The Tailor-Made Guide to German Weapons in WW2 - V-2 Rockets
- 3 days ago
- 14 min read
Author: Barry Pickard
Hi, I'm Barry, the owner of Tailor-Made Itineraries and I have been designing bespoke self-guided tours for adventurous and curious travellers since 2015. I am a history graduate with a passion for travel.
I created this blog to show, through my own adventures, how you can have an incredible travel experience as an independent traveller, giving you the information to navigate the world with confidence.
Contents
Have you ever stood on the very ground where history was made, feeling the weight of the past beneath your feet? Imagine standing in a quiet, unassuming forest, surrounded by the scent of pine and damp earth, as the sound of distant birds chirping fills the air. But under the surface, something far darker and more incredible happened. The Nazis’ V-2 rockets—those terrifying German weapons in WW2—were born right here, in the hidden pockets of rural Germany and Poland.
This isn’t just any history lesson. This is where I took myself on an unforgettable journey—tracking down remnants of the V-2 rockets, from launch sites to the underground tunnels where the rockets were developed. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly where to find them, based on my own independent travels. Whether you’re a history buff or just seeking a unique adventure, this is the article that’s got you covered.
Travelling to locations where history was made can be a profound experience, and a journey to sites associated with the Nazi V-2 rockets is no exception. During World War II, the V-2 rockets were one of the most advanced weapons of their time and played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the war. The remnants of these rockets and the history surrounding them can still be found today in various locations around the world, providing travellers with a unique opportunity to discover a piece of world history.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Regardless of this, please be advised that all opinions expressed in this blog post are genuine and authentically my own.
Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting these locations appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the history of the V-2 rocket programme, or indeed, a general tour of Germany or Poland.
What was the V-2 Rocket and Who Developed It?
The V-2 rocket (Vergeltungswaffe 2, literally "Vengeance Weapon 2") was the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile. The missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was developed during the Second World War in Nazi Germany. The V-2 rocket was the brainchild of Wernher von Braun - the V-2 rocket inventor - a German aerospace engineer and one of the leading figures in the development of rocketry. Von Braun and his team began working on the V-2 rocket in 1936, and the first successful test launch took place in 1942.
V-2 Technical Specifications
The V-2 rocket was a technological marvel for its time. It was over 46 feet (14 meters) tall and weighed over 12,500 kilograms (27,600 pounds). The V-2 rocket engine produced over 60,000 pounds of thrust, which allowed the rocket to reach speeds of up to 3,500 miles per hour (5,600 kilometers per hour). The V-2 rocket was also equipped with a guidance system that allowed it to fly a predetermined course. The guidance system was based on a gyroscope and an accelerometer, and it was controlled by a computer.
The rocket was a devastating weapon. It could carry a warhead of up to 1 ton of explosives, and the V-2 rocket range was up to 200 miles (320 kilometers). It could carry a warhead of up to 1 ton of explosives. The speed of arrival meant that a V-2 rocket explosion gave no warning whatsoever — unlike the buzz-bomb V-1, the V-2 arrived faster than the speed of sound, striking with a double detonation before anyone could react.
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The Germans began launching V-2 rockets at Allied cities in September 1944. The first V-2 rocket hit London on September 8, 1944, and over the next several months, the Germans launched over 3,000 V-2 rockets at Allied cities in England, Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
Now that you understand what made the V-2 so extraordinary — and so devastating — let me take you to the places where its dark story can still be seen and felt today.
German Weapons in WW2 - V-2 Rockets
KZ Mittelbau-Dora Memorial
The KZ Mittelbau-Dora Memorial is a memorial site that commemorates the victims of the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp and its subcamps. The camp was located near the town of Nordhausen in Thuringia, Germany, and it was operated by the Nazis from 1943 to 1945.
The V-2 rockets were originally developed on the Baltic coast at Peenemünde but following a devastating bombing raid by the RAF in on the night of August 17–18, 1943, the Nazis decided to move production to a safer and more secretive site. Therefore, it was here at Mittelbau-Dora, a sub-camp of Buchenwald, that over 60,000 prisoners from over 20 countries were imprisoned and forced to work in underground tunnels, where they built V-2 rockets and other weapons for the Nazi war effort.
