Argus As 014
| Company type | Pulsejet engine |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace engineering |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Founder | Paul Schmidt |
| Headquarters | Munich , Germany |
| Products | Pulsejet engines |
The Argus As 014—known as 109-014 under the RLM designation—was a pulsejet engine employed in the German V-1 flying bomb during World War II. It holds the distinction of being the first pulsejet engine mass-produced. In the later phase of the war, Japan manufactured licensed versions of this engine under the name Kawanishi Maru Ka10, which powered the kamikaze jet, the Kawanishi Baika.
The United States developed a reverse-engineered variant called the Ford PJ31, utilized in the Republic-Ford JB-2 cruise missile and also tested in the experimental USAAF JB-4 television-guided bomb.
Development
The inception of the Argus As 014 traces back to 1928 when Munich-based inventor Paul Schmidt initiated work on an innovative pulse jet design. He secured a patent for this concept in 1931 and subsequently gained backing from the German Air Ministry in 1933. By 1934, Schmidt and Professor Georg Madelung proposed a "flying bomb" powered by Schmidt’s pulse jet to the Ministry, which resulted in a development contract awarded in 1935. A prototype pilotless bomber powered by this pulse jet was demonstrated in 1938; however, due to its limited range, poor accuracy, and high production cost, the Air Ministry halted further development. Despite this setback, Argus Motoren commenced work that same year on a flying bomb incorporating Schmidt’s engine design. Schmidt joined Argus in 1940 to continue development.[1]
Design
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Engineered for simplicity and cost-effectiveness, the As 014 consisted of a mild steel sheet rolled into a tubular form. Its front section featured a spring-loaded flap-valve grid (shutters), along with a fuel inlet valve and an igniter assembly. The engine was capable of operating on virtually any type of petroleum fuel. The shutter mechanism was designed for single-use per flight due to its limited durability, with an operational lifespan estimated at about one hour. Contrary to common misconceptions,[2] this resonant pulsejet could function while the V-1 remained stationary on its launch ramp once it reached its minimum operating temperature.
Ignition was initiated by an automotive-style spark plug situated approximately 0.75 m (2 ft 6 in) behind the shutter assembly,[3] powered by electricity supplied from a portable starting unit. The front housed three air nozzles connected to an external high-pressure air source used to initiate engine operation. Acetylene gas served as the starting fuel, and often a wooden panel or similar material was held over the tailpipe opening to prevent premature fuel escape before ignition was achieved.
After reaching operational temperature and sustaining combustion internally, external air hoses were detached; thereafter, the pulsejet’s resonant tailpipe design maintained continuous firing. Each combustion cycle began with open shutters allowing fuel injection behind them; ignition caused rapid gas expansion that forced the shutters closed. When pressure dropped post-combustion, shutters reopened to repeat the cycle approximately 45 to 55 times per second. The electrical ignition system was required solely for startup—once airborne, V-1 missiles lacked coils or magnetos to power further spark plug operation.
Thanks to its straightforward construction, low-grade gasoline sufficed as fuel while delivering thrust around 2.7 kN (660 lb_f). However, its inefficiency restricted the V-1’s operational range to roughly 240–400 km (150–250 mi). The combustion process resonated at about 45 Hz, producing the distinctive buzzing noise that earned the V-1 nicknames like "buzz bomb" or "doodlebug".[4]
Operational history
In April 1941, the prototype engine underwent testing suspended beneath a Gotha Go 145 Luftwaffe training biplane bearing the code D-IIWS. The initial V-1 prototype took flight on December 24, 1942. Both the As 014 and the more powerful As 044 pulsejet engines were evaluated as propulsion options for several emergency German fighter projects during the final phase of World War II. Overall production reached 31,100 units.
Following the conclusion of World War II, the As 014 design was reverse-engineered and adapted by the United States as the Ford PJ31 for use in the Republic-Ford JB-2, itself a copy of the Fieseler Fi 103. Similarly, the Soviet Union replicated it as the Chelomey D-3 engine for their 10Kh, another derivative of the Fieseler Fi 103.
Applications
- Blohm & Voss P 213
- Fieseler Fi 103 (V-1 flying bomb)
- Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg
- Junkers EF 126
- Messerschmitt Me 328
Engines on display
At the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, California, a replica of the As 014 was constructed and showcased during their 2010 exhibition.
The London Science Museum possesses a V-1 flying bomb featuring a cutaway As 014 engine. Additional institutions exhibiting complete V-1s with engines include the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Royal Air Force Museum London, and the Military Aviation Museum. The latter also maintains an operational As 014 mounted on a test rig.
Specifications (As 014)
See also
References
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Bibliography
- Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9
- Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London. Studio Editions Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-517-67964-7
External links
- Footage of a contemporary German test featuring an Argus As 014 on a test rig
- Clip showing the Sprengboot Tornado – a German naval drone powered by an Argus As 014 pulsejet
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