R-1 (missile)

The R-1 rocket (NATO reporting name SS-1 Scunner) was a copy of the German V-2 rocket manufactured by the Soviet Union. Even though it was a copy, it was manufactured using Soviet industrial plants and gave the Soviets valuable experience which later enabled the USSR to construct its own much more capable rockets. In 1945 the Soviets captured several key V-2 rocket production facilities, and also gained the services of some German scientists and engineers connected to the project. In particular the Soviets gained control of the main V-2 manufacturing facility at Nordhausen, and had 30 V-2 missiles assembled there by September, 1946. In October, 1946 the Soviets transferred the German missile engineers working for them to a special research facility near Moscow, where they were forced to remain until the mid-1950's. However, the best members of the German V-2 design team ended up in the USA, and the group in Moscow played only a secondary, though still useful, role in the Soviet effort. The Soviets established a missile design bureau of their own (OKB-1), under the direction of Sergey Korolev. This team was directed to create a Soviet capability to build missiles, starting with a Soviet copy of the German V-2 and moving to more advanced, Soviet-designed missiles in the near future. In April, 1947 Stalin authorised the production of the R-1 missile, the designation for the Russian copy of V-2. The GRAU index 8A11 was also used. The first tests of the missile began in September, 1948. The system was accepted by the Soviet army in November,1950. The R-1 missile could carry a 785 kg warhead of conventional explosive to a maximum range of 270 km, with an accuracy of about 5 km.

See also

• List of missiles

References

External links

• Global Security: R-1 / SS-1 SCUNNER
• "Decision for breach" (Russian)