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The R-2 doubled the range of the R-1 and was equipped with a deadly radiological warhead. The ethyl alcohol used in the V-2 and R-1 was replaced by methyl alcohol in the R-2, eliminating the problem of the launch troops drinking up the rocket fuel. Aside from the basic military service version of the R-2, specialised variants included:
Versions of the R-2 for suborbital manned flights were studied by Korolev in 1956-1958, but it was decided instead to move directly to orbital flights of the Vostok. However some equipment tested on the R-2 found its way onto canine flights of Sputnik and Vostok.
The German engineers at Zentralwerke had already begun development of an improved V-2 engine in 1945. Through relatively simple measures the thrust was increased to 30 tonnes. Glushko then found that by using 96% alcohol fuel in place of the V-2's 75%, the basic engine would deliver 37 tonnes thrust. Experimental tests of these tweaked V-2 and all-Russian RD-100 engines were conducted in 1948 - 1949. Official state trials tests were conducted at Zagorsk in 1950.
The R-2 was designed by Korolev in 1947-1948 in competition with Groettrup's G-1. Korolev's approach was to apply simple measures to double the range of the V-2. The increased-thrust engine allowed the rocket to be stretched, with a lift-off mass 50% greater than the V-2. When the G-1 and R-2 were evaluated by the State Commission in December 1948, the G-1 was found the superior design. Korolev fought the decision for a long time, updating his R-2 design to include some of the G-1's features, such as the use of an integral fuel tank, and improved accuracy through a radio-controlled engine cut-off system (russified by Mikahil Borisenko). Finally the decision was reversed and Korolev's design was accepted for test. State trials flights were conducted from 21 September 1949 to July 1951. Barmin had already designed the mobile launch complex to accommodate either the R-1 or R-2 missiles. The system was accepted into the military on 27 November 1951. A 30 November 1951 decree authorised series production at factory 586 at Dnepropetrovsk. The first launch by a military unit was made with a prototype rocket in 1952. The first production rocket was rolled out there in June 1953 (only six months after the first all-Dnepropetrovsk R-1).
The gruesome Geran radiological warhead was developed for use with the R-2. This dispersed a radioactive liquid at altitude, resulting in a deadly 'radioactive rain' falling in a wide area around the impact point.
R-2's were deployed in rocket brigades equipped with six launchers (three divisions per brigade, each division with two batteries). The 54th and 56th brigades were formed for test launches at Kapustin Yar on 1 June 1952. Following receipt of production missiles in 1953, divisions were deployed to Zhitomir; Kolomoaya; Medved, Novgorod oblast; Kamyshin, Volgograd oblast; Shyalya, Lithuania; Dzhambul, Kazakhstan; and Ordzhonikidze, in the Far East.
In field use a crew of 11 was required for launch preparations. The radio-correction system required two truck-mounted stations. It took six hours to prepare the rocket for launch, including 15 minutes for the guidance system to be programmed. Once prepared, the rocket could be held in a ready-to-launch condition for 24 hours before it had to be defuelled and recycled. The rocket was launched in service at temperatures from -40 deg C to +50 deg C, and at wind speeds of up to 15 m/s.
On 6 December 1957 an agreement was signed to license production of the R-2 to China. A huge team of Russian rocket engineers and technicians went to Beijing to set up the production line. This rocket provided the technological base for the subsequent Chinese rocket programs.
Payload 1350 / 508 kg. Range 550 km (576 km in R-2E version). Maximum altitude 171 km. Time of flight 7.5 minutes. Max velocity at burnout 2175 m/s. Accuracy 8 km in range, 4 km laterally. The R-2A version could carry 1400 kg on a 209 km vertical shot.
Launches: 1. Failures: 0. Success Rate: 100.00% pct. First Launch Date: 01 October 1966. Last Launch Date: 01 October 1966. Liftoff Thrust: 37,210 kgf. Total Mass: 19,632 kg. Core Diameter: 1.7 m. Total Length: 21.0 m.
In overnight roundup, 20,000 Germans transported to USSR to transfer technology on aerospace and other technical fields.
Decree 'On work on the R-1 and R-2 missiles' was issued. To accomplish putting the R-1 into production the resources of 13 research institutes and 35 factories were tapped. Glushko was tasked with producing the RD-100 copy of the V-2 engine. R-1 stand tests began the same day the decree was issued (Prototypes had already begun factory tests at the end of 1947). The decree also set forth design goals for the R-3.The specification was an order of magnitude leap from the other vehicles - to deliver a 3 tonne atomic bomb to any point in Europe from Soviet territory - a required range of 3000 km.
The team defended the G-1 draft project on 28 December 1948. The State Commission found the G-1 to be superior to Korolev's R-2 design in many respects. However the Russian designers managed to convince the government to put the R-2 rather than the G-1 into production by arguing that the manufacturing technology of the G-1 could not be mastered immediately by Soviet Union. Several of the design concepts (integrated propellant tanks, radio-controlled cut-off, forward liquid oxygen tank) were however used by the Russians in their R-2 and R-5 rockets.
Range achieved 541.3 km. Deviation from aim point -0.2 km. Launched at 1416 local time.
Range achieved 562.2 km. Deviation from aim point -9.3 km. Launched at 1449 local time.
Range achieved 324.1 km. Deviation from aim point -11.4 km. Launched at 1400 local time.
Range achieved 569.8 km. Deviation from aim point -0.8 km. Launched at 0905 local time.
Council of Soviet Ministers (SM) Decree 4972-2096 'On adoption of the R-2 into armaments' was issued.
Ministry of Armaments Decree 'On starting of series production of the R-2 at Dnepropetrovsk Plant No. 586' was issued. The first launch by a military unit was made with a prototype rocket in 1952.
The 54th and 56th brigades were formed for test launches at Kapustin Yar. R-2's were deployed in rocket brigades equipped with six launchers (three divisions per brigade, each division with two batteries).
The first production rocket was rolled out at Dnepropetrovsk (only six months after the first all-Dnepropetrovsk R-1). Following receipt of production missiles, divisions were deployed to Zhitomir; Kolomoaya; Medved, Novgorod oblast; Kamyshin, Volgograd oblast; Shyalya, Lithuania; Dzhambul, Kazakhstan; and Ordzhonikidze, in the Far East.
Decree 'MOP On production of the R-5A and R-2A scientific missiles at Plant No. 586' was issued.
On 6 December 1957 an agreement was signed to license production of the R-2 to China. A huge team of Russian rocket engineers and technicians went to Beijing to set up the production line. This rocket provided the technological base for the subsequent Chinese rocket programs.
Russian hands over two R-2 missiles and technical drawings. Further 12 ordered.
First launch of Chinese-built copy of R-2, model 1059