The V-2 Rocket: How Nazi Germany Created The World's First Guided Ballistic Missile

[@tom4ivo]

It took von Braun 35 years to go from college thesis to landing on the moon. I'd never thought of it that way before, but it's hella impressive.

[@davids8127]

He was a Nazi, but still he was a genius. For other countries like China or India it took decades to develop their own space program when they only had to copy.

[@PotatoeJoe69]

@@davids8127 Nazi scientists contributed a lot to what we know today. And immense amount actually; and in another area that never really gets discussed, the Nazi Dr's that did horrible experiments on people in the concentration camps also contributed to our knowledge of medicine. It's horribly to think about it that way, but it's the truth. Who else was going to do all those torturous human experiments, and find out the biology of a living human....

[@davids8127]

@@PotatoeJoe69 I don't know about that, watching documentaries about mengele for example he was more like a self serving maniac and I'm not sure whether other scientist wouldn't achieve what they did and probably would've achieve all just with a bit more time

[@Kaiserboo1871]

@@davids8127 I consider Von Braun to be a real scientist. Not some maniac butcher like Mengele, but a pioneer who started the space age. It’s a shame that his genius had to work for the Nazis, but something tells me he really only cared about his rockets and saw his entry into the Nazi party as just a price to pay for continued funding for his research.

[@macguru9999]

He copied US scientist Robert Goddard

[@sparky6086]

Von Braun used to come in my dad's drugstore back in the 1960's, when he visited friends in Atlanta. Dad was focused on his business, rather than knowing anything about the space program, only finding out later how important Von Braun was. Dad just knew him as one of his regular customer's friends who would pop in town occasionally from his work at Huntsville, in the neighboring state of Alabama at the Redstone Arsenal & Marshall Space center. Dad remembered him, because he was German, and Dad knew some German POW's during WWII, so he felt comfortable conversing with him. Dad remembered, that Von Braun and his customer talked about developing a cookie, which astronauts could eat in space that wouldn't crumble, because crumbs would float around in zero gravity and cause problems. Dad said, that Von Braun was a good dresser and was a good conversasionalist who could speak on many different subjects and didn't mind, if they weren't about science or engineering.

[@chriswall27]

Awesome! As a Brit I have very different views on Von Braun that most Americans but fabulous story.

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

@@chriswall27 Of course the British were jealous that US snatched the best nazis for themselves.

[@chriswall27]

@@MetalheadAndNerd I don't think jealousy is the emotion I feel about a man who is celebrated so much who caused so much death and panic in London. He should have been investigated and tried at Nuremburg.

[@MetalheadAndNerd]

@@chriswall27 He was useful for the allies. Even Mengele was left off the hook for that reason.

[@sparky6086]

@Charles Yuditsky I doubt it. Dad's store was like his living room, and I remember, that he & his customers who sort of doubled as his friends, would talk about whatever the current events were in the newspaper, as well as sports, weather, local politics and national politics as they concerned Georgia senators & congressman. Dad was oblivious to the fact, that Von Braun was famous (or infamous), during the time, which he knew him. Dad had few interests, besides his work as a Pharmacist and running his drug store in order to feed his 6 unruly children. Dad had an excellent memory for names and faces, and it was years later, when he heard us unruly kids talking about a documentary about the space program, which we were watching on TV, and one of us mentioned Werner Von Braun, or he overheard the narrator on the TV mention it (Dad was eating his supper, so he wasn't watching with us), and said, "I know Werner Von Braun, he's a friend of Dr So & so (I can't call the name) who lived next door to Mr Brooks. What about him?". We told him, that it was a documentary about the space program, and that Von Braun had been involved with that. Dad said that he remembered, that Von Braun worked in Huntsville and knew, that he worked with the space program. We asked Dad about him, and he related the stuff, which he remembered about Von Braun to us, although I don't believe, that Dad understood, just how important Von Braun, who was dead by this time, was, and Dad having no interest in history, wouldn't have known to ask Von Braun about his controversial or dark past.

[@edwardneal4819]

If someone we're to make a movie about the Polish mission I would SOOO watch it!

[@d.thieud.1056]

Same, the exploits of the polish resistance are so interesting

[@the-quintessenz]

Would you also if the Polish resistant fighters were black female intersectional muslim lesbians, as the postmodern script demands?

[@RichieMason]

@@the-quintessenz bore off

[@pr0xZen]

@@the-quintessenz Stop sharing your PornHub kinks with the public, we're not interested in that part of your private life.

