Fieseler Fi 103

[Aircav]

Came across this while sorting out the computer after it decided that four years of dust inside was too much.
I forgotten where the drawing came from but it does open a bit of debate as Churchill had so many gas bombs stocked here in the UK just in case the German used it first.

[rickshaw]

Churchill fully intended to use chemical and even biological weapons, if necessary, first.  Plans were well established for the use of chemical weapons in particular, if the Germans had launched Operation Seelowe.  The hope was that the chemical weapons would allow the British to stop the invasion.   Tests were carried out, primarily with Mustard agent.   While the Biological weapons were intended for use as part of the strategic bombing campaign, later after the threat from Seelowe had receded.  Gruinard Island was the result of that programme.  However saner heads prevailed and Anthrax was never used.

The Germans however had developed Nerve Agents which would have been deadly if used against British troops and population.  Hitler however, as was the rest of the High Command, loathe to use Chemical weapons again.   Some suggest that was because of Hitler's personal experience of being gassed on the Western Front.  More likely it was fear of reprisal from the Allies who were believed to have their own Nerve Agents (they didn't until near the end of the war).  This tit-for-tat fear was why the Chemical Weapons release occurred in Bari harbour in Italy.  The Allies were moving Chemical weapons forward, "just in case" when the John Harvey, carrying chemical bombs was destroyed, releasing a cloud of Mustard over the town.

[luft46models]

Drawing comes from the Monogram V-Weapons book that covered V1 to V4 ie the super gun and teh others - great book

Regards

William

[The Wooksta!]

I always liked the idea of a Reichenberg with a nose mounted cockpit and a pair of 13mm machine guns used as a close support aircraft with the troops.  Ideal because it's small, cheap and the pulse jet is better at low altitude.  Easily launched off the back of a Panther or Tiger with the solid rocket boosters that the Natter used.

[Aircav]

Hi,
Has anyone got any better photos of this bomb carrier that groundcrew have?
Thanks
Steve

[KJ_Lesnick]

The Germans however had developed Nerve Agents which would have been deadly if used against British troops and population.

If the RAF started gassing cities along the Ruhr (1944), would Nerve Gas have been employed?

[Aircav]

I know the RAF had a lot of Mustard Gas bombs, I was talking to a Ex-RAF Gas Medic a couple of years ago who had been based just outside Barnard Castle, Co Durham at the bomb deport.

[rickshaw]

The Germans however had developed Nerve Agents which would have been deadly if used against British troops and population.

If the RAF started gassing cities along the Ruhr (1944), would Nerve Gas have been employed?

One cannot be certain but there would have been a high probability.  Hitler could have scored a propaganda victory if he'd refrained but one wonders if his regime could have withstood the public pressure to retaliate.  The Nazis were terribly frightened by the results of the RAF Firestorm Raids.  German public opinion was very critical of their handling of the war in general and the Allied bombing campaign in particular.  The Nazis were very careful to take the public tempo throughout the war and Goebbels wrote extensively about it in his diaries.  Despite what many believe the Nazis were well aware that they only governed at the consent of the people.

[rickshaw]

I know the RAF had a lot of Mustard Gas bombs, I was talking to a Ex-RAF Gas Medic a couple of years ago who had been based just outside Barnard Castle, Co Durham at the bomb deport.

The British chemical weapons of choice were Lewisite and Mustard.  They were designed to be deployed by artillery shell, spray tanks or bombs.  The British experience with chemical weapons in WWI had generally by the end rather good, using them to dominate the German lines on the Western Front.  If you're interested, I highly recommend Albert Pallazo's Seeking Victory on the Western Front: The British Army & Chemical Warfare in World War I.  Makes fascinating, if rather horrific reading (please purchase a copy, Al likes the money ).

The period when the British were most likely to have resorted to the use of chemical weapons was if Operation Sea Lion had gone ahead.  There were extensive plans to use chemical weapons against the German bridgeheads (one of the reasons why Allied forces carried protective gear when landing in Normandy).   Churchill was ruthless enough to have done it too, IMHO.

[jcf]

Churchill was ready to use gas against Germany as a reaction to the V-1. The preparations moved
forward to the extent that the gas and special bombs were moved to the RAF and USAAF bases
ready to be loaded on the bombers. Whether the US forces would have actually gone through with
an attack is still open to question.

[KJ_Lesnick]

One cannot be certain but there would have been a high probability.

Wouldn't the death tolls have been catastrophic?