In message , Keith Willshaw
writes

"M. J. Powell" wrote in message
...


Ski ramp? The ski sites took their name from the large concrete
ski-shaped bunkers used to store V1s. Those were the intended
targets.

The launch ramps were ski-shaped. I have never been able to find out
why.


Its my understanding that the ramps looked like a ski-jump
rather than a ski. Certainly the one at Duxford appears that way.

http://www.schoolshistory.org.uk/ima...tlaunchpad.jpg

That site appears to be a bit confused. It refers to V1's and V2's as
'Rockets'.

The V2's were launched vertically and had no ramp, only a concrete pad.
The V1's were launched along a ramp which looked like a ski laid on its
side, the curved bit near the 'adjustment house' where the compass was
set and the aircraft demagnetised with mallets.

They were called 'ski-sites' from the first aerial photographs IIRC.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell