eten flug platz ▁( English : ▁" R ocket ▁Fl ight ▁Field ") ▁and ▁subsequently ▁issued ▁a ▁contract ▁for ▁a ▁demonstr ation ▁launch . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁Captain ▁D orn berger ▁watched ▁a ▁ro cket ▁motor ▁expl ode ▁at ▁K um mers dorf ▁while ▁W ern her ▁von ▁Braun ▁tried ▁to ▁light ▁it ▁with ▁a ▁fl aming ▁gas oline ▁can ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁a ▁ ▁pole . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁W affen amt ▁Pr ü fw esen ▁( W a ▁Pr ü f , ▁English : ▁" We ap ons ▁Test ing ") ▁ 1 / 1 , ▁under ▁the ▁He eres wa ffen amt ▁( Ar my ▁We ap ons ▁Department ), ▁comm enced ▁work ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Colonel / Dr . ▁Ing . ▁h . ▁c . ▁D orn berger . ▁D orn berger ▁also ▁took ▁over ▁his ▁last ▁military ▁command ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁a ▁pow der - ro cket ▁training ▁battery ▁at ▁König s br ück . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁D orn berger ▁and ▁his ▁nin ety - man ▁organization ▁were ▁transferred ▁from ▁K um mers dorf ▁to ▁Pe en em ünd e . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁D orn berger ▁was ▁given ▁two ▁posts : ▁ ▁coordin ating ▁the ▁V - 1 ▁flying ▁bomb ▁and ▁V - 2 ▁ro cket ▁development ▁programs ▁and ▁direct ing