[@jontallman]

My grandfather was the combat medic who set von Braun's broken arm in the picture you show. The contributions of combat medics to the war effort weren't recognized until years later when they were awarded Bronze stars. Their story might make for an interesting video.

[@blackvic5157]

Whose side was he on?

[@jontallman]

@@blackvic5157 U.S.

[@chilltown6781]

1a0a

[@dth999]

Ur grandfather...I don't think so.

[@jontallman]

@@dth999 Go back under your bridge troll.

[@nolesrule69069]

Simon can't be canceled. He has 300,000 channels. KZbin would have no content. Lol

[@siegel947]

👓😶...😅

[@michaelb1761]

Well, none worth watching anyway.

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

@@michaelb1761 Then why are you here...

[@ThanatosXVI]

@@2KOOLURATOOLGaming He means if Simon wasnt here there wouldn’t be anything on KZbin worth watching. Meaning he enjoys watching Simon’s stuff

[@joeobrien196]

Must be 3000,020 by now.

[@itarry4]

Honestly the more I discover about all the things that the various Polish groups did during the war the more and more amazed I become. Also I have to admit the more ashamed I also become about how they were basically abandoned and left to the Russians after. With everything they did and the effect it all must have had in helping to shorten the whole thing they definitely deserved better.

[@kdrapertrucker]

The poles do not get enough recognition for their part in WWII, both before the fall of Poland as well as after.

[@matfhju]

You shuld look in to the scandinavian resistence groops too, they did sone kickass stuff

[@itarry4]

@@matfhju they certainly did however they didn't get shit all over after. Especially Norway and Finland did some amazing work that was pretty much ignored but at least they were in the Western parts of Europe after. The reason I feel so much for the Pols is how they were treated after going from the Germans shiting all over them straight to the Russians. The fact that they stayed so strong and managed to break away so completely shows how strong they were as a nation.

[@itarry4]

@@kdrapertrucker absolutely. Yes I get that a lot of what they did needed to stay secret even after for a while. However I can't help thinking that if more people had understood exactly how much they gave and what they'd done they might have got more support after as the Western governments would have found it much harder to let Russia just have the place after. The stories of the time when they rose up at the end and fought with the Russians only for them to turn on them basically take the weapons and straight out kill the most dangerous of their freedom fighters as soon as they'd helped them over throw the Germans is some very sad history from many respects.

[@genxpilot69]

Why are you ashamed? Are you a German WW2 vet?

[@grapeshot]

Yeah my grandfather served in an anti-aircraft battalion in the US Army in World War II. He told me V-2 went into the stratosphere and then came crashing back down to earth so there was no chance of shooting it down.

[@kaltaron1284]

No chance may not be entirely correct. More like finding a needle in a haystack or winning rhe lottery but I understand what you mean.

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Oh god! I hope he is okay, did he survive?

[@SlocketSeven]

@@Lucy-dk5cz no, his grandfather died in the war, and he told his grandson about these events by appearing to him as a ghost.

[@sparky6086]

Also, since the V2's engines cut off, well before it began it's descent,, people didn't hear it coming.

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

SlocketSeven I’m very sorry for his loss. RIP

[@eurodoc6343]

I think the lasting impact of all these over-engineered, scant resource-devouring, and often impractical German superweapns is that they gave Simon a treasure trove of material for videos.

[@armr6937]

Yeah, let's just ignore practically all modern warfare is based on those projects.

[@eurodoc6343]

@@armr6937 Nope, those super heavy tanks, massive artillery pieces and the V3 were all pretty much military dead-ends. Only the V2 and jet aircraft had any lasting impact. And my comment was meant somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

[@armr6937]

@@eurodoc6343 Oh well, silly comment so I expected a silly person. My bad.

[@angelamagnus6615]

@@eurodoc6343 innovation is about experimentation. And impracticality can only be seen in hindsight. For example, heavy tanks were viable until the MBT concept.

[@eurodoc6343]

@@angelamagnus6615 But in foresight, the Germans had a pretty good idea how much resources these not-so-super weapons would devour. I know people love to study military history through battlefield tactics, but in the long run, most of the big modern wars were won or lost on logistics, not bold, decisive maneuvers. The type of long-term strategic planning that Germany needed to win both world wars was severely lacking, and these huge resource-eating weapons projects are emblematic of that type of thinking. They kept looking for a quick, decisive battle or weapon that would turn the tide of the war, like Tannenburg or the Fall of France, rather than properly allocating resources for more limited but potentially more successful and sustainable long-term strategies.

