Rheinmetall Borsig Rheintochter (Daughter of the Rhein) R1

Missile Type: 2
Collection Ref: 85/O/521

Developed in late 1942 for the German Army, this missile was very large and possessed many features found in modern Surface-to-Air missiles.

The Rheintochter 1 was launched from a converted 88mm gun mount and radio guided by the Command to Line of Sight (CLOS) technique. The operator used a joy stick to command movement of control surfaces on the nose of the missile. To make the observation of the missile easier for the operator, a flare was fitted to two of the missile’s wing tips.

Late in 1944 the Rheintochter 1 was abandoned as it was unable to compete with the altitude capability of the Schmetterling. Rheintochter III was developed for the Luftwaffe and had a greatly improved performance profile, however the project was still cancelled in favour of the Enzian and Schmetterling.

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