The V-1

It went by several names. The Germans referred to it as the Kirschkern (Cherry Stone) or the Maikäfer (Maybug), while the British referred to it as the "Buzz Bomb" and the "Doodlebug." The V-1 was known as the "Fi 103" by the Reich Aviation Ministry, but whatever name it was given, it was a terrifying weapon. It was the first of Nazi Germany's so-called Vergeltungswaffen, or "Vengeance Weapons," designed to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy. The V-1 cruise missile was the world's first.

On June 13, 1944, one week after the Allied landings in Normandy, the Nazis launched their first V-1s at London. Over a hundred V-1s were launched every day at first, but as the Allies advanced eastward, the V-1's limited range meant that targets had to move eastwards as well. V-1s were launched at targets in the Netherlands and Belgium as England fell out of range, and this continued until the end of the war.

Barrage balloons and anti-aircraft guns were used to defend against the V-1, but one method was effective, albeit extremely dangerous. Fighter pilots could use the wing of their aircraft to flip the V-1 upside down in flight, confusing its guidance system.

In the end, the V-1 was successful because it was economical for Germany and made Britain focus a large portion of its war effort on defending against them. Thousands of V-1s had been launched by the end of the war.