Nice pics of some SA-1s in flight and S-300PMU

You have to wonder if the writer in question had ever even SEEN a Wasserfall.

I have 😀 . Theres one in bits at Cosford that is part of their Missile Collection.

No known Soviet SAM programs before the war. SA-1 developed immediately after war. Therefore must be copy of German system. Yawn. Some Defence Writers aren’t worth the paper this is written on.

You have to wonder if the writer in question had ever even SEEN a Wasserfall.

Some defense writers have stated that the SA-1 is an R&D of by Russia of the WW2 German WASSERFALL. Anyone agree or disagree or have any comments?

No known Soviet SAM programs before the war. SA-1 developed immediately after war. Therefore must be copy of German system. Yawn. Some Defence Writers aren’t worth the paper this is written on.

I think this “defense writers” need to read and study much more.
USSR capture in the end of WW2 Wasserfall(without warhead and fuse),Henschel Hs 117 Schmetterling and Typhoon(unguided) missiles designed for use against aircraft.The missiles was transferred to NII-88 institute,where with the assistance of captured german scientists they worked to improve the missiles.On the base of Wasserfall the following missiles were “born”.
R-101.Problems with the engine(high frequency amplitude) forced for development of new engine.Flight test in the spring of 1949 to summer 1950.Eighteen launches.
R-108.Missile equiped with radar homing head.
R-109.Gunpowder was used to force the fuels into the combustion chamber instead of nitrogen.
Schmetterling was used in development of the following missiles:
R-102.Solid boosters,90% nitric acid and kerosine for fuel.In flight test in 1949 the missile flew 16km.
R-112.Similar to R-102,but with much greater weight(5t.!!!) wich lead to reduse speed(700m/s).R-112 have 3 variants.
R-112A-with homing head
R-112B-radiocomand guide system
R-112C-with ramjet engine
In 1950 USSR achieved great experience in developing missiles,so any further “copy” of german missiles was abbandoned.But not all went to “garbage”.On the base of R-101, R-11 and R-11M missiles was developed(SS-1b/Scud-A) and R-11MF(naval).
V-300 missile of the S-25 system was developed in OKB-301(Lavochkin).
If you look at the both missiles they have almost nothing in common.But there is no sense for comparison.
Maybe the reason why this “defence writers” think that S-25 is R&D of Wasserfall is that german scientists were used in development of the complex.But they were used in B-200(guidence system) development.So i think the confusion start from here.Nevertheless german experience was very usefull for USSR as that of the US and particularly Dr. Werner von Braun.

The basic design principles may have been the same but in terms of physical appearance the two systems are virtual opposites. The Wasserfall missile looked like a mini V2 whereas as the link above shows the SA-1 is very different.

Dear Members,

Some defense writers have stated that the SA-1 is an R&D of by Russia of the WW2 German WASSERFALL. Anyone agree or disagree or have any comments?

Jack E. Hammond