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 
