Hi Tony.
The stories about Hanna Reitsch and the so called 'suicide squadron' are true but, like most things, slightly jazzed up for TV. It's true she did promote a scheme for the development of several aircraft types for the use of a special cadre of pilots who would, if necessary, carry out suicide raids on vital targets. However, apparently there was little favourable response, except for a small number of fanatics. Reitsch initiated the scheme along with SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Otto Skorzeny and the project grew into a special experimental unit, 5./KG 200 which was formed to investigate the means required to attack very heavily defended targets. This unit had an unofficial name, Leonidas Staffel, after the King of Sparta who took on suicidal odds against the Persians at the Battle of Thermopylae. This made the basic intention of the unit pretty obvious! Initial plans were for the use of the Me328, the FW190 converted into a piloted bomb. However, it was realised that the use of these aircraft would make it unlikely that they could penetrate the anti-aircraft screens around vital targets and as there were insufficient volunteers for such missions it would be best to look at a means of delivery for a large weapon which would be survivable, (just)! This was were the piloted V1, renamed the Reichenberg came in. I think a top tip would be to read Hanna Reitsch autobiography as she carried out a large portion of the test flying programme herself! Thus showing that she had considerable guts but was definately a fanatical believer in the Third reich! According to my 'library' 173 V1's were converted into Reichenberg variants but none were flown in action. The programme was ended in October 1944 which would, you would think, have been about the time when sufficient fanatical volunteers might have turned up. Apparently, the means of attack was to dive at the target reaching speeds of 490-530 Mph then bale-out by jettisoning the canopy, (which had to swing through 45 degrees FORWARD)! Suicidal? I think so!
Spiney
P.S. Yes, she did fly an aircraft inside a hall at a Nazi party meeting but it was a tethered prototype helicopter. Can't for the life of me remember which one!