[@olekzajac5948]

As a Pole I'm really grateful that you talked about our work in recreating the documentation about the rocket and transferring it to England. It is one of two quite important Polish contributions to WW2 that people (especially Brits) tend to forget: this and the fact that we were the first to crack Enigma code.

[@dorrisgonnawreckyou7111]

We are not taught that kind of detail when it comes to the war.. In my time (90's) we were taught more about WW1 than WW2, i wouldnt take it personally however as basically 99.5% of what i know about the war they didnt even attempt to teach us in school. Maybe in private expensive schools they do but not in normal ones. Our history in schools is just very very limited. I do however remember hearing about the help from polish pilots during the battle of britain and further into the war and have always respected that. So they did give you guys a little credit, atleast in my school. Cheers. Wow i missed the bit about enigma? Seriously? How have i never heard of that before i have watched a crap tonne of stuff on the war and never once heard that mentioned?

[@olekzajac5948]

@@dorrisgonnawreckyou7111 On the enigma code, here is a Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptanalysis_of_the_Enigma In short our mathematicians were able to read enigma-encrypted messages in the early to mid 30s.

[@alfredovilla8560]

Giving the Allies access to the Bomba was probably the most significant and selfless act of the valiant Poles in the titanic struggle that was WWII. Knowing what the Nazis were up to allowed us to win key battles, without which we probably would have lost the war.

[@deansnipah1392]

Lets not forget polands contribution to the battle of britain with the 303rd squadron. Lets also not forget how britain did not invite poland to the victory parade after the war was over. Pieces of shit!!

[@chrisyanover1777]

Next Megaprojects video: Beard Blaze Beard Oil! The massive campaign that gathered the world's top scientist and engineers to create the most scientifically advanced oil ever made! Beard Blaze Beard Oil!

[@justincase5583]

Or side projects, today I found out, lol

[@getgaijoobed6219]

“I aim for the stars but I keep hitting London!”

[@denvan3143]

Winston Churchill: “I aimed for Germany but I killed 1,200 French sailors instead.”

[@denvan3143]

@Charles Yuditsky on orders from Winston Churchill, British naval forces fired on French battleships and killed 1,297 French sailors at Mers El Kébir. The French sailors got in the way of British artillery.

[@paspax]

@@alexander-mauricemillamlae4567 ... The British actually wanted to prevent the French fleet at Mers el Kabir from falling into the hands of the Germans , preferably by having them come over to fight alongside the Allies. Some elements of the French Navy had already fallen into Germany's possession despite Hitler's "promises" and in contravention of the treaty signed upon the French surrender. This was an established pattern of behaviour with Hitler (breaking promises and violating treaties). Germany _would_ eventually gain full possession of the French fleet, and sooner rather than later, if something wasn't done to prevent that. The French were offered that chance (to defect to the Allies), or the opportunity to sail to the (still neutral) USA to be interred. (among other options) The French admiral in charge at Kebir was an idiot who, after initially refusing to even speak to the French speaking British naval representative (because he was a junior officer) did not relay the complete set of proffered options to his superiors in France. The French authorities in Vichy, having not been properly briefed/given all the facts, were therefore unable to negotiate in good faith which resulted in them refusing to cooperate with the British. This forced the British to take the actions they did. The French sailors' deaths fall on the head of that French admiral, and on that admiral alone. It's important to remember that Vichy France was essentially a vassal/puppet state of the NAZI regime, and, as such, was the enemy though technically neutral and not at war with the UK, its' Commonwealth or its' allies. This video by naval historian Drachinifel explains the situation in excruciating detail. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5LSmmZpi6Z0hZY

[@denvan3143]

@@alexander-mauricemillamlae4567 Hitler wanted the UK and Londoners got in the way. The difference being, Hitler was at war with the UK and the UK was not at war with France. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919, when Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops of the British Indian Army to fire their rifles into a crowd of unarmed Indian civilians in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab, killing at least 379 people and injuring over 1,200 others. Dyer was proclaimed a hero in Parliament. In neither case was Britain at war with the people they killed. One cannot point a finger with blood on one’s own hands.

[@denvan3143]

@@alexander-mauricemillamlae4567 in my 20s I stood toe to toe with college professors and match them vocabulary for vocabulary, counter their sarcasm with valid points. Try that imperious attitude on someone else; you’re out of your league.

