M20A1B1 Bazooka Question

[Bravo2Uniform]

As stated above, the 4-barrel rocket launcher was the M202. It was supposed to be the modern flame thrower, and had incendiary rockets.

I seem to recall someone at some briefing saying the flamethrower was not media friendly. I'm just spitballing here, but getting hit with four incendiary rockets in a bunker would not be all that different, in terms of dying, than a flamethrower. Both of them kill you and it hurts the entire time you are dying!

The M202 would have been easier to transport and store as opposed to the flamethrower.

I don't think I could get all the motivated about carrying a tank of pressurized fuel on my back, period, much less when people are shooting at me. If I'm in a bunker, my first order of business is not killing the enemy's leadership, it's that guy carrying the weed burner on steroids.

 

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

Looks like a good start to a collection...

Current collection count (not including guns) is 5,762 items.

 

[Guyfang]

Now, for a few dollars more, you can have a kraut pistol!

View attachment 759506

The German Polizei have the new K&K pistol. First 6 months, 5+ AD's, one cop dead.

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

Current collection count (not including guns) is 5,762 items.

All kidding about cool points aside, the preservation we do is important to our country's future.

I have found that if you don't like the term "The Forgotten War" in regard to the Korean War (my Dad certainly NEVER forgot it), for example, you've got to be the change in your community. So I take my M38A1 / Korean War / post Korean War / Cold War items and let people look and handle them while I drone on about the history of the Cold War. I think the tactile experience plus hearing the history enables one to remember more details. They may be the tools of violence, but I remember times in our history when violence was the answer. It may not be the first answer, but it is on the list of possible solutions!

These items incorporate genius and ingenuity, and they, unlike certain celebrities and reporters, were there.

For too long people have relied on governments and other entities to preserve our history and interpret that history through the lense of their politics. We don't have to do that! We, the people, can collect and preserve history! We can tell the stories of medal winners, genius engineers, and the common soldier in a fashion that inspires people! If we want young men and women to act with honor and valor, they have to know what those abstract terms mean - so we have to somehow get them to listen and research on their own.

I tell the story of a kid that was embarrassed to go to school because he didn't have shoes so he joined the Marines. I talk about how he was headed to Moscow to be an embassy guard but got diverted to fight a war and how a certain firefight in that war changed his feelings about other races, segregation, and prejudice. That's my crucible of beliefs story, it gets their attention! It's my father's story and I aim to preserve his history. In the days preceding his death he would wake up and ask if we could smell the stench of the rice paddy. That man's story needs to be told!

Further, I am the type of person who, when he hears the phrase, "Stay with the group" leaves the group. I loathe the "Don't Touch" signs and the septic museum. Put me in the seat and tell me what it was like to know that we expected it would take 5 M4 Sherman tanks to destroy one Nazi tank in 1944...and that 80% of that number would be destroyed for every German tank we killed. That wasn't a video game with a reset function, that was real and what our forefathers did to right a wrong.

I am heartened and inspired by your collection. Drive on!

 

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

Every year I am invited by our High School's American history teacher to do a presentation. I set up in the auditorium and he brings the students to me. I average four classes per year with 30 or so students per class. My topic? "The evolution of equipment from Korea to Vietnam"

I cover the uniforms, individual equipment, weapons, high explosives, and tactics. I only cover US equipment, as that is what I collect. I normally take more than 50 items from my collection - plus the M-1 Garand, M-14 (civilian version) and M-16 (civilian version).

I explain that M.A.S.H. is not the Korean Conflict - and Platoon is not Vietnam.

I give my "If violence offends you, sorry about that." speech before I start and then I talk about burst radius, 7.62 vs. 5.56, Claymore mines, and ambushes - among other things.

I have been doing this for more than 15 years.

The teacher used to have WW II veterans come and speak. Unfortunately, all of them are gone now - so I do that portion also. For the last couple of years, I have been doing WW I.

I don't know, if I am reaching all of the students - but I do know that I am reaching some (most?) of them.

