Editing Fieseler Fi 103R Reichenberg (section)

=== Training ===
Trainees were initially prepared using ordinary gliders to get them used to handling unpowered flight; specially-adapted gliders with shortened wings would be used to provide more advanced training. Amongst other things, these adaptations enabled them to dive at speeds of up to {{convert|300|km/h|mph}}.<ref name = "chris 212"/><ref name = "Mantelli 47">Mantelli, Brown, Kittel and Graf 2017, p. 47.</ref> Once sufficient proficiency had been demonstrated, the last stage of training would be conducted using the dual-control R-II.<ref name=hyland221 /> According to Christopher, there was no shortage of volunteers for the programme despite the open acknowledgement that the mission involved their near-certain demise.<ref name = "chris 212">Christopher 2012, p. 212.</ref>

Training began on the R-I and R-II and, although landing them on a skid was difficult, the aircraft handled well and it was anticipated that the Leonidas Squadron would soon be using the machines. On 28 July 1944, [[Albert Speer]] wrote to Hitler, stating his opposition to the wasting of both men and machines on the Allies in France and suggested their deployment to be more worthwhile against [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] power stations on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]].<ref name=hyland221 /><ref name = "Mantelli 47"/> These were not the only alternative targets that were proposed; other potential uses for the Fi 103R included ramming enemy bombers. Such was the interest in this latter role that formal evaluations were conducted in the final months of the conflict.<ref name = "renneberg walker123">Renneberg and Walker 1999, p. 123.</ref>