British 3-inch aircraft rocket with WP warhead

[Antoon]

One of the tactics used sometimes by the British 2nd Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF) during WW-2 was to fire first a couple of 3-inch aircraft rockets (R/P) with a White Phosphorus warhead to mark the target for other Typhoons that then could attack the target with R/P or aircraft bombs.

The phosphorus R/P was the normal 3-inch aircraft motor with the "Shell Smoke Mk I" from the 5-inch barrage rocket "Sea Mattress". The fuze was the No. 721.

This must have been a ad-hoc configuration by 2nd TAF because I can not find any drawings etc. Has someone a photograph or drawing from this 3-inch phosphorus rocket?

 

[Dreamk]

Indeed graphic documentation is very scarce on this type of rocket. I went into length a couple of years ago to try and identify some and here what I found - interestingly most come from Australian sources as RAAF that seem to have used of the TI variant in the WW2 Pacific area operations, in Korean war and even beyond for similar purposes.

This is, i think (but I may be wrong) the original adaptation from the "sea mattress" to be launched from an aircraft



Here are the regular phosphorous rocket projectiles, now officially designed "TI markers" devlopped in the span of the war



This last photograph shows a later version of this rocket undet a F80 (the fin flash is British or Australian)




Another issue is teh existence of externaly similar training rockets with a smoke conatiner in their nose cap that may have been used as markers

 

[Antoon]

DreamK,

Thanks for the reply

The 1st photo is the Canadian Land Mattress HE rocket.
The 5th and 6th photo are the 60 lb. concrete practice version with the smoke container on the front filled with Titanium Tetrachloride.

The photo from the wing of the Mustang with the different rockets and MC bomb is fantastic, thanks.

 

[kahu1]

DreamK,

Thanks for the reply

The 1st photo is the Canadian Land Mattress HE rocket.
The 5th and 6th photo are the 60 lb. concrete practice version with the smoke container on the front filled with Titanium Tetrachloride.

The photo from the wing of the Mustang with the different rockets and MC bomb is fantastic, thanks.

The Mustang photo is of an RAAF (Australian) Mustang, the long projectiles are Geletrol (Napalm)

 

[Antoon]

The Mustang photo is of an RAAF (Australian) Mustang, the long projectiles are Geletrol (Napalm)

Do you mean the warhead with 30 lb. on it or the rockets under the F80?

 

[Dreamk]

These are Geletrol RAAF rockets - The shape pf the warhead is different and I am unaware of another shape for these rockets.
The photos 3& 4 I uploaded earlier in this thread, which show more propably an evolution of the TI marker (phosphorous) rocket under a F-80 :

 

[kahu1]

Do you mean the warhead with 30 lb. on it or the rockets under the F80?

The 30lb proj., Looks to be marked as Napalm?. Definitely an RAAF Mustang though.

 

[Dreamk]

The Mustang is indeed a RAAF CA-18 Mustang (Mk21 or 23).
The photography comes from the Australian War Memorial an dits legend is as follows:
"1946-06-21. A 500lb bomb and three types of rocket loaded on the wing racks of a CAC CA-18 Mustang fighter aircraft, serial no. A68-48, as a demonstration to senior officers attending an Air Support Course at RAAF Station Laverton of weapons that can be used in air support operations."
The date excludes the possibility for the 30lb rocket to be a napalm one as the Geletrol rocket was developped in late 1951-early 1952.
This 30lb rocket is not a napalm one but a TI marker (phophorous). On the warhead, you can read the beginning if the world MARKER on the second line.

Napalm rockets ("geletrol" "flaming onions") were apparently used only by RAAF 77th sqn Meteors.

 

[Antoon]

Dreamk,

Thanks for the info.

Greetings Antoon