These 7 German wonder weapons from WWII were so far ahead of their time. Their innovative designs and capabilities even went as far as influencing modern warfare.
1. Horten Ho 229
Wikipedia
Youtube / History of the Third Reich
Known to be “world’s first stealth bomber”, the Horten Ho 229 was an incredible marvel of engineering. The aircraft could fly up to 600 mph or climb to altitudes of 49,000 feet. Although believed to be way ahead of its time, the Horten Ho 229 didn’t make much of an impact on the war because it was launched in 1944 when WWII was almost over.
2. Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet
www.suru.lt
The Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet was a German rocket-powered fighter aircraft. At the time, it was the only one of its kind ever to have been operational. This rocket-powered fighter plane could travel up to 700 mph. However, the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet wasn’t much of a great fighter as it only managed to shoot down 9 enemy aircraft eventhough 300 of it were made.
3. Goliath Tracked Mine
Wikipedia
The Goliath Tracked Mine was basically a small remote-controlled car designed to blow the crap out of anything it touched. The tiny war machine could move at 6 mph and deliver a payload containing 100 kg of explosives. Goliath’s major weakness was that it was connected to a joystick via a 2,000-foot cable which meant all the enemy had to in order to disable it was to cut the wire.
4. Fritz X
www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
The Fritz X was a 3,450 pound radio-guided bomb that could be deployed at 20,000 feet, putting it out of reach from most anti-aircraft guns.The bomb was designed to penetrate up to 28 inches of armor. In 1943, a Fritz X managed to sink an Italian battleship and put two American vessels out of service for over a year. It was the world’s first precision guided weapon and the first bomb to sink a ship in combat.
5. Schwerer Gustav
via eBaum’s World
The Schwerer Gustav is the largest canon ever built. It weighed 1,350 tons and was fed seven-ton shells that could reach distances of up to 29 miles. However, due to its monstrous size, the canon required several men in order to move, set-up, and operate. Only 2 Schwerer Gustav were ever made.
6. StG 44
sploid.gizmodo.com
Developed during WWII, the StG 44 is a German selective-fire riffle considered to be the first modern assault rifle. The StG 44 was the first of its kind to see major development and even inspired the creation of the AK-47. The gun came with an attachment that would allow it to shoot around corners and another which provided infrared vision.
7. Panzer VIII Maus
www.moddb.com
Youtube / vaskoninja
A force to be reckoned with, the Panzer VIII Maus was considered to be the mother of all tanks. The powerful machinery weighed a whopping 188 tons and could have swung the war in Germany’s favor had it been developed a few years earlier. Only two Panzers were ever made since production was incredibly expensive.