bazooka

The title of this article is ambiguous. Further meanings are listed under Bazooka (disambiguation) .

US soldiers with 3.5-inch (front) and 2.36-inch (rear) bazookas during the Korean War

The Bazooka (officially: Antitank Rocket Launcher , later Rocket Launcher ) is a recoilless anti-tank handgun that was developed by the US Armed Forces in 1942. It owes its name to the similarity to the trombone - like musical instrument, also called a bazooka , by the contemporary American comedian Bob Burns .

The bazooka is the first rocket-propelled infantry weapon and one of the first shaped charge weapons . They were used in World War II mainly against armored vehicles and bunkers that could be up to 100 meters away. The operation of a Bazooka required usually while one of straightening and loader's existing team of two.

The first models were not very reliable and were considered difficult to handle, but went through further development steps that significantly improved their usability. Later variants, also known as Super Bazooka , were used in the Korean War and Vietnam War. In addition to the US armed forces, other states have equipped their armed forces with the bazooka or are using further developments based on it. As with the bazooka , bazooka is often used as a generic term for all rocket-propelled anti-tank weapons.

The use of bazookas was later also used as an image for it, e.g. B. To do what is necessary in terms of financial policy (see Whatever it takes , Draghi effect ).

development

The basis for the construction of the bazooka was formed by two developments that were initially independent of one another: that of the rocket propulsion system and that of the shaped charge warhead.

Rocket propulsion

Robert Goddard, 1918

Leslie Skinner

Since the invention of black powder , missiles based on it have also been used in armed conflicts, for example in the form of the Hale missile in the American Civil War . Shortly thereafter, however, such missiles were considered obsolete in the military sector, as the artillery had increased significantly in efficiency from around 1870 through the introduction of breech- loading weapons with rifled barrels .

Towards the end of the First World War , the American rocket pioneer Robert Goddard suggested the military use of a rocket again after various experiments, this time in an open launch tube as a recoilless infantry weapon. The smallest variants were light enough to be fired from the shoulder. He and his colleague Clarence Hickman presented the first prototypes to the US military on November 6, 1918 in Aberdeen Proving Ground . Although the potential as an anti-tank weapon was recognized, further development was discontinued only a few days later at the end of the First World War. Goddard then devoted himself to other rocket projects. It was not until 1931 that Leslie Skinner continued the experiments of Robert Goddard and Clarence Hickman in the Aberdeen Proving Ground. Within two years, he carried out around 900 rocket launches with the aim of establishing missiles as aircraft armament. Among other things, he found that two-base gunpowder was particularly suitable as a drive. The US Army recognized Skinner's abilities and subsequently promoted his rocket research, albeit on a very limited budget. Work came to a halt in 1938 when Skinner was transferred to Hawaii .

After the outbreak of World War II , Hickman, in his capacity as a member of the National Defense Research Committee, ensured that Skinner could resume his work in the Indian Head Powder Factory in November 1940 . In December 1940, Skinner presented his idea of ​​a portable rocket launcher to the US Army. However, since there was a lack of an effective warhead, the project soon had only a low priority for the US Army, but Skinner was appointed an assistant with Edward George Uhl . While Skinner from now on mainly devoted himself to aircraft and artillery missiles such as the M8 , Uhl concentrated instead on the development of the anti-tank missile, the later Bazooka.

Shaped charge warhead

It has been known since the end of the 18th century that an explosive charge with a special geometric arrangement of the explosive in a hollow shape can generate a stronger detonation wave than a conventional explosive charge. However, this so-called shaped charge effect was initially not used in the military. It was not until 1935 that the Swiss Heinrich Mohaupt realized that an additional metal lining would create an extremely fast moving metal spike when it was ignited. The kinetic energy of this projectile is so high that it can penetrate conventional armor. After the occupation of France by the Germans in the western campaign , Mohaupt fled to the USA in 1940 and presented his design for a shaped charge explosive device to the US military.

The 30 mm rifle grenade demonstrated by Mohaupt was able to penetrate around 5 cm thick armor steel. Building on this, the US Army developed the 60 mm M10 rifle grenade with a penetration capacity increased to around 10 cm. However, the excessive weight of the bullet and the associated strong recoil led to major damage to the rifles. Rapidly developed charge launchers, on the other hand, fired the grenades without any problems, but due to the design only fired at steep angles . An effective fight against small targets was not possible due to the large dispersion of the projectiles and thus made a new launch system necessary.

Missile with shaped charge warhead

Patent drawing

The concept of a missile-based projectile was combined for the first time with that of a shaped charge warhead by Gregory Joseph Kessenich , the head of the patent department of the US Ordnance Department . In order to avoid the strong recoil and the steep trajectory of the warhead, in early August 1941 Colonel Wiley T. Moore proposed the use of Skinner's rocket motor, the work of which Kessenich had known since December 1940. Moore, who led the development of light weapons , saw the potential of this combination. Kessenich's drawings and information about shaped charges were then sent to Leslie Skinner , but before Kessenich could file a corresponding patent. Due to the subsequent classification of the Bazooka project as classified information , the patent application (US2579323) was delayed until February 14, 1944. After the war there was therefore a long-term dispute over the late grant of the patent and the consequent loss of income United States Senate ended with a payment of $ 100,000.

After receiving Kessenich's drawings, Skinner and Uhl immediately worked on combining the M10 warhead with a rocket motor on the one hand and developing a portable launch device - the rocket launcher - for it on the other. They were supported by Hickman in the form of scientific advice and by Moore, who provided assistance with the development of the ammunition. The work was favored by a better availability of the essential two-base gunpowder, which the US Army was now able to produce in large quantities in two new explosives plants built in Radford Ordnance Works and Sunflower Ordnance Works in spring 1941 .

