Me 410 Rockets?

[beaupower32]

Can anyone explain what this is. Looks like a rocket launch tube. these are the only 2 pictures i have seen, and it looks like its a rotary type launcher. Also, does anyone have any documents on this.

 

[Erich]

a failure, the rotary mortar principle when fired tore the nose of the 410 right off. obviously dropped in care of crew safety and functionality

 

[beaupower32]

Thanks for the info Eric, I sure would hate to have that sitting under me.

 

[Maximowitz]

Erich is bang on the money. That is Me 410 B-1 W.Nr. 425416 which was equipped with a six shot revolving WGr 21 rocket launcher. Tested on February 3rd 1944 the experiment ended in failure after the rockets blew the nose panels off the aircraft!

Whoops.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Timing is everything.

 

[GrauGeist]

Yep...that was one of those ideas that were just a little ahead of thier time...

 

[Airframes]

Light blue touch-paper and retire.....permanently!!

 

[Maximowitz]

That said the '410 had probably the most diverse array of weapon packages ever tried on a Luftwaffe aircraft. No photon torpedo though.

 

[beaupower32]

That said the '410 had probably the most diverse array of weapon packages ever tried on a Luftwaffe aircraft. No photon torpedo though.

Should have mounted sharks with lazer beams under the wings.

 

[GrauGeist]

Dunno...I thought the Ju88 had quite a few different weapons configs...

 

[B-17engineer]

here ya go

 

[Maximowitz]

Very nice Mr B17!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dam, that's a bigass rocket!

 

[Maximowitz]

Dam, that's a bigass rocket!

There's a quote by a KG51 pilot using those rockets for the first time in Dierich's "History of KG51", I'll dig it out later.

 

[B-17engineer]

No Problem. It's not good but explains the idea in a brief explanation.

 

[Maximowitz]

No Problem. It's not good but explains the idea in a brief explanation.

Yup. All good in theory but less so when you have a bunch of P51's lining up behind you.

 

[Maximowitz]

From Kagero "Me 410 In Combat"

Commanded by Maj. Klaus Haberlen, I./KG 51's baptism of fire took place on September 6th, 1943, when ten rocket firing Me 410's were up with the WGr 21-rocket racks suspended under their wings. The Germans set out to make contact with an American bomber formation that was flying to Stuttgart, and when in the Schwarzwald region, they encountered over 200 B-17's. Hptm. Winkel wrote later:

"For the several preceding years we had been bomber pilots who were expected to reach their target and drop our bombs there accurately. Now we were to fight using an entirely new type of weapon that we had no knowledge of, and neither did fighter pilots. We were to fight enemy bombers. We had no practice in aiming at targets of the B-17 type. So we flew closer and launched our rockets from a long distance. I could see the missiles flying fast forward and describing a ballistic curve. Dead silence fell on the radio - each one of us was looking what was to happen next. At some point a huge ball of fire blew up amongst the enemy formation, sending it down to the ground. I guess all of the pilots and radio-operators shouted of joy at one time because for a few moments I only heard one great shout!"

Not from Dierich's book.. faulty memory there!

 

[B-17engineer]

Wow good stuff! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Maximowitz]

A pleasure Mr B-17. Shortly after that action Hptm Winkel had to make an emergency landing after one of his engines was knocked out by return fire. He survived for further adventures though..

.. don't ask. I could bore you to tears with KG 51 stuff.

 

[Breizh]

Can anyone explain this, from p.139 Mankau 2003:

In the planning point of attack tactics against bombers it is mentioned that whole salvos can be fired from the launcher into the formation; the seven barrel weapon is now available.

What does this refer to if not the bomb-bay mounted revolver pictured in the first post?