Scott Lowther wrote:

Because the A-5 was reusable, and launching it atop an A-4 would have
made it impossible to recover. And the idea of launching a rocket like
that and not recoviring it... why, that's just down-right non-Teutonic.



It would have had an advantage over our WAC Corporal though- exhaust
vanes and a gyro-stabilization platform to keep it nose upwards- we had
to spin stabilize the WAC with some small strap-on engines ala Honest
John; and my intention was that the thing _be_ recoverable, the whole
mission being a small scale version of the A9/A10 flight plan, with the
winged A7 ending up parachuting into the sea after it's return glide.
Ignition at altitude was probably the major stumbling block; but if you
used the Walter hydrogen peroxide motor on it (such as was used for
later A5 flights), you would at least be able to eliminate the fireworks
pinwheel up the combustion chamber.

Pat