The V-3 Cannon: Nazi Germany's 430-Foot Underground Supergun

Описание: In 1943, deep beneath the French countryside, Nazi Germany began constructing the most ambitious artillery weapon ever conceived: the V-3 supergun. A 430-foot-long cannon that would fire 600 shells per hour at London from 93 miles away. Had it worked, Churchill later admitted, it "might well have left London as shattered as Berlin."
This is the incredible true story of Hitler's third Vengeance Weapon—the one that never fired a shot at its intended target.
What You'll Discover:

How a WWI "Paris Gun" inspired the V-3 supergun concept
The revolutionary multi-chamber firing system that could accelerate shells to supersonic speeds
The vast underground Fortress of Mimoyecques carved into French chalk hills
The 1,500 forced laborers who built Hitler's secret weapon base
Why Allied intelligence couldn't figure out what the Germans were building
The Barnes Wallis Tallboy bomb that destroyed the fortress from within
Project Aphrodite: the tragic drone bomber mission that killed JFK's brother
The two V-3 guns that actually fired in combat—with disastrous results
How the supergun concept influenced Cold War weapons and Saddam Hussein's Project Babylon

Total length: 430 feet (130 meters)
Barrel caliber: 150mm (5.9 inches)
Projectile weight: 215 pounds (97 kg)
Muzzle velocity: 5,000 feet per second (1,500 m/s)
Range: 93 miles (150 km)
Rate of fire: 600 shells per hour (planned)
Side chambers: 32 pairs of rocket boosters
Planned installation: 50 guns total at Mimoyecques
Actual guns fired in combat: 2 (at Luxembourg)

Historical Context:
The V-3 was the third in Nazi Germany's "Vergeltungswaffe" (Vengeance Weapon) series, following the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 ballistic missile. Unlike its predecessors which successfully terrorized London in 1944-45, the V-3 never fulfilled its intended purpose. The weapon represented Hitler's obsession with "Wunderwaffe" (Wonder Weapons)—technologically advanced superweapons that consumed massive resources while failing to change Germany's deteriorating strategic position.
Why It Failed:

Technical problems: The multi-chamber firing system proved unreliable; shells tumbled in flight
Allied bombing: Barnes Wallis's Tallboy earthquake bombs destroyed the Mimoyecques fortress
Strategic timing: By the time shortened versions were deployed, Germany was losing the war
Rushed development: The weapon went into combat without proper testing
Resource waste: Enormous engineering effort produced minimal results

The Fortress of Mimoyecques:

Location: Pas-de-Calais, northern France
Distance to London: 93 miles (150 km)
Construction period: September 1943 - July 1944
Workers: 1,200-1,500 (mostly forced laborers)
Gun shafts: 10 planned, each 450 feet long, angled at 50 degrees
Protection: 17-foot-thick reinforced concrete dome
Current status: Partially preserved as museum

Project Aphrodite Tragedy:
The failed Allied attempt to destroy Mimoyecques using explosive-laden drone bombers resulted in the death of Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., elder brother of future President John F. Kennedy, on August 12, 1944. His aircraft exploded prematurely over Suffolk, England, while packed with 21,000 pounds of explosives.
Post-War Legacy:
After WWII, the V-3 concept influenced supergun research during the Cold War. Decades later, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein commissioned "Project Babylon"—a similar supergun designed by Canadian engineer Gerald Bull. The project was abandoned after Bull's assassination in 1990 and the seizure of components by European authorities before the Gulf War.
Sources & Research:

British National Archives: RAF bombing mission records
Imperial War Museums: V-weapons documentation
Mimoyecques Museum historical archives
Steven Zaloga: "Superguns 1845-1991"
Barnes Wallis: Tallboy bomb development papers
German wartime engineering documents
Allied intelligence assessments and photographs


Visit Mimoyecques Today:
The Fortress of Mimoyecques is now a museum open to visitors. Located in northern France, the site preserves the underground tunnels, gun shafts, and exhibitions explaining the V-3 project and the forced laborers who built it.

🎯 Key Themes:
#V3Cannon #WWII #WorldWarII #NaziGermany #SecretWeapons #Hitler #Supergun #VengeanceWeapons #Mimoyecques