L14A1 Carl Gustav 84mm Anti Tank

[Gil Boyd]

I am some way now into completing two models of the Carl Gustav 84mm Anti Tank Gun in view of the lack of deactivated UK MOD versions and parts available.
I share this image with you to show a wartime U.S. Paratrooper emplaning with a bazooka and the trauma he no doubt had trying to hold onto that and steer his chute!!!

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[Paul S.]

I am some way now into completing two models of the Carl Gustav 84mm Anti Tank Gun in view of the lack of deactivated UK MOD versions and parts available.
I share this image with you to show a wartime U.S. Paratrooper emplaning with a bazooka and the trauma he no doubt had trying to hold onto that and steer his chute!!!

Gil, that photo and your comment reminded me that the Americans used a troop parachute (T-5?) during WWII that opened top to bottom unlike the X-type parachute British Commonwealth forces used. The crux of it is that the Yanks did what amounted to a 'gallows drop' as the canopy opened first and they risers, etc. were still spilling out to full length. The opening jolt with the American parachutes was severe to put it mildly and that bazooka might have 'landed' well before - and in a very different place than he did.

[Gil Boyd]

Paul,
Yes absolutely correct, and my view on the way 82nd and 101st jumped with "vital" equipment in their hands. We Brits tried the sten under the straps initially in 1942, but found it did more damage to the jumper and to the weapon if it wasn't lost in the first place on the descent.
An interesting area of who applied the logic or the mindset of Military Parachuting in those early days.
The image shows the guy emplaning, and one would expect him to be carrying at least two rockets in his kit to make the whole point of taking the bazooka in the first place, so if he dropped it on the descent his Platoon would have been in serious trouble, because it is the function of all Paratroopers to stem the flow of armour initially, whether it was WW2 or BAOR.
All I can say is, thank God we never had it come to that. There were simply not enough rounds made for the Charlie G to stem the Soviet flow had it occurred!!!!!!!!!!

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Firing HEAT rounds in a dusty environment was "interesting". Think: standing in your own personal sand-storm being "cuddled" by your No2 / loader. Even with decent ear-protection they were LOUD.

And as for firing illumination rounds....

Barrel almost vertical, you find yourself suddenly engulfed in a world of fire (and the usual noise) on ignition. And then, as the blast field collapses, there is a sudden inrush of dust and litter from the surrounding area.

The Illum. rounds were, however, brighter and lasted a bit longer than those from the 81mm mortar, just much nastier to launch. and the gun team made very fine aiming marks of themselves.

Delete infantry badge, insert the electric horse badge!

[Gil Boyd]

"Illumination only to be fired in mountainous terrain" for obvious reasons, from valley to valley so to speak, otherwise the 40 metre backblast would kill you aimed at the ground immediately behind you as you grasped the sky for elevation, well it would certainly spoil your day and uniform