TBMs and FM-2s had HVAR capability. Were the rockets used in an ASW role. (FM-2 in particular. Would work better than .50 cals in putting a hole in a U-boat and keeping it from diving) Not finding any photographic evidence. Seen Swordfish with 60 pounders.
I’ve got Ospreys Avenger Units book somewhere, I’ll have a look and see if it mentions anything.
TBM-3 Avenger with 5-inch (HVAR) rockets mounted (EDIT : these are FFAR rockets)
H.P.
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Thanks.
Care to share with the class?
I had deleted my post as it seems that the pictured rockets are not HVAR rockets but Navy-specific rockets
HVAR
EDIT :
From https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/5in-rockets.html
H.P.
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Not many photos of Atlantic Avengers with rockets, but it did have these two.
Although it’s a blur, it does look like it’s carrying rockets under the wing.
This was in Jan 44. Although the book misidentifies them as HVAR, it states rockets were issued from the end of 43. It gave them a good accurate and powerful attack capability against the increasingly heavier AA weapons U-boats were starting to carry. They usually operated alongside a similarly armed Wildcat, taking turns to rocket and strafe them before making a final run with DC’s or torpedoes. A typical load was a mix of armour piercing and HE warheads.
Sounds similar to Coastal Command Mosquito’s hunting around the Bay of Biscay. They found the AP rockets would make quick work of a U-boat.
FM-2’s with rockets pics in this thread :
H.P.
Merci. The bit on the 2.75 inch Fin Folding Aerial Rockets (FFAR), those are 50s tech Originally designed as an air to air weapon . When they proved pretty much useless they were adapted for air to ground… used widely on helos in Vietnam. (Here’s a good example of their air to air ability… The Battle of Palmdale (thexhunters.com) I lived in the middle of the “battlefield”. NAS Point Mugu is 8 miles from where I lived. Oxnard AFB is now Camarillo Airport … other side of town from me. Use to drive through Santa Clarita Valley / Newhall/ Lancdale/ Palmcaster … errr… Lancaster/ Palmdale all the time.) The photos of the FMs on Guadalcanal are real helpful. Hard to say when "5th Patrol " was . Was reading an article on her and she bounced in and out of ports left and right and swapped air groups like most people change underwear. And after the U-505 incident she spent time as a “training” carrier, rotating a couple groups through for qualification. Also a couple of the battle descriptions are confusing. Mention mixed force of TBF/Ms and FMs attacking and mention use of rocket and depthcharge and kinda inpliesthe FMs use both also. A Wildcat with depth charges? Guadalcanal I (CVE-60) (navy.mil) (Bit onthe "attack on the Panama Canal is interesting.)
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Now I am just a Civilian E-Nothing but …all U-boats AA stuff is aft of the tower. Wouldnt it make sense to attack one head on? Less (if any) AA fire, plus you drop the depth charges where the U-boat is diving to… True, abeam attack has a bigger target and astern have a longer time to set up … but also gives the flak guy longer to shoot at you.
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What I didn’t know until today is that the acronym FFAR is used with two different types of rockets…
https://uxo.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/Rocket5inHVAR-Rev01.pdf
H.P.
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By mid war they were fitting a lot more AA weapons to the decks and conning towers. Remember also that aircraft were attacking in singles or twos, so the crews weren’t overwhelmed and could concentrate fire.
Some interesting stuff and statistics on Coastal Commands losses from U-boat fire here.
Anti-aircraft guns on U-boats - Technical pages - German U-boats of WWII - Kriegsmarine - uboat.net.