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Home > Fact Sheets > Ruhrstahl X-4 Air-to-Air Missile
RUHRSTAHL X-4 AIR-TO-AIR MISSILE
Posted 2/4/2011
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DAYTON, Ohio -- Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missile on display in the World War II Gallery at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo)
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Allied bombing success in Germany during World War II led the Germans to develop air-to-air missiles. The X-4 was to be launched from fighter planes against B-17 bombers. This missile, like the V-weapons, is an example of advanced technology that failed to prevent German defeat, but previewed future arms development. The missile's warhead was "tuned" to the vibrations of the bomber's engines, and it was meant to explode as it passed nearby. Fighter pilots guided the missile visually with a small joystick, and thin wires -- nearly four miles long -- relayed guidance commands to the missile. Though about 1,300 X-4s were built, the Allies bombed the Ruhrstahl factory, and the Germans turned their attention to other projects. The X-4 was an early attempt to use guided missiles in aerial engagements, a concept which has since been developed to produce highly accurate weapons that are the mainstay of air-to-air combat.
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Warhead: 44 lbs.
Range: 2,700 yards
Maximum speed: 560 mph
Click here to return to the World War II Gallery.
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