[@t5ruxlee210]

The V2 project was a German Army controlled thing from the start since it was a "ballistic (aka artillery) style weapon". The Luftwaffe ran the V1 since it had wings and was propelled by an air breathing pulse jet. In the USA von Braun worked under Army General John B Medaris in the Army Arsenal system with Chrysler Corp as the overall contractor. This led to a quiet civil war with the USAF related private space industry. While von Braun & Co always delivered the goods when the chips were down, the fact that General Medaris was only offered the top job at the Lionel Toy Train Company upon retirement showed who won out in the end. Sic transit gloria mundi, indeed. The Army's brilliant creation eventually morphed into NASA.

[@jimmyyu2184]

Alternate title: "How the potatoes brought down the V2" 😂🤣

[@b.w.22]

The mountain lair the V2 production and launch was moved to after Peenemund deserves attention itself. It was 100% like a Bond villain’s base, including an enormous retractable roof that let the rockets launch.

[@Typhyr]

I’m from Antwerp, my grandmother told me many stories about the V1’s and V2’s, the V2 was far more scary for the Antwerp population because you had some warning from the V1’s engine that it’s coming. The V2 was just BOOM, it dropped, no warning, no chance to take cover.

[@no1DdC]

One scary thing about the V2 was that you heard the noise of it approaching after it had already exploded. This counterintuitive behavior was due to the fact that after its engine had used up all of the propellant, it fell back down to Earth at supersonic speeds, literally faster than the sound it produced, which is why that sound arrived after the explosion from the impact.

[@danielladwein2570]

Can you do a video about the search for the lost grave of Attila the hun? If you want you could cover it on Biographics. :)

[@carston101]

I know nothing about the Hun but this sounds super interesting!

[@ThaBeatConductor]

Sounds like a Side Projects video.

[@felixgocke7713]

I live in a village in the very west of Germany right next to the German-Dutch border from where they started the V2 My Grandmother told me that some of the rockets failed and came down just a couple of kilometers away. One of these V2 was recently found in the mud of a small river.

[@raghavendrasrivastava2484]

Finally, the sequel I've been waiting for! Great quality as always.👍🏻

[@jonathanbarnes5324]

Simon there was a black and white film where polish people get hand on a V1 and they load on plane that get bog down in a field it was call BATTLE OF THE V1 (1958)

[@michaelpielorz9283]

Using this V" the poles became the first nation on the Moon(:-)

[@danw9403]

I think it would be cool to do a video on Operation Chastise, the famous "Dam Busters" operation where they dropped the bouncing bombs on the German dams.

[@jeffreyhill1011]

That would be a fantastic side projects video. Maybe a top 5 strangest bombing runs or some shit since I guess side projects is basically toptenz lite lol

[@lrrrruleroftheplanetomicro6881]

Usually I'm all in on rocketry, the fact that my granddad helped build those as a forced laborer makes this very painful to watch though. Heading over to the Tsar Bomba to pick up my spirits.

[@tgmccoy1556]

Robert Goddard was the inspiration for Oberth and VonBraun. He was derided in the American press as "Moon man". His work was open and the military saw no need for Goddard's rocket...

[@sparky6086]

True. The media lampooned Goddard in his time, characterizing him as a crackpot. Only after Von Braun pointed out, that the, by that time forgotten, Goddard was one of his primary sources and influences, did history make note of Goddard.

[@mandernachluca3774]

@@sparky6086 Exactly, as far as i know, Goddard even worked with Von Braun, befor the War really took off. The american press must have been really disgusting to drive him to work with people overseas ...

[@sparky6086]

@@mandernachluca3774 I don't think, that Von Braun ever met Goddard. I believe, that he just read whatever Goddard published which was available to him. Although their lifetimes overlapped, Von Braun was just a child, when Goddard was doing his experiments with liquid fueled rockets.

[@jwadaow]

@@sparky6086 Did he point that out after moving to America? That seems awfully convenient, like he was informed he should say it.

[@sparky6086]

@@jwadaow No. Because the Americans had completely forgotten about Goddard, if they ever knew about him in the first place, until Von Braun mentioned him.

[@KingofKarnies]

My graduation was held in the Vaughn Braun Civic Center. And yes, obviously my Grandfather worked with him. EVERYONE living in Rocket City has a relative that worked with him.

[@Shauma_llama]

In college I read the book "Peenemünde To Canaveral" by Dieter K. Huzel, it was an interesting read. He talks about starting off as a truck driver on the Eastern front, and the issues he saw there with transport, to being transferred to the rocketry program.

