The Governing Council, minus only the Economics Minister who had pleaded pressure of work, were there to witness, and perhaps pass judgement on, von Braun’s creation. It was designated the A4. The professor and some of his scientists mingled with the guests answering queries, and all silently praying that nothing went wrong.
The seconds counted down to zero. The button was pressed. The massive liquid propellant fuelled rocket engine fired in a deafening burst of thunder. For a second or two the missile didn’t move. Then it clawed its way from the ground and rapidly accelerated skywards. It was quickly lost to sight. To the uninitiated watchers it was an awesome display of power that was over too quickly. None were quite sure what to make of it.
It was another fifteen minutes before von Braun asked for the attention of the guests. He confirmed that the missile had been sighted splashing into the sea one hundred and eighty kilometres away. On its ascent it had reached a maximum height of eighty five kilometres. Impressive. But what did this mean in terms of the weapon’s potential?
Von Braun explained. “You have just witnessed the successful flight of the world’s first long range ballistic missile. The final version of this particular design will have a maximum range of a little over three hundred kilometres and carry a one tonne explosive warhead. The guidance system is simple and allows us to fire the missile on a trajectory that carries it straight to the target, say a large city such as Leningrad.”
Von Brauchitsch expanded on this. “As things stand right now, this missile is little more than a very expensive artillery shell with an enormous range. If it were to be used against cities it would be nothing more than a terror weapon. That is something which I personally would not like to see.
However, I believe we will be able to develop a more accurate guidance system, and this will give us a much more useful weapon. Also, perhaps an as yet undiscovered more powerful explosive used in its warhead, could put the weapon system in the category of a deterrent to the most belligerent foreign powers from attacking the European Alliance. Even comrade Stalin would not dare to make war on us if he knew we could obliterate Moscow and other great Russian cities.
There is no effective defence against this missile. It can also be fired from mobile launch platforms that will be almost impossible to detect before the missile is launched. Admiral Doenitz has even suggested these rockets could be launched from suitably designed submarines one day. Possibly even from underwater. Trials last year on U-boats using the much smaller nebelwerfer rockets fired from depths of twelve metres showed there was no negative effect on the rockets accuracy.
The potential is quite staggering and Professor von Braun and his worthy team are to be congratulated for what has been achieved here.”
All present enthusiastically clapped their hands and cheered in appreciation of the scientist’s efforts.
Von Brauchitsch had the final word. “Neither should we forget the good Professor’s dream, space travel.” He looked towards von Braun. “Keep up the good work. I have no idea when it could happen, or even if it can be done, but if it is possible to put a man into space, I sincerely hope the first person is German.” The guests and the scientists cheered the field Marshall even more warmly for this vision.
Kesselring had what he wanted. The Governing Council, after the longest debate on a single issue during their relatively short history, unanimously approved government financial backing for the airliner projects. The British had done the same, but in their case the decision still had to be ratified in their Houses of Parliament.
The lawyers were already drawing up the necessary documentation to give life to the new project.
Rolls-Royce in Britain would be contracted for the engines, and in Germany, Focke-Wulf’s new airliner design was the one chosen from the several submissions. Their factory premises were already being extended. No time must be lost in the race with the Americans!
The British had pledged that their national airline, British Overseas Airways Corporation, (BOAC), would order an as yet to be determined number of the new aircraft, which had been given the name Flightstar.
Lufthansa had already delivered a Letter of Intent to Purchase. Their initial order would be for twenty airliners but with options for a further twenty. The other European airlines were expected to follow suit soon.
The first stage in the battle for civil aviation supremacy was over. But this had been the easy part!
The technical director of Focke-Wulf, the brilliant Professor Kurt Tank, was working like a man possessed. Lockheed had several years head start on them, but he and his team were determined to build this new world-beater, with its superior specifications, in time to challenge the Americans.
Tank was an aeronautical engineer who had led Focke-Wulf’s design department for the last eleven years. During that time he produced an excellent fighter aircraft, the FW190, which was superior to the Luftwaffe’s main fighter, the ME109. Unfortunately for Focke-Wulf, the end of the European War resulted in this project being terminated.
Of more practical use to the current airliner project was Tank’s other success story, the FW200 Condor. This was a four engine long range aircraft originally designed to Lufthansa specifications for passenger use. This was first produced in 1937, but from 1939 onwards only military versions were produced. While acting as a long range bomber/reconnaissance aircraft during the Battle of the Atlantic in 1940, Condors were successful in sinking a large tonnage of ships. Winston Churchill had once described them as the ‘Scourge of the Atlantic’.
In August 1938 Lufthansa had flown a Condor between Berlin and New York non-stop. The first aircraft ever to do this.
Tank was now incorporating lessons learned from the building of the Condor into the Flightstar.
Rolls-Royce executives had the new Aviation Minister breathing down their necks. Had they studied the Focke-Wulf plans? What were their plans for the engines? Was everything on schedule? This was his pet project and he expected their dedication. Time was of supreme importance.
After the Minister left, one of the harried company directors wailed, “Can’t we just go back to making motor cars?”
James Blackstone peered down at the baby held by his wife. It was a boy. ‘Ugly little bugger’ he thought, although he would never say it out loud in front of Fiona. She seemed thoroughly worn out by the ordeal of delivery. He hoped the beautiful bouquet of flowers he had placed in her hospital room had cheered her up at least a little bit. He left her as soon as he decently could. Let her sleep.
He hurried back to his office.
The Managing Director of Bradlington Thornberry bank had welcomed James’ idea of aircraft finance like a breath of fresh air. He saw the possibilities immediately. One or two of his fellow directors were a little slower in embracing the concept, and another, who should have put out to pasture long ago, was definitely hostile. Nevertheless it was now about to become reality.
The bank had been in existence for over one hundred years, but its innate conservatism had meant slow growth. A few years of modest expansion in the years after the Great Depression had been quickly curtailed by the onset of the European War.
Nigel Thornberry, aged fifty three, had been appointed Managing Director only the previous year. He was the great great grandson of one of the founders. He had joined the bank immediately after finishing at Cambridge University, and had worked his way up through every department of the bank at the insistence of his late father. He now wanted to ‘Bring the bank into the twentieth century’ as he put it. Hiring James Blackstone had been his idea. He was backing him to the hilt.