I do the best I can.

 

[M813rc]

Current collection count (not including guns) is 5,762 items.

We do a lot of displays in our area, including historic timeline for the military. If we do one in Austin, unless it is at Camp Mabry, its usually "vehicles only, no weapons". (Austin is getting to be like a piece of California plonked down in the middle of Texas). Other places, they ask "What kind of neat stuff have you brought us this year??"
We never bring live rounds or live ordnance with us, though.
I tend to like rocket launcher-type things, and Soviet Bloc gear.

A friend of mine has a live WWII flame thrower, which I have demonstrated at some of the military events. That thing makes you feel like you have a sunburn afterwards, and curls your eyebrows, and that's on the distributing end! I would NOT have wanted to carry one anywhere I was getting shot at.

Cheers

 

[DeetFreek]

Every year I am invited by our High School's American history teacher to do a presentation. I set up in the auditorium and he brings the students to me. I average four classes per year with 30 or so students per class. My topic? "The evolution of equipment from Korea to Vietnam"

I cover the uniforms, individual equipment, weapons, high explosives, and tactics. I only cover US equipment, as that is what I collect. I normally take more than 50 items from my collection - plus the M-1 Garand, M-14 (civilian version) and M-16 (civilian version).

I explain that M.A.S.H. is not the Korean Conflict - and Platoon is not Vietnam.

I give my "If violence offends you, sorry about that." speech before I start and then I talk about burst radius, 7.62 vs. 5.56, Claymore mines, and ambushes - among other things.

I have been doing this for more than 15 years.

The teacher used to have WW II veterans come and speak. Unfortunately, all of them are gone now - so I do that portion also. For the last couple of years, I have been doing WW I.

I don't know, if I am reaching all of the students - but I do know that I am reaching some (most?) of them.

I do the best I can.

I'm going to stop and see you in September! I've been rolling through Atlantic the last 5 years on the River to River cruise. If I'm not tapped to lead again, I would stop in a heartbeat. The likelihood of that happening is pretty low unfortunately since I'm on the Board of Directors.

Pretty awesome to know that that part of our history is being passed on, I would have loved to experienced a presentation like that in high school. Probably would have had to drag me out of the auditorium. Keep up the great work.

 

[frank8003]

U.S. models Ml, M9 and M18, cal. 2.36" Rocket launcher (Bazooka) and variations thereof.
Bazooka
Operation Rocket launcher, electrically fired
Caliber 2.36 in.(60 mm)
Muzzle velocity 84 mps(275 fps)
Weight 8.1 kg(18 lbs)
Overall length 154.9 cm(61 in.)
Range 455 m(500 yds)

In response to the need for an infantry antitank weapon, Leslie A. Skinner and Edward G. Uhl of the Ordnance Departent developed the bazooka - a metal tube that used an electrical firing mechanism - by early 1942. Until then American infantry had lacked an antitank rocket capable of stopping a tank. Another member of the Ordnance Department, Henry H. Mohaupt, had been working on a shaped charge grenade for use by infantry against tanks. Mohaupt's M10 grenade weighed over 3.5 lbs, making it nearly impossible to throw effectively. However, when Skinner and Uhl attached one of Mohaupt's grenades to a rocket, then hit a tank on three successive shots during testing, the Ordnance Department immediately recognized the value of this new weapon. Many bazookas were shipped to America's allies; in fact, when the Germans captured one from the Russians, they copied the design to produce the Panzerschreck ("Tank Terror"). The bazooka was named for a musical contraption devised by comedian Bob Burns.

and then the super bazooka
The M20A1 and M20A1B1 rocket launchers are two-piece smooth-bore weapons of the open tube type and are fired by an electrical firing mechanism, which contains a magneto that provides the current and is located in the trigger grip.
These launchers are designed to be fired from the shoulder in standing, kneeling, sitting, or prone position. To reduce weight, the barrels and many of the components are made of aluminum.