[@estudiordl]

Can you do one on the Admiral Graf Spee, it's a nice little WW2 story that took place in front of the Uruguay coastline. 😁

[@Khalrua]

The pumps on the v2 are super interesting

[@MadDragon-lb7qg]

Any chance of doing a Biographics on Von Braun or Oberth, if you haven't already?

[@StuHolmes]

The other little known fact is that the V2 is the baseline model for all SCUD-type missiles developed all over the world. See Scott Manely's video on the subject.

[@AcidUsagi]

In multiple videos of megaprojects there are hints of operation "Paper Clip" Maybe it's time to go back to cold war and make an episode about this monumental task.

[@simonrancourt7834]

Many Canadian engineers and technicians went to NASA after the cancellation of the Avro Arrow and greatly contributed to the US's space program.

[@fujifurov671]

V1 is like a military drone,while V2 is like a modern missle.

[@CrimsonOmen835]

Suggestion for you Simon: trench systems and dugouts of WW1, by the end of the war they were seriously complex pieces of engineering on both sides, and it would tie in nicely with your weapons of the world wars videos 😁

[@ignitionfrn2223]

3:05 - Chapter 1 - Retribution weapons 4:05 - Chapter 2 - Werner von braun 5:10 - Chapter 3 - Early development 8:20 - Chapter 4 - The A4 becomes the V2 10:25 - Chapter 5 - Inside the V2 11:50 - Chapter 6 - Operation begins 15:10 - Chapter 7 - Impact on the war

[@33point3rpm]

I went to an illegal *rave* at peenamunde V2 site quite a few years ago, INCREDIBLE. We tried not to think of the historical significance of where we were dancing, but it was hard not to. Also the whole weekend the police trying in vain to get us to leave, which culminated in about 20 police storming onto the dance floor on sunday afternoon, The Dj played Beastie Boys You gotta fight for your right to party. The police chief more or less gave us permission to go keep going, as long as we had vacated the site by tuesday morning. There was a political reason for the party which I won't go into now, but i will say, we aren't nazi's, in fact, we are the opposite of nazi's. And simon, since you seem to be fascinated by nazi germany at the moment, may I suggest doing a MegaProjects on Prora, (yes, we had an illegal rave there too). This is a building on Rügen, built purerly to appease the people as a holiday resort, built on sand right on the beach front. Just one building stretching for 3 km.

[@solracer66]

Back in the early 1970s, maybe around 1972 there was a new V2, still in a crate advertised in Hemings magazine (the magazine then and now for car collectors) for the sum of $20,000. Being a 13 year old kid with a huge interest in space I of course tried to talk my dad into buying it, lol. While it might just have fit into our barn I had no idea what we would do with it, just that it was a freaking V2 for just $20k! I do wonder whatever happened to it though?

[@cpltatters]

My grandfather was a radar engineer in the royal electrical mechanical engineers (REME) during WW2. They used to briefly pick up the V2`s on radar as they re-entered the troposphere hopelessly knowing that nothing could be done to stop them or warn people including their family's living in London.

[@stevenqu3]

Can't cancel Simon if he cancels himself first.

[@sosaysthecaptain5580]

Sadly, the real thing that’s gonna get him cancelled is suggesting an association between beardedness and being male

[@shanederidder5827]

Another good video would be la coupole in France. It was a factory for the V-2. The construction of this facility is huge.

[@duanesamuelson2256]

If anyone gets around El Paso TX. Ft Bliss has a V2 on display (along with items from the horse and mule days).

[@anthonylloyd6094]

One small step for man....... One giant leap for Beard Blaze.

[@metanoia6335]

Can't wait for the next Simon out of context video! XD

[@painfulBasterd]

The place where Wernher von Brauns research took place (the "Heeresversuchsanstalt Peenemünde") is a Museum today. If you get the chance to visit the Island Usedom in Eastern Germany, definetely pay a visit to this place (Historisch-Technisches Museum Peenemünde). You really get a strange feeling there if you are interested in Spacetravel and see with your own eyes what it cost to have Astronauts in Space.

[@tristanknights1006]

I'd definitely watch a Biographics about Von Braun!!

[@eugeneoliveros5814]

“TACTICAL NUKE, INCOMING!!!!”

