5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket
5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket | |
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![]() FFARs being loaded | |
Type | Air-to-surface rocket |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | United States military |
Production history | |
Produced | 1943-1945 |
Specifications (5-inch FFAR) | |
Mass | 80 pounds (36 kg) |
Length | 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) |
Diameter | Warhead: 5 inches (130 mm) Motor: 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
Warhead | High explosive |
Warhead weight | 45 pounds (20 kg) |
Engine | Solid-fuel rocket |
Operational range | 1 mile (1.6 km) |
Maximum speed | 485 miles per hour (781 km/h) |
Guidance system | None |
The 5-inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket or FFAR was an American rocket developed during World War II for attack from airplanes against ground and ship targets.
Operational history[]
The first FFARs were developed by the U.S. Navy and introduced in June 1943. They had a 3.5-inch diameter and a non-explosive warhead, since they were used as an aircraft-launched ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) rocket and worked by puncturing the hull. It was accurate enough for use against surface ships and land targets, but these missions required an explosive warhead.[1] A 5-inch anti-aircraft shell was attached to the 3.5-inch rocket motor, creating the 5-Inch FFAR, which entered service in December 1943. Performance was limited because of the increased weight, limiting speed to 780 km/h (485 mph).[2] The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, was developed to fix this flaw.[2]
The FFAR was used by the Douglas SBD Dauntless (dive bomber), the Grumman TBF Avenger (torpedo bomber) and the Vought F4U Corsair (carrier based fighter).
See also[]
- RP-3
- 3.5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket
- 2.75 inch FFAR
- Zuni rocket
- List of rockets
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Parsch, Andreas (2004). "Air-Launched 3.5-Inch Rockets". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- Parsch, Andreas (2006). "Air-Launched 5-Inch Rockets". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
External links[]
- Air-to-ground rockets of the United States
- World War II weapons of the United States
- Military equipment introduced in the 1940s