Luftfahrtforschungsanstalt (LFA) - Hecht Gliding Bomb

[Jemiba]

Got „Typenkompass – Deutsche Raketen und Lenkwaffen“ by Manfred Griehl yesterday and found a short
mention and a photo there: The development of the later "Hecht" gliding bomb already started in 1939 on
request of the RLM. Two models were tested in flight in 1940, the slightly enlarged development, now called
"Hecht" was ready for testing during October 1941. It had a length of 5.88 m and a span of 1.75 m. The next
step was vehicle carrying a guidance system and fitted with rocket engine of 2,000 kp was ready in 1942, again
slightly enlarged and with a weight of 900 kg, but this missile wasn't built, as the Henschel design was considered
superior. Nevertheless, those work later led to the F25 and F55 "Feuerlilie".

 

[Stargazer]

Re: Luftfahrtforshungsanstalt (LFA) - Hecht Gliding Bomb

I have the "Hecht", the "Feuerlilie" and the "Rheintochter" as Rheinmetall-Borsig products. Is that correct?

 

[Grzesio]

I have the "Hecht", the "Feuerlilie" and the "Rheintochter" as Rheinmetall-Borsig products. Is that correct?

Now, that's a question!
Rheintochter was made by Rheinmetall.
Hechts and Feuerlilies are commonly attributed to Rheinmetall in popular books, but as far as I know, I'd say no, they are not Rheinmetall projects. Both Hecht and Feuerlilie series were developed for basic flight tests by the LFA, F55 prototypes were apparently built by Ardelt, although Rheinmetall could have been involved to some degree (solid fuelled rocket engines 109-505, 109-115, Pirat etc.). Some tests launchings were also conducted at the RhB facility in Leba.

 

[Jemiba]

The "Typenkompass" agrees with Grzesio. No numbers are given, but "Feuerlilie" and "Hecht" seem to have been built just in very few
examples only, probably less than 10, whereas "at least 43 examples of "Rheintochter" were produced. So the workshops of the LFA
should have been able to deal with that number.

 

[Grzesio]

The "Typenkompass" is sadly far from perfect. For example, there's an awful mess in the rocket bombs designations (PC/SC/SD). RZ 65, Foehn and Foehn 500 were not designed by Rheinmetall, while R 4 M was not designed by Heber. The Foehn 500 was not designed as an railway rocket, as Griehl suggests. Etc...

 

[Jemiba]

Probably right, you're the expert. Somewhat annoying with that series to my opinion is, that there
isn't (at least in the volumes I have) a list of refernces, only a mention of the archives of MBB and
several private persons. Those errors mentioned probably indicate the wide use of secondary literature,
instead of company archives or the like.
Any subject book you would recommend ?

 

[lippischh]

While researching the Hecht i've been confused by different lengths given by different sources :

- Luftarchiv.de says it was 1.75m
- A book titled "Warfare and the Third Reich: The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Armed Forces" says 8 feet https://books.google.dz/books?id=pYABCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT90&lpg=PT90&dq=hecht+gliding+bomb&source=bl&ots=BQrMHJjAeX&sig=6EUY_4dwMkOyY1jGhpG1ntR1s9Q&hl=fr&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwii9efboaLcAhWHERQKHRckBLIQ6AEIRTAH#v=onepage&q=hecht%20gliding%20bomb&f=false
- Apparently in „Typenkompass – Deutsche Raketen und Lenkwaffen“ 5.88m is given.
- At some random blog i've seen 4.8m.

I wonder which one of these numbers you guys think is the correct one.

Thanks.

 

[athpilot]

While researching the Hecht i've been confused by different lengths given by different sources :

- Luftarchiv.de says it was 1.75m
- A book titled "Warfare and the Third Reich: The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Armed Forces" says 8 feet https://books.google.dz/books?id=pYABCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT90&lpg=PT90&dq=hecht+gliding+bomb&source=bl&ots=BQrMHJjAeX&sig=6EUY_4dwMkOyY1jGhpG1ntR1s9Q&hl=fr&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwii9efboaLcAhWHERQKHRckBLIQ6AEIRTAH#v=onepage&q=hecht%20gliding%20bomb&f=false
- Apparently in „Typenkompass – Deutsche Raketen und Lenkwaffen“ 5.88m is given.
- At some random blog i've seen 4.8m.

I wonder which one of these numbers you guys think is the correct one.

Thanks.

There were at least 3 versions of the Hecht (pike). Fritz Hahn metioned the following versions (p. 356, including a drawing): Version Hecht K-1750 from Octobre 1941 (length 1750mm, wingspan 588mm, diameter 177mm), the Hecht K-2010 (length 2010mm) and then finally the Hecht 2700 (as a predecessor or pre-study of the Feuerlilie F-25; the length must have been 2700mm I guess).

 

[lippischh]

While researching the Hecht i've been confused by different lengths given by different sources :

- Luftarchiv.de says it was 1.75m
- A book titled "Warfare and the Third Reich: The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Armed Forces" says 8 feet https://books.google.dz/books?id=pYABCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT90&lpg=PT90&dq=hecht+gliding+bomb&source=bl&ots=BQrMHJjAeX&sig=6EUY_4dwMkOyY1jGhpG1ntR1s9Q&hl=fr&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwii9efboaLcAhWHERQKHRckBLIQ6AEIRTAH#v=onepage&q=hecht%20gliding%20bomb&f=false
- Apparently in „Typenkompass – Deutsche Raketen und Lenkwaffen“ 5.88m is given.
- At some random blog i've seen 4.8m.

I wonder which one of these numbers you guys think is the correct one.

Thanks.

There were at least 3 versions of the Hecht (pike). Fritz Hahn metioned the following versions (p. 356, including a drawing): Version Hecht K-1750 from Octobre 1941 (length 1750mm, wingspan 588mm, diameter 177mm), the Hecht K-2010 (length 2010mm) and then finally the Hecht 2700 (as a predecessor or pre-study of the Feuerlilie F-25; the length must have been 2700mm I guess).

Thank you for your reply @athpilot

 

[klem]

some interesting pictures of the hecht