Oct 19 1939

From The Space Library

Dr. Vannevar Bush was elected Chairman of the NACA to fill the post of Dr. Joseph Ames, who resigned due to Ill health.

Second Special Committee on "Future Research Facilities of NACA," headed by Charles A. Lindbergh, recommended that a powerplant research center be established at once, a recommendation resulting in the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory at Cleveland. Ohio, now the Lewis Research Center.

Alexander Raven Thomson, a British dissident and agitator writes an article in Oswald Mosley's fascist tabloid Action (published in London, England) entitled Hitler's New Weapon? Rockets in War?. Thomson states that Hitler is developing rockets using Hermann Oberth's plans, and then went on to say that rockets have no theoretical range limit and they could be used to get to New York. He says liquid oxygen and alcohol would overcome the propulsion problems and that if they can be steered remotely would become the most potent war weapon imaginable. He went on to say:

"Therefore I suggest it is possible that in this present war, it is highly probable should it prove a long one, we shall see cities bombarded by rockets carrying a hundred tons of high explosive; manless projectiles which will devastate square miles of built-up areas in a second. More likely, so we think, smaller missiles weighing, say, from five to ten tons, will be fired in flights of hundreds at a time, as were gas bombs from projectors during the World War."

This highly visible description of a LOX/Alcohol missile seems to contradict most histories about who notified the government, and when, about the threat from German rockets.