The prototype of a shaped charge warhead with rocket motor developed by Uhl achieved the first acceptable results with regard to its range and ballistic properties in February 1942. Later, Uhl and Skinner designed a makeshift rocket launcher tube with handles and an electric detonator from metal waste and successfully tested it with the previously developed rocket. Shortly afterwards, in May, the first large demonstration of the two launch systems, charge and rocket launchers, took place in front of a high-ranking audience. Most of the slow projectiles from the charge launcher, fired in steep fire, missed the moving target tank. In contrast, the rocket launcher developed by Uhl was a great success, which meant the military breakthrough for this technology. In addition, the weapon received its nickname Bazooka at this time , which goes back to a comparison made by General Gladeon M. Barnes with the musical instrument Bazooka.

Shortly after the first presentation, there was a second in Camp Simms in front of US Army General George C. Marshall , who had already initiated a working group under Anthony McAuliffe in April 1941 to develop new anti-tank weapons. Numerous representatives of the British and Soviet allies were among the assessors. Marshall ordered 5,000 rocket launchers and 25,000 anti-tank and 5,000 training rockets as part of the so-called due to the ongoing successful demonstration Lend-Lease Act (English Lend-Lease Act) for the Allies. The order for the rocket launcher was accepted on May 20, 1942 by General Electric in Bridgeport, Connecticut . The missiles were ordered from Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company , actually a manufacturer of car bodies and rail vehicles . The weapon was given the military code name Whip (German whip ).

Further development

M1, late version with one-sided sight and ammunition for versions from M1A1

The further development was transferred from 1943 to the Corcoran Hall Physics Institute at George Washington University in Washington, DC . As a result, the improved versions M1A1, M9, M9A1 and M18 followed by 1945.

The first tests with a more powerful version of the Bazooka, presumably based on the M1A1, were carried out in 1943. This T16 had a caliber of 3.25 inches (83 mm) and was more penetrating than its predecessor models. The T74 with a caliber of 3.5 inches (89 mm) tested in October 1944, on the other hand, goes back to the Bazooka M9 / M18 and probably the German Panzerschreck with its 88 mm caliber, which was first used in the Italian campaign in spring 1944. The Panzerschreck is a German development of the Bazooka, recorded in early 1943, which goes back to an M1 captured in the German-Soviet war . The M20 model, called "Super Bazooka", was standardized on October 11, 1945.

Construction and rocket launcher models

The bazooka consists of a tube (launcher) and a missile with the shaped charge warhead. The thin-walled launch tube is of simple construction and is open at both ends; attached to it are pistol grip and shoulder rest as well as aiming devices. To fire, the shooter places the weapon in the middle of the shoulder. The rocket is loaded through the rear end of the launch tube. The rocket is ignited electrically . In earlier models, the necessary energy comes from the battery ; in later models, the kinetic energy of the fume cupboard is converted into electrical voltage by a small electrical generator . The necessary circuit between the launch tube and the rocket is established via electrical contacts . The rocket has a solid propulsion system with which it is accelerated according to the recoil propulsion principle. The dangerous exhaust gas jet emerges at the end of the pipe. Because of this, the weapon cannot be used in cramped conditions, for example in small spaces. In order not to endanger the shooter, the rocket's propellant charge burns out shortly before it leaves the barrel.

2.36 in

M1

M1

Sighting device of the M1

After the prototype was accepted by Skinner and Uhl, however, it first had to be reworked in order to enable mass production . On June 24, 1942, the Ordnance Department issued standardization as the M1 Antitank Rocket Launcher . The early variants of the M1 allowed firing from the right and left shoulders. The grain consisted of a grid frame on either side of the pipe end, the rear sight consisted of a diopter pinhole that could be turned to either side. The sight allowed the sighting of targets up to about 360 m. Later a simplification was made (grid frame only on the left side and immovable rear sight) so that the weapon could only be fired from the right shoulder. A shoulder rest and two wooden handles - the rear one with the trigger - were attached to the barrel. There were no attachments for a wrist strap, so the soldiers had to make do with provisional means.

A 791 A battery from Eveready Battery Company served as the power supply , which could be replaced by two baby batteries . The battery and a reserve battery were in the shoulder rest. A control lamp was also integrated in the shoulder rest, which lights up when the trigger is pressed if the battery is supplying sufficient voltage. Cables led from the fume cupboard to the junction box, which was located in the rear third of the pipe. One of the cables was electrically connected to the conducting launcher tube; electrical contact with the missile was made through the fin. The other conductor of the circuit was secured by the junction box through an opening in the launcher tube with a contact ring on the warhead. The junction box had a safety lever with positions for fire and secured . After firing, the lever returned to the secured position. At the end of the launcher tube was a lock that hooked into a notch in the guide fin with spring force and thus held the missile in place. Since the notch was unpainted, this also ensured the electrical connection with the launcher tube. A protective grille was attached at the very end of the launcher tube.

In late production versions, a piano string was wrapped around the rear of the launcher tube as reinforcement, as there were cases of exploding rocket motors. A sheet of metal was later added to protect the shooter's cheek from the hot pipe.

112,790 exemplars of the M1 were produced by General Electric.

M1A1

After the M1 was rushed into action, some shortcomings quickly emerged. The Ordnance Department responded with a new M1A1 pattern, adopted July 5, 1943. The most important change concerned the electrical connection between the launcher and the missile. The junction box has been omitted; instead, external electrical contact points have been installed in the rear part. The loader now had to pull a wire out of the newly designed M6A1 missile to connect it to the new contact point. The original M6 missiles could no longer be used. The change slowed the loading process, but made the gun more reliable. The lattice frame of the visor was simplified again and allowed sighting at distances of up to 270 m. Other changes were the removed front handle, added eyelets for a wrist strap and a circular shielding net on the muzzle. The shielding net served to protect the shooter in case the rocket engine was still burning after leaving the launcher tube. The net fell off easily when it came into contact with obstacles.

59,932 examples of the M1A1 were produced by General Electric.

