Rocket launcher on a B-24 Liberator

[Snautzer01]

Bet a tenner you havent seen this....

All coming from this ebay WWII US ARMY / AIR FORCE SET OF 11 B&W PHOTOGRAPHS - AIRCRAFT ROCKETS, SECRET. | eBay

 

[Capt. Vick]

That is AWESOME!

 

[norab]

apparently intended for rear defence, too cool, never heard or seen any set up like that, uses the bazooka tubes US fighters useually carried

 

[Crimea_River]

Here's your ten. Nice one!

 

[Snautzer01]

The rockets are fired in an angle above. It could be fragmentation or smoke. Note the difference in angle of the tubes in the different pictures.

 

[Grampa]

The rockets are fired in an angle above. It could be fragmentation or smoke. Note the difference in angle of the tubes in the different pictures.

Maby its adjustable from the tailgunner?

 

[Wayne Little]

Interesting!

 

[Airframes]

Got this in a book on the B-24 somewhere. From what I remember, it was a 'local' modification, and not very successful. Apparently the flash and smoke on firing scared the c@ap out of the tail gunner, who couldn't see anything!
A great indication though, of the measures taken to try to increase defensive armament, after the mauling during day light raids.

 

[Glider]

I believe that some RAF ASW Liberators carried rockets for attacking U Boats

 

[vikingBerserker]

I wonder if they ever actually tried using it in combat?

 

[Airframes]

I'll see if I can find the info and pic in my library.

 

[Snautzer01]

tada..did not think i would find this.

 

[Boa]

When I first looked at the pictures I thought it was an Offensive weapon, like Anti-Sub Rocket Thingy...
But why would they have that when they got 5-8000 pounds of bombs + 10 .50cal

 

[T Bolt]

Can't see them hitting anything with it, but I bet it would throw off the aim of an unsuspecting Fw 190 pilot.

 

[Boa]

Can't see them hitting anything with it, but I bet it would throw off the aim of an unsuspecting Fw 190 pilot.

And the Tailgunner...

 

[Gnomey]

Interesting shots! Doubt it would really work though...

 

[bobbysocks]

Can't see them hitting anything with it, but I bet it would throw off the aim of an unsuspecting Fw 190 pilot.

sometimes not hitting the target is worth more...the EA would still have to break off and land just to change his pants.

 

[Snautzer01]

Operational installation was completed just before hostilities ceased. But had to be tested in combat conditions to prove concept i believe. Fire selector switch in the tail turret, elevation adjustment in waist, rocket with T-5 proximity fuse. The 4.5 HE had the destructive potential of a 105 mm Howitzer and a large bursting. My question remains if the Germans had any notice of this in either Luftwaffe pilot reports or intel,

Quite a flak weapon it could have been

 

[Snautzer01]

PB4Y-1 fitted with rocket rails to evaluate air launch rockets. 1944

 

[EwenS]

The RAF had two types of rocket installation for the B24 Liberator. This one, which is the one usually published

And a second, less well known one, that fitted inside the aft bomb bay and was reloadable in flight. The rails swung down on a trapeze like affair. I've never seen an airborne shot with it deployed and it is usually almost invisible on the ground even with the bomb bay doors open.

Image here of it

https://imgur.io/zkLLoKI?r

And a model of the set up here

Eduard 672177 - B-24 bomb bay rocket projector 1/72

Eduard 672177 - B-24 bomb bay rocket projector 1/72

kitchecker.com

311 (Czech) squadron used a lot of the latter type during 1944. By Sept 1944 the aircraft began to have the rockets removed. Schnorkelling U-boats didn't make good rocket targets!