The conditions in the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp were horrific. The prisoners were forced to work long hours in the underground tunnels, where they were exposed to toxic fumes and dangerous machinery. The prisoners were also malnourished and poorly housed.
The camp was liberated by the Allied forces in April 1945. After the war, the camp was used by the Soviet Union as a prison camp for German war criminals. In 1958, the camp was converted into a memorial site.
Today, you can view these tunnels, seeing the horrific conditions in which the prisoners had to work manufacturing the rockets. There is still some evidence of production littered about the tunnels, but it is the sheer size of this tunnel system that really shocks you as a visitor. The tour only takes you through some of the main underground areas, which is impressive enough, but to know that there are dozens more passageways carved out of this hill is almost impossible to comprehend.
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As well as the tunnel tour, there is a very informative museum and a number of outdoor exhibits. The museum tells the story of the camp and includes exhibits on the camp's history, the prisoners, the work that they were forced to do, and the conditions in the camp. The outdoor exhibits at the memorial include the camp's crematorium and execution site.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: Tours to the tunnels can be reserved by emailing information@dora.de and cost 7 euros and are held Tuesday to Sunday at 11:00 and 14:00.
Read on to find out about the Blizna Historical Park in Poland.
Park Historyczny w Bliźnie
The Park Historyczny w Bliźnie (Historical Park in Blizna) is a museum dedicated to the history of World War II and the German rocket testing grounds that were located in the area. The park is beside the isolated village of Blizna, in the Małopolskie Voivodeship of Poland.
In 1940, the Nazis established a rocket testing ground in the area. The testing ground was used to develop and test the V-1 and V-2 rockets, and was located in a remote area, where the Nazis took great care to keep it secret. Crucially, Blizna was out of range from Allied bombers for much of the war.
The Nazis tested over 130 rockets at the Blizna testing ground. The rockets were launched from a number of different launch pads, and they were tracked by radar and other equipment. The Nazis also built a number of bunkers to protect the personnel who were working at the testing ground.
There are many interesting and heroic stories around the exploits of the Polish resistance army (Armia Krajowa) in reporting on and capturing V-2 technology, which proved to be crucial for the efforts of the British intelligence agencies. These stories are retold at Blizna.
There is one story in particular that really stood out for me. Around 20 May 1944, a V-2 rocket was fired from Blizna, but there was a malfunction, and the rocket fell harmlessly and relatively undamaged onto the swampy bank of the Bug River near the village of Sarnaki. The Polish resistance managed to find it and hide it before the Germans arrived, and the rocket was subsequently dismantled and smuggled across Poland. During the night of 25–26 July 1944, the Polish resistance secretly transported parts of the rocket out of Poland for analysis by British Intelligence. The missile fragments were picked up by a RAF C-47 Dakota aeroplane from an abandoned airfield near Żabno, at the junction of the Dunajec and Wisła rivers, Poland. Real ‘Boys Own’ stuff!
The Blizna rocket testing ground was abandoned by the Nazis in 1945. After the war, the site was used by the Soviet Union as a military base. In 1990, the site was converted into a historical park. Today, the Park Historyczny w Bliźnie includes a museum, a number of outdoor exhibits, and a reconstruction of a German V-2 rocket.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: If you are interested in exploring the local World War Two heritage, you can also visit the Statina Railway Shelter, a massive bunker where Hitler hid his train. This site is about a one hour drive from Blizna.
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If Blizna is your spy thriller, then what comes next is the museum hall of fame — here's where you can stand next to an actual V-2 rocket.
Deutsches Museum
The Deutsches Museum in Munich has a number of V-2 rocket displays, including a complete V-2 rocket, a sectioned V-2 engine, and a variety of other V-2 components and assemblies.
The Deutsches Museum's V-2 rocket display is one of the most comprehensive in the world. The display includes a complete V-2 rocket that is displayed in a vertical position, and it is surrounded by a number of other V-2 components and assemblies, including the rocket's engine, guidance system, and warhead.
The Deutsches Museum's V-2 engine display is a sectioned engine that shows the internal workings of the engine. The engine is displayed in a horizontal position, and it is surrounded by a number of diagrams and other educational materials that explain how the engine worked.
The Deutsches Museum's other V-2 displays include a variety of V-2 components and assemblies, such as the rocket's gyroscope, accelerometer, and control surfaces.