M9

Clutch mechanism

M9 in marching mode

In November 1942, airborne troops requested a bazooka that could be dismantled, as the more than 130 cm long Bazooka M1 caused difficulties with parachute jumps . The solution was a launch tube that could be dismantled into two parts. The two pipe halves were attached to one another by turning the coupling halves 60 ° and secured with three brackets. The two halves could be attached to each other in parallel using additional brackets, which led to the significantly more compact overall length of 84 cm in marching mode. In this way, the weapon could be transported more easily in difficult, for example densely overgrown, terrain and more easily stowed in vehicles. The launch tube could therefore be made about 15 cm longer, which meant a slightly larger effective range. An additional weight of over one kilogram was accepted because of the advantages.

The M1's ignition system was based on a battery that turned out to be unreliable and completely failed at temperatures below −10 ° C. As a countermeasure, the batteries had to be carried in inner pockets on the body until shortly before use. That's why the batteries of the M9 have been replaced by an electromagnetic generator in the fume cupboard. The generator was in the handle; the activated trigger ensured that the rotor was set in rotation and thus generated the necessary tension. There was also a newly introduced safety lever in the handle. The shoulder rest was now made of metal tape instead of wood. Instead of the shielding net of the predecessor M1A1, a smaller metal funnel was attached to the muzzle .

The sighting device was fundamentally changed. The rear sight and front sight were no longer directly on the launcher tube, but on an approximately 20 cm long rail. The distance setting up to 550 m could be made by tilting the rail; a pointer indicated the set distance on a scale. However, it turned out that this rail could easily be damaged during transport.

In June 1943 development and testing were completed and the model was accepted as the M9. The official name was now Rocket Launcher , without the addition of Antitank (anti- tank defense ) to emphasize the versatility of the weapon. In August 1944 the first M9 reached the troops.

General Electric produced 26,087 units of the M9.

M9A1

Since the connection of the pipe halves of the M9 did not work well enough, it had to be improved. The connection was strengthened by the fact that some connecting parts were no longer embossed , but forged . In April 1944 the model was adopted as the M9A1 and production began in September 1944.

Optical sight of the M18 (also late M9A1)

After September 1944, the M9A1s were fitted with a non-magnifying reflex sight based on the Van Albada principle . The distance setting remained the same. The visor could be folded against the tube for transport. This visor could be retrofitted to earlier M9 / M9A1s.

The M9A1 was the most commonly built 2.36-inch bazooka with 277,819 units. In addition to General Electric, Cheney Bigelow Wire Works in Springfield, MA also built 40,000 copies of the M9A1.

M18

The M18, standardized in April 1945, was externally similar to the M9A1 and operated identically. In contrast to the M1 and M9, the launcher tube was made of aluminum , which reduced the weight by 2.5 kg. In addition, the shoulder rest made of metal tape was redesigned and the rear pipe protection was no longer designed as a grille, but in the shape of a funnel. The reflex sight got a rubber eye piece . The suspension of the reflex sight has also been changed.

Only 500 M18s were produced before the General Electric contract was canceled after defeating Japan . Otherwise it would have been used in the invasion of the main Japanese islands ( Operation Downfall ).

3.5 in

M20

M20

The M20 with the enlarged 89 mm caliber was technically based on the M18. The M20B1 was an equivalent variant. While on the M20 the add-on parts such as the visor holder or the pipe coupling were screwed onto the launch tube, the launch tube of the M20B1 was already cast as a unit with these parts .

A foldable bipod was located below the first half of the tube and an extendable monopod on the shoulder rest. This allowed the weapon to be placed on the ground and fired, which was rarely done in practice. Both the monopod and the bipod were often removed to save weight during use. Piano wire wrapping was no longer necessary as the new missiles were safe enough. The optical sight now had a tree-shaped reticle and allowed sighting up to 360 m. The pattern was adopted on October 11, 1945 and was unofficially called the Super Bazooka . The M20 was produced in small numbers from 1948, with mass production starting in August 1950.

The M20 was produced by the Rock Island Arsenal in cooperation with Birtman Electric , actually a manufacturer of household appliances , in Rock Island (Illinois) .

M20A1

The experience gained in Korea led to a further development, the design of which was adopted as the M20A1 in 1952. It was introduced to the troops in the last months of the war. The two and one leg were omitted. The most important innovation was that both contacts of the circuit were closed when inserted. This eliminated the loading step of attaching a cable protruding from the rocket to the launcher. So they returned to the principle of the original Bazooka M1 - with the difference that both power contacts were tapped on the guide fins. This change increased the cadence. The M20A1 also had an equivalent variant with the M20A1B1.

Interestingly, in the M20A1B1s manufactured in Brazil by the armaments company Hydroar Industria Metalurgica , the dynamo in the trigger was replaced by a battery and a feature of the original Bazooka M1 was reintroduced.

The M20A1 was also manufactured in the United Kingdom.

M25

M25

The M25 was a variant of the 3.5 Bazooka as a multi-loading weapon . The ammunition was fed through a three-rocket magazine shaft. The magazine as well as the firing device made the weapon complex and unreliable. Because of its excessive weight, it could no longer be fired from the shoulder; therefore it was mounted on a tripod, which additionally increased the total weight. Because of its size and weight, it could not be carried by infantry units. The only remaining task was the defense of bases. The weapon was standardized in 1951; 1,500 copies were produced but never officially launched. Probably the M25 was tested to a small extent in Korea.

M24 and M66 directional leads

Scheme of laying the M24 mine

Temporary observation mines could already be made from the 2.36-inch rockets by wiring them and launching them from the hidden transport container. The Picatinny Arsenal developed the concept further as a directional mine from 1961 . The M24 had a 60 cm long plastic launch tube and fired an ordinary M28A2 missile with a shaped charge warhead. The mine was built alongside the road; a discriminator cable was laid across the road and ignited when a vehicle drove over it. Hiding the cable was problematic. The M24 was introduced in November 1968; 50,000 copies were built. The mine was used on a small scale by MACV-SOG on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos and Cambodia .

