| Fritz X |
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Country: Germany
Type: ASM
Introduction: 1943 |
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Fritz X was the most commonly known name for a German air-launched anti-ship missile, used during World War II. Fritz X was an allied code-name; alternate names include Ruhrstahl SD 1400 X, X-1, PC 1400X or FX 1400. The Fritz X is one of the precursors of air-to-surface (ASM) anti-ship missiles and precision-guided weapons.
Fritz-X was first deployed on 29 August 1943. On 9 September, the Luftwaffe achieved their greatest success with the weapon. After the armistice with the Allies, the Italian fleet had steamed out from La Spezia and headed to Malta. To prevent the ships from falling into Allied hands, six Dornier Do 217s from the III. Gruppe of KG100 (III/KG100) took off, each carrying a single Fritz X. The Italian battleship Roma, flagship of the Italian fleet, received several hits and sank after her magazines exploded.
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| General Information |
| Developed by |
Germany |
| Deployed by |
Germany |
| Development Year |
1938 |
| Deployment Year |
1943 |
| Retire Year |
1945 |
| Number manufactured |
1,386 |
| Number deployed |
about 100 used in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the North Sea (1943/8/2-1944/4/30) |
| Design |
Dr.Max Kramers DVL |
| Manufacturer |
Ruhrstahl A.G. |
| Dimensions and Performance |
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Length |
3.26m |
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Body Diameter |
56cm |
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Wing/Fin span |
1.35m |
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Launch Weight |
1,570kg |
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Range |
5km |
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Speed |
1,035km/h |
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Altitude |
5,000-7,000m |
| Components |
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Propulsion |
no-engine |
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Warhead |
320kg armor pircing HE(Amatol) |
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Guidance |
Radio-link system(Kehl/Strassburg : FuG203 and FuG230) |
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