Fritz X

The Fritz X was the first anti-ship guided bomb in military history. It was developed in Germany and used by the Luftwaffe during World War II. Designed by Max Kramer, a total of 1,400 bombs were manufactured by the German firm Rhurstahl. The Dornier Do 217, Junkers Ju 188, and the Heinkel 177 aircraft were its launching platforms. There is no known data on how effective this bomb was in operational use, nor its overall accuracy.

The experimental series of Fritz X bombs were produced in February 1942. This was followed by the prototype series in December 1942. Field testing for tactical employment took place in the Summer of 1943, with mass production beginning in January 1944. However, it was never extensively used due to the small number of available aircraft, from which it could be dropped.

Below, a black and white photo of the Fritz X bomb.

Guidance System

To guide the Fritz X, radio control was used at the beginning. Then, in later versions, they switched to wire control. The controls for guiding the bomb were similar to the one used on the Razon bomb. Thus, they were electrically operated and installed on the tailing edge of the octagonal tail assembly, and it was steered by the bombardier after release. The inner controls of ailerons on the rear assembly were apparently used to control roll. On the extreme rear of the tail assembly, there was a unit that looked as if it had an electrical lamp attached; this might have been used during bomb control of trajectory. Aside from the tail assembly, it was fitted with four stabilizing fins mounted on mid body.

Specifications

Type: anti-ship and land-target guided bomb.

Weight: 1,362 kg (3,000 pounds)

Length: 3.32 m (10.9 ft)

Diameter: 85.3 cm (33.6 in)

Warhead:  amatol explosive.

Span: 1.4 m (4.6 ft)

The Fritz X Bomb (video). Footage recorded during tests. You can notice the targets below and how accurate it was.

Below, an old black and white photo of the Fritz X secured to an aircraft pylon.