The successor M66 was similar, but got by without the discriminator cable. Instead, the mine had a geophone that, together with electronic data processing, detected the approach of a tank and activated the mine. The final triggering took place via a light barrier .

Technical specifications

model	Caliber (in inches / mm)	Weight unloaded (in kg)	Total length (in cm)	Transport length (in cm)
M1 / M1A1	2.36 / 60	5.9	138	138
M9 / M9A1	2.36 / 60	7.2	155	80
M18	2.36 / 60	4.7	154	80
M20	3.5 / 89	6.8	153	84
M20A1	3.5 / 89	5.9	152	84
M25	3.5 / 89	45.0	174	100

Source:

Rocket ammunition

M6

3.5 M29 (top) and two 2.36 M6A1 (bottom)

M6A3C

In parallel to the launchers, the ammunition was also further developed; the basic structure also remained the same here. The warhead consisted of a shell made of pressed sheet metal and the explosive in the form of a shaped charge. But there were also warheads with a smoke generator, for example. A slim motor tube was attached to the warhead. This contained the bottom fuse for the warhead, a removable pin as transport security that blocked the fuse, the rocket propellant, the electric igniter and the guide fins.

2.36 in

The anti-tank missile M6 was 55 cm long and 1.5 kg in weight, the muzzle velocity was about 80 m / s and the range was about 600 m. The warhead had a pointed nose and was filled with 0.2 kg of pentolite as a hollow charge, which led to a penetration capacity of 7 cm armor or about 30 cm concrete. There was a contact ring around the warhead, which ensured electrical contact with the trigger of the launcher tube; a flat line went to the outside of the warhead to the igniter in the engine tube. Basically, the missile should hit the target at a right angle , otherwise the detonator would not go off and the ammunition would ricochet off. The detonator also failed when it hit soft ground. Other problems with the M6 ​​included the failure of the electric igniter in the launcher tube, the engine exploding when it was fired and the propellant charge in the launcher tube not being fully burned out, which posed a risk to the shooter. The many problems led to the interruption of the delivery of the M6 ​​in May 1943.

The M6A1 brought its first improvements. In addition to a revised engine with a slightly increased maximum range (640 m), the changes mainly concerned the ignition mechanism. The contact ring on the warhead was abolished, but a line for the electric detonator, which had to be attached to the weapon, protruded from the exhaust nozzle. As a result, the M6A1 missiles were not compatible with the Bazooka M1, but with the M1A1. Converted M6 to the M6A1 standard were designated as M6A2.

From August 1943 the revised rocket ammunition was available as the M6A3. A new round nose ensured that the detonator would trigger at smaller angles of impact. Other changes were cylindrical guide fins for improved flight stability and the lining of the shaped charge, which now consisted of copper instead of steel and thus offered 30% more penetration. In order to protect the sensitive detonator and thus avoid ignition failure, the area around the safety pin was also made watertight.

Another variant with a folding tailgate was developed in 1944, but not introduced. The M6A4 and M6A5 were developed at the end of the war and used after the war; they included improved detonators and increased reliability.

The M7 was available as an exercise variant in different versions that corresponded to the flight behavior of the M6. Instead of the explosive, the warhead contained an inert substance .

The M10 smoke ammunition was available from the end of 1944. The white phosphor produced smoke, but also had a burning effect. The T27 smoke ammunition with the active ingredient hexachloroethane was subjected to limited testing in 1944, but was not introduced. The M26 contained the chemical warfare agent cyanogen chloride ; the grenade was never used in combat. 1943, a fragmentation warhead - consisting of two successively arranged Mk-2 - grenades  - developed. This ammunition was tested to a small extent in use, but not introduced.

In total, over 15 million of the 2.35-inch rockets in various variants were manufactured by the Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company .

3.5 in

The 3.5-inch ammunition was basically enlarged 2.36-inch ammunition; it was only slightly longer at 60 cm, but almost three times as heavy at 4 kg. The rocket motor accelerated to 100 m / s muzzle velocity, which led to 820 m maximum range. The warhead was pointed, but rounded at the tip.

The shaped charge ammunition M28 (in further versions M28A1 and M28A2) was loaded with 0.9 kg Composition B , which led to a penetration rate of 30 cm armor and 60 cm concrete. The M29 was the corresponding training ammunition without explosives in the warhead. The M30 was a smoke or incendiary grenade loaded with 1 kg of white phosphorus.

The 3.5-inch ammunition was produced by the Picatinny Arsenal.

handling

Loader launches a missile, Korea

Protective mask

Bazookas were used in teams of two (shooter and loader). In addition, several ammunition carriers were often used.

The handling of the different versions was similar. For the operator, they differed mainly in the sighting device (lattice frame, sight rail or optical sight) and the way in which the missiles were connected to the launcher. The shooter took the launcher over his right shoulder and roughly aimed it at the target. The loader inserted the rocket ammunition into the launcher from behind up to the warhead, removed the fuse pin from the fuse and inserted the rocket until it clicked into place. In the case of the M1A1 to M20 turrets, the loader had to connect an additional electrical line to the turret; with the first M1 and the last M20A1, the circuit was automatically closed via two contacts. The loader then gave the shooter a signal that the loading process was complete. The gunner pulled the trigger, which electrically ignited the rocket motor.

There was no recoil, but the sudden abandonment of the heavy rocket (4 kg on the M20) could throw the shooter off balance.

The maximum range of the ammunition was over 600 m, but the effective range against point targets such as individual tanks was no more than 100 m. The rate of fire is usually given as four to five rounds per minute, but there have also been reports of ten rounds per minute.

The 2.36-inch rockets could be carried in a carrying bag of three to four pieces each. The 3.5-inch missiles were much more unwieldy to transport; the loader and ammunition carrier usually carried two rockets each.

The bazooka should not be used below −17 ° C, as the rocket motor could not ignite at all or only insufficiently, which led to chaotic flight behavior. This could also happen at higher temperatures, but it was not so serious. Up to a temperature of 21 ° C it was not certain that the engine would have burned out when leaving the launcher tube, so wearing gloves, a steel helmet and a special face mask was recommended. In combat, gloves and face masks were generally not worn - except in winter. There were also motorcycle goggles , gas masks , or improvised shields Plexiglas used.

