Chronology - Quarter 4 1943 home
topic index

PreviousHomeNext

1943 October 1 - Launch Vehicle: EA 1941.
  • EA 1941 design smuggled to London Nation: France. Barre microfilmed the drawings of the rocket and they are smuggled to Britain. Members of Barre's team are detained by the Gestapo. One of them ironically dies in a concentration camp where the inmates are assigned to V-2 rocket production.
October 1943 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-1.
  • German 'ski ramps' Nation: Germany. British photo-intelligence interpreters discover what they call 'ski ramps' along the Atlantic coast of occupied Europe. These are 100 m long, and a total of 21 are discovered by mid-November. It is soon noted that whatever their location, all of the ramps point toward London. Fantastic theories are proposed - they are iceberg or poison gas launchers. References: 693.
1943 October 2 -
  • First U.S. military rocket-powered airplane. Nation: USA. Crew: Myers. First U.S. military rocket-powered airplane, the Rocket Ram, was tested as a glider by John Myers. It was equipped with an Aerojet XCAL-200 engine, using monoethylanline as fuel. References: 17.
November 1943 - Launch Vehicle: Redstone.
  • Development of ballistic missiles authorized. Nation: Germany. Gen. H. H. Arnold, Chief of Air Staff, directed and authorized emphasis on research, development, and procurement of guided missiles, as indicated by known German advances. References: 17.
1943 December 1 -
  • NACA rocket program. Nation: USA. Spacecraft: XS-1. The rocket aircraft research program conceived by NACA's John Stack, to investigage the flight characteristics of an airplane flying beyond the speed of sound or Mach 1. References: 17.
December 1943 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: A9/A10, V-2.
  • Mach 10 wind tunnel construction begins. Nation: Germany. A4 development is completed, so Peenemuende engineers can turn to full-scale development of the A9/A10. Construction of a Mach 10 wind tunnel to test hypersonic aerodynamic configurations for the missile begins. References: 693.
1943 December 3 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-1.
  • Decision to destroy the ski ramps Nation: Germany. Although their purpose is not understood, it is decided to start a bombing campaign to destroy the German 'ski ramps'. By December 1, 64 had been found, and 75 by 21 December. References: 693.
1943 December 25 - Launch Site: Peenemuende. Launch Complex: -. Launch Pad: -. Launch Vehicle: V-1.
  • Raid against V-1 launchers Nation: Germany. A raid is launched by Allied 1300 aircraft. The tactics have been developed at Eglin AFB, Florida, where a replica 'ski ramp' was built in an effort to understand its purpose and how best to bomb it. References: 693.
1943 December 31 - Launch Vehicle: V-2.
  • First V-2 deliveries from Mittelwerk Nation: Germany. 4 or 5 missiles are 'delivered' in order to meet the end-of-the-year date set by the German leadership. They are immediately returned to the tunnel for rework. References: 727.

PreviousHomeNext


Contact us with any corrections, additions, or comments.
Conditions for use of drawings, pictures, or other materials from this site..
To contact astronauts or cosmonauts.

© Mark Wade, 1997 - 2008 except where otherwise noted.