T34 Calliope

The Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope) was a tank-mounted multiple rocket launcher used by the United States Army during World War II. The launcher was placed atop the Medium Tank M4, with its prominent vertical side frames firmly anchored to the turret's sides, and fired a barrage of 4.5 in (114 mm) M8 rockets from 60 launch tubes. It was developed in 1943; small numbers were produced and were used by various US armor units in 1944-45. It adopts its name from the musical instrument "Calliope", also known as the steam organ, which had similar parallel pipes, and which had historically existed on steamboats of the Mississippi River in the United States.

Variants

• Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope) - Version carrying 60 4.5 in (114 mm) rockets in arrangement of a group of 36 tubes on the top, and a pair jettisonable groups of 12 tubes (24 tubes of jettisonable groups) on the bottom (Not jettisonable from M4A1 Sherman variant).
• Rocket Launcher T34E1 (Calliope) - Same as T34 but groups of 12 jettisonable tubes replaced by groups of 14 tubes.
• Rocket Launcher T34E2 (Calliope) - Caliber of rockets increased from 4.5 in (114 mm) to 7.2 in (183 mm), number of tubes remains at 60. Saw combat in 1944-1945.

See also

• T40 Whizbang, a similar turret-mount MRL launcher for the Sherman, with larger calibre 180 mm projectiles.
• Matilda "Hedgehog" - Australian armoured fighting vehicle using spigot mortars.
• Sherman Tulip - British Sherman with two "60 lb" 3-inch rockets mounted on turret.
• Mattress - British multiple 3-inch rocket launcher used by Canadian troops
• Katyusha, Soviet truck-mounted rocket launcher
• Panzerwerfer German 15 cm Nebelwerfer barrage rocket system, on an armored half-track or its likely replacement
• List of U.S. Army Rocket Launchers By Model Number

External links

• Military Factory article

References

• Hunting, David. The New Weapons of the World Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Diagram Visual Information Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-312-36832-1