Model: G-3.

Groettrup G-3

Intermediate range cruise missile. Family: Soviet Strategic Cruise Missiles. Other Family: Study. Country: Russia. Status: Study 1949. Other Designations: R-8. Manufacturer's Designation: R-13.

German aerodynamicist Albring designed the G-3 missile for the Russians in October 1949. This would use a rocket-powered Groettrup-designed G-1 as the first stage. The cruise stage would have an aerodynamic layout like that of the Saenger-Bredt rocket-powered antipodal bomber of World War II. Cruising at 13 km altitude, the supersonic missile would carry a 3000 kg warhead to a range of 2900 km. This was an alternate approach to Ustinov's 3000 kg over 3000 km range missile requirement of April 1949. This design would be elaborated at Korolev's bureau into the EKR ramjet design of 1953. Alternate designations for the G-3 have been reported as R-8 in the original secret Soviet designation scheme, and R-13 in the overt scheme. Designations of G-5 and R-15 are also reported, although this may refer to another design entirely.

Manufacturer: Groettrup. to a: 3000 km trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 324.000 kN (72,838 lbf). Total Mass: 25,000 kg (55,000 lb). Core Diameter: 1.65 m (5.41 ft). Total Length: 25.00 m (82.00 ft). Standard warhead mass: 3,000 kg (6,600 lb). Maximum range: 2,900 km (1,800 mi).

1946 October 23 - Groettrup team transported to Soviet Union. In overnight roundup, 20,000 Germans transported to USSR to transfer technology on aerospace and other technical fields.

1949 April 9 - Ustinov instructs German rocket engineers to design '3000/3000' missile. Ustinov's requirement was to deliver a 3000 kg nuclear warhead over a 3000 km range (eg to reach the United Kingdom).

1949 October - Albring G-3 cruise missile German aerodynamicist Albring designed the G-3 missile for the Russians. This would use a rocket-powered Groettrup-designed G-1 as the first stage. The cruise stage would have an aerodynamic layout like that of the Saenger-Bredt rocket-powered antipodal bomber of World War II. Cruising at 13 km altitude, the supersonic missile would carry a 3000 kg warhead to a range of 2900 km. This was an alternate approach to Ustinov's 3000 kg over 3000 km range missile requirement of April 1949. This design would be elaborated at Korolev's bureau into the EKR ramjet design of 1953.