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Illumination rockets available to RN in WWII

I

ironsquirrel

Member
Good day, good people,

I wondered if anyone can tell me what illumination rockets might have been available to RN small craft (e.g. Coastal Forces) during WWII.

I'm assuming a ship like a destroyer would not have a great need for these as they had guns which could shoot a star shell, but the 6-pounder gun of a Fairmile motor boat would not, at a guess, have had the elevation, even if a star shell round was available for it (which seems doubtful). So, I can see there might have been a need for a means of tactical illumination, but was any available for these boats?

Any comments most gratefully received...

Cheers,

Dave
 
Hi Dave,seeing as a star shell was available for 2 pounder naval use it seems likely there may have been one for the 6pdr,although as you say it would depend on the type of mounting whether the elevation was high enough. Naval signal rockets I think started at 1 Ib and there are larger versions so I would assume you are right. Please check the download section as im sure naval rockets are listed in one of the treatises that have been kindly scanned by some Bocn members. Pretty sure illum is listed for the 3 and 5" sea mattress rockets too?? might be wrong though. Have a look anyway. Cheers Tig.
 
Hi Tig,
Thanks very much indeed for your suggestion - fairly new here, so did not clock the treatise library. I'll try it out...
Best regards,
Dave
 
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