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Bazooka

American soldiers during the Korean War.

89 mm rocket bazooka M20A1/A1B1

Bazooka ( anglicism ) is the nickname of a rocket used during World War II.

By extension, this word commonly means any portable rocket launcher by one man.

This is an early anti-weapons tank for use by a soldier. The anti-tank guns of the time required of servants and a means for towing.

Built by the U.S. Army, he was quickly copied by the German army, although with the Panzerfaust-produced the Panzerschreck a larger caliber weapon with a range and power than those of the bazooka. The low weight and low cost of production did however bazooka to equip massive Allied troops.

His influence on the battlefield was such that General Dwight D. Eisenhower was among the weapons that helped to win the sides of the atomic bomb , the Jeep and transport aircraft Douglas C-47 Skytrain.

Early in the Korean War, a more powerful version with a caliber of 89mm, corresponding to that of Panzerschreck, appeared under the name Superbazooka.

Design

The name comes from the English bazooka bassoon, the soldier found a strong resemblance between the weapon and instrument of the U.S. military has musique.Si after the First World War , large numbers of antitank guns performance, it does is not yet developed a portable anti-tank weapon by one man. Research, the first prototypes made from a mortar tube 60 millimeters, are conducted under the command of Colonel Leslie Skinner. The ammunition itself has a shaped charge , the propellant charge is ignited electrically. The choice of a projectile propelled by reaction eliminates the problem of distance that makes it very difficult to use the rifle grenade. But the flame back to the shot requires a fairly large empty space behind the drawer and makes it easily identifiable.

Early 1942, the final model is developed and in May the same year, 5000 copies were manufactured.

The effectiveness of the bazooka was limited, his accuracy was not great and his power allowed only with great difficulty destroying the most powerful German tanks like the Panther or Tiger. To do this, he had to reach to touch a low point as caterpillars or rear of the tank. It was adapted by contrast against the lighter tanks much more frequently than the dreaded but rare heavy armor. Its cost and limited space to offset the poor performance by a very high availability.