[OberstDanjeje]

Osprey Aviation Elite 27 - JV44

Adolf Galland recounted;
'On the Me 262, we could mount the R4M outside of the turbines
under the wings, 12 on each side, with little aerodynamic disturbance.
They were fired via a switch relay in 0.03-second gaps, the rockets being
aimed in exactly the same way as the MK 108, with a natural dispersion of
about 35 square metres. But on account ofthe arrangement ofthe rockets,
a shotgun-like pattern was made creating a rectangle around the bomber.
One hit - any hit - no matter where it was scored, sufficed to destroy a
four-engined bomber.
'The loss ofspeed from the Me 262 as a result ofmounting the R4M was
insignificant. The rocket projectiles were mounted with an upward
inclination ofeight degrees and fired some 600 metres from the target. At
this range they had the same ballistics as MK 108 cannon shells. When
you fired them, you just heard "ssssshhhh" - just a whisper.'
Johannes Steinhoff recalled even greater range capability;
'The great advantage of the rockets was that although their speed only
slightly exceeded that of sound, they could be let off 1100 metres away
from the target - and when fired from this range they represented a
field-of-fire in excess of 30 metres x 14 metres. This meant that by
releasing all his rockets at once against a close formation of bombers, a
pilot couldn't miss. We had, at last, the means not only ofcombating these
hitherto almost unassailable formations, but ofdestroying them too. But
- and it is a big "but" - it was "five minutes to twelve", in other words early
April 1945, before we got the rocket armament, and then only enough to
equip a few aircraft.'