V2 Rocket and Launch Crew
Some people may find the display of Nazi symbolism disturbing and in hindsite I wish I had not used the banners depicted here. My family suffered in England during the war (who didn't?), yet my uncle came home with a blonde German girl named Lotte whom I met in 2006.
I can reshoot the scenes without the banners if you like. You can contact me on the contact page for that purpose.
I am making the rocket from mdf board. This is a 2 dimensional model for ease and speed of construction. It needs two more stabilizer fins so that it will eventually stand on its own. I used a programme called DESMOS to help with dimensions. I was going to use 1/6 scale in keeping with the dolls 1/6 scale but at over 2m this was really never going to happen. Already my models are starting to take over the home....Mrs Ryan aint too happy about it. So went with 1/12 scale. Still a lot of fun.
Heidi Schneider, a niece of Himmler is also the daughter of the engineer that designed and built the V2 Rockets. To protect her from being exploited by the third Reich, Heidi was adopted by a close friend. But after the war broke out the Gestapo were suspicious of the coverup.....The rocket designer ensured Heidi was based at the rocket station which is where the Gestapo would least likely expect her to be.
OK, let's see, the blue wire is connected to the red wire except when it crosses the yellow wire where it connects with the black wire. For models fitted with the tachometer fuel pump ratio control valve, remove the green and yellow striped wire and connect it to the terminal of the 8 ton flow valve sensor. Failure to do so will result in quite a large explosion...at the launch site. Wow, this is so simple, a brain surgeon could do it!
Kommandant: "Well private, what seems to be the hold up?" " The Allies have landed on the beaches and are now just 3 days away!"
Heidi: "Well sir, do you want the Laplace transform frequency gyro stabilization for short duration flights or the Inverse Laplace transform damping with exponential critical coupling for short distances?" Kommandant:"What?!!"
Heidi: "Ok sir, everybody leave the area while I light the torch fuse!"Kommandant: "Are you trying to be funny private? I could send you to the Russian front!" "Your uncle Himmler wont save you now!"
Heidi: "Gee sir, you can ask him yourself. He always calls me this time every day to see how I'm doing. He's my favourite uncle" "Ring ring, ring ring" Gee sir, who could that be?" Kommandant: "You carry a telephone with you?" Heidi: "Yes it was a present from my Uncle Goebbels"
Kommandant: "Heil Himmler...oh, I mean Heil Hitler". Himmler: "Dispense with the formalities her Kommandant. Why is that rocket still on the launchpad when there is an invasion taking place right this minute?" And by the way , stop sending troops to the Russian Front...its not in Russia any more you fool!
Heidi: "Ok, so we have Liquid oxygen. We also have sodium permanganate and hydrogen peroxide for the steam generator. Wow, the steam vapor looks so cute and fluffy ... like cotton wool hahaha..."."
Kommandant: "Enough! Continue with the flight schedule as planned!" Heidi: But we have no alcohol sir!"
Heidi: "I'm sorry her Kommandant but it takes 30 tonnes of potatoes to enable one flight" Kommandant: "What have potatoes got to do with the V2, our ultimate weapon that will win this war?" Heidi: "Thats where the alcohol comes from sir, potatoes! And the potatoes have been diverted to feeding the German population" Clink: "What, can they not make any sacrifices?"
Earlier that year...
The V2 Rocket Team have been placed in charge of coastal Defences in Northern France
Willy Huber: "Kommandant, what makes you think the Allies are going to land here for the invasion?" Kommandant: "Because this is the only stretch of coast protected by these two ingenious hedgehog beach obstacles that will rip their landing craft apart"
Willy:"Sir, you are a genius, the staff in Berlin would be so proud of our unit." Kommandant: "Yes, a glorious opportunity to set an example for our country and Fuhrer. It will be the three of us against 2 million of them, are you up for it!" Willy: "ahh, umm, hmmm, yeah why not?"
Willy: "Kommandant, I think the first wave is arriving already!" Kommandant"What do you mean Willy, I don't see anyone." " No sir, not Americans but waves of sea water...run for it...
Willy: "They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin,' Yeah, we're goin' down They say everybody knows, everybody knows where we're goin,' Yeah, we're goin' down!"
Willy: "The Americans have all the right friends in all the right places. So yeah, we're goin' down. They got all the right moves in all the right places. So yeah, we're goin' down."
