Henschel Hs 293 - Combat Performance

Combat Performance

On August 25, 1943, an Hs 293 was used in the first successful attack by a guided missile, striking the sloop HMS Bideford, though as the explosive charge did not fully detonate, the damage was minimal. On August 27, the sinking of the British sloop HMS Egret by a squadron of 18 Dornier Do 217 carrying Hs 293s led to anti-U-boat patrols in the Bay of Biscay being suspended. On November 26, an Hs 293 caused the sinking of the troop transport HMT Rohna killing over 1,000 personnel.

Other ships sunk or damaged by the Hs 293 include:

• Banff class sloop HMS Landguard (slightly damaged with Bideford in Bay of Biscay 25 August 1943)
• HMCS Athabaskan (heavily damaged by confirmed hit with Egret in Bay of Biscay 27 August 1943)
• HMHS Newfoundland (heavily damaged and later sunk by Allied gunfire)
• SS Bushrod Washington (sunk 14 September 1943 during Operation Avalanche (World War II))
• SS James W. Marshall (damaged 15 September 1943 during Operation Avalanche (World War II) and used for Mulberry harbour -- possibly due to a "Fritz X")
• HMS LST-79 (sunk)
• SS Samite (damaged)
• SS Hiram S. Maxim (damaged)
• SS Selvik (damaged)
• USS Tillman (possibly slightly damaged 6 November 1943 while escorting Mediterranean convoy KMF-25A) though more likely a torpedo was the cause)
• HMS Rockwood (damaged slightly, later written off)
• HMS Dulverton (heavily damaged and scuttled)
• MV Marsa (sunk)
• SS Delius (damaged)
• HMS Jervis (damaged off Anzio during Operation Shingle 23 January 1944)
• HMS Janus (sunk—possibly from Hs 293, or a torpedo)
• USS Prevail (damaged—possibly from Hs 293)
• USS Mayo (damaged—possibly from Hs 293 or a mine)
• SS John Banvard (damaged)
• SS Samuel Huntington (sunk off Anzio during Operation Shingle 29 January 1944)
• HMS Spartan (sunk off Anzio during Operation Shingle 29 January 1944)
• USS Herbert C. Jones (damaged off Anzio during Operation Shingle 15 February 1944)
• SS Elihu Yale (sunk off Anzio during Operation Shingle 16 February 1944—LCT 35 alongside is also destroyed)
• HMS Inglefield
• HMS Lawford (sunk—probably from Hs 293, official report states "aerial torpedo")
• USS Meredith (sunk—possibly from Hs 293 or other causes)
• HMCS Matane (damaged)
• USS LST-282 (sunk during Operation Dragoon)

Although designed for use against ships, it was also used in Normandy in early August 1944 to attack bridges over the River See and River Selume. One bridge was slightly damaged for the loss of six of the attacking aircraft.

The Hs 293 was carried on Heinkel He 111, Heinkel He 177, Focke-Wulf Fw 200, and Dornier Do 217 planes. However, only the He 177 (of I./KG 40 and II./KG 40), certain variants of the FW 200 (of III./KG 40) and the Do 217 (of II./KG 100 and III./KG 100) used the Hs 293 operationally in combat.