Archeologists Unearth The Weapon Near Ashford In Kent

The remains of a German V1 "flying bomb" that was shot down during WWII have been unearthed by an archeological team working on a site near Ashford on Kent, England. It was one of almost 10,000 that were launched towards England from Germany in the latter stages of the war.

Fox News reports that the team unearthed several key metal parts of the V1. Allied fighter aircraft and anti-aircraft artillery had become adept at shooting down the so-called "buzz bombs" in flight, and this particular bomb was one that was intercepted before it reached its target.

The private archeology team Research Resource led the excavation. Most of the steel used to construct the bomb had corroded away, according to the report, but many aluminum parts survived. They included a fuel compressor and parts of the pulse engine jet and guidance system.

The team recently also excavated a V2 rocket crash site near Sittingbourne in Kent, England. V2 rockets captured after the war provided the basis for military missile and civilian space programs in the U.S. under the direction of Wernher von Braun.

Colin Welch and his brother Sean, who run Research Resource, say they hope to establish an online museum displaying the V-weapons they have excavated. The site would show 3-D models of the recovered weapons, as well as historical information about the V1 and V2 programs.

FMI: Source report