Image of the 1/6 scale hedgehog obstacle made from angle wood and bolts.
Heidi moves into Administration
Heidi: "Hi Willy, is the Kommandant in a good mood today?" Willy: "Absolutely, he offered me some liverworst sausage today for my lunch" Heidi: "Oh, he is so nice. Hey would you like to go to the movies tonight, Casablanca's showing?"
Clink: "So much work so little time!!! I am a victim of my own success. Secure the Northern Coast from a possible invasion, secure the rear, attend the annual flower show and organise the egg and spoon race between the Gestapo and the 22nd Panzer Division
Clink: "Yes, what is it? I'm very busy!"
Willy: "Kommandant, Private Schneider, niece of Himmler, Reichsführer-SS and closest friend of the Fuhrer Ado..." Clink: "Yes I know about her family connections Willy, let her in. Please do not allow anyone else in today.".
Heidi: "Hi sir, may Willy and me attend a movie showing in town tonight. Its a pop up cinema. It pops up and then the Gestapo shut it down. Its called Casablanca" Clink: " Fine, listen, I need some help around here, starting with the upside down banner"
Heidi: "Oh I'd love to help out sir. I can arrange for my typewriter and office equipment to be sent here. I can move in today!" Clink: " Yes, yes, yes that's fine. I need a secretary."
Heidi: "Well it looks like someone had a blonde moment hanging this banner upside down haha." Clink: "That was me..." Heidi: "Oh, I'm sorry sir, but don't worry".
Heidi: "I used to be a part time wall paper hanger before the war" Clink: "Why am I not surprised!"
Heidi: "What was that sir?" Clink: " Um, I said I can't believe my eyes. You have a talent for hanging things" Heidi: "Oh it slipped down again. This won't take long at all"
Lili: "Hello Willy, I want to see the Kommandant thank you" Willy: "Um, the Kommandant does not want to be disturbed today ma'am"
Lili: "You do know that I can rip your arms and legs out of their sockets right?" Willy: " The Kommandant will see you now ma'am" Lili: "How about a movie tonight Willy? Casablanca is showing in town" Willy: gulp!
Heidi: "OK, I'm done here, now we can organise your schedule for the week."
Heidi: "OMG sir, you have a busy schedule" Clink: "Tell me about it!" Heidi: "Don't worry sir, I'm not just a rocket scientist you know. OK first correspondence of the day..."
Clink: "OK, we need to send General Rommel's wife a birthday card and an expensive bottle of wine from the cellar". Heidi: "Oh no sir, not wine, there is a nice sellection of expensive French perfume in town, I'll organise it" Clink: "Yes...of course..."
Heidi: "Oh this is interesting, It's from Mr Winston Churchill." Clink: "What!" Heidi: "It says, Die Festung hat kein Dach"
Clink: "What does this mean?" Heidi: "Well sir, it means they intend to bomb the crap out of us if we don't surrender" Clink: "Ha! Wait until they see our V2 rocket...in fact they wont see it until it hits them Haha!"
Heidi: "Oh, and the last one is from....hmmm...Miss Lili Marlene"
Clink: "Well, what does it say?" Heidi: "She is arriving here at the Chateau today at 11:15am. Oh that's now, how exciting to have our own film star here with us. She is also touring with the Romanov diamond".
Clink: " So glad you could stop by and visit us here at the Nomandy Rocket and Jet Propulsion Facility Miss Marlene. We love all your films and music. I first heard your song 'Lili Marlene' while I was stationed in North Africa".
Lili: "You will not need your V2 rocket Kommandant. He who possesses the Romanov diamond will win the war". Heidi: "Is it true, the diamond has magic powers?" Clink: "Nonsense and mumbo jumbo!"
Lili: "Why don't you look closer Heidi and tell us what you see?" Heidi: "Oh really can I?, OK then"
Heidi: "Oh I can see lots of me!" Lili: "What you see is your past, look closer....what do you see?" Heidi: "But I don't understand".
Heidi: "Oh, I see a Russian girl...a sniper? Lili: "Yes, but where is she?"
