Schermuly line throwing rocket

[SG500]

I'm completely out of my depth with this one.
It says Schermuly on the label patch on the side of it.
Any ideas anyone? I assume its for firing ropes over long distances. How old is it? How far would it have gone? etc.
The photos show the side view, close up of the paper label and the front end.
All empty and inert of course.
Dave.

 

[roller63]

Hi Dave, This website has lots of info on this and similar rockets plus lots of ordnance as well http://web.ukonline.co.uk/stephen.johnson/arms/
from what I know the 3-33 could quite easily be the date of manufacture. Used mainly for line thowing ship to ship or ship to shore etc. Schermuly had a factory in Dorking Surrey not far from me, and made all kinds of pyrotechnics, military and civilian. Thier trademark was SPRA, The Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus Co. ltd. Hope this sheds some light, Tony.

 

[SG500]

Good man, thanks for that link - what a lot of info on that site. It'll keep me going for a month!

Dave.

 

[ammocat]

I cannot get the link in this thread to work. I have a line thowing rocket which is marked with Schermuly No. 2 41mm Line Throwing Rocket. I have found very limited information on the internet on this item. Does anyone have any references for this?

 

[BMG50]

I have actualy fired one of these, Amazing pieces of kit. The rocket is fitted into the end of a the line throwing gun (the tube part) which is like flare gun with a long barrel with a handle attched to the top. The metal linked frame of the rocket is attached to the line which is packed in a box and arranged so it does not tangle, this dangles out the end of the barrel downwards above the line box in front or to the side of the person firing. To fire the rocket a short blank cartridge is loaded into the gun which propelles the rocket out of the barrel and ignights it about a foot away from the barrel which the rocket then takes off. To hold the gun, you grip in one hand the pistol bit and hold the handle on top of the barrel in the other and fire at an angle. This all comes in a kit with three rockets and a round tin of propellent cartridges with three sets of line and Gun so my memory serves.

 

[ammocat]

BMG50, sound like it was an exciting item to fire. We have two fired rockets that are in fair condition. Very little information on them. I was hoping to confirm whether this was actually a service items used by the Canadian Navy. The Canadian Navy still uses line throwing devices, but todays version is basically a 5.56mm blank fired from a modified service rifle. Same principals for the line apply.

Cheers,

 

[exat808]

Comet in Germany still make a very similar version -

http://www.comet-pyro.de/ProductSpec.aspx?ProductId=114&CatId=5

There will also be some Pains-Wessex versions around.

 

[ammocat]

Interesting, thanks for posting the link.

 

[V40]

Ammocat,

I have one that I bought years ago that attaches to the end of any 22mm launcher. This one however, seems to be the one that sets on the end of the M16/AR15. It says on the box that it is used for clearing AP mines and/or booby-trap fields. You can use both a blank throught it or an actuall 5.56mm round in it. I will have to show what it looks like because I'll bet a dollar that it could be used as a rescue unit/line throwing unit too.

 

[ammocat]

They seem to have been used for a variety of tasks. The website Schermuly and his Rockets http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/schermuly/ talks about rockets used to throw telephone lines (signal cable) from trench to trench and used to propel grapnels which could be fired into barbed wire and then the barbed wire could be pulled away. Would certainly be handy to deal with trip wires, end result might be a little noisy, but the stand off from the firer to the trip wire might be appreciated.

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

In the lead up to the first Gulf War the UK bought a load of line throwing kits that could be projected using the standard 5.56 mm ball round. The idea was to launch a line of det cord across a suspect area and blow it from a safe distance, clearing a path wide enough for troops to safely walk through. It consisted of an aerodynamic metal head somehow attached to the det cord, to drag the det cord its full length and lay it out straight. For anti-tank mine fields we still had the Giant Viper, in use since WW2.

 

[V40]

By the way, if anybody is interested in signaling and line throwers for your Yacht, Boat, Sailboat or Ship, then you should ALWAYS buy items that have been approved by SOLAS. They are the best you can get and will do their job if or when the need arises. Cannot say enough about their items. I have had both Comets, Ikaros, and Paines Wessex. They all belong to SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea conference) and are very powerful (from expeirence). For those of you who have boats that are larger than the "Flipper" Boat, remember this; "Flares are like blessings, you can never have too many." Just FYI & my own Opinion based upon facts. Please forgive me if this is a HiJacking.

 

[havoc]

I'm completely out of my depth with this one.
It says Schermuly on the label patch on the side of it.
Any ideas anyone? I assume its for firing ropes over long distances. How old is it? How far would it have gone? etc.
The photos show the side view, close up of the paper label and the front end.
All empty and inert of course.
Dave.

Hello Dave,

I have in my possession an original stowage box for the Line thrower. I will add some photos this evening when I get in. Thought you may be interested in seeing them.

Regards,

Clive.

 

[BMG50]

Found these pictures the other day.