V2 rocket

The first long-range guided ballistic missile

The warhead

The tip of the V-2 held the warhead made of explosive amatol 60/40 weighing 910kg (2,010lb). A layer of fibreglass protected the warhead, which was detonated by an electric contact fuse.

The fuel tank

The central portion of the rocket held its fuel supply. The V-2 utilised an alcohol/ water fuel mixture composed of 74 per cent ethanol to 26 per cent water. Each rocket carried more than 3,700kg (8,100lb) of fuel.

combustion chamber

The V-2’s combustion burner exceeded 2,500°C (4,500°F), fuelled by 1,224 nozzles that injected the alcohol/water fuel mixture. The rocket used a layer of liquid ethyl alcohol to cool the chamber walls.

Stabiliser fins

The V-2 used four stabiliser fins to guide it along a pre-calculated path. The rocket would have had reasonable accuracy except for British disinformation that left German engineers overcorrecting falsely reported errors.

The Start Table

The V-2 took off from a mobile launch platform known as the Abschussplattform, or ‘firing table’. The launch platform was towed into position and the rocket set up on top of it for firing.