Cutaway model of a 57mm S5MO unguided aircraft rocket. This type of rocket is meant to be fired from UB (Universal Block) launchers. These are available for 8, 16 or 32 rockets.
There are several types of rockets available: HE, shaped charge, shaped charge/fragmentation, flechettes , Chaff, Illumination, Thermobaric, Flare.
The rockets are used by planes as well as helicopters. Another -alternative- use of these rockets is by freedom fighters / terrorists who use them launched from vehicles (technicals).
Rockets can be fired single, either salvo’s.
The rocket described here is the 57mm S5MO rocket.
The rocket consistes of a rocket motor, a fragmentation warhead and a nose fuze.
The motor is a thin walled steel pipe piece with a steel venturi screwed over the back. Eight spring loaded fodning fins are connected to a hinge ring at the back of the venturi. Over the backside of the venturi a bakelite (anti moisture)cap is screwed with a spring steel contact ring on the outside. This ring is meant for electrical ignition contatct with the UB launcher. From this cap two wires run up the motor -through the powder stick- to the tin with the ignition charge.
The powder stick is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the motor, kept centered by three ribs that have the inside diameter of the motor. This is meant to ignite the powderstick from the inside as well as the outside simultaniously, to enshure a fast and even burning. The motor burns for 1.1 seconds (300 mtrs of flight).
A steel intermediate ring is screwed over the top of the motor, receiving the warhead on the other side. The warhead consists of an aluminium pipe over which 20 notched steel rings are placed which produce 360 pre-formed fragments. A cylindrical stick of explosives is placed inside the pipe. In the top a heat sensitive detonator is placed which receives the flame of the fuze. A tapered aluminium intermediate piece is screwed over the top of the explosive charge, threaded on the inside in top to receive the nose fuze.
The V5K nose fuze (1) is an impact and graze fuze. The fuze is mainly aluminium made, exept for the steel balls, the steel inertia sleeve , the brass inertia graze ring and the bakelite ballistic nose cap.
Upon firing, the spring loaded inertia sleeve (2) -placed over the firing pin (3)- moves backward, allowing the three balls (4) in the nose to fall out backward into the loose space (5). The backward movement of the sleeve is slowed by a radial pin that forces the sleeve to follow a zig-zag path machined in the side of the sleeve. When the acceleration is over, the spring inside the inertia sleeve (2)pushes it upward again, but higher than it’s original position, alowing the lower four balls (6) to fall away into the loose space (5). These lower balls prevent the needle of the firing pin to reach the firing cap (7)in the firing cap housing (8).
Upon impact, the bakelite ballistic cap is shattered, and the hammer pin (9) pushes the firing pin into the firing cap. The firing cap ignites the detonator (10) in the graze ring (11), which ignites the detonator in top of the explosive charge (12).
Upon graze action, the graze ring (11) is thrown sideways , forcing the firing cap housing (8) upward through the chamfered edge, pushing the firing cap (7) into the firing pin.
Length of the rocket : 998 mm
Diameter of the rocket : 57mm
Range of the rocket : 3 to 4 km
Weight of the rocket : 4,82 kg
Weight of the warhead : 0,8 kg.
Here some movies showing the 57mm rockets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QSMOrRK6TM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUzxeJcYyxY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwTGbSGTyI
Regards, DJH
There are several types of rockets available: HE, shaped charge, shaped charge/fragmentation, flechettes , Chaff, Illumination, Thermobaric, Flare.
The rockets are used by planes as well as helicopters. Another -alternative- use of these rockets is by freedom fighters / terrorists who use them launched from vehicles (technicals).
Rockets can be fired single, either salvo’s.
The rocket described here is the 57mm S5MO rocket.
The rocket consistes of a rocket motor, a fragmentation warhead and a nose fuze.
The motor is a thin walled steel pipe piece with a steel venturi screwed over the back. Eight spring loaded fodning fins are connected to a hinge ring at the back of the venturi. Over the backside of the venturi a bakelite (anti moisture)cap is screwed with a spring steel contact ring on the outside. This ring is meant for electrical ignition contatct with the UB launcher. From this cap two wires run up the motor -through the powder stick- to the tin with the ignition charge.
The powder stick is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the motor, kept centered by three ribs that have the inside diameter of the motor. This is meant to ignite the powderstick from the inside as well as the outside simultaniously, to enshure a fast and even burning. The motor burns for 1.1 seconds (300 mtrs of flight).
A steel intermediate ring is screwed over the top of the motor, receiving the warhead on the other side. The warhead consists of an aluminium pipe over which 20 notched steel rings are placed which produce 360 pre-formed fragments. A cylindrical stick of explosives is placed inside the pipe. In the top a heat sensitive detonator is placed which receives the flame of the fuze. A tapered aluminium intermediate piece is screwed over the top of the explosive charge, threaded on the inside in top to receive the nose fuze.
The V5K nose fuze (1) is an impact and graze fuze. The fuze is mainly aluminium made, exept for the steel balls, the steel inertia sleeve , the brass inertia graze ring and the bakelite ballistic nose cap.
Upon firing, the spring loaded inertia sleeve (2) -placed over the firing pin (3)- moves backward, allowing the three balls (4) in the nose to fall out backward into the loose space (5). The backward movement of the sleeve is slowed by a radial pin that forces the sleeve to follow a zig-zag path machined in the side of the sleeve. When the acceleration is over, the spring inside the inertia sleeve (2)pushes it upward again, but higher than it’s original position, alowing the lower four balls (6) to fall away into the loose space (5). These lower balls prevent the needle of the firing pin to reach the firing cap (7)in the firing cap housing (8).
Upon impact, the bakelite ballistic cap is shattered, and the hammer pin (9) pushes the firing pin into the firing cap. The firing cap ignites the detonator (10) in the graze ring (11), which ignites the detonator in top of the explosive charge (12).
Upon graze action, the graze ring (11) is thrown sideways , forcing the firing cap housing (8) upward through the chamfered edge, pushing the firing cap (7) into the firing pin.
Length of the rocket : 998 mm
Diameter of the rocket : 57mm
Range of the rocket : 3 to 4 km
Weight of the rocket : 4,82 kg
Weight of the warhead : 0,8 kg.
Here some movies showing the 57mm rockets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QSMOrRK6TM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUzxeJcYyxY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYwTGbSGTyI
Regards, DJH
