During World War II, the German military sought innovative aviation solutions as they faced material shortages and the need for quick production. One such project was the Bachem Ba 349 Natter, a wooden interceptor aircraft designed by Erich Bachem in 1944. The aircraft was meant to launch vertically using rocket engines, with the pilot serving more as a passive observer than an active pilot. Developed under the designation BP-20, the project aimed to use less of the scarce aluminum that was being prioritized for other military aircraft. The first tests of the Natter began in mid-December 1944 with a glider towed in the air, followed by an unmanned takeoff. In February 1945, a complete powered flight was conducted with a mannequin in the cockpit to test the aircraft's performance under real propulsion. However, the only inhabited flight of the program occurred on March 1, 1945, when test pilot Lothar Sieber died after the cockpit canopy was torn off during flight, leading to a crash. The flight lasted about one minute and covered nearly 14 kilometers, with an estimated average speed of 800 kilometers per hour. Despite this fatal accident, the German high command did not immediately cancel the program. An order for 20 more units of the Ba 349A was placed, with a delivery date set for before May 10, 1945. However, out of the initial order for 200 units, only 36 were produced, and a dozen were deployed in the final days of the war. None of these aircraft ever carried out an operational mission, and the rest were destroyed by the Germans to prevent them from being captured by the Allies after the war. One Natter was recovered by the United States after the war and studied by American engineers. The project was ultimately abandoned due to its technical shortcomings and the chaotic situation at the end of the war. The Natter remains a notable example of the desperate and unconventional measures taken during the final months of World War II, driven by the urgency of the situation and limited resources.