The "Feuerlilie" (Fire Lilly) anti-aircraft missile program was begun as a high-speed research program by the Forschungsführung (the Research Control section)of the RLM to obtain data for future guided missiles.  In order to obtain funding, it was decided to design the "Feuerlilie" as a flak or anti-aircraft missile. The "Feuerlilie" was designed in two configurations, the F25 and F55, the number being the fuselage diameter in centimeters, using the basic aerodynamic shapes developed by Dr. G. Braun and A. Busemann of the Luftfahrtforschungsansalt (LFA).
        The F25 "Feuerlilie" was merely a sounding rocket and designed for obtaining aerodynamic data at trans-sonic speeds. It was still deliberately designed as if it was an anti-aircraft missile, with provisions for warheads and fusing. The fuselage was cylindrical, with the wings
mounted in a mid-fuselage position. There were small fins at the tips of the swept-back wing, and there was a single fin at the rear of the fuselage having a high mounted tailplane with elevators working together or differentially for control. Power was supplied by a single Rheinmetall 109-505 solid diglycol fuelled rocket motor which produced 500 kg (1100 lbs) of thrust for six seconds. The F25 "Feuerlilie" was launched from an inclined ramp (controlled by an LFA-designed autopilot) and from an aircraft (controlled by a radio link). The first test launchings were made in April 1943 at Leba and the island of Greifswalder Oie, near Peenemünde. Three missiles were launched, of which one was a sucess. In July 1943, three more F25 "Feuerlilie" missile were test fired, all of which worked flawlessly and gave the desired information.
       The F55 "Feuerlilie", which was designed for supersonic speeds, was a tailless design, with the wings also mounted in a mid-fuselage position, and moved to the extreme rear of the missile. Small fins were located on the wing tips. The power was to be supplied by a liquid-propellant rocket  motor which was to use R-Stoff and S-Stoff to produce a thrust of 6350 kg (13970 lbs) for seven seconds. This rocket engine was designed by Dr. Conrad of the DVK, who also designed the rocket motors for the Enzian and Rheintochter). The first tests of the F55 "Feuerlilie" were made in May 1944 near Pomerania , using four of the solid propellant fuelled Rheinmetall 109-505 rocket engines. These tests were sucessful, reaching speeds of Mach 1.25. The second test, which used Dr. Conrad's liquid fuelled rocket engine, was not sucessful and a third test shot slated for a November 1944 firing at Peenemünde was never fired.

       Model photo of the F55 "Feuerlilie"

     F25         Span: 1.15 m (3' 9.25")                   Length: 2.1 m (6' 10.7")                 Max. Speed: 840 km/h (522 mph)
     F55         Span: 2.5 m (8' 2.5")                       Length: 4.8 m (15' 9")                    Max. Speed: 1500 km/h (932 mph) 


 
Transport and maintenance on the F55 "Feuerlilie"
 
 
Left: A windtunnel model of the F55 "Feuerlilie"    Right:  The booster section of the F55 "Feuerlilie", showing the four solid rocket engines
 

 

      An Allied post-war drawing of the F55 "Feuerlilie", showing some of the internal components....
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A photo and drawing of the Rheinmetall-Borsig F55 "Feuerlilie" on its launching ramp
 

 
 

      The Rheinmetall-Borsig F55 "Feuerlilie" at the Cosford Royal Air Force Museum in Shropshire, England.

        Photo by Graham Causer, May 1998....