37. Targeting the United States
Lack of cooperation from the Luftwaffe delayed the marriage of U-boats and V-1s. However, consideration was also given in 1943 to firing V-2 rockets from U-boats, particularly to target American cities. In 1943, American bombers were showing up in ever growing numbers to bomb German cities, so the Germans were itching for a means to retaliate against American cities.
However, the V-2 was too big to mount in any U-boat then in service. So a submersible vessel to transport and launch the V-2 was designed. Known as the Prufstand XII (“Test Stand XII”), the V-2 submersible transport displaced about 500 tons, and would get towed by a U-boat – the forward motion keeping the container submerged – to within range of its target. Three Prufstands were ordered in December of 1944. The target: New York City.