ARTEFACT of WAR
The first operational anti-ship missile terrorised Allied vessels during WWII
Development of a prototype glide bomb began in May 1940 under the supervision of Dr Herbert A Wagner. Based on the 1,102lb (500kg) general-purpose bomb, the glide bomb would allow German bombers to strike lightly armoured ships and merchant vessels while remaining out of range of antiaircraft fire. A rocket motor was added in December 1940 to provide 1,323lb (600kg) of thrust for ten seconds: enough to propel the released bomb into the line of sight of the bombardier in the nose of the aircraft.
The bombardier used a joystick to control the ailerons and elevator during the glide phase.
As the pilot maintained a level flight parallel to the target, the bombardier would manoeuvre the glide bomb until impact with the enemy ship. Flares were later added to make tracking the missile’s flight easier.
After extensive testing, the Luftwaffe deployed the Hs 293 on aircraft in the Bay of Biscay in the summer of 1943. The Hs 293 scored its first hit on the sloop HMS Bideford, but the warhead failed to detonate. Two days later, on 27 August, HMS Egret became the first vessel to be sunk by an Air-to-Surface Missile (ASM) after being targeted by a squadron of Dornier DO 217s carrying the Hs 293. This led to anti-U-boat patrols being temporarily suspended.
In total, 2,300 Hs 293s were fired in anger, sinking or damaging 25 vessels, including four British destroyers. They began to lose effectiveness as the Allies developed radio jamming counter-measures following the capture of an intact
