Anyone know of a "Standard CN MkI 5inch rocket"?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Is anyone familiar with the "Standard CN MkI 5inch rocket"?

According to the "working instructions", these rockets were used to launch the canvas tube of the mine-clearing Conger carrier.

Nigel Watson and I were making jokes about this "standard" rocket last week, as no one seems to know this rocket.......So how standard is standard? Most rockets seem to be 2inch, 3inch or 4.5inch.....

Is there any simmilarity with the Land-matress maybe?

Alex

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
Is anyone familiar with the "Standard CN MkI 5inch rocket"?

According to the "working instructions", these rockets were used to launch the canvas tube of the mine-clearing Conger carrier.

Nigel Watson and I were making jokes about this "standard" rocket last week, as no one seems to know this rocket.......So how standard is standard? Most rockets seem to be 2inch, 3inch or 4.5inch.....

Is there any simmilarity with the Land-matress maybe?

Alex

When you mention "Standard CN Mk1 5inch rocket" does the CN refer to Canada? The only rockets I know that the RCAF used in WW II were the RP-3 air to ground rocket that the "Lost Legion" : 404, 407 and 415 squadrons attached to Coastal Command fired from their Beaufighters. Canadian Tiffy and Tempest pilots eschewed the air-to-ground rockets so favoured by RAF pilots as "spectacular, yet ineffective." They preferred 1000lb. bombs, which they used to good effect. The RP-3 was a 3" rocket with a 5" warhead, maybe Clive can let us know if that was the rocket used in the Land Mattress. Post war, Canada developed the CRV-7 air-to-ground rocket which was used on many aircraft.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Derek,

We are not sure about the "CN" marking, but I also thought it could mean " Canadian". Sadly there is no clarification in the text anyware.

The Typhoon/RP-3 rocket is also the only rocket I could think of, but I am not sure how the shape shape and vins at the back would work with the Conger launch tube, which looks very similar to the Z-gun/Z-rocket.

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
Derek,

We are not sure about the "CN" marking, but I also thought it could mean " Canadian". Sadly there is no clarification in the text anyware.

The Typhoon/RP-3 rocket is also the only rocket I could think of, but I am not sure how the shape shape and vins at the back would work with the Conger launch tube, which looks very similar to the Z-gun/Z-rocket.

Alex, you've raised an interesting question which prompted me to do a little more research. I dug through my library looking for articles on rockets and found this information. In 1937 a 3" rocket was proposed by the British as an alternative to the anti-aircraft gun. Under strict security the UP (Unrotated Projectile) project began and final test firings were completed by 1939 in Jamaica Mon! The "Z" batteries were all variations of the "Projector, 3", No. whatever, Mk. whatever for the various permutations. The 3" rocket taken up later in the war (1944?) as an aircraft weapon was basically the same as the one used in the Z gun and the Land Mattress. The differences being the warheads. The Z gun had a 4.28lb warhead, the Land Mattress used a 5" naval shell and the aircraft weapon variously used an AP, SAP (Semi-armour piercing), HE, or HEF (High explosive fragmentation) in weights varying from 25 to 60lbs. I've looked at several pictures of the RP-3 used on the Z gun, Land Mattress, and Aircraft and there are small differences in the tail fin design but they appear to be the same rocket. There was one reference to early 5" rocket trials that was a predeccesor to the RP-3 but with no details. Once again, I'm sure someone like Clive could probably shed more light on the Conger rocket.

[Alex van de Wetering]

We received some new info on the rocket used with the Conger. It seems to be a variation on the "Motor, rocket, 5", Cordtex net, mkI", a rocket used to "tow a specially constructed net of Cordtex (Primacord) used for demolition purposes".

The proposed new designation for the Conger rocket was: "Motor, rocket, 5", no3 mkI" , but a drawing of the rocket engine says "Motor, rocket, 5", no3 mkII"

The drawing we have only shows a tube, and only seems to show the "motor". Has anyone got a picture of what the complete rocket would look like? Has anyone got more info on the Cordtex net rocket?

regards,

Alex

[chris vickery]

Alex. I don't have my copy of Landmattress in Canadian Service right now but believe that this is the rocket which was used. If I recall correctly, it was a naval rocket.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Chris,

The different types of rocket are confusing me, although it seems most of them share the same base/design. Are you able to scan some pictures of the rocket from the Land mattress manual? It would be really helpfull in our search.

Alex