Post-WWII Helmut Gröttrup G-series Missile Projects

[klem]

The post-war dissection of German missile technology by the victorious powers opened the door to further developments and research in this field, and a race began on both sides to produce more powerful missiles. In this context, the first missiles developed from German weapons appeared in the Soviet Union. (An article entitled ‘Russia's guided missiles programme’ in the January 1957 issue of Missiles and Rockets talks about a series of Russian missiles and an article in https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/russia/missiles-early.htm), including the J-3 series, which is in fact an improved German V-2 winged missile. I have only found this image of the J-3 in the aforementioned article, which states that none of the models in the J series was supposed to have a range of more than 550 miles or a speed of more than 875 mph. In 1962, the J-3 would have had a range of 1450 miles at Mach 1.15.

 

[publiusr]

Straight wing V-2?
That's a new one on me.

 

[Dilandu]

The "J" series (actually "G" - russian "Г") were the series of missiles, developed in 1946-1950 by a group of hored Gernan specialists, led by Helmut Gröttrup (that's why "G"). They were mainly intended as a backup in case of Soviet own missile program suffering some unforeseen setback. There were several different projects developed by Grottrup group:

* G-1 - a detailed project of basically an elongated and streamlined A-4 with integrated tanks and detachable warhead in wooden ablation re-entry vechicle. It was hoped that 1000 km range could be reached.



* G-2 - a partially developed design of 2500-km range rocket. Wasn't finalized, because military considered it too far-fetched.

* G-3 - apparently an attempt to follow the A-4b idea of rocket glider, not finalized

* G-4 - a proposal of 3000-km range rocket, capable of carrying nucear warheads

* G-5 - unclear. Some sources claim that it was a "German backup" for Korolev's R-7 ICBM, while others insist that it was a proposal of long-range cruise missile, and others - that it was merely a re-designation of some previous G-series projects. Anyway, no work were done (the images of "G-5 ICBM" in web are universally considered to be fakes.

Anyway, by early 1950s Soviet leadership realized that Soviet engineers already surpassed German experience, and there is nothing new Germans could suggest, so Grottrup group was disbanded and engineers allowed to return back to Germany.

 

[publiusr]

Cones are strong shapes--a nice way to work towards strap-ons without telling higher-ups what you are really doing?

How much more added weight could the R-7 configuration take if money were no object?

 

[klem]

further details regarding the G series published in astronautix.(http://www.astronautix.com/g/groettrup.html - http://www.astronautix.com/r/russia-earlisticmissiles.html)

 

[Dilandu]

further details regarding the G series published in astronautix.(http://www.astronautix.com/g/groettrup.html - http://www.astronautix.com/r/russia-earlisticmissiles.html)

The "G-5" image is very dubious and almost certainly not real. In Chertok's memories, "G-5" was stated to be a long-range cruise missile.

 

[Michel Van]

I'm have same opinion like Dilandu on mystery of Grottrup missiles
Is they dit only paperwork studies, order by Soviets
For comparison with other OKB works on Ballistic missile like R-7 ICBM.

Once the OKB Designed better rockets as Grottrup group, they were send back to east Germany.

 

[Dilandu]

My guess in mystery of Grottrup missiles
Is they dit only paperwork studies, order by Soviets
For comparison with other OKB works on Ballistic missile like R-7 ICBM.

Once the OKB Designed better rockets as Grottrup group, they were send back to east Germany.

Erm, this basically what I said above)

 

[klem]

The "G-5" image is very dubious and almost certainly not real. In Chertok's memories, "G-5" was stated to be a long-range cruise missile.

You're absolutely right, Dilandu, given the lack of sources, and even if there were sources, they were Soviet and couldn't praise the German engineers in any way, as that was the doctrine of the time and the course of action to follow. For my part, I often get lost in the designations of Soviet missiles combined with those of NATO, and even Archibald once summed up the problem well on this forum: “A real nightmare with Russians designation is the prototype numbers."