Heidi: "My God, is it the Brandenburg Gate? But it's in ruins. I still don't understand what is happening" Lili: "you are looking into the future, the end of the third Reich. I met Leytenant Lisavita Britchkina in Stalingrad...staring down the barrel of her sniper rifle knowing each round of her ammunition is painted with her red nail polish. But she let me go...fortunately, she loved my music too"
Clink: "Enough of this stupidity! Willy, organise the MG42 practice. Tomorrow we go to the coast. Fire power not diamonds will determine the future of this war""
Will: "Ok Heidi the Kommandant has loaned us his motorcyle but the side car is missing, do you mind?
Heidi: "No, not at all. Casablanca here we come!" Willy: "Hold on Heidi"
Capture of the Rocket facility in Normandy
Originally the Rocket facility was bypassed by Allied forces as they had no idea of the importance of the location. A landing craft carrying male personnel of the 24/7 Military Field Hospital steered off course and landed several miles east of Omaha on a relatively low defended beach front between two major landing sectors. Before launching from the mother ship, the landing craft received a Sherman tank, held back for repairs it had received after being damaged during loading.
The only enemy position that gave them trouble were staff from the V2 Rocket facility which had set up a machine gun defensive position not far from the Rocket Centre near St Lo. Due to mechanical issues the Sherman was unable to fire on the German position and could only offer covering protection for the medics and a few support soldiers of the 35th Infantry division. One of two jeeps hit a mine and overturned also providing cover for the unit. The ground leading up to the German gun emplacement was too steep for the tank to climb, but it allowed Sgt Buck Remington to put some fire on the German position. Kommandant Clink i/c of the Rocket Facility decided to retreat with his two support troops. They were seen leaving as the US soldiers reached the gun emplacement where they were able to fire upon the fleeing soldiers but they escaped unharmed.
It was the 24/7 Military Field Hospital that set up its evacuation center there which soon discovered the significance of the site.
On the evening before the arrival of the hospital unit, all senior German officers and back up soldier units evacuated by plane from the Chateau. Though he doesn't realize it, Kommandant Clink was appointed to the position as a cover for the real personnel to escape in the event of the rocket center being taken by the allies. But officials in Berlin failed to pick up the fact that Heidi was not just a secretary, but in fact related to the designer of their V2 rocket. Also left behind was famous German entertainer singer and film star Lili Marlene. Again back in Berlin they forgot about the fact that Lili was in possession of the worlds largest diamond, the Romanov diamond stolen by the German forces on their way to Stalingrad. Last, not least, Professor Werner Von Braun disguised as the Chateau's chef.
But the Russians had not, dispatching one of their famous snipers, Leytenant Lisaveta Britchkina to St Lo just after D-day. However, Lisa falls for American medic Sgt Joe Bradley and decides to stay with the hospital unit until meeting up with Russian Forces on 25 Apr 1945.
The only enemy position that gave them trouble were staff from the V2 Rocket facility which had set up a machine gun defensive position not far from the Rocket Centre near St Lo. Due to mechanical issues the Sherman was unable to fire on the German position and could only offer covering protection for the medics and a few support soldiers of the 35th Infantry division. One of two jeeps hit a mine and overturned also providing cover for the unit. The ground leading up to the German gun emplacement was too steep for the tank to climb, but it allowed Sgt Buck Remington to put some fire on the German position. Kommandant Clink i/c of the Rocket Facility decided to retreat with his two support troops. They were seen leaving as the US soldiers reached the gun emplacement where they were able to fire upon the fleeing soldiers but they escaped unharmed.
It was the 24/7 Military Field Hospital that set up its evacuation center there which soon discovered the significance of the site.
On the evening before the arrival of the hospital unit, all senior German officers and back up soldier units evacuated by plane from the Chateau. Though he doesn't realize it, Kommandant Clink was appointed to the position as a cover for the real personnel to escape in the event of the rocket center being taken by the allies. But officials in Berlin failed to pick up the fact that Heidi was not just a secretary, but in fact related to the designer of their V2 rocket. Also left behind was famous German entertainer singer and film star Lili Marlene. Again back in Berlin they forgot about the fact that Lili was in possession of the worlds largest diamond, the Romanov diamond stolen by the German forces on their way to Stalingrad. Last, not least, Professor Werner Von Braun disguised as the Chateau's chef.
But the Russians had not, dispatching one of their famous snipers, Leytenant Lisaveta Britchkina to St Lo just after D-day. However, Lisa falls for American medic Sgt Joe Bradley and decides to stay with the hospital unit until meeting up with Russian Forces on 25 Apr 1945.
