Rheinmetall-Borsig Rheinbote

The Rheinbote (Rhine Messenger) artillery rocket was designed to replace or supplement the German Army’s long range, heavy artillery and could deliver a 40kg / 88lb warhead to a distance of 160 km / 99 miles. From November 1944 to May 1945, over 200 were launched in the direction of the Belgian port of Antwerp, a key Allied base.

The Rheinbote's small warhead made its application as a strategic weapon impractical. Its long range represented an improvement on conventional artillery, but its lack of accuracy made its use in the tactical role equally ineffective. Problems with the warhead's fusing meant that the rocket would sometimes bury itself in the ground upon impact but before detonation, further limiting the power of the already small explosive charge.