Even the Wikipedia page confused me
In: Engineering
V2s weren’t all that accurate. The first V2s simply were pointed in the known direction and distance of their target city. Gyroscopes were used to determine the rocket’s orientation and would adjust the fins to keep it on the intended flight path during ascent. The engine would shut off at a predetermined velocity, which is how distance is controlled. After engine cutoff, they were sent on ballistic trajectories, leaving them vulnerable to weather or atmospheric conditions. The rockets would fall within a roughly 20 kilometer radius centered on the intended target. Obviously, that meant that precision targeting was impossible.
A radio control was later introduced to try to improve accuracy, but it wasn’t all that much better.
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