“Unveiling the Bizarre: How Nazi Germany Crafted a Wooden Weapon of War That Defied Belief”
Though Erich Bachem pushed for further unmanned tests, the SS was anxious to get the Natter into combat and ordered that a manned flight be completed as soon as possible. A 28-year-old Luftwaffe test pilot named Lothar Sieber volunteered to make the flight, which was scheduled for February March 1. The test aircraft, M23, was fitted with a radio telemetry system to record flight data and an intercom to allow Sieber to communicate with the launch bunker before launch. During the flight itself, however, Sieber would be on his own – just like the anticipated future pilots of the Natter. Just prior to launch, Erich Bachem briefed Sieber as he lay on his back in the cockpit, reassuring him that the aircraft was stable and would be easy to control should it start going off course. Minutes later, all five rocket engines ignited with a deafening screech and the Natter roared up the launch tower, making Lothar Sieber the first human in history to ride a vertically-launched rocket. This feat would not be repeated until April 12, 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to reach outer space. But soon after the Natter cleared the launch tower, things started going seriously wrong. At an altitude of around 150 metres, the Natter suddenly pitched up by 30 degrees and entered an inverted loop, slowly pulling back to near-horizontal before disappearing into the clouds. About 30 seconds later, the aircraft slammed into the ground a few kilometres away, killing Sieber instantly. It was later determined that the canopy latch had not been properly secured, causing the canopy to fly open and knock Sieber unconscious. The autopilot then disengaged as designed, allowing the aircraft to plunge uncontrolled to the earth. Intriguingly, data collected from the telemetry system indicated that on his way down, Sieber briefly became the first human to break the sound barrier – and for more on another Luftwaffe pilot who claimed to have accomplished the same feat and survived, check out our previous video Did a German Pilot Break the Sound Barrier 2 Years Before Chuck Yeager? on our sister channel Highlight History.
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