The safety area due to the exhaust gas jet was 18 m to the rear with the 2.36, with the 3.5 it was significantly larger at 45 m due to the more powerful engine. In confusing combat situations, people who were behind a bazooka were injured again and again.

Calls

Second World War

North Africa and Europe

American soldier explains the bazooka M1A1 to two British soldiers, Italy, November 1943

Soldier with M1A1 in France, August 1944

Due to its hasty introduction, the Bazooka M1 did not go through standard testing procedures.

The British received 600 bazookas in September 1942 as a remedy against the German campaign in Africa . However, the British did not use the weapons because they found that the short range was insufficient to get to a tank in the desert area with little cover.

The Soviets, on the other hand, used the 3,000 bazookas they had been given, but the weapon did not convince them. The reasons were that it was difficult to use in confined spaces because of the exhaust gas jet and the cloud of smoke revealed the position of the shooter. They therefore continued to rely on the tried and tested anti-tank rifles . Some of the bazookas used by the Soviets could be captured by the Germans; The German rocket armored rifle 54 was created on this basis . The German Wehrmacht used captured bazookas under the designation Raketenpanzerbüchse 788 (a).

In addition to the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, other states and organizations were also supplied with bazookas as part of the lend lease program: Brazil , Canada , China , French maquis and Forces françaises libres .

The Americans first used the bazooka in November 1942 in Operation Torch , the invasion of French North Africa . The weapons were brought on board shortly before the invasion ships left. There were no manuals or instructors. The soldiers of the invasion fleet had to acquire the handling of the bazooka experimentally. However, the resistance of Vichy France against the Allies was low, so that the bazooka was only used sporadically in battles. Official training at the bazooka did not begin until December 1942. The US troops were not fully equipped until February 1943, when fighting with the German Africa Corps began. Technical manuals were available at the time, but tactical operational principles still had to be worked out. The United States Army initially saw the bazooka as the infantry's last means of defense against attacking tanks; it should not be used over 30 meters. The US Army could not find any evidence of a successfully fought tank for the entire Tunisian campaign. In May 1943, towards the end of the Tunisian campaign, the mission was suspended due to safety problems (exploding rocket motors, rocket fuel not completely burnt out in the rocket tube).

Since the improved M1A1  was not yet ready for Operation Husky  - the invasion of Sicily - in July 1943 , the M1 could still be used there. The use of the bazookas was particularly important in the first phase, when the US landing forces equipped with them were able to stop counter attacks by German tank units on the bridgeheads . In Sicily four Panzerkampfwagen IV and one Panzerkampfwagen VI  - the last one by a chance hit in the driver's eye slit - were destroyed. However, many US officers still preferred the rifle grenade as an anti-tank weapon. In Sicily, the bazooka also demonstrated its suitability for fighting bunkers and field fortifications . However, there have also been reports of inadequate penetration by the bazooka due to the detonator being triggered too slowly. So the metal beam could not form and the effect was more like an impact of squeeze head ammunition .

The M1A1 bazooka was available for the invasion of mainland Italy in September 1943. The high mobility of the light weapon showed an advantage in the mountainous terrain.

During the Allied landing in northern France ( Operation Overlord ) in June 1944, the US units were equipped with the Bazooka M1A1. The Bazooka M9 was first used by paratroopers when it landed in southern France ( Operation Dragoon ) in August 1944. The M9 was increasingly issued to front-line units, the M1A1 remained with reserve units until the end of the war. Although the Wehrmacht was no longer capable of major tank operations towards the end of the Second World War (with the exception of the Ardennes offensive in December 1944), it was always able to carry out local attacks. The bazooka therefore remained in use as a self-defense weapon by the infantry until the end of the war. In addition, the weapon was valuable in combating bunkers, such as overcoming the West Wall .

The armored forces of the Wehrmacht saw the bazooka as a serious threat. Therefore, accompanying infantry had to be reinforced during tank attacks. In order to be better protected against the shaped charge projectiles of the bazooka, German tanks were partially retrofitted with armored aprons or cage armor . This ignited the shaped charge at a distance from the actual armor.

The heavy German tanks Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger and Panzerkampfwagen V Panther could not be fought adequately with the bazooka. Since the frontal armor provided sufficient protection, the attack had to be from the side or from behind.

Pacific War

M9 with rail sights at the Battle of Corregidor , February 1945

In the Pacific War , the Americans use the bazooka proportionally less and later than in Africa and Europe because of the significantly lower threat from Japanese tanks. In the Battle of the Northern Solomon Islands , the M1 was only subjected to an operational test to a limited extent with other missile systems. The first real mission of the M1A1 Bazooka was to land on Tarawa in November 1943. The shipload with the bazookas, however, was misdirected to another port ; the lack of the weapon is blamed for part of the high US losses. The bazooka was not actually used until the Battle of Arawe . It wasn't particularly impressive there, however; Japanese tanks were not available and field fortifications were often made of damp earth, which the bazooka could not fight effectively. The frequent rain and the damp climate affected the electrical ignition mechanism. In the dense jungle , there was often close range fighting, so that the bazooka could not exploit its advantages. These experiences continued in the Battle of New Guinea .

Better experiences were made at the Battle of Kwajalein in February 1944, when the bazookas were used against concrete bunkers. The bazookas (M1A1 for the Marines and M9 for the US Army) showed their full potential in the Battle of the Mariana Islands in June 1944 , when field fortifications and Japanese tanks had to be fought. The Marines started using the M9 from the Battle of Iwojima in February 1945. In the rugged terrain, the bazooka was often the only available heavy weapon for the US infantry.