These launchers are designed to launch high explosive rockets and smoke rockets against ground targets. These high-explosive antitank rockets are capable of penetrating heavy armor at angles of impact greater than 30°.
Replaced the M9A1 2.36 inch (60 mm) rocket launcher. The M20 rocket launcher was used extensively during the Korean War, where its HEAT rocket proved effective against T34 tanks. No longer in U.S. service. Replaced by the M72 LAW.

 

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

I'm going to stop and see you in September! I've been rolling through Atlantic the last 5 years on the River to River cruise. If I'm not tapped to lead again, I would stop in a heartbeat. The likelihood of that happening is pretty low unfortunately since I'm on the Board of Directors.

Pretty awesome to know that that part of our history is being passed on, I would have loved to experienced a presentation like that in high school. Probably would have had to drag me out of the auditorium. Keep up the great work.

Well, if you can't stop, the least you could do is drive by and honk your horn.

Also, you might find me here in parts of the year other than September - for instance - the BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG Rally is May 18th this year.

 

[frank8003]

I was looking for "B" battery information. Did the first bazooka with wooden handles use them.
B batteries were used at the time for tube radios.
Then I found that 6 bazooka were mounted on one very light aircraft.
Upon arriving in France in 1944, US Army Major Charles Carpenter, an Army aviator flying liaison and artillery-spotting lightplanes like the military version of the Piper J-3 Cub, the L-4 Grasshopper, was issued a new L-4H version during the concluding stages of "Overlord", taking this "light attack" role against German armor by himself. With a 150-pound pilot and no radio aboard, the L-4H had a combined cargo and passenger weight capacity of approximately 232 pounds. This margin allowed him to eventually mount a total of six bazookas, three per side on the lift struts as other L-4s had done.

 

[DeetFreek]

Well, if you can't stop, the least you could do is drive by and honk your horn.

Also, you might find me here in parts of the year other than September - for instance - the BA-DA BA-DA BING BANG Rally is May 18th this year.

Naturally, I'm booked that day, go figure.

I'll honk if I'm not in my Monte, you'd be hard pressed to hear it even if it did work.

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

The Korean War ain't M*A*S*H!!

I explain that M.A.S.H. is not the Korean Conflict - and Platoon is not Vietnam.

AMEN!

I have been doing WW I.

Alvin York is from my home state, he is a hero of mine, both for his conscientious objection and his valor and courage under fire. Contrary to Howard Hawks and Gary Cooper, he did not carry the '03, he trained on it but used the 1917 in combat. We have a ginormous statue of him on the lawn of the state capital. I revere him so much I think the statue is life sized.

I don't know, if I am reaching all of the students - but I do know that I am reaching some (most?) of them.

If we reach just one, that's a victory. If not, we fought the good fight. However, I was a at a cub scout meeting in maybe 1974 and STILL remember a Civil Defense member showing us their M38A1s, the M37s, the DUKWs, plus a bunch of cool CD gear, so I'm pretty sure it makes an indelible mark on more than you realize.

I do the best I can.

That's being the change. You just do what you can do, you don't look up, you don't look for glory, you just keep on keepin' on and do what you can. If everyone did that, there'd be no need for social services and we'd remember our history.

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

Thanks for the rocket pictures. I finished repainting and reassembling the tube this weekend. I needed a few pictures of the rocket, particularly the wires and the safety band. Somehow, you knew that and posted them. If that is a skill, I need you to teach me how you did it, because, even though I love my wife more than my own life, I still cannot seem to get her that elusive birthday gift that she wants. With your powers, I'd be a hero.

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

I was looking for "B" battery information. Did the first bazooka with wooden handles use them.

I don't know. I'm looking for a detailed history book of the bazooka myself. I'm going to pop over to YouTube, there were a couple of good training films on the WWII bazooka on Jeff Quitney's page a while back.

I've seen the picture of the bazookas on the L-4 struts. I think the guy (or gal) that came up with the idea for the Ontos probably saw that picture, too.

