The M1 Bazooka

Originally designed to fill a major gap in the arsenal of US, the bazooka was a leap in the evolution of portable anti-tank weapons.

During the 1930s, the USA, then late, have developed warheads designed to penetrate the armor of tanks, but they had nothing to start. They were then thought to fit as grenade rifles, but the trials have proven that they were too heavy. For more types of warheads were created, but there was still no way to launch... It was then that colonel Leslie Skinner, an American officer, supporter fierce of his "rocket", found by modifying a 60 mm mortar tube first "Bazooka".

Demonstrating his invention by "3 shots on goal" in an impromptu demonstration before great generals (officers who had gathered to see than the official demonstrations of other weapons), his success was total. His weapon was immediately commissioned. In 1942, the weapon changed (it was of course a mortar tube but a more complicated weapon) was produced and 5,000 units released factories. M1 rocket launcher was created!

The calibre was 60 mm. The outbreak of the weapon was electric, when the rocket was connected to the circuit of shoulder. A disadvantage was that when the battery was fixed and installed, it could stop him and it could fade at a time inconvenient! This first model had the wooden shoulder stock, and the trigger was a mere handful of gun. Later models saw it disappear in favour of the steel and the bakelite. The M1 bazooka had a useful range of 100 m and could set out to harm a blide located 400 m. His penetration was 80 mm, and two persons were required to his firearms (one plugged the rocket while the other was and put the fire when the rocket was ready!).

Technical specifications:

In 1944, soldiers fire on a machine gun position in Lucca, Italy.