Where did the V1 flying bombs land?

Question

are their any records of where these flying bombs landed and eploded

Answer 1

The first test flight of the wonder weapon V-1 was in late 1941 or early 1942 at Peenemünde. Early guidance and stabilisation problems were finally resolved by a daring test flight by Hanna Reitsch, in a V-1 modified for manned operation. The data she brought back after fighting the unwieldy V-1 down to a successful landing enabled the engineers to devise the stabilisation system described above. The idea of a piloted V-1 as a suicide weapon sprang from this mission: see Selbstopfer.


Final dive of a V-1 over LondonThe first offensive launch was from June 12 to June 13, 1944. The launch sites could theoretically launch 15 bombs per day, although this was never consistently managed, the record being one site launching 18 in one day. The Allies had previously organized a heavy series of air attacks (Operation Crossbow) on the launch sites (beginning in December 1943) and now also attacked the V-1s in flight (see Countermeasures below). Because of a combination of defensive measures, mechanical unreliability and guidance errors, only a quarter hit their targets.

Once the Allies had captured or destroyed the sites that were the principal launch points of V-1s aimed at England, the Germans switched to missile launches aimed at strategic points in the Low Countries, primarily the port of Antwerp.

Although most V-1s were launched from static sites on land, the Luftwaffe, from July 1944 to January 1945, launched approximately 1,176 V-1s from modified Heinkel He 111 aircraft of Kampfgeschwader 3 flying over the North Sea. The He-111s thus used were extremely vulnerable to night fighter attack, as launching lit up the area around the aircraft for several seconds. Research after the war estimated a 40% failure rate of these air-launched weapons. This would also have been the launch method for the proposed piloted version of the weapon and is how the very earliest experimental versions of the V-1 were tested. Late in the war, several piloted V-1s were built; known as Reichenbergs, they were never used in combat. It was also hoped to use the Arado Ar 234 jet bomber to deploy V-1s, either by towing them aloft, or by launching them from a "piggy back" position atop the aircraft. Neither Ar 234 concept was employed before the end of the war.

Almost 30,000 V-1s were manufactured. Approximately 10,000 were fired at England up to March 29, 1945. Of these, 2,419 reached Metropolitan London. In the London area, roughly 5,500 persons died as a result of V-1 attacks, with some 16,000 more injured.

4,261 V-1s were downed by the combination of fighters, anti-aircraft fire and barrage balloons. When the V-1 raids began, the only direct defence was interception by a handful of high-performance fighter aircraft, especially the new Hawker Tempest.


[edit] Intelligence reports

Answer 2

The first V! flying bomb (aka) the buzz bomb or doodlebug fell on the railway bridge at Grove Road in Bethnal Green East London. At the same time they landed in Canning Town and Ilford. The Germans were helped by the British press who published the exact locations. They landed at random, but were designed to land within 3.5 miles of the target which was always Tower Bridge. The RAF devised a method of tipping them into the Channel before they reached land. You knew that an explosion was due shortly after the buzzing engine cut out.

Answer 3

There appear to be detailed records of specific landing sites in the records held at the Imperial War Museum (Lambeth, London)
See this site:

http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/?search_word=V1+bombs&change=SearchResults&Go.x=12&Go.y=8

Answer 4

I am sorry I cannot give any destinations of sites that these bombs landed, But I am enquiring as to the knowledge of any readers if they know of sites in East London mainly around Leyton. Thank you

Answer 5

Mainly on London,also known as the buzz bomb,due to the noise they made,I have seen and heard them.Terrifying.

Answer 6

check out the history channel
lots of documented military history
a lot of the v 1s landed short of target, in the english channel.... SPLASH...
some did hit in england and do some damage, quite a bit of damage in London

Answer 7

Other than the UK? I would try the Public Records office (or whatever it is called) in London first.

The records should not be classified; they are quite old.

Also, if you are looking in a certain area, try newspaper archives.

Answer 8

ALL over England.