Unconventional use

In addition to its main use as an infantry weapon, there was also an unconventional use of the bazooka during World War II. On some reconnaissance aircraft ( Piper L-4 and Stinson L-5 ) it was placed under the wings to mark targets with smoke ammunition. The electric detonator was modified so that the current pulse could be given from the cockpit . Instead of smoke ammunition, shaped charge ammunition could also be fired. The American pilot Charles Carpenter is particularly well-known, who destroyed six German tanks on his L-4 despite the short range of the bazookas.

In the Pacific, some bazooka multiple launchers have been used on PT speedboats and PGM motor cannon boats ; here, too, the relatively short range was a hindrance. Double launchers were also attached to some US Army jeeps .

Korean War

American soldiers with the M20, Korea, September 1950

The 3.5-inch super bazooka was produced in small numbers from 1948 and introduced to troops in West Germany and the USA. In the Pacific region, no danger from strong armored units was expected, and so the Americans were surprised when North Korean troops launched a major offensive in the Korean War in June 1950. The US Army opposed the North Koreans for the first time on July 5, 1950 at the Battle of Osan and found that the Bazooka M9A1 had little effect on the Soviet T-34/85 tanks. The rocket ammunition was also covered so that it often did not work properly.

A few 3.5-inch bazookas were flown to Korea with instructors and arrived in Taejon on July 12th . On July 20, the weapon was used in the Battle of Taejon , where it was responsible for killing ten North Korean tanks on the first day. Despite the high casualties, the North Koreans did not change their tactics and drove into the densely built-up city, where the tanks could be shot down by Bazooka teams from close range. The use of the bazooka in open terrain was significantly less successful. Even the Super Bazooka did not penetrate the armor with every hit.

The US troops sent to Korea from August 1950 were equipped with the 3.5-inch bazooka; those that had already arrived were converted within a few weeks. The bazooka was also issued to the South Korean armed forces . The armed forces of the Commonwealth of Nations ( British Commonwealth Forces Korea ), including Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, India and New Zealand, were also equipped with the bazooka. When it came to trench warfare from November 1951, the bazooka was used against bunkers.

North Korea captured a large number and used them against the UN troops. From 1952, the communist alliance also used the Chinese type 51 copy.

Others

Marines with shouldered bazookas, Vietnam February 1968

The M9A1, which were made available to the National Revolutionary Army in World War II , were used on both sides in the Chinese Civil War (1927 to 1949). France used the 2.36-inch M9A1 and the 3.5-inch M20A1 in the Indochina War (1946–1954) and Algerian War (1954–1962). They were also used by both sides during the Cuban Revolution (1953–1959). The revolutionary Che Guevara described the weapon as suitable for guerrilla warfare because it is easy to transport and easy to use. Ironically, Cubans in exile attempted an attack on UN headquarters in New York with a bazooka in 1964 while Che Guevara was delivering a speech there.

When the United States took an active role in the Vietnam War from 1963 , the Bazooka M20A1B1 had already been replaced. It was therefore only used on a small scale by US troops - more often with the Marines than with the Army - and South Vietnamese troops.

Users

•  Argentina : 3.5 inches

Australian soldier in Korea, 1951

•  Australia : 3.5 inches

Combat exercise of the Austrian Armed Forces, 1957

•  Burma : 3.5 in
•  Bolivia : 3.5 in
•  Brazil : 2.36 inches above Loan and Lease Act and 3.5 inches
•  China : 2.36 inches above Lending and Lease Law
•  German Empire : 2.36 inches as a captured weapon rocket armored rifle 788 (a)
•  Germany : 3.5 inches
•  France : 2.36 inches to resistance groups through lending and leasing law
•  India : 3.5 in
•  Japan : 3.5 in
•  Canada : 2.36 inches of Loans and Leases and 3.5 inches
•  Cuba : 3.5 in
•  Luxembourg : 3.5 inches
•  Morocco : 3.5 in
•  Austria : 3.5 inches
•  Pakistan : 3.5 in
•  Philippines : 3.5 inches
•  Portugal : 3.5 in
•  Rhodesia : 3.5 in
•  Sweden : 3.5 in
•  Soviet Union : 2.36 inches above Loan and Lease Act
•  South Africa : 3.5 inches
•  North Korea : 3.5 in
•  Taiwan : 3.5 in
•  Thailand : 3.5 in
•  Tunisia : 3.5 in
•  Turkey : 3.5 in
•  United States : 2.36 "and 3.5" for the United States Army and United States Marine Corps
•  United Kingdom : 2.36 in via Lending and Lease Act and 3.5 in

Designated as M20 Mk I (M20) and M20 Mk II (M20A1) in the Commonwealth of Nations .

Replicas and influence on weapon development

Swiss soldiers with the rocket tube 58

During the Second World War, the Germans developed the Panzerschreck based on the bazooka . After the war, some weapons were developed that were very similar to the bazooka both technically and in terms of performance. These were the Belgian RL-83 Blindicide or the Swiss rocket tube as a license production, the French LRAC F1 and the Spanish Instalaza M65 .

The Việt Minh made very simple copies of the M9A1 during the Indochina War. The Chinese Type 51 was also a simplified copy of the M20 since 1951 ; even the ammunition was compatible. The differences were the non-dismountable launcher barrel, the funnel-shaped muzzle protection, which had perforations on the right side, and the ignition mechanism that worked with a battery. The weight was 3 kg higher than the M20.

The American M72 LAW was based on Bazooka technology, but was not reloadable and therefore only intended for single use.

The Soviet RPG-2 and RPG-7 are clearly different, but show some influences.

Detachment

The US armed forces replaced the bazooka with various weapons. The US Army began to replace parts of the bazookas with M67 recoilless rifle in the early 1960s . This was based on the principle of the recoilless gun , was three times as heavy, but had better penetration power with a comparable range. From 1963, the light, non-reloadable M72 LAW was introduced for light combat and support units of the US Army. The Marine Corps followed with the M72 and the four-tube M202 Flash only after the Vietnam War. In 1975 the Bazooka disappeared from active service with the introduction of the M47 Dragon anti-tank guided weapon , but was still kept in reserve as a bunker attack weapon and replacement anti-tank weapon. The final withdrawal in the Marine Corps did not take place until 1983 with the introduction of the SMAW , which is structured similarly to the Bazooka.

