Naah, this is old tech. Nothing to do with WW2 dudes.
I first read about this in the 1969 “frontiers of Space” book by Bono and Gatland. Kinda cool in that the aerospike is designed to be ground to orbit and back again. No stages, no parachutes.
Sorta like Musk’s efforts.
Blows thru fuel like crazy, but you save on all the bits&bobs you don’t throw away or drop on everyone’s heads.
You’re correct, of course. But look at the pictures above.
There’s a definite family resemblance.