[@seanbrazell6147]

I'm still a big fan of nuclear landmines. But who isn't, right? 🤪👈

[@carlosdossantos1251]

Jheez Poland coming in clutch love to see it

[@Goddot]

Fun little anecdote... Soldiers tasked to carry the ethanol fuel would often siphon some for personal use (booze), which led to further fuel shortage for the rockets.

[@JackieDannenberg]

They had additives in the “Potato Schnapps” that would make you go blind if you drank it.

[@yewtoob2007]

MEGAPROJECTS SUGGESTION: Operation Highjump

[@pakde8002]

I like how they made it so pointy like they thought it might actually spear someone in case it failed to explode.

[@mikhailiagacesa3406]

The supersonic design was based on the German rifle bullet.

[@danielgay1772]

that was one of the best commercials I’ve seen in a few his ole ads just don’t suck near as bad as literally everyone else’s

[@keithnoneya]

Thumbs up. It should be noted, that none of this would have happened without Robert Goddard's research into liquid rocket fuel of which Van Braun was a huge fan. The American press and Goddard's own government ignore his research in Liquid Fueled Rockets, even after he was the first person to design and successfully launch multiple liquid fueled rockets. "Von Braun used Goddard's plans from various journals and incorporated them into the building of the Aggregat (A) series of rockets." In fact German scientist occasionally, before 1939, contacted Mr. Goddard for technical advice before the war. It was only after Van Braun and his team perused liquid fueled rockets to a success did the American government realize ignoring and not funding Mr. Goddard was an early mistake in modern rocketry. Robert Goddard is considered the "Father of Modern Rocketry" yet seldom is given much credit on this matter, of which most it often erroneously is given to Van Braun as the inventor of liquid fueled rockets, he wasn't. However in the case of the advancement of liquid fueled rockets coupled with a successful guidance system, Mr. Van Braun and his team rightfully deserve that credit. You should do a follow up video on Robert Goddard, the Father of Modern Rockets. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the show. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya

[@spaceman081447]

An excellent presentation about the V-2, the first ballistic missile.

[@startedtech]

There's kind of a movie about this, actually. called Operation Crossbow (1965.). Not a true account of what happened, but figured I'd let you know.

[@blueberrypirate3601]

With the late George Hannibal Smith Peppard sent in to outfox Anthony Quayles Nazi goons. Only Tom Courtenay is still with us today as Jeremy Kemp died last year. Jakob Bijus!

[@tomgreaves991]

Couple things: the safest place to stand after a V2 was launched was ground zero, they we that inaccurate. Second tid bit: if you don't tip the rocket over it will go straight up, and then straight down. So you need to tip it as it flies "down range ". To do that the rocket had a drum than spun in the opposite direction you wanted the rocket to tip. The law of conservation of angular momentum did the rest. Drum spins in one direction, rocket tips in the other...next stop the docks of London.

[@bonesmalone5802]

Hey, just a suggestion, but what about a video on the p-47? My grandpa's brother flew one during WWII and I'd love to know more about it since he passed away before I was born

[@grievousarmy4061]

Fun fact: Yesterday was Hitler’s birthday, and in America it was also ‘Weed Day’, named because of the date formation of 4/20/-

[@2KOOLURATOOLGaming]

Today is Queen Elizabeth's and the founding of Rome

[@amorkunas9071]

It became "weed day" because it's actually earth day. The date was co-opted by stoners because back in the 70's there was a group of California high school students that met everyday at 4:20pm to smoke. It's also the date of the Columbine incident. But after Hitler's birthday and before everything else it was "Earth Day".

[@ryandejong1669]

V2 rockets were the bane of my Allied turrets and pillboxes back in the day.

[@freakysteve140281]

The look on my wife’s grandmothers face (was one of the children evacuated from London during the war) we were watching a show about the space race and she was saying about how amazing it was at the time when they started putting rockets into space. Von Braun was on the tv where I pointed him out and asked her ‘do you know who that guy is?’……. She was not impressed once I explained who he was, what he developed and what he did with them during the war.

[@SeniSlay]

And i shall watch this at work

[@tomaszdabrowski8021]

After operation "Hydra" Germans moved V1 and V2 test to the southern Poland. There Was a SS training camp (SS-Heidelager in Pustkow near Debica) that Was a part of bigger military training area (Truppenubungsplatz Sud). Germans used village Blizna near Pustkow to build their rocket test field. The target of shootings was village Sarnaki around 220kilometers NE from Blizna. Lots of them had fallen between those places or even not on the line of trajectory. There is a lot of V2 craters in forests or on some fields to this day.

