Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8

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08/15/2008. Remarks by Bernhard Klein: "This Fw 190 A-8 was used as a trials aircraft for the Ruhrstahl X-4, the world's first guided air-to-air missile. The X-4 was controlled over a wire pair that it trailed out in flight, with the pilot of the launch aircraft using a joystick on the right hand side of the instrument panel to control the X-4 in flight, which had flares mounted on its tail to help him follow it visually.

The "eyeball" control scheme seems a little dubious by modern standards, particularly since the pilot couldn't maneuver his fighter and guide the missile at the same time, but the X-4 had a "stand off" range of several miles and a large warhead with both impact and proximity fuses. It might have been effective against attacks on bombers in large formations, which was apparently its intended use, however, the X-4 never saw combat."


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08/15/2008. Remarks by Bernhard Klein: "This Fw 190 A-8 was used as a trials aircraft for the Ruhrstahl X-4, the world's first guided air-to-air missile. The X-4 was controlled over a wire pair that it trailed out in flight, with the pilot of the launch aircraft using a joystick on the right hand side of the instrument panel to control the X-4 in flight, which had flares mounted on its tail to help him follow it visually. The "eyeball" control scheme seems a little dubious by modern standards, particularly since the pilot couldn't maneuver his fighter and guide the missile at the same time, but the X-4 had a "stand off" range of several miles and a large warhead with both impact and proximity fuses. It might have been effective against attacks on bombers in large formations, which was apparently its intended use, however, the X-4 never saw combat."