 

[CMPPhil]

Have the TM 9-294 soldiers level TM

Hi

I have the 1942 and 1943 TM 9-294 manuals given to me by a WWII Veteran, served in Europe in the Armor Corp. They are relatively short. I would be glad to scan them as PDFs, for historical reference purposes. (I am not interested in selling them)

But where and how do I post them, don't want to step out of line on the forum rules regarding "Weapons". If posting them in the TM section would be opening a door the group doesn't want to go down, just say so.


From the description and photos in TMs launch tubes were about as simple as they could be.
Cheers Phil

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

Hi

I have the 1942 and 1943 TM 9-294 manuals given to me by a WWII Veteran, served in Europe in the Armor Corp. They are relatively short. I would be glad to scan them as PDFs, for historical reference purposes. (I am not interested in selling them)

But where and how do I post them, don't want to step out of line on the forum rules regarding "Weapons". If posting them in the TM section would be opening a door the group doesn't want to go down, just say so.

View attachment 759821View attachment 759822
From the description and photos in TMs launch tubes were about as simple as they could be.
Cheers Phil

Phil - I have the M20 bazooka FM and TM. I'm going to scan to PDF (when I can figure out how to do that without destroying, these are 1955 printings) and post them as well.

 

[Bravo2Uniform]

From the description and photos in TMs launch tubes were about as simple as they could be.

Yes, amazing simplicity and only required the same skills as shooting your service rifle - leading, windage, and elevation.

My First Sergeant repeatedly told us, "If your attack is going well, you're walking into an ambush". I can't overstate the beauty of simple weapons when you fingers just all turned to thumbs and action needs to happen LIKE RIGHT NOW! Training like you are going to fight is the only solution to being able to go on auto-pilot and function when your every inborn instinct says, "RUN!", but you can't always be proficient on everything. Keep it simple, weapons designers!

 

[jeffhuey1n]

As stated above, the 4-barrel rocket launcher was the M202. It was supposed to be the modern flame thrower, and had incendiary rockets.
We had some in our armory when I was in the Marines. I thought they were cool, and always wanted to take one out and fire it, but we were never allowed to.
They never left the armory until around 1983, when we had to box them up and send them off to be destroyed because they were going out of service.
I've been trying to find a demil'ed one for years, no luck so far.

We had seen pictures of the new "jeeps" we were going to get to replace the M151 and the M880s. We kinda wondered how a jeep was supposed to replace both. When the first Humvees arrived, we were amazed at the size of it, they didn't look that big in the pictures! I suppose we had mentally shrunk them down to fit our idea of a jeep.

Cheers

. I’ve seen those 4 shot launchers before. They’re in my Guidebook for Marines.

 

[jeffhuey1n]

Some time in the past I went to a used bookstore in town. As luck would have it, an ex-GI had sold all of his manuals to the store. I bought the entire collection. There are books about weapons (.50, M-60, Bazooka’s, LAW rockets, etc) NBC equipment, conditions and how to fight when someone gases, nukes or bacterializes the battlefield. There’s stuff for spec-ops, engineers, field medicine it’s a bit mind boggling what all was in there. I’ve been slowly going through them to see what to keep and what should go. Too many decisions... I know of one book I don’t want to keep. Two copies of field sanitation is overkill.

 

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

Some time in the past I went to a used bookstore in town. As luck would have it, an ex-GI had sold all of his manuals to the store. I bought the entire collection. There are books about weapons (.50, M-60, Bazooka’s, LAW rockets, etc) NBC equipment, conditions and how to fight when someone gases, nukes or bacterializes the battlefield. There’s stuff for spec-ops, engineers, field medicine it’s a bit mind boggling what all was in there. I’ve been slowly going through them to see what to keep and what should go. Too many decisions... I know of one book I don’t want to keep. Two copies of field sanitation is overkill.

Although I am sure some things concerning field sanitation have changed over the years. I have some field training manuals dating from prior to WW I. Some of their ideas were rather "unique" back then.

However, one thing remains constant concerning field sanitation. Stuff runs downhill.