[@alexjennings4936]

Just bought your sampler pack and comb/ brush combo. Looking forward to a blazin beard, one to rival that of the great whistler

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

My grandfather talked to me seeing V1/2 flying direction of Antwerp Belgium. He noted that when they made sound you were safe, when the V-weapons stopped making noise you were in danger. My grandfather is a hero stealing potatoes from a farmer! My father was and is a hero. LEGEND!

[@Kitt_the_Katt]

With all the with all these channels I shudder to think of what Simon's shooting schedule looks like.

[@boomznbladez405]

shit, does anyone remember that time when simon went clean shaven? youve come a long way simon. proud of you. the content, and of course... the beard.

[@donaldkelly3983]

Mort Sahl said that the von Braun biopic, I Aim for the Stars, should be subtitled "But Sometimes I Land on London".

[@GoodTIMeMoviesNL]

You forgot to mention the Nazis were the first to reach the karman line, in 1944 they launched a v-2 straight up. It reaching an altitude of 176Km, it was the first manmade object to reach space.

[@alstonofalltrades3142]

Cracks me up when people say the Americans won the space race. Soviets first satelite into orbit, first dog first astronaut, first women, first space walk, first station. I'm sure I'm missing more of these firsts. I say this to people and say the Americans won the moon race, a BIG achievement. Then I ask who won the space race? Answer the Soviets, Nope the Germans, but that wasn't what they were trying to do at the time. If another nation gets to Mars first will they claim they won the space race? err no they will have won the Mars race.

[@GoodTIMeMoviesNL]

@@alstonofalltrades3142 they also had the first multi manned capsule, space walk, first docking of two craft, modular space station and unmanned lunar return. Maby also the first unmanned lunar landing. But America set their own bar and only cared about that one objective. I think it is hilarious.

[@alstonofalltrades3142]

@@GoodTIMeMoviesNL Neat, I'll have to try memorize these extras. Credit where credit is due, if the Germans got there first then that's the way it is. or should be.

[@oldenweery7510]

Hollywood also benefited from the V-2, as film clips of the launches by the US military were extensively used in the early (late 1940s-early '50s) TV shows ("Tom Corbett, Space Cadet," "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger," and two or three others), as well as feature films. As kids, we were quite fascinated by the things---and the diamond patterns in the blue exhaust flames. The finless rockets developed after they'd been milked for every possible drop of data lacked the mystique of these pioneers. Stay safe, everyone.

[@jezrix]

Fantastic, informative video mate.

[@F-4Phantom2]

My guy sponsoring his own company lol

[@Phucdis]

You HAVE to do the Scottish Falkirk Wheel!

[@RedaGio]

Ideas for new videos: Palmanova Venice Messina Strait bridge Misc Italian renaissance cities: Bologna, Milan, Pavia, Urbino… European fighter jets: Tornado, Typhoon, Tempest Leopard tanks

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

Victor Davis Hanson wrote “The Second World Wars” saying that it was a series of border skirmishes, which they had the armament for. Then when they expanded needed 4 engine bombers and aircraft carriers. Then, they made the trade off to use expensive V weapons and cannons, etc which really were a huge trade off versus much needed other weapons. By then, it was over.

[@MaxPulse1]

In 2017 on a trip to France I visited both the Blockhaus at Eperlecques and La Coupole. The Blockhaus would have been devestating for the Allies if it came into being properly, as it would have been able to launch both the V1 and V2 with some impunity. The damage caused by the Disney bombs was enough to stop the building and no V2 was ever launched. Fascinating places.

[@jimmynickelz]

You had me at V

[@PaulRudd1941]

I was talking with some friends and I was like "I'm sure Simon Whistler has a video on this." And here we are.

[@joshuazelinsky5213]

The Russians directly adopted parts of the V-2 for their rockets also. In fact, the RD-107 family of engines which they've used in some form or another for the last 60 or so years still used a turbopump design of a similar nature en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RD-107 where the turbopump is powered by catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The modern catalyst is slightly different; the V-2 used sodium permanganate, while the modern one uses a solution of sodium permanganate, and calcium permanganate, but it is very much something Von Braun in 1944 would have recognized.

