AA guns + rockets alternatives for 1935-45

SplitRz · 2024-12-14T19:48:32-0500

yulzari said:
Z Battery 'non rotating projectiles' did go on to form the chassis of post war AC sports cars. Just as Morrison shelters became Cooper racing car chassis with brake drums made of surplus ship engine cylinder liners. Good steel was at a premium in post war Britain. Hence Land Rovers came with aluminium bodywork not steel. But I digress from the OP.

Didn't the Z battery projectiles also form the basis for the later aircraft mounted 25 and 60lb PRs that were so instrumental later against submarines, shipping and for ground attack?

[edit!] Yes! it seems they did. So very much not entirely wasted - Z-battery - RP-3

Sadly, Z Battery operation possibly killed more British civilians than German aircrew. A Z Battery was infamous for being the cause of this horrific disaster: The Bethnal Green Tube Disaster

SplitRz · 2024-12-14T19:59:13-0500

Shortround6 said:
British gave up fairly quickly on AA rockets and for an army that hung onto the Smith gun, the Northover projector and the Blacker bombard that may tell us something.

The Smith Gun, Northover projector and Blacker Bombard were IIRC only ever issued to The Home Guard, and never actually deployed in action, let alone with the regular army (except possibly for some early war exercises).

The main impetus behind these rocket (and/or black powder propelled) weapons was to get something/anything into production at a time when invasion looked like a real threat. By the time that has passed by '41, all the best weaponry was clearly going to be needed in theatres like North Africa and beyond. So all the Heath Robinson stuff stayed at home for the Old Boys to exercise and drill with.

I believe that the Northover projector was actually credited with a kill when fired from a trawler and managed to knock down an HE111! Joking aside, given it used next to no resources of any significance and the ships own steam lines for its propellant, I think it was a rather cunning invention. More recently, I wondered if they shouldn't have dusted off something similar as an anti-pirate weapon firing internationally 'plausibly deniable' ammo like bowling balls at the Go-Fasts off the Horn of Africa!

Shortround6 · 2024-12-14T20:37:31-0500

SplitRz said:
The Smith Gun, Northover projector and Blacker Bombard were IIRC only ever issued to The Home Guard, and never actually deployed in action, let alone with the regular army (except possibly for some early war exercises).

Turns out they gave rockets to the Home Guard :shocked!:

There was a single launcher with around 1000 made by Sept 1940
Most went to Merchant Navy.

yulzari · 2024-12-15T07:05:25-0500

SplitRz said:
The Smith Gun, Northover projector and Blacker Bombard were IIRC only ever issued to The Home Guard, and never actually deployed in action, let alone with the regular army (except possibly for some early war exercises).

The main impetus behind these rocket (and/or black powder propelled) weapons was to get something/anything into production at a time when invasion looked like a real threat. By the time that has passed by '41, all the best weaponry was clearly going to be needed in theatres like North Africa and beyond. So all the Heath Robinson stuff stayed at home for the Old Boys to exercise and drill with.

I believe that the Northover projector was actually credited with a kill when fired from a trawler and managed to knock down an HE111! Joking aside, given it used next to no resources of any significance and the ships own steam lines for its propellant, I think it was a rather cunning invention. More recently, I wondered if they shouldn't have dusted off something similar as an anti-pirate weapon firing internationally 'plausibly deniable' ammo like bowling balls at the Go-Fasts off the Horn of Africa!

The Blacker Bombard was not just for the Home Guard but was issued to the Regular army and served in action in North Africa. Post Dunkirk it was also issued to Regular infantry in Britain until they could make enough anti tank guns for them.

It was the foundation of the very successful naval Hedgehog spigot mortar which allows ASW vessels to fire forwards when approaching an asdic contact. Equally the proven spigot mortar Bombard was a model for the later PIAT infantry man portable anti tank weapon.

One finds Blacker Bombard Home Guard weapon pits filled in post war all over Britain, especially in the south and east. Built to a standard pattern in concrete with a central weapon pin swivel post and protected reload. In a suitable position they can dominate any target within their range which would be exceeding displeased with receiving a substantial HE round landing on them. Ideally placed where they can be covered by small arms fire to keep enemy infantry at a distance. Especially used in suburban situations with the petrol fougasse being more popular in rural areas. My grandfather's village had a large Canadian Pipe Mine/s in the road behind the village. Stayed there until the war was over. Always fun as laid full of an explosive liable to deterioration that sometimes needed to be emptied when found unstable and refilled. Still occasionally found when digging works and some are still full of that potentially unstable explosive. Another occasional find is a group of rusted out oil drums in the undergrowth by a dip in the road which were filled with petrol and a throwing/igniting charge to toss them flaming into a movement restricted area like a sunken road and ruin an enemy's day and do no good at all to any transport.

https://zeticauxo.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/pipe-mines.pdf