Unrifled Projectiles

Andy, many thanks for this. The chap did have this diagram amongst his research, but there was no opportunity to take copies. I’m not sure there’s much we can do for him beyond pointing him to Firepower! and the naval equivalent whose name escapes me (its late!)

Jonathan

not such a good diagram as I remembered it.
However, this is what the naval version of the parachute and cable device looked like.
The numbered parts are:-
1) Layer’s cabinet.
2) Mesh frame around tubes.
3) Door to layer’s cabinet.

At the time of her loss HMS Hood had five such mountings.
one atop B turret and four (two port, two S’board) amidship.

Had Hood survived I doubt they would have survived her next refit.

Cheers
Andy

Jonathan

The parachute and cable devices as fitted to HMS Hood were called UP launchers.

I know they were considered useless by the crew.
I have a diagram of one somewhere if you’re interested.
They were still in place in May 1941 when she was so tragically lost with all but three of the crew in the Denmark Strait.
Cheers
Andy

Andy, many thanks. If you have a spare moment to scan the diagram that would be great. One of the photocopies this chap had re Hood stated that they were removed in 1940, but I can’t trace their source at the moment; I had the opportunity to briefly look over his sources but not really to take copies, hence the confusion over the Z gun issue. I will seek some clarification re how similar the land-based versions were in my letter to him.

Information regarding the land-based versions (Malta, Southsea) would be fantastic of course. A surviving example of a naval launcher and/or one of the PAC rounds is I think what he’s ultimately keen to locate.

I’m fairly sure they had typos in 1940 folks. Besides, ‘AAA’ as a modern term for the same kit is more anachronistic than it is incorrect, and no more so than, say..”WW2″… 😉

Back on topic, it seems that the chap in question was referring to certain ‘Z’ Gun Batteries (Southsea and Malta strangely enough, as evidenced by his log book) that employed Parachute and Cable (or Parachute Barrage Wire) style ammunition. He made reference to finding such a rocket as a child with wire and parachute inside.

Jonathan

The parachute and cable devices as fitted to HMS Hood were called UP launchers.

I know they were considered useless by the crew.
I have a diagram of one somewhere if you’re interested.
They were still in place in May 1941 when she was so tragically lost with all but three of the crew in the Denmark Strait.
Cheers
Andy

Tsk tsk Jonathan!

AAA is a very incorrect term to use talking about WW2

It was then Ack-ack, or at the very worst AA

Moggy

I’m fairly sure they had typos in 1940 folks. Besides, ‘AAA’ as a modern term for the same kit is more anachronistic than it is incorrect, and no more so than, say..”WW2″… 😉

Back on topic, it seems that the chap in question was referring to certain ‘Z’ Gun Batteries (Southsea and Malta strangely enough, as evidenced by his log book) that employed Parachute and Cable (or Parachute Barrage Wire) style ammunition. He made reference to finding such a rocket as a child with wire and parachute inside.

Careful with the Flak Moggie, or the Flaming Onions… 😀

the extra amount of explosives perched on top of the vessel’s AAA emplacements.

Tsk tsk Jonathan!

AAA is a very incorrect term to use talking about WW2

It was then Ack-ack, or at the very worst AA

Moggy

As above, Google under “Parachute and Cable PAC” yields much info.

Moggy

The use at Kenley – was it on 18 August? I recall reading about the system in one of Alfred Price’s books, “The Hardest Day” I think.

That’s the sort of thing, yes. Presumably that RAE project was developed from or in parallel with the Navy one though, as it seems they were pretty much contemporary. A colleague believes the system made one kill. It was abandoned on warships quite quickly due to lack of effectiveness, the risk of the things landing on friendly vessels, and (so this chap said) the extra amount of explosives perched on top of the vessel’s AAA emplacements.

Thanks for the replies, the PAC lead may prove fruitful.

Hi,

I seem to recall reading somewhere that a couple of German bombers were snagged by this contraption. Don’t remember if they were brought down however.

Alex

This sort of thing?

Another project under development by the Exeter RAE staff, was the Parachute and Cable (PAC) Scheme Type “D” Mk II for aerodrome defence against low flying enemy aircraft. This essentially consisted of several rockets that arefired electrically into the path of an enemy aircraft. Each rocket lifting vertically from the ground, took a 480ft (146.3m) length of steel multi-wired cable armed with a 38in (0.96.5m) diameter parachute at each end. When the aircraft strikes the cable, the combined drag of the parachutes is sufficient to cause the pilot to loose control. This system was actually operational elsewhere and had been successfully used in anger atKenley during the Battle of Britain, but was under development at Exeter to raise the ceiling height of the rocket to above 700ft (213.3m).

Try a Google of “Parachute and Cable (PAC) “

Moggy