The Henschel Hs 293 was a anti-ship missile Designed and developed
by
Henschel
und Sohn in 1939 under the leadership of Dr.-Ing.
Herbert
Alois Wagner.
The Henschel Hs 293 was intended to be deployed against Allied
shipping. Dipl.-Ing.
Herbert
Alois Wagner team was as follows Reinhard Lahde, Otto
Bohlmann, Wilfried Hell, Josef Schwarzmann, Julius Henrici.
Dr.-Ing.
Herbert
Alois Wagner team started development work in 1939 using
a glide bomb design
from 1937 by DVL, Siemens, Askania, Schwarz Propeller Werke,
who had undertaken research into the control of unmanned aircraft,
however, none of these proved to be aerodynamically successful.
The first design was designated Hs 293 V-1 although this was
not actually built, the first actual prototype was designed
in February 1940 designated Hs 293 V-2/FZ 21 (FZ 21 codename
for designated Hs 293 V-2) and this was extensively tested
at
Karlshagen, this
version however, had no warhead or engine. In July 1940, a
new version had been designed designated Hs 293 V-3 but as
with the Hs 293 V-2/FZ 21 there was still no warhead or engine
fitted and a minimum release altitude of 1,000 m.
The Hs 293 A-0 had been produced by the end of 1940 and had
1 ×
Walter
HWK 109-507 liquid fuel rocket engine producing up to
590 kg of thrust and could be released from the parent aircraft
at an altitude of 400 m with an acceptable target range being
maintained. The Hs 293 A-0 was first successfully launched
on 18 December 1940. continued development of The Hs 293 continued
right up until 1944. 1 ×
Walter
HWK 109-507B liquid fuel rocket engine producing up to
590 kg of thrust, alternatively the
BMW
109-511 liquid fuel rocket engine producing up to 600
kg or
WASAG
109-512 solid fuel rocket engine producing up to 1,200
kg of thrust or even 2 ×
Schmidding
SG 33 solid fuel rocket engine producing up to until 1,855
kg of thrust could be used.
Henschel
Hs 293A standard version used operationally
Henschel
Hs 293B prototype wire link control produced to combat
jamming but was never put into operational use
Henschel
Hs 293C prototype underwater version
Henschel
Hs 293D prototype for television guidance, using Fernesh
Gmbh
Henschel Hs 293E prototype for spoiler controls as a replacement
to ailerons
Henschel
Hs 293F experimental delta wing, and tailless version
of the missile
Henschel Hs 293G experimental variant with unique gyroscopic
unit fitted work abandoned in favour of the
Fritz
X
Henschel
Hs 293H experimental air to air missile variant abandoned
in favour of dedicated air to air systems
Henschel Hs 293I experimental missile variant with double
the explosive weight of 500 kg
25 August 1943. The Royal Navy's sloop HMS Bideford was slightly
damaged by a Henschel Hs 293.
25 August 1943. The Royal Navy's sloop HMS Landguard was slightly
damaged by a Henschel Hs 293.
27 August 1943. The Royal Navy's sloop HMS Egret was sunk
30 nautical miles west of Vigo, Spain by a Henschel Hs 293.
27 August 1943. The Canadian destroyer HMCS Athabaskan was
severely damaged by a Henschel Hs 293. However the HMCS Athabaskan
made it back to Portsmouth.
13 September 1943. The hospital ship HMHS Newfoundland was
severely damaged by a Henschel Hs 293. due to the severity
of the damage HMHS Newfoundland had to be sunk.
14 September 1943. The transport ship SS Bushrod Washington
was sunk by a Henschel Hs 293.
15 September 1943. The transport ship SS James W. Marshall
was severely damaged by a Henschel Hs 293. there were a number
of crew casualties the SS James W. Marshall was later used
as a brake water, France
30 September 1943. The Royal Navy's landing craft HMS LST
79 was sunk at Ajaccio, Corsica, France by a Henschel Hs 293.
September 1943. The US Navy's destroyer USS Tillman was slightly
damaged after shooting down the
Do
217 carrying a Henschel Hs 293.
6 November 1943. The transport ship SS Santa Elena was sunk
off Philippeville, North Africa by a Henschel Hs 293.
11 November 1943. The Royal Navy's Escort destroyer HMS Rockwood
was badly damaged in the Aegean Sea by a Henschel Hs 293.
HMS Rockwood was so badly damaged. She was scrapped at a later
date
13 November 1943. The Royal Navy's Escort destroyer HMS Dulverton
was severely damaged off Kos, Dodecanese by a
Do
217 carrying a Henschel Hs 293. HMS Dulvertonwas so badly
damaged. She had to be scuttled several hours later casualties
were quite high.
23 January 1944. The Royal Navy's destroyer HMS Jervis was
badly damaged off Anzio, Italy by KG 100 using a Henschel
Hs 293.
23 January 1944. The Royal Navy's destroyer HMS Janus was
sunk off Anzio, Italy by KG 100 using a Henschel Hs 293 many
crew members died.
January 1944. The transport ship SS John Banvard was badly
damaged off Anzio, Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
29 January 1944. The transport ship SS Samuel Huntington was
sunk off Anzio, Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
29 January 1944. The the Royal Navy's light cruiser HMS Spartan
was sunk off Anzio, Western Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
15 February 1944. The US Navy's destroyer USS Herbert C Jones
was badly damaged by a Henschel Hs 293.
16 February 1944. The landing craft LCT 35, was sunk off Anzio,
Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
16 February 1944. The transport ship SS Elihu Yale was sunk
off Anzio, Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
25 February 1944. The Royal Navy's destroyer HMS Inglefield
was sunk off Anzio, Italy by a Henschel Hs 293.
20 April 1944. The US Navy's destroyer USS Lansdale was sunk
while on Escort duties by a Henschel Hs 293.
20 April 1944. The transport ship SS Samite was badly damaged,
while being escorted by the US Navy's destroyer USS Lansdale
which was also sunk by a Henschel Hs 293.
8 June 1944. The Royal Navy's frigate HMS Lawford was sunk
off Normandy by a Henschel Hs 293.
9 June 1944. The US Navy's destroyer USS Meredith was sunk
by a Henschel Hs 293, 35 crew members were killed. The remainder
were rescued by USS. Bates.
20 July 1944. The Canadian frigate HMCS Matane was badly damaged
by a Henschel Hs 293 there were three crew members killed,
the ship had to be towed to Plymouth by HMCS Monnow.
2 September 1944. The US Navy's landing craft USS LST 282
was badly damaged on the coast of southern France by a Henschel
Hs 293 was later abandoned.
The Warplanes of the Third Reich.
ISBN-10: 0385057822
German Aircraft of the Second World War.
ISBN-10: 0370000242
Hitler's Luftwaffe.
ISBN-10: 051718771X
For a complete list of
sources
