45 cm naval rocket | |
---|---|
Type | Rocket artillery |
Place of origin | Empire of Japan |
Service history | |
In service | World War II |
Used by | Imperial Japanese Navy |
Production history | |
Designed | 1944 |
Specifications | |
Length | 1.7 m (5.6 ft) |
Shell weight | 682 kg (1,504 lb) |
Caliber | 45 cm (18 in) |
Carriage | Two wheeled |
Elevation | +5° to +50° |
Muzzle velocity | 151 m/s (495 ft/s) [1] |
Maximum firing range | 5 km (3.1 mi) |
Filling | Trinitroanisole |
Filling weight | 180 kg (400 lb) |
Detonation mechanism | Nose fuze [1] |
The 45 cm naval rocket was a rocket artillery system used by garrison troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the late stages of World War II in defense of island bases in the Pacific.
The 45 cm naval rocket was first discovered during the Battle of Luzon. It was a spin-stabilized rocket that was filled with 39 sticks of solid propellant weighing 59 kg (130 lb) and the exhaust gasses were forced through six venturis that were angled at 18° to impart spin. The total weight of the rocket motor was 258 kg (569 lb). [1]
The body of the motor, warhead and nose cone were all made from 19 mm (.75 in) rolled steel and were welded together. The warhead contained 180 kg (400 lb) of trinitroanisole and in the center of the nose cone, there was a pocket that could house either a Navy nose fuze as used by the 20 cm naval rocket or Army mortar fuze. [1]
The launcher was a two-wheeled wooden cart with a metal baseplate that held the base of the rocket. The rocket was launched by pulling a lanyard which tripped a spring powered hammer at the bottom left of the launcher which set off a percussion cap which started the rocket motor. [2] The launcher could only be used once because the force of the launch destroyed the launcher. [3]
The first captured rocket was tested in Manila and although launched successfully at a 43° angle the rocket started wobbling during the latter half of its flight and only reached a range of 2 km (1.2 mi). Four more rockets were later tested at Aberdeen Maryland proving grounds and they were able to reach 5 km (3.1 mi). The rockets created a crater 2.7 m (9 ft) deep and 6.1 m (20 ft) in diameter with flaming debris scattered up to 317 m (347 yd) from the point of impact. [3] However, the accuracy of the rocket was said to be poor so they couldn't be fired at a specific target but were instead fired towards a target and may have been more useful as a siege weapon. [1]
A bunker buster is a type of munition that is designed to penetrate hardened targets or targets buried deep underground, such as military bunkers.
Rheintochter was a German surface-to-air missile developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig during World War II. Its name comes from the mythical Rheintöchter (Rhinemaidens) of Richard Wagner's opera series Der Ring des Nibelungen.
The Ruhrstahl Ru 344 X-4 or Ruhrstahl-Kramer RK 344 was a wire-guided air-to-air missile designed by Germany during World War II. The X-4 did not see operational service and thus was not proven in combat but inspired considerable post-war work around the world, and was the basis for the development of several ground-launched anti-tank missiles.
The Hedgehog was a forward-throwing anti-submarine weapon that was used primarily during the Second World War. The device, which was developed by the Royal Navy, fired up to 24 spigot mortars ahead of a ship when attacking a U-boat. It was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers and corvettes to supplement the depth charges.
The Mk 4 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR), also known as "Mighty Mouse", is an unguided rocket used by United States military aircraft. It was 2.75 inches (70 mm) in diameter. Designed as an air-to-air weapon for interceptor aircraft to shoot down enemy bombers, it primarily saw service as an air-to-surface weapon. The FFAR has been developed into the modern Hydra 70 series, which is still in service.
The MIM-72A/M48 Chaparral is an American-made self-propelled surface-to-air missile system based on the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile system. The launcher is based on the M113 family of vehicles. It entered service with the United States Army in 1969 and was phased out between 1990 and 1998. It was intended to be used along with the M163 VADS, the Vulcan ADS covering short-range short-time engagements, and the Chaparral for longer range use.
The RP-3 was a British air-to-ground rocket projectile introduced during the Second World War. The "3 inch" designation referred to the nominal diameter of the rocket motor tube. The use of a 60 lb (27 kg) warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60-pound rocket". Though an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. They were generally used by British fighter-bomber aircraft against targets such as tanks, trains, motor transport and buildings, as well as by Coastal Command and Royal Navy aircraft against U-boats and ships.
The Type 4 20 cm rocket mortar was a 203 mm rocket mortar used by the Imperial Japanese Army in the final stages of World War II.
AGM-123 Skipper II is a short-range laser-guided missile developed by the United States Navy. The Skipper was intended as an anti-ship weapon, capable of disabling the largest vessels with a 1,000-lb (450-kg) impact-fuzed warhead.
The Unrotated Projectile (UP) was a British anti-aircraft and ground-bombardment rocket of the Second World War. A 7-inch version was developed for the Royal Navy by Alwyn Crow of the Projectile Development Establishment of the Ministry of Supply at Fort Halstead. It proved unreliable and ineffective and was withdrawn from use in 1941. Development of the concept led to the UP-2 and UP-3, which had diameters of 2-inch and 3-inch respectively but were longer. The latter was used as the basis of the Z Battery anti-aircraft weapons and later developed in air-to-ground form as the RP-3, used against ground forces and shipping by aircraft like the Hawker Typhoon and the Bristol Beaufighter. In 1944–1945 several adaptations for general bombardment were produced, including Sea Mattress, Land Mattress, LILO and Tulip.
The Nimrod is a long-range air-to-surface missile developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. While designed for mainly anti-tank warfare, it provides standoff strike ability against a variety of point targets such as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), ships, bunkers, personnel concentrations, and guerrillas.
The Type 4 70 mm AT rocket launcher was a Japanese rocket launcher used during the last year of World War II. It was to be used in the Japanese mainland in case of an invasion by the Allies. It was comparable to the German Panzerschreck and the American bazooka.
The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, also known by the nickname Holy Moses, was an American unguided rocket developed during World War II to attack targets on the ground from aircraft. It saw extensive use during both World War II and the Korean War.
The 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was a German multiple rocket launcher used in the Second World War. It served with units of the Nebeltruppen, German Chemical Corps units that had the responsibility for poison gas and smoke weapons that were also used to deliver high-explosives during the war. The name Nebelwerfer is best translated as "smoke thrower".
The Henschel Hs 297 Föhn or 7.3 cm Raketen Sprenggranate was a small German surface-to-air rocket of the Second World War. The associated multiple rocket launcher was known as the 7.3 cm Föhn-Gerät.
The 3.5-inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket, or 3.5-Inch FFAR, was an American rocket developed during World War II to allow aircraft to attack enemy submarines at range. The rocket proved an operational success, and spawned several improved versions for use against surface and land targets.
The Type 10 and Type 3 rocket boosters were rocket artillery systems used by garrison troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the late stages of World War II in defense of island bases in the Pacific.
The 30 cm Wurfkörper 42 Spreng was an unguided spin-stabilized artillery rocket developed by Germany and used by the Wehrmacht during World War II.
The 20 cm naval rocket launcher was a rocket artillery system used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in the final stages of World War II.
The Type 21 and Type 22 rocket-bombs were rocket artillery systems used by garrison troops of the Imperial Japanese Navy during the late stages of World War II in defense of island bases in the Pacific.