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Gregvan · 6 April 2004, 06:09 PM

Hi All,

Immo, thanks for that additional information on Gontermann - very fascinating stuff ! Peter Grosz' info on Rudolf Nebel's experiments came from Nebel's book "Die Narren von Tegel" (1972). Unfortunately, it is apparently lacking in dates. In the article on the Halberstadt fighters which he co-wrote with Ed Ferko in "Air Enthusiast Quarterly" No. 14, Pete wrote that Nebel conceived the idea while he was lying badly wounded in a hospital following an air battle. Nebel then visited a pioneer depot and "cadged several lengths of stovepipe and a supply of large signal rockets such as used by the infantry." He mounted two pipes under each lower wing of his Halberstadt, leading the four ignition cables to a cockpit-mounted firing switch. Eight days after his first victory, Nebel shot the propeller off of another a/c which crashed. A week later, his Albatros D.III wings were ignited by the rockets and he managed to crash land the a/c, and was slightly injured again in the crash. Acording to his book, Nebel was recommended for the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Ehrenbecher for his two 'victories' with the rockets, by Oblt Hans Berr, but further rocket experimentation was strictly forbidden.

Incidentally, Grosz also writes that Hermann Göring wrote a report for headquarters about Nebel's experiments, and he coined the term "Nebelwerfer" for the rocket weapon (literally 'fog thrower', a nice cover name for a new weapon), a name accepted by the Jasta 5 pilots with 'great enthusiasm'. The name was to re-surface in the German military lexicon in WW2 for the German rocket-barrage weapon, similar to the Russian Katyuscha.

Now, in Rick Duiven's notes I find that Nebel had an unconfirmed victory over a DH2 on 11 March 1917, and his first confirmed victory was over an FE2b on 26 April 1917 ? I can find no mention of Nebel being wounded or injured. However, if his book can be trusted (which doesn't seem entirely likely) perhaps he was experimenting with his rockets in March/April 1917, and the aircraft he 'shot the propeller off of' was the FE2b on 26 April ? Gontermann was obviously experimenting with rockets at the same time.

Just some thoughts.

Greg

6 April 2004, 06:09 PM	#9 (permalink)
Gregvan Forum Ace of Aces Contributor Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: St. Charles, Iowa Posts: 3,626	Hi All, Immo, thanks for that additional information on Gontermann - very fascinating stuff ! Peter Grosz' info on Rudolf Nebel's experiments came from Nebel's book "Die Narren von Tegel" (1972). Unfortunately, it is apparently lacking in dates. In the article on the Halberstadt fighters which he co-wrote with Ed Ferko in "Air Enthusiast Quarterly" No. 14, Pete wrote that Nebel conceived the idea while he was lying badly wounded in a hospital following an air battle. Nebel then visited a pioneer depot and "cadged several lengths of stovepipe and a supply of large signal rockets such as used by the infantry." He mounted two pipes under each lower wing of his Halberstadt, leading the four ignition cables to a cockpit-mounted firing switch. Eight days after his first victory, Nebel shot the propeller off of another a/c which crashed. A week later, his Albatros D.III wings were ignited by the rockets and he managed to crash land the a/c, and was slightly injured again in the crash. Acording to his book, Nebel was recommended for the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Ehrenbecher for his two 'victories' with the rockets, by Oblt Hans Berr, but further rocket experimentation was strictly forbidden. Incidentally, Grosz also writes that Hermann Göring wrote a report for headquarters about Nebel's experiments, and he coined the term "Nebelwerfer" for the rocket weapon (literally 'fog thrower', a nice cover name for a new weapon), a name accepted by the Jasta 5 pilots with 'great enthusiasm'. The name was to re-surface in the German military lexicon in WW2 for the German rocket-barrage weapon, similar to the Russian Katyuscha. Now, in Rick Duiven's notes I find that Nebel had an unconfirmed victory over a DH2 on 11 March 1917, and his first confirmed victory was over an FE2b on 26 April 1917 ? I can find no mention of Nebel being wounded or injured. However, if his book can be trusted (which doesn't seem entirely likely) perhaps he was experimenting with his rockets in March/April 1917, and the aircraft he 'shot the propeller off of' was the FE2b on 26 April ? Gontermann was obviously experimenting with rockets at the same time. Just some thoughts. Greg __________________ Greg VanWyngarden