Originally Posted by onehundred80
Do not believe everything you see on TV, this is probably a tall tale edited and added to for marketing. Search the web for any credibility to this story and you find nothing concrete, just rumor and gossip.
Most of the German war machines that looked fanciful either failed to work properly or took too many resources for minimal actual effects. Mind you I saw a V1 and the engine quit above us, my mother was scared but it looked good to me. It worked just fine and flattened some buildings down the road . The V2 was a success too but it did less damage than a bomber, really a waste except for propaganda purposes.
I have no doubts that this was part of Hitler's ultimate plan, but according to the documentary it was very far from coming to fruition - they simply did not (yet) have the means to carry enough ordinance that distance, and safely return the pilot and craft to Germany.
As for the V1 and V2 weapons - my parents grew up in Belgium and saw more than a fair amount of destruction wrought by the V1s (buzzbombs they called them). My mom tells the story of hearing the unmistakable sound of their engines, but knowing they were safe until the engine cut out. That's when they fell back to earth and did their damage. The V2 was developed for longer range attacks, specifically Great Britain. The Brits did an admirable job of fending off standard fixed wing aircraft but would have been no match for a barrage of properly functioning ballistic missiles. Fortunately the allies were able to carry out effective bombing raids on Peenemunde and really put a crimp in advanced development of the weapon.
Had D-Day not been a success, Germany would have had more time to further develop the V2 and jet aircraft. As it was, the jet fighters they did place into service just before the end of the war were underdeveloped and short on range. But given time.......