In the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, Austria and many other countries, the Swedish FFV Carl Gustaf replaced the bazooka from 1965 onwards . By contrast, France introduced the French bazooka-like LRAC F1 in the early 1970s .

In some armed uprisings , e.g. B. in Cuba, captured bazookas were used; these were increasingly superseded by the Soviet RPG-2 and -7 .

rating

The 2.36-inch bazooka is considered the only revolutionary and at the same time widespread new American weapon in World War II. The weapon proved itself many times, even if it showed weaknesses against the more heavily armored German tanks. The same experience was made at the beginning of the Korean War against North Korean tanks of Soviet design. Only the improved 3.5-inch Super Bazooka was able to fight these tanks effectively.

The commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces and later President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower , is often said to have believed that the bazooka, the jeep , the atomic bomb and the Douglas C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft were the four most important developments that helped to win World War II. The author Barrett Tillman , however, finds it unlikely that Eisenhower made this statement. The quote cannot be found in Eisenhower's memoir, and the bazooka was ineffective against heavy German tanks. Eisenhower also noted that the German anti-tank handguns would be superior to the bazooka.

reception

Bazooka is often used as a generic name for all rocket-propelled, shoulder-rested weapons.

In 1947 the bazooka chewing gum of the same name came on the US market in the patriotic colors of red, blue and white.

Decades later, the name bazooka still stands for a resounding effect, for example when the ECB boss Mario Draghi announced the unlimited purchase of government bonds in September 2012 (see: Whatever it takes ), in the statement by soccer coach Jürgen Klopp on the superiority of FC Bayern Munich or when Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD) and his colleague Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) presented the massive means with which the federal government wants to prevent the corona pandemic from bringing many companies to their knees in March 2020 .

literature

• Gordon L. Rottman : The Bazooka. Osprey Publishing , 2012, ISBN 978-1-84908-801-5 . (82 pages online PDF)
• Mark J. Reardon : Bazooka. In: A History of Innovation: US Army Adaptation in War and Peace: US Army Adaptation in War and Peace. Center of Military History (US Army), 2010, ISBN 978-0-16-086722-4 books.google.de
• Michael Green, Gladys Green: Weapons of Patton's Armies. Verlag Zenith Imprint, 2000, ISBN 978-1-61060-774-2 books.google.de
• Stanley Sandler: The Korean War: An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis Verlag, 1995, ISBN 978-0-8240-4445-9 books.google.de
• Lida Mayo : The Ordnance Department: On Beachhead and Battlefront. United States Army Center of Military History, Washington, DC, 1968 history.army.mil
• Constance McLaughlin Green , Harry C. Thomson, Peter C. Roots: The Ordnance Department: Planning Munitions for War. Washington, 1955, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, tothosewhoserved.org history.army.mil (PDF)
• William W. Morris: How the Bazooka Team Stops' Em. In: Popular Science . December 1943, p. 68 books.google.de

Manuals

• OS 9-69: Rockets and Launchers, All Types. Ordnance School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, February 1944 alternatewars.com (PDF)
• Technical Bulletin TB 200-6: Launcher, Rocket, AT, M1. July 4, 1942 uxoinfo.com (PDF)
• TM 9-294: 2.36-inch AT Rocket Launcher M1A1. September 27, 1943 archive.org lonesentry ibiblio (PDF)
• FM 23-30 Hand And Rifle Grenades Rocket AT HE 2.36 inches. February 14, 1944 archive.org ibiblio (PDF)
• TM 9-1900: Ammunition, General. June 18, 1945 archive.org
• TM 9-294 2.36 inch Rocket Launchers M9. March 1, 1946 archive.org
• FM 23-32 3.5-inch Rocket Launcher. April 16, 1958 usmilitariaforum.com
• War Department Training Film 18-1166 The Antitank Rocket M6. youtube.com

Web links

Commons : Bazooka  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Bazooka  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• M6 missile (s) and M28 missile (s)
• 2.36 inch bazooka and its ammunition (s)
• Bazooka M20 (en)
• Bazooka: 'Magnificent Weapon' or a 'Crapshoot Fielded Too Soon'? (en)
• M25 bazooka (s)
• BAZOOKA! Part I BAZOOKA! Part II
• Bazooka Shot at the United Nations
• US 2.36 Bazooka Reflecting sight assembly
• Les bazookas de l'US army WWII (fr)
• XM MKII rocket ammunition strangernn.livejournal.com , inertord.com
• Army-Navy Screen Magazine presents Sing with the Stars - Presenting Bob "Bazooka" Burns with Shirley Ross (1946) on YouTube

