Abstract

In tracking down references to the V-2 rocket in the London Times for the period corresponding with the first book Gravity's Rainbow, I came across a number of interesting items, such as: the official appearance of Duncan Sandys at the opening of a flying bomb exhibition (Nov. 1, p. 2, col. 2); a condensed version of an announcement from the German High Command which was the first public mention of the V-2 rockets, citing rocket strikes in London, the British Government's silence about this new weapon, the destruction of the Euston station, and "'extremely heavy damage to blocks of houses and traffic installations [in the London district] IN (Nov. 9, p. 4, col. 4)--this last echoes the opening nightmare of GR (pp. 3-4); the transcript of Churchill's speech before Parliament concerning the rocket attack on Britain, in which we read the statement that the rocket "outstrips sound" (Nov. 11, p. 2, col. 1); a report of a rocket falling back on its launch site (Nov. 29, p. 2, col. 4); numerous reports of the English Spitfires which attacked the launch sites--"Spitfires come roaring in low over the dark sea at suppertime" (GR, p. 96); and finally, a technical article on the rocket's operation (Dec. 9, p. 2, col. 3 and p. 10, an illustration).

How to Cite:

Duyfhuizen, B., (1981) “A Long View of V 2”, Pynchon Notes 5, 17-19. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/pn.488