Introduction

A one-off presenter-led history documentary telling the incredible story of the race to destroy the German V-3 ‘Supergun’ weapon built to destroy London.

Outline

The V-3 “supergun” was meant to win the war for Germany. In 1943, for the first time since World War II began, Hitler was on the back foot. Allied bombs were devastating German cities and the Fuhrer was rattled. His proposed V-3 cannon would be the biggest gun the world had seen.

The V-3 was built in a truly enormous bunker buried deep in a chalk hill in northern France. Millions of tonnes of rock were excavated by hand and among the workers were hundreds of slave labourers. In its original conception, 25 barrels were to point at London – about 100 miles away – delivering up to one bomb per minute and to create an environment of fear that would turn the course of the war back in Hitler’s favour. And it was a doomed secret “drone” mission to destroy the V-3 that led to the death of Joe Kennedy Junior, a pilot and older brother of the future US president, John F. Kennedy.

Presented by Dr Hugh Hunt (Reader in Engineering Dynamics and Vibration for the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge).

Production

Filmed on location in France, the US and UK.

Production & Filming Details

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  • Channel 4
• Release Date: 22 November 2015.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Rating: R.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

Video Link(s)