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} US-War Department, TB-200-6, BOMB, INCENDIARY, M74 (data sheet), (online PDF 1.38 MB) ( Memento from December 22, 2015 in the Internet Archive )
2. ^ A. Bowdoin Van Riper: Rockets and Missiles: The Life Story of a Technology. JHU Press , 2007, ISBN 978-0-8018-8792-5 , pp. 7, 14, 19 books.google.de
3. ↑ David A. Clary: Rocket Man: Robert H. Goddard and the Birth of the Space Age. Hachette , 2003, ISBN 978-1-4013-9833-0 , pp. 100-104 books.google.de
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, p. 74.
5. ↑ Col. Leslie Skinner, Inventor of Bazooka. In: Evening Independent . November 4, 1978 at news.google.com
6. ↑ West Point Association of Graduates via Leslie Skinner, based on the article Pioneers in Rocketry II by Leo A. Codd in ORDNANCE magazine, January – February 1959 apps.westpointaog.org
7. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 354.
8. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 13.
9. ↑ US rocket ordnance, development and use in world war II. United States Government Printing Office , Washington 1946, p. 24 babel.hathitrust.org .
10. ^ Donald R. Kennedy: History of the Shaped Charge Effect. 1983 dtic.mil (PDF)
11. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, p. 75.
12. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 357.
13. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 357.
14. ^ Congressional Record Volume 106, Part 11, June 23, 1960 to June 30, 1960, United States Government Printing Office , Washington, 1960, p. 75 mocavo.com
15. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 237.
16. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, p. 76.
17. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, pp. 76-78.
18. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, pp. 73, 78-79.
19. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, pp. 358-359.
20. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, pp. 76-79.
21. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 359.
22. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 31.
23. ^ George Washington University, School of Engineering and Applied Science: SEAS History. seas.gwu.edu
24. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 24.
25. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 23–24.
26. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 16-18.
27. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 18-19.
28. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 19-21.
29. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 21-22.
30. ↑ TM 9-294, March 1944, p. 2.
31. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 22.
32. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 24-25.
33. ↑ Rock Island Arsenal: History of the Rock Island Arsenal. 2012, aschq.army.mil (PDF)
34. ^ Quad-Cities Online: TIMELINE; Key dates, events in Rock Island Arsenal History. June 9, 2012 qconline.com
35. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 24-25, 28.
36. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 74.
37. ↑ National Army Museum : M20 Mk II 3.5 inch rocket launcher, 'Super Bazooka', 1953. nam.ac.uk
38. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 28-29.
39. ↑ FM 23-30, 1944, pp. 186-188.
40. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 29-30.
41. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 22, 28.
42. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 30-33, 36.
43. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 359.
44. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 30-33, 36.
45. ↑ Green u. a .: The Ordnance Department. 1955, p. 359.
46. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 30-33, 36.
47. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 34–36.
48. ↑ Kelly Nolte, Mark A. Steinback: Historic American Buildings Survey: Documentation of Pyrotechnic R&D Laboratory (building 1510) and General Storage Building (building 1510B). October 2008, p. 13 pica.army.mil (PDF)
49. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 41, 68-69.
50. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 42-45, 53, 66-67.
51. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 67-68.
52. ↑ Chris Bishop (Ed.): Title The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II. Verlag Sterling Publishing Company, 2002, ISBN 978-1-58663-762-0 , p. 240 books.google.de
53. ^ The Royal Armored Corps Journal. Volumes 5-7, p. 184.
54. ^ Carl Smith: US Paratrooper 1941–1945. Verlag Osprey Publishing, 2000, ISBN 978-1-85532-842-6 , p. 63 books.google.de
55. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 46–47.
56. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 69.
57. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 44.
58. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 42.
59. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 59–60.
60. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 68.
61. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 70.
62. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 37.
63. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, pp. 31-32.
64. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 37.
65. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 32.
66. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 4.
67. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 38.
68. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 149.
69. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 39-40.
70. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 150.
71. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 33.
72. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, pp. 31-32.
73. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, pp. 155-156.
74. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 161.
75. ^ Donald R. Kennedy: History of the Shaped Charge Effect. 1983, p. 23 dtic.mil (PDF)
76. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 40-41.
77. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 47.
78. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 48.
79. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 73.
80. ↑ Reardon: Bazooka. 2010, p. 79.
81. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 476.
82. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 50–51.
83. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 72-73.
84. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 56–58.
85. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 52.
86. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 53.
87. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 61.
88. ^ Sandler: The Korean War. 1995, p. 49.
89. ^ Sandler: The Korean War. 1995, p. 49.
90. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 66.
91. ↑ Jeffrey Gray: Title The Commonwealth Armies and the Korean War: An Alliance Study. Manchester University Press, 1990, ISBN 978-0-7190-2770-3 , p. 172 books.google.de
92. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 66.
93. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 66.
94. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 69-70.
95. ↑ Homer Bigart : Bazooka Fired at UN as Cuban Speaks. In: The New York Times . December 12, 1964, nytimes.com
96. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 70-71.
97. ↑ ^{a b} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 71.
98. ↑ ^{a b c} Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, pp. 74-75.
99. ^ Department of the Army: Weapons and Equipment Recognition Guide: Southeast Asia. 1966, pp. 176–177 virtual.vietnam.ttu.edu (PDF)
100. ↑ Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun, Wilfried Copenhagen: small arms . (1945-1985). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of rifles from around the world . 5th edition. tape 1 + 2 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1988, ISBN 3-89488-057-0 , weapons, p. 179 .
101. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 76.
102. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 70.
103. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 31.
104. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 476.
105. ^ Sandler: The Korean War. 1995, p. 49.
106. ^ Rottman: The Bazooka. 2012, p. 77.
107. ↑ Norman Polmar, Thomas B. Allen: World War II: the Encyclopedia of the War Years, 1941-1945. Random House, 1996, ISBN 978-0-486-47962-0 , p. 146 books.google.de
108. ^ Barrett Tillman: D-Day Encyclopedia: Everything You Want to Know About the Normandy Invasion. Regnery Publishing , 2014, ISBN 978-1-62157-312-8 , p. 123 books.google.de
109. ^ Mayo: The Ordnance Department. 1968, p. 476.
110. ↑ Wendy Horobin (Ed.): How it Works: Science and Technology. Marshall Cavendish, 2003, ISBN 978-0-7614-7314-5 , p. 1487, books.google.de
111. ^ Gordon L Rottman: The Big Book of Gun Trivia. Osprey Publishing, 2013, ISBN 978-1-78200-949-8 , p. 126 books.google.de
112. ↑ Hauke ​​Friederichs: A modern bazooka is a threat. Zeit online , December 29, 2012, accessed January 5, 2016 . 
113. ↑ Klopp vs. FC Bayern. Süddeutsche Zeitung , April 28, 2015, accessed on January 5, 2016 . 
114. ↑ Dieter Keller: Scholz pulls out the bazooka against the corona virus. In: Märkische Oderzeitung. March 14, 2020, accessed March 16, 2020 . 

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on January 23, 2016 .