Timeline: 1941-1950 Date Event Oct.3, 1942 The first successful large scale liquid propelled rocket was Germany’s V-2, used during World War Two for military purposes under the leadership of the rocket expert Werner Von Braun. This Rocket had a maximum range of about 320 kilometres. The V-2 was first launched from a research station on the island of Usedom. The V-2 was to have an enormous influence on later rocket development through the capture of V-2 units by the allies at the end of the war.