[Lone Sentry: Bachem Ba349 Natter]
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WWII Photo Feature 36: Bachem Ba 349 "Natter"
This section features documents and photographs from our personal collection of WWII historical material. As time permits, new feature pages will be added with additional photographs and documents.

The April 1946 issue of the Intelligence Bulletin included a lengthy report on German WWII rockets and guided missiles. The article covered the Bachem Ba 349 "Natter" (Adder) rocket-powered fighter with the following illustrations and captions.

[Bachem Ba 349 Natter] 
At first complacent in the face of the strategic bombing threat, the Germans in 1943 became fearful, then frantic. They were willing to try out any possibly effective counterweapon. One of these trial weapons was the piloted rocket called the "Natter," a test model of which is shown here.
   
[Bachem Ba 349 Natter: Schematic] 
A cross-section of the "Natter" illustrates its component parts. The rocket fuel is a liquid, as in the V–2 type of rocket. The chute was used to prevent wrecking the main motor, which, like the pilot, was jettisoned.
 
[Bachem Ba 349 Natter: Launch Pad] 
The "Natter" was launched from a frame in the manner of a projectile from a gun. The pilot assumed control after the missile was airborne. The "Natter" represented a cross between a fighter and a suicide-type aircraft.
   
[Bachem Ba 349 Natter: Takeoff] 
Launching of the "Natter" was impressive. The blast of its rocket gives an idea of the power used in attaining a climbing speed of 435 miles per hour—about 38,000 feet a minute. This speed was attained climbing almost straight up.

Source: "Guided Missiles—The Weapon of the Future," Intelligence Bulletin, April 1946, Military Intelligence Division, War Department, Washington, D.C.

 
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