The Manned Flak Rocket

The midget fighters such as He P 1077 Julia developed from the summer of 1944. The Bachem Natter was another midget fighter intended to assist jet

fighters such as the Me 262 to regain mastery in the air. These and all similar projects arose from the stated desire of the RLM on 15 July 1944 for a light fighter for local defence. By mid-November 1944 it was evident that it had poor tactical potential, contrary to the assessment of the light fighter with BMW 003 engines given in September 1944. For this reason, on 15 November a ‘single – seater special aircraft in wood’ suitable for anti-bomber work in the local protection role was demanded. Simpler than ‘midget fighters’, the new fighter generation would fire rockets of great destructive power into the enemy bomber formation.