Buzz
The saying 'necessity is the mother of invention' is never more true than during wartime, when nations are pushed to innovate under extreme pressure. The global conflicts of World War II spurred the creation of numerous groundbreaking technologies, from early computers and jet engines to the atomic bomb. Yet, among these advancements were some truly strange and unconventional weapons. This list explores those odd inventions that have largely been forgotten by history. While this compilation highlights a selection, there are many more peculiar weapons worth mentioning. Feel free to share any additional ones in the comments.
10. X-Class Midget Submarines
The X-Class submarines were a series of small, specialized vessels developed by the Royal Navy during World War II. These compact submarines, weighing just 30 tonnes when submerged, measured 15.55 meters (51 feet) in length and were operated by a crew of four: a commander, navigator, engineer, and diver. Designed to be transported to their target zones by larger 'mother' submarines, the X-craft would then detach and stealthily approach their objectives. They carried two side charges, each containing 2 tonnes of amatol explosive, which they would deploy before retreating to rendezvous with the mother submarine. Their first major mission targeted the German battleship Bismarck. Of the six X-craft assigned to the operation, two were lost to accidents, one experienced mechanical failures, and another was reportedly sunk by German fire. The remaining two successfully planted their charges, causing significant damage to the Bismarck. Beyond this mission, X-craft also played a vital role in the D-Day landings, with one conducting pre-invasion beach surveys and two others serving as navigational lightships to guide landing craft.
9. V-3 Supergun
The V-3 cannon, designed as a vengeance weapon to retaliate against London amid relentless Allied bombing of German cities, was engineered to fire a 140kg (1310lb) shell over a staggering distance of more than 161 km (100 miles). Its extraordinary range was achieved through a series of side channels attached to its 460ft (140m) barrel. Each channel housed an electrically ignited propellant charge, propelling the finned shell to a muzzle velocity of 1500m/s (4920 feet per second). Impressed by the prototype, Hitler commissioned 25 units to be constructed at Mimoyecques, France. However, relentless Allied bombing forced the Germans to abandon the site. Two shorter-barreled versions (164ft) were later deployed against Luxemburg, firing 183 shells but causing minimal damage—only 10 civilian deaths and 35 injuries. Both guns were soon captured by American forces.
8. Sonderkommando “ELBE”
In the latter stages of the war, Germany faced relentless bombing raids by Allied heavy bombers. In a desperate move, Nazi Germany established a unit aimed at temporarily halting the British and American bomber offensive, buying time to produce sufficient quantities of the advanced Me 262 jet fighter. This unit operated stripped-down Me-109 fighters, devoid of weapons and armor to maximize speed. Hermann Goering, head of the Luftwaffe, suggested these pilots wait at high altitudes, then dive at high speeds to use their propellers to cripple bomber tails before attempting to parachute to safety. Over 2000 pilots volunteered, though only 180 planes were available. Their first mission on April 7th, 1945, saw 120 pilots take off, but only 15 returned, managing to destroy just 17 American B-17 bombers and 5 P-52 Mustangs.
7. Ohka (Cherry Blossom) Suicide Plane
As American forces closed in on Japan, the Imperial Japanese military grew increasingly desperate to avert defeat. The Ohka, a purpose-built kamikaze aircraft, was developed as a last-resort weapon to target the American fleet. Equipped with a 1200kg warhead and lacking landing gear, it was transported by a G4M 'Betty' bomber. Once near the target, the Ohka was released and guided by its pilot toward an enemy ship. After diving, it ignited three rocket boosters, accelerating to 650mph before impact. Its incredible speed made it nearly impossible to intercept with anti-aircraft fire. Although over 800 were produced, only a few saw action, as most were reserved for the anticipated invasion of Japan—a scenario averted by the atomic bomb.
6. Anti-tank dogs
The Soviet Union deployed anti-tank dogs during World War II in an effort to slow the German advance in 1941. These dogs were trained to associate food with tanks by placing meals beneath stationary vehicles. Each dog carried a 10-12kg mine with a detonator connected to a 20cm wooden lever protruding vertically. When the dog slid under an enemy tank, the lever would trigger the mine, destroying both the dog and the tank. However, the strategy proved largely ineffective. Many dogs fled due to gunfire, returning to their handlers and detonating mines prematurely. Others failed to dive under moving tanks, having only trained on stationary ones, and some even targeted Soviet tanks instead. While a few German vehicles were damaged, the Soviet claim of disabling 300 tanks is considered highly exaggerated.
