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Schmetterling

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AKA: Butterfly;Hs-117. Status: Cancelled 1945. Payload: 41 kg (90 lb). Thrust: 17.16 kN (3,858 lbf). Gross mass: 460 kg (1,010 lb). Height: 3.75 m (12.30 ft). Diameter: 0.35 m (1.14 ft). Span: 1.98 m (6.49 ft). Apogee: 9.00 km (5.50 mi).

In 25 September 1942 Goering authorized development of four types of surface to air missiles: unguided rockets (Taifun), target-seeking guided rockets (Enzian); operator optically-guided rockets (Rheintochter and Schmetterling); and radar-guided rockets (Wasserfall).

Schmetterling, dubbed the Hs-117 by manufacturer Henschel, was conceived by Professor Wagner in 1941. Work was accelerated in 1943. Although smaller than the Wasserfall, the specification was nearly the same, calling for intercept of aircraft flying up to 760 kph. The missile was equipped at first with a BMW 109-558 liquid propellant engine, but later switched to a Walther HWK 1090-729. The latter burned nitric acid and kerosene, augmented with furfuryl alcohol for initial boost. Two thrust regulation methods were tested to maximize range. The first used measured velocity to throttle the fuel flow to the engine. The second used a two-phase thrust program - boost and cruise - regulated to maintain constant velocity. Thrust of the engine was actually less at boost since the core vehicle was augmented by two Schmading 109-553 powder rockets. Flight tests began in May 1944, the first 28 launches being with the 109-558 motor. Altogether there were 59 launches, of which 29 were considered successful. Flight testing was considered completed in 1945, and production was to have begun of 3000 missiles per month, but only a tiny fraction of this was ever completed before the war.

Maximum range: 16 km (9 mi). Boost Propulsion: Nitric acid and kerosene. Cruise Thrust: 19.600 kN (4,406 lbf). Cruise Thrust: 2,000 kgf. Maximum speed: 262 kph (162 mph). Solid rocket boosters: 2 x 45 kg, 1.95 m x 0.156 m.

R-102 Post-war Russian version of German Schmetterling surface-to-air missile. 16 test flights made at Kapustin Yar between 18 October and 19 December 1949. Not put into production, cancelled in favor of the R-112.

R-117 Russian surface-to-air missile. Soviet surface-to-air missile design of 1948-1950. Developed in competition with the R-112 (derived from the German Schmetterling) but with new aerodynamics. Cancelled without ever flying in 1950 in favor of further development of the R-112.

R-112 Russian surface-to-air missile. Soviet surface-to-air missile design of 1948-1951. Propulsion and guidance based on that of the R-102 (copy of German Schmetterling) but with new aerodynamics. Cancelled without ever flying in 1951 when decision was made to proceed with a new generation of SAM designs.