[@trevdagg]

Highly recommend beard blaze it is a great product though I will admit I don't actually use it on my beard but I do use it to make my own mustache wax. For any who might be curious recipe is I use is very simple Approx 40 grams beeswax 1 Tablespoon(25ml) beard oil Melt together in a small pot and voila you have a strong mustache wax that will both hold up to high temperatures and smell good also it works out about one fifth of the price or buying mustache wax and has similar if not equal moisturizing properties

[@mmmhorsesteaks]

To quote the late great Tom Lehrer: "Once ze rockets go up, who cares where zey come down. That's not my department; said Werner von Braun."

[@maxtube444]

- Larry

[@kevinfreeman3098]

What, no veteran discount on the beard oil, you're missing a huge group that grows the face fro and ten percent gets their attention, if it's decent, loyalty as well... What would I know, marketing ain't my gig, but, but being legendarily bad-assed is. Scout's Out!

[@noahuncapher9995]

And I shall watch this while at lunch

[@harryoates91]

I've just finished and should be going home but I'll watch first

[@danielladwein2570]

@@harryoates91 It is 5pm over here. No time for lunch

[@sambland3903]

Lunch isn't for like 13 hours!

[@harryoates91]

@@sambland3903 just pretend you're here in the uk and go nuts, whatever you fucking want

[@harryoates91]

@@danielladwein2570 germany?

[@falloutpictures]

You should do an episode on the Rocketdyne F-1 engine

[@kimarykorlumiose7728]

[@attehosiasluoma3127]

I was scrolling through the comments for a AC reference. And I'm not disappointed.

[@GregConquest]

Frozen Flashes, Die gefrorenen Blitze, is a two-part 1967 East-German film. The plot revolves around the history of the resistance movement in Peenemünde during the Second World War and its attempt to sabotage the V-2 program.

[@geoffhalsey2184]

How about a video on the German WWII rocket powered fighter/interceptor the ME163, just to round things off.

[@keithad6485]

The V2 6 wheel transport trailer cum launch device shown in this video. When a serving soldier in the Aussie Army, I participated in a course at the Australian War Memorial in the 1990s, we students were shown the AWM's V2 with its trailer/launching device and told, it was the only known remaining trailer/launcher for the V2 in the world. It is stored in the Mitchell storage facility and with permission sought before a visit the Memorial, permission might be provided to view the V2 with its trailer/launcher.

[@celsetialarchives5909]

Allies: we just figured out basic radar and are looking at developing atomic bombs Germany: hahaha guided missiles go boom

[@davidmarkwort9711]

But the Germans had already developed the atomic bomb!

[@celsetialarchives5909]

@@davidmarkwort9711 if they developed it why didn't they build and use it?

[@robertwalker-smith2739]

Warren Ellis wrote an excellent alternate history comic book series called "Ministry of Space", in which the British scooped up all the Peenemunde boffins and most of the Holocaust gold before V-E Day. The Empire makes it into space and to the Moon before the Americans or Soviets even develop satellites. It's not utopian, I feel obliged to mention. My older son found it fascinating.

[@fabianobenauf1809]

Mischgerät (mischen=mixing, Gerät=device) -> mixing device

[@MrRandomcommentguy]

The V2's were so expensive that every one launched only hastened the defeat of Germany.

[@bigDbigDbigD]

Absolutely should be a movie.

[@izerochan]

It's 2AM and my insomnia is kicking my ass, so here I am. I guess it's a Nazi experimental weapons day. Side note; I got my boyfriend to get the Beard Blaze sample pack and he's loving it.

[@heyarno]

Well, that is one sponsor that can't ditch you :D

[@ThomasGeist]

If you ever make it to Munich, Germany: there’s a V-2 in the Deutsches Museum, the worlds largest technical museum (alongside a V-1).

[@Delta2414]

That #CancelSimon joke was hilarious

[@matthewcasey5059]

Beard Blaze oil is amazing I love my basic blaze oil and it smells amazing and makes my beard soft and I get compliments all the time of the smell of it.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Hi Simon. Your title is wrong. The V2 wasn't a guided missile since there was no external control once it left the launch pad. It was pointed in a particular direction in the hope that it would go where they desired so it was no more a guided missile than a rifle bullet. I still have the scar from one which came down a mere few hundred yards away at 1602 on the 22nd November 1944 killing five people.

[@lukaspukelis3302]

Could you do one about operation "Paper Clip", when the Allies imported the key German scientists after WW2?

[@grahamnoble1865]

Simon should get Vsauce to sponsor Beard Blaze

[@leddielive]

Battle of the V1 1958 is a movie about stealing a test weapon and sending it to British Intelligence for study, have you seen this movie Simon?

[@001UGN]

Glorious beard