The V-1 was powered by the Argus As 014 pulsejet engine, the first mass-produced engine of its type. The noisy operation of the engine led to the bomb earning its nickname as a ‘buzz bomb’ or ‘doodlebug’.
The pulsejet engine was simple and cheap to build and, combined with a simple fuselage of welded steel sheets and wings made of plywood, the V-1 could be produced and operated at a fraction of the cost of other bombing methods.
The bomb was specifically designed for terror bombing civilians, since its launch and autopilot system was able to identify a general target area but not hit a specific point. The very first V-1 exploded near a railway bridge in Mile End, London, killing eight civilians.
Each launch site on the French and Dutch coasts could launch up to eighteen V-1s a day, but that figure was rarely met. Furthermore due to mechanical problems, guidance system failures, and an effective system of air defences, only an estimated 25% of all V-1s hit their intended target. Within just two months of the first launch more than half of all V-1s were being intercepted. However, the V-1 was still a highly effective weapon that caused significant damage to Britain and intimidated the civilian population.
The successful Allied advance after D-Day succeeded in disabling all the launch sites on the French coast by September. This removed the threat of further attacks on Allied civilians and contributed greatly to improved morale.