There are also plenty of other impressive displays, especially aircraft, that will impress World War II buffs.
Tailor-Made Top Tip: The Deutches Museum is one of the biggest museums in the world, so set aside at least half a day, if not more, to view its collections. Note that the V-2 rocket and the components are in the airplane gallery.
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And it doesn't stop there. Let me tell you about the V-2 rockets that are hiding in plain sight — right in the heart of Ohio and London.
Other V-2 Rocket Locations
I have also visited the National Museum of the United States Airforce in Dayton Ohio and found the size and number of exhibits overwhelming, so much so that I forgot to take a photo of their V-2 rocket (with meillerwagen)! Forgive me, and please accept a photo of their Missile Gallery instead - one of the greatest collections of rockets of the world and wartime hardware you will find anywhere.
If you are planning to visit V-2 rockets in London, your first port of call should be the Imperial War Museum (IWM) (amazingly, admission is free!). The centrepiece of the museum's cavernous atrium — fittingly named the Large Exhibits Gallery — is the towering German V-2 rocket displayed in a near-vertical position, rising dramatically above the other wartime hardware that surrounds it on the ground floor. Accompanying it is a V-1 flying bomb suspended overhead between the Second World War Galleries and the Holocaust Galleries, so you can appreciate both of these infamous German weapons in WW2 side by side — making this
The IWM's V-2 German rocket has been sectioned for interior display purposes, with one half of the outer skin removed to reveal the internal components. You can clearly see the alcohol and oxygen tanks, as well as the V-2 rocket engine itself. Two of the fins have also been removed to further expose the engine. The rocket stands 14.3 metres high and its launch weight was in excess of 12,650 kg. The warhead weighed approximately 2,190 lb and the engine used alcohol and liquid oxygen as propellant.
The IWM's V-2 rocket was brought back from Germany by British forces at the end of the Second World War. Before finding its permanent home at the museum, it was first put on display at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, where British engineers and scientists could study the technology of one of the most advanced German rockets in WW2. It was then formally transferred to the Imperial War Museum in 1946.
For a different perspective on the German V-2 rocket — one that places it firmly in the context of the story of human space exploration rather than the devastation of war — head to the Science Museum on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London. Also free to enter, the Science Museum's V-2 rocket is displayed in the ground floor Making the Modern World gallery — a spectacular space where you will find the German rocket standing in vertical display, its full 14 metre height immediately impressing upon you why this weapon was so technically extraordinary for its time.
The Science Museum's V-2 rockets display has particularly fascinating origins. According to the museum's own records, this V-2 German rocket was assembled from components captured by the British Army in 1945, at the end of the war in Europe.
Also on my bucket list of places to visit are the Historical Technical Museum in Peenemünde, where the museum is housed in a power station commemorating the laborers who built test rockets. I also look forward to the day that I can visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Part of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum) near Washington, to see their V-2 rocket
There are a number of other museums where you can see V-2 rockets, replicas and components. Rather than listing them here, V2ROCKET.COM does an excellent job rounding up these locations.
Quick Questions Answered
Is it ethical to visit sites connected to Nazi weapons like the V‑2? Many travellers wonder whether visiting V‑2 sites is appropriate. Historians and memorial organisations generally agree that visiting these places is ethical when done respectfully, as it helps preserve memory, confront the realities of forced labour, and understand the technological and moral legacy of the rocket programme.
What is the difference between the V-1 and V-2 rockets? The V-1 was a pilotless flying bomb powered by a pulse-jet engine, which made a distinctive buzzing sound. The V-2 was the world's first long-range ballistic missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine. It travelled at supersonic speeds and arrived without any warning.
How accurate were V-2 rockets? Despite their advanced engineering, V‑2 rockets were not very accurate by modern standards. They often missed their intended targets by several kilometres due to limitations in guidance technology and the challenges of long‑range ballistic flight.
How were V‑2 rockets transported and prepared for launch? V‑2s were moved on specialised trailers called Meillerwagens and erected vertically at launch sites. The preparation process involved fuelling with liquid oxygen, aligning the guidance system, and clearing the mobile launch crew — a complex operation that took several hours.
