Revisiting the Argus pulsejet engine of V-1 buzz bombs: An experimental investigation of the first mass-produced pressure gain combustion device

•The Argus pulsejet engine is experimentally investigated.•The formation number of the starting vortex varies between 2.5 and 3.•The engine reaches 166 dB during ignition at the far-field.•The exhausted gas increases to 2000 c after 1.4 m away from engine exhaust.•Evidence suggests that the Argus engine behaves like a Helmholtz resonator.