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Germany Field Rocket Equipment |
8.6 cm Raketen-Abschussgerät M42/M43
The 8.6 cm Raketen-Abschussgerät M42/M43 (abbreviated as RAG M42/M43) was a unique, late-war (Mid 1944) anti-aircraft rocket launcher system deployed by the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) starting in mid-1944. It was specifically designed as a point-defense barrage weapon to protect ships from low-flying Allied aircraft
Operational Deployment
Technical Specifications
The single-tube launcher was remarkably simple and lightweight compared to standard naval anti-aircraft artillery.
Nine types of ammunition were planned but only 4 types were made - 2x wire cable and 2x HE warheads in 400 and 800 versions which probably has something to do with the range of 400 or 800 meters. The wire cable warhead exploded and threw up a cloud of wire fragments into the path of attacking planes. It was designed to fire from a single launcher or in batteries, and was trialled on a U-Boot and could be used against surface targets. It appears to have definitely entered service. The design of this single launch type with the pedestal type mount would seem to make it easy to have it mounted on pretty much anything (truck, halftrack, building roof tops, ships...)
Each HE rocket had the destructive power of an 8.8 cm AA shell. The wire cable version was similar to the British UP AA rocket and used parachutes connected to 100 m (330 feet) of cable. It is not known if these weapons ever shot down an attacking plane. The operational technique was to establish three concentric zones around the ship, with each zone given a specific rocket type. It is interesting to note that the parachute version of this weapon was similar to the ineffective British UP AA rockets.
Operational Deployment
- The "Barbara" Modernisation Program: In 1944, Germany launched Operation Barbara, an emergency program to drastically upgrade the anti-aircraft firepower of its surface fleet. Under this plan, modified destroyers (such as Z-38) were scheduled to carry up to 6 of these rocket launchers.
- Vessel Types: Beyond destroyers, it was widely mounted on coastal patrol craft, torpedo boats (Schnellboote), and minesweepers operating in high-risk areas like the Norway and Skagerrak straits.
- Submarine Trials: The weapon was even trialled on at least one U-boat (U-Boot) to test its effectiveness against both aircraft and small surface targets.
Technical Specifications
The single-tube launcher was remarkably simple and lightweight compared to standard naval anti-aircraft artillery.
Nine types of ammunition were planned but only 4 types were made - 2x wire cable and 2x HE warheads in 400 and 800 versions which probably has something to do with the range of 400 or 800 meters. The wire cable warhead exploded and threw up a cloud of wire fragments into the path of attacking planes. It was designed to fire from a single launcher or in batteries, and was trialled on a U-Boot and could be used against surface targets. It appears to have definitely entered service. The design of this single launch type with the pedestal type mount would seem to make it easy to have it mounted on pretty much anything (truck, halftrack, building roof tops, ships...)
Each HE rocket had the destructive power of an 8.8 cm AA shell. The wire cable version was similar to the British UP AA rocket and used parachutes connected to 100 m (330 feet) of cable. It is not known if these weapons ever shot down an attacking plane. The operational technique was to establish three concentric zones around the ship, with each zone given a specific rocket type. It is interesting to note that the parachute version of this weapon was similar to the ineffective British UP AA rockets.
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