Odin Exchange Programme
| Wōden Behwearft Hīgung (WBH) Odin Austauschprogramm (OAp) | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 1943 |
| Dissolved | July 1944 |
| Employees | 129 (1944) |
| Annual budget |
|
The Odin Exchange Programme (Fēþisc: Wōden Behwearft Hīgung; Ostlandic: Odin Austauschprogramm) referred to as OEP, was a joint Ostlandic-Fyrish scientific research effort of the mid-1940s. During the ten-month programme, many elements of the Ostlandic V-2 effort transferred to Fyrland to escape the Entente bombing campaign.
Ostlandic motivations for rocket development aimed to enable continuous improvement of the V-2 complex despite Entente bombing. Meanwhile, the programme provided valuable insight for Fyrland's fledgeling aerospace industry, which propelled the founding development of this sector in the immediate post-war period.
History
Tuistomünde air raid
Air raids on Ostlandic infrastructure and industry were a common feature of the Pan-Septentrion War, which created enormous pressures to harden industries critical to the war effort. The V-2 complex at Tuistomünde featured enormous infrastructure set up for the A-4 programme and was a valuable target for such raids. Inevitably, the facilities at Tuistomünde became the focus of a Vihoslavian bombardment on August 17 1943, devastating the complex. In the aftermath of this raid, all V-2 production that was rolling out had halted. Plans to open V-2 production at various sites around Ostland became postponed while repairs took place. Coincidentally, while repairs took place air raids following in the weeks after struck all planned V-2 production sites. Anglian Mosquito attack aircraft inflicted a fatal blow to several of these planned sites, which became the focus of Anglian efforts to damage perceived aircraft production facilities. Unknowingly then, Entente air raids managed to curtail a hugely expensive programme.
A-4/V-2 dispersal
The Ostlandic High Command, presented with information in the aftermath of August's bombings, believed that a concerted joint Allied effort had knocked out their strategic missile programme. Despite the series of events leading to this conclusion being entirely unintentional, the decision to harden the programme against bombing followed. This hardening resulted in the underground construction of production facilities at Hroksholt, deep within a mountainside. Here took place the assembly of some 1,200 V-2 missiles before the war's end.
While hardening of production facilities against the bombing campaign was possible, hardening of design and testing facilities was not. Experimentation required vast test stands, prototyping machinery workshops, and substantial barracks for the workforce, all threatened by the bombing campaign.
Odin Exchange Programme
Fyrland was officially a neutral party during the Pan-Septentrion War. However, the conservative government, sympathetic to both the Casaterran and Hemithean Axis, had offered some additional support from early on. As a neutral nation, Fyrland could trade with both Axis and Allied nations, as stated under international law. This trade nevertheless was subject to seizure or scuppering, particularly when bound for Axis nations. To overcome this trade issue, the Fyrish government secretly allowed materiel transfer on Axis submarines, in violation of international law. This small volume trade provided Axis powers with much-needed supplies, including minerals, rubber, and equipment.
The Ostlandic High Command, tasked with hardening design and research facilities, approached the Fyrish government via envoy on September 20 1943. The proposal requested the stationing of significant portions of the Aggregat/V-2 team, under Warin Krause, in Fyrland. It also requested sufficient facilities, resources, and industrial capacity, along with the transport of critical items back to Ostland. In exchange, the government of Ostland would provide all financial means for the project, and allow oversight by Fyrish observers.
Although reluctant to accept the proposal, pressure from Raeloc's founder Penda Dagm urged its acceptance. Dagm stood to gain from hosting the Ostlandic efforts, and so pressed his case ardently. His influential status in Fyrland eventually prevailed, with the government moving to accept the proposal on September 29.
Upgrades to Raeloc's infrastructure hastily began in October 1943. The pre-existing facilities were inadequate for the V-2, the worlds largest missile at the time. In the meantime, substantial portions of Warin Krause's team began to arrive as early as December and worked on continued development. By spring 1944 the completed infrastructure upgrades allowed for full-scale testing at levels seen in Ostland.
Ostland's capitulation
In mid-1944, Ostland's government crumbled in the face of Allied advances. The Ostlandic High Command, forced to accept unconditional surrender, dissolved along with its obligations. Those within the High Command faced war crime charges, and although frequently absolved their subordinates under the Odin Exchange Programme were unable to acquit themselves. The dissolution also halted the financial input of Ostland into the programme, leaving the project dead in the water.
Consequently, those under the programme stationed in Fyrland found themselves unable to return home. Declared war criminals, Warin Krause and his team, applied for Fyrish citizenship at the end of 1944.
Key members
- Warin Krause; team lead. Aerospace engineer and space architect.
- Dr Lukas Berger. Rocket motor specialist and scientist.
- Karsten Bohn. High-speed aerodynamics specialist.
- Ernst Schäfer. Electromechanical guidance specialist.
- Dr Conrad Franke. Aeronautical engineer.
- Maximilian Beitel. Aeronautical engineer.