How did the V‑2 influence modern missile technology? The V‑2 introduced core principles still used in modern rocketry: liquid‑fuel propulsion, gyroscopic guidance, and multi‑stage design concepts. Both the U.S. and Soviet space programmes built directly on V‑2 engineering after the war.
Why was the V‑2 considered a technological breakthrough despite its limited military impact? The V‑2 demonstrated that long‑range, supersonic, guided missiles were possible. Although it did not change the war, it marked the beginning of the ballistic missile era and laid the groundwork for spaceflight.
Conclusion
The V-2 rocket campaign caused widespread damage and panic, especially in the Allied cities that were hit. The rockets were very accurate, and they could often hit their targets with pinpoint precision. But despite the devastation that it caused the V-2 rocket campaign was ultimately unsuccessful. The Germans were unable to produce enough V-2 rockets to make a significant impact on the war.
However, the German V-2 rocket had a profound impact on the development of rocketry and space exploration. Indeed, some historians argue it laid the foundation for what can only be described as a nascent Nazi space program — one that, through Operation Paperclip, was transplanted wholesale into the American and Soviet space programmes after the war. The German rocket scientists who developed the V-2 — many of whom had willingly exploited forced labour — went on to shape the space age. Indeed, the V-2 rocket became the first artificial object to travel into space by crossing the Kármán Line (edge of space) with the vertical launch of MW 18014 on 20 June 1944. The rocket's design and technology were also used to develop the American Redstone rocket, which was used to launch the first American satellite into space in 1958. The V-2 rocket also played a role in the development of the Soviet R-7 rocket, which was used to launch the first human into space in 1961.
Visiting sites associated with the Nazi V2 rockets can offer travellers a unique perspective on the events of World War II and the impact that these weapons had on the outcome of the war. Whether you're a history buff or simply interested in exploring new and exciting locations, a journey to these sites is sure to be a memorable and educational experience. Among the most famous German rockets ever built, the V-2 sits alongside the Saturn V as one of history's most consequential rockets of the world. So, pack your bags, grab your cameras, and embark on a journey through the history of these iconic German rockets in WW2.
Accommodation Suggestions
If you are looking to stay at a hotel close to Mittelbau-Dora, I would suggest staying in the nearby town of Nordhausen, where there is a small selection of pleasant and affordable hotels, such at the Nordhäuser Fürstenhof, Hotel Nordhausen, and Hotel am Stadtpark Nordhausen.
As for Blizna, in Poland, the nearest city to base yourself in would be Mielec, where you could consider staying at the Hotel Iskierka Business & Spa, or perhaps the Rado Resort Spa & Wellness. You could also consider stay in the bigger city Rzeszów, which a little bit further away from Blizna, but has a number of its own attractions. Good options here would be the Hotel Metropolitan, or the Best Western Plus Hotel Rzeszow City Center.
For the Deutches Museum, I decided to stay on the periphery of Munich, partly because I had the use of a rental car and partly because I explored many of Bavaria's other attractions, not just amazing sites in the city centre. My time at the Amedia Hotel & Suites in Dachau was perfect for my needs, with great service and stylish, compact rooms.
However, if you are looking for a more central hotel in Munich in order to visit the museum, there is a wide range to choose from, including the Premier Inn München City Zentrum, Hotel Schlicker, and Leonardo Hotel München City Center.
Related Blog Posts
If you would like more information on the dark history of the Nazis and how to visit these sites, please view the Tailor-Made Itineraries posts below:
A Plunder of Souls – Auschwitz-Birkenau
On a Monumental Scale – Holocaust memorials in Warsaw
Płaszów's Story as Brought to Life Through "Schindler's List" – Płaszów Camp, Krakow
Comment below and let me know if you have visited any World War 2 sites and what was your memories of them.
Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting these locations appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the history of the V2 rocket programme, or indeed, a general tour of Germany or Poland.
Join me next time on my adventures when I visit five Nazi concentration camp memorials that you should visit in Germany. Tailor-Made Itineraries posts every two weeks, and you can subscribe to the latest blog and newsletter here. Until then, happy reading and safe travels.
Barry
Contact Me: tailoritineraries@gmail.com
Tailor-Made Itineraries creates one-of-a-kind bespoke self-guided travel itineraries for adventurous and curious travellers.
These self-guided tours deliver a personalised and exciting holiday experience that takes the effort out of trip planning.
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