949 White Sands Pad 33 150.8 Nominal performance.
H-II # 2 6 October 1949 White Sands Pad 33 2nd Hermes II test.
56 18 November 1949 White Sands Pad 33 123.9 Nominal performance.
31 8 December 1949 White Sands Pad 33 130.3 Blossom 6 - Excellent performance.
1950
53 17 February 1950 White Sands Pad 33 148.7 Nominal performance.
Bumper-8 24 July 1950 Cape Canaveral LC 3 16.1 Low-angle atmospheric flight over 320 km range.
Bumper-7 29 July 1950 Cape Canaveral LC 3 16.1 Low-angle atmospheric flight over 320 km range.
51 31 August 1950 White Sands Pad 33 136.4 Blossom 7- Nominal performance.
61 26 October 1950 White Sands Pad 33 8 Explosion at 50s at Mach 3 terminated flight.
H-II # 3 11 November 1950 White Sands Pad 33 3rd and Final Hermes II test.
1951
54 18 January 1951 White Sands Pad 33 1.6 Stalled on pad for 13s then rose slowly for 38s before exploding.
57 8 March 1951 White Sands Pad 33 3.1 Blossom 8 - Three explosions at 15.5; 18.5 and 19.5s destroying tail section.
55 14 June 1951 White Sands Pad 33 0 Exploded on pad at start of main-stage thrust after rising 6-inches.
52 28 June 1951 White Sands Pad 33 5.8 Blossom 9 - Tail explosion at 8s and then cut-off signal given at 22s.
TF-1 22 August 1951 White Sands Pad 33 213.4 Army training test (last 5 launches by "Broomstick Scientists")[18][19]
60 29 October 1951 White Sands Pad 33 140.9 Army training test. Payload released but damaged on impact.
1952
59 20 May 1952 White Sands Pad 33 103.5 Army training test. * Also designated TF-2
TF-3 22 August 1952 White Sands Pad 33 78 Army training test. Thrust decreased after 53s. Tail separation at 217s.
TF-5 19 September 1952 White Sands Pad 33 27 Army training test. Tail explosion at 27s terminating thrust.

Launches of V2 by the Soviet Union

The USSR captured the V-2 production facility at Nordhausen and assembled their own V-2s. Subsequently, they moved the equipment to the USSR and developed their own copy, the missile R-1.

Rocket number Date Launch site Range (km) Remarks
T-01 18 October 1947 Kapustin Yar 207 Vehicle disintegrated at atmospheric reentry.
T-02 20 October 1947 Kapustin Yar 231 Deviated 181 kilometres from intended flight path.
T-03 23 October 1947 Kapustin Yar 29 Observation of vehicle was hampered by low cloud cover. Vehicle disintegrated, possibly due to the warhead failure.
T-04 28 October 1947 Kapustin Yar 29 Success.
T-05 31 October 1947 Kapustin Yar 2 Started rolling after lift-off and crashed.
T-06 2 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 260 Success.
T-07 2 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 260 Lost fins after launch.
T-08 4 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 268 Success.
T-09 10 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 24 Control failure.
T-10 13 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 270 Broke up upon re-entry. Landed within 180 m of target.
T-11 13 November 1947 Kapustin Yar 270 Launched 5 hours after previous rocket and landed within 700 m of target.

Notes and references

^1 The rocket designation "V" is for Versuchsmuster (German: Test/Experimental Type).[4]

^2 The rocket designation "MW" is for rockets produced at the Mittelwerk.

  1. ^ a b c d e Neufeld, Michael J (1995). The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era. New York: The Free Press. pp. 158, 160–2, 190. ISBN 978-0-02-922895-1.
  2. ^ Braun, Wernher von; Ordway III; Frederick I (1985). Space Travel: A History. Harper & Row. p. 107.
  3. ^ a b Klee, Ernst; Merk, Otto (1965) [1963]. The Birth of the Missile:The Secrets of Peenemünde'. Hamburg: Gerhard Stalling Verlag. pp. 9, 41, 45.
  4. ^ a b Huzel, Dieter K (1960). Peenemünde to Canaveral. Prentice Hall. p. 68.
  5. ^ a b c Ordway, Frederick I III; Sharpe, Mitchell R (1979). The Rocket Team. Apogee Books Space Series 36. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell. pp. 46, 57.
  6. ^ Ley, Willy (1958) [1958]. Rockets, Missiles and Space Travel. The Viking Press. p. 218.
  7. ^ Speer, Albert (1995). Inside the Third Reich. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 495. ISBN 978-1-84212-735-3.
  8. ^ Walter Dornberger, Peenemunde
  9. ^ Walter Riedel, Rocket Development with Liquid Propellant
  10. ^ Pocock, Rowland F. (1967). German Guided Missiles of the Second World War. New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc. p. 14.
  11. ^ Irving, David (1964). The Mare's Nest. London: William Kimber and Co. p. 58.
  12. ^ Garliński, Józef (1978). Hitler's Last Weapons: The Underground War against the V1 and V2. New York: Times Books. p. 68.
  13. ^ "A-4 Launching Trials from Peenemünde". A-4 Contents. Retrieved 2007-05-14.
  14. ^ Klee, Ernst; Merk, Otto (1963). The Birth of the Missile:The Secrets of Peenemünde (English translation 1965 ed.). Hamburg: Gerhard Stalling Verlag.
  15. ^ Neufeld, Michael J (1995). The Rocket and the Reich: Peenemünde and the Coming of the Ballistic Missile Era. New York: The Free Press. pp. 158, 160–162, 190. ISBN 978-0-02-922895-1.
  16. ^ a b Dornberger, Walter (1954) [1952 V2--Der Schuss ins Weltall]. V-2. New York: Viking Press. pp. 17, 256–7.
  17. ^ "Operation Backfire Tests at Altenwalde-Cuxhaven". v2rocket.com. Retrieved January 31, 2023. The third and final launch, known as Operation Clitterhouse, occurred on October 15, 1945
  18. ^ Kennedy, Gregory P. (1983). Vengeance Weapon 2: The V-2 Guided Missile. Washington DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 62.
  19. ^ Egermeier, Robert P. (September 2001). "Former Broomstick Scientist". Aerospace America. p. 7.