5. Bachem BA349 Natter Fighter
Developed in the war's final stages, the Bachem BA349 Natter was a unique interceptor that didn’t require a runway. Instead, it was launched vertically from an 8-meter (25ft) rail mounted on a tower. Ground operators controlled the aircraft via radio until it approached Allied bomber formations. The pilot would then take control, jettison the nosecone, and unleash salvos of rockets. After exhausting its fuel and ammunition, the plane would glide to 3000m (10,000ft), deploying parachutes from the rear fuselage. The cockpit and front section would separate from the tail, allowing the pilot to parachute to safety. Only the tail section, containing the rocket engine, and the pilot were recoverable; the rest of the aircraft was expendable. Despite a fatal accident during the first manned test flight, 36 units were produced, though none saw combat before the war ended.
4. Bat Bombs
Conceived by the United States following the attack on Pearl Harbor, this unconventional plan involved attaching small incendiary devices to hundreds of bats. These bats would be housed in a specialized carrier and dropped from an aircraft. At 1000 feet, a parachute would deploy to slow the carrier's descent, releasing around 1040 bats. The bats would then disperse and seek shelter in the wooden and paper structures of Japanese cities. The timed bombs would later ignite, causing widespread fires. During a test, some bats roosted in the testing facility's buildings, resulting in their destruction. The project was ultimately abandoned in 1944 due to the development of the atomic bomb, sparing countless bats from being used in this manner.
3. Silbervogel (Silver Bird) Bomber
One of the most bizarre and ambitious weapons proposed by Germany during World War II, the Silbervogel was part of the 'Amerika Bomber' initiative aimed at developing a long-range bomber capable of striking the United States. The design involved launching the aircraft from a 3 km (2 mile) rail using a rocket-powered sled, accelerating it to 1900 kph (1200 mph). Once airborne, the Silbervogel would ignite its own rocket engines, reaching an altitude of 145 km (90 miles) and a speed of 22,100 kph (13,700 mph). The plane would then glide through the stratosphere, using its flat body to generate lift and 'bounce' across the globe in a series of descending arcs. It was intended to deliver a 4000 kg (8800 lb) bomb, potentially radiological, to a target in America before landing at a Japanese base in the Pacific. However, the project was far beyond Nazi Germany's technological and resource capabilities, remaining only a conceptual mock-up.
2. Project Habakkuk
Project Habakkuk was an innovative concept proposed by Geoffrey Pyke to address the Allied losses of supply ships to German U-boats in the Atlantic. The idea involved using a massive iceberg or ice floe, flattened and hollowed out, as a floating aircraft landing platform. Aircraft were effective at hunting U-boats but lacked the range to cover the entire Atlantic. A mid-ocean platform would eliminate safe zones for U-boats. However, natural ice proved too fragile and unstable. A breakthrough came when scientists in New York created 'pykrete,' a durable and buoyant material made by freezing water mixed with wood pulp. The final design envisioned a 600-meter (2000-foot) long pykrete carrier, equipped with a cooling system to prevent melting, displacing 2.2 million tons, and capable of carrying 150 planes. Despite its ingenuity, the project was abandoned in early 1944 due to the rising effectiveness of conventional carriers, the enormous cost ($100 million), and the technical challenges of construction and refrigeration.
1. Pigeon Guided Missile
This project aimed to utilize animals for precision-guided explosive delivery, conceived by American psychologist B.F. Skinner. The idea involved placing a pigeon inside a missile, where the bird would be trained to recognize a target projected on a screen. The pigeon would peck at one of four levers (up, down, left, or right) to center the target on the screen. During training, the pigeons were rewarded with corn for accurate targeting, demonstrating remarkable skill by tracking targets moving 4-5 inches per second. The National Defense Research Committee allocated $25,000 to the project, and the army adapted several missiles for this purpose. However, the initiative was eventually abandoned in favor of electronic guidance systems, which were deemed more reliable.
