'Doodlebugs' hit London

16th June 1944: Hitler launches a new terror campaign against London with the world's first cruise missiles

‘Southern England -- Diving to earth for its vicious attack, a German pilotless plane zooms through Southern England skies with flame streaming from the propulsion unit (mounted above and behind tail). The mystery plane has a 16-foot wingspan and is 25 ft., 4 1/2 inches long.’

A view over the rooftops of London captured on cine film as a V1 flying bomb explodes close to Westminster in London. Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament can be seen on the right.

Hitler has sustained his faithful Nazi followers with promises of secret wonder weapons that would transform the war situation. Also known as 'Vengeance' weapons, the first 'V' weapon appeared - and dropped - over London on the 13th June. It was little more than a bomb with a pair of wings powered by a pulse jet - a crude navigation system turned it into a basic cruise missile - but an innovation for its time. When the jet engine ran out of fuel, the bomb simply fell from the sky, exploding on impact.