Early 2.36" M6 Bazooka Rocket

[Dirt Detective]

Hey Guys, thought you might like to see this early M6 Bazooka rocket, looks like it was all yellow at one time, then repainted green. Any others with original HE's please post them.
Rgds, Mike

 

[Dirt Detective]

some more pics. I dont think the saftey is correct

 

[V40]

Dirt Detective,


why do you think that the one clip is the wrong one?

I believe it is the right one. The Army didn't start using the latch until Korea. The used them on the 3.5 inch Bazooka.

 

[Lou]

Awesome rocket brother.Ive been after one of those for awhile.Super tuff with all the bits.

All Ive ever been able to find is practice rockets.

 

[BMG50]

Early Rockets were not painted yellow. Your rocket has the early large domed rivets seen on the first bazooka rockets that had a contact band on the nose cone with the wiring that was taped down to the tail. These early rockets were fired from the M1 bazooka that had a contact box at the back on top of the bazooka.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Early Rockets were not painted yellow.

Thats what I thought..but it looks like evidence may point the other way. Maybe like the early Grenade's that were all yellow too...before the decided to overpaint OD. My TM says early mines were also all yellow..

Here is a pic of the body..there is yellow under the OD. Any ideas?

 

[HAZORD]

The color code for HE loaded munitions changed in 1942. Prior to this, all munitions, land mines, grenades, bombs, 60 and 81mm mortar and artillery projectiles from 37mm up, were painted yellow with black lettering. The code then changed to Olive drab with yellow lettering for HE loaded munitions as the warhead on the rocket shows. There are exceptions for some Navy used ordnance. Their bombs were painted Gray with a colored dot between the lugs.

A number of munitions that were originally yellow were repainted over the yellow with OD. Some of the more commonly found, are the MK II pineapple grenades. If you watch the move "The Thin Red Line" about Marines in the Pacific early WWII, they are carrying yellow MK IIs.

Imagine how easy it would be to find an ammo dump on land or on an aircraft carrier deck from the air, if all the bombs were painted yellow.

 

[Weasel]

Hi Mike,
That is a really good condition one, the best i have seen i think plenty of members here that would i am sure love to have that in there collections.
I read in another thread that i cant find now, that the colour of HE rounds was yellow up to 41 not a popular colour to have as a grenade on your chest ! would make a good target.
Best regards Weasel.

 

[Gspragge]

I thought the colour change was in 43

I have 1942 dated items in yellow and have seen others, in particular M63 & M54 HE projectiles.
See my album for 1942 yellow M54.

 

[Dirt Detective]

Good info guys..and awsome album Gspragge!!! :tinysmile_shutup_t2

 

[Eodtek]

I have 1942 dated items in yellow and have seen others, in particular M63 & M54 HE projectiles.
See my album for 1942 yellow M54.

The official date for the color code change was 11 March 1942 as decided upon by the Ordnance Committee and published in the OCM minutes. It took slightly longer for the change to take effect so you will still see some items that were manufactured in the middle of 1942 that were still using the old color code.

Items that were in the field were supposed to be re-painted and marked by DS level support.

 

[inertordnance]

Also here is also scanned photo (Original photo not in my possession) reportedly dated 08-20-1943, showing a field repaint of Yellow Colored MK11 Grenades.

 

[Eodtek]

Also here is also scanned photo (Original photo not in my possession) reportedly dated 08-20-1943, showing a field repaint of Yellow Colored MK11 Grenades.

I'd like to find one of them dipping them in the green paint. I have a few MK II bodies with the yellow line on the neck at an angle showing that they were dipped.

 

[US-Subs]

Mike, have you seen the 2.36-inch version of the MICLIC?

 

[Dirt Detective]

I love seeing pics of ordnance being made, Lex has 3 great shots of the pinapple being produced.

Eodtek..that would be a great shot of seeing them dipped into the OD paint..check out the pic below..there is a M10A2 spoon out of my collection that looks like it was dipped..it has paint both sides.

Us-subs..im kinda new at this..dont even know what a miclic is.. YET..:tinysmile_shy_t:

 

[Dirt Detective]

Hi Inertord..great pic, I think I may own the original photo. I bought a photo from Harlen who used it in his new USMC book..he said it was the pic used for his book, it has a stamp on the back along with the press release..but who know..there may be several out there. I will post whats on back of pic..maybe it will show up good enough to read.

Press release says..south pacific base 8/20/43..USMC photo from ACME

 

[inertordnance]

Hello DD,

Thanks for posting your original pic and great information! It far supercedes the scan that I have and fills in a few blanks for me. I was originally guessing that the soldier was either a Seabee or USMC and you cleared it up. This job must have been The South Pacific Equivalent of KP!

Thanks and stay safe,

Frank

 

[Dirt Detective]

Hello DD,

Thanks for posting your original pic and great information! It far supercedes the scan that I have and fills in a few blanks for me. I was originally guessing that the soldier was either a Seabee or USMC and you cleared it up. This job must have been The South Pacific Equivalent of KP!

Thanks and stay safe,

Frank

Hi Frank, After that nice compliment about my pic..I had to go out and take a better one. Yea, he has the EG&A on his cap..if only this pic was in color.

 

[Eodtek]

Mike, have you seen the 2.36-inch version of the MICLIC?

Nope, just the mid-90's rifle grenade version.

 

[BMG50]

The Launcher rocket AT (anti tank) M1 or later to be known as the Bazooka was standardized officially on June 30 1942 just in time for the North African campaign. I guess that the official colour change in March 1942 was in full swing by now so that any rockets made including the first M6 rounds were of Green with yellow markings. I have TM 9-1905 Ammunition Renovation It shows how shells and grenades were re-painted from yellow to green, marked up and repacked.
A huge amount of yellow munitions or old stock was used up i assume first before the new olive green munitions. I have seen war time footage and colour photo's of yellow rounds being used as late as 1945, even at Iwo Jima.
By the way very nice round.