Missy and dad's PIAT bomb launcher.

[Ginger.]

Hello I don't know if he has told you or not but my dad (Ginger) is forking out five hundred and fifty pounds for a PIAT bomb launcher.
I grassed him to mum and she had a bit of a benny and said no cause the money is going to some elaminated flooring for the kitchen 8).And a new stairs carpet so my dad has no chance of getting it maybe in a million years

missy :-*

[Ross_Moorhouse]

Well he could still get it if he sells the idea that its like a ab-buster as a PIAT has a great big spring in them that takes all your weigh pressing down to cock the spring.. *;D

OK, I give up. What's a PIAT bomb launcher? ???

[Ross_Moorhouse]

OK, I give up. What's a PIAT bomb launcher? *???

The PIAT, an acronym standing for Projector Infantry Anti-Tank, is a very interesting british design that uses an entirely different approach than the Bazooka/Panzerschreck or the Panzerfaust. Indeed, it is rather a projector than a rocket launcher.When britain entered WW II, their infantry was only equipped with the Boys AT rifle that was obviously unfit for it's job of defeating enemy armor. The british realized that the usual cartridge projectile ammunition fired by tank rifles, no matter how high the muzzle velocity was, would not suffice. The engineers Jeffries and Wallis developed experimental new weapons apart from each other. Both fired projectiles with shaped-charge warheads. Out of combination of these two weapons the PIAT was born.

The PIAT was made of low-quality metal and was machined very poorly. The parts were stamped, riveted and welded. The very rugged construction fired it's shaped-charge warhead essentially like an oversized spring-loaded crossbow.
The weapon with a weight (empty) of 14.5kg and a total length (incl. warhead) of 99.1cm consists of a sheet metal tube with a diameter of 7.6cm and a length of 61cm. On the forward end a construction with a length of 25.4cm diameter accepts the warhead, on the rear end a T - piece padded with canvas is used as a shoulder piece. The sights are located on the upper tube. they can be adjusted to 70yds or 100yds distance. A single strut is screwed into the barrel as support.

The weapon fired a fin-stabilized shaped-charge projectile with a length of 38cm, a caliber of 8.9cm and weight of 1.13kg. HE-Shrapnel and smoke warheads were also available. The projectile can not be inserted into the forward part of the weapon before the spring has been loaded. The latter is a very tedious process: not only does the very strong spring need a loading force of 90kg, but also has to be loaded with a certain techinque. Therefore, the weapon can only be loaded by very strong and trained personnel. Loading in a prone position is out of question: With the tube between the legs and standing on the T-piece with the feet, the gunner grabs the tube at the trigger pistol grip and turns it counterclockwise while while at the same time pulling it up until he hears the cocked spring lock with a loud click.
Firing the weapon is no less of a problem: the trigger can only be pulled using all four fingers. Then the firing pin hits the procectile in its rear, where a small charge of propellant is detonated. The latter makes for a recoil that will cock the spring automatically for the next shot - if the gunner can't take that recoil - which was reportedly not too seldom - he will have to load the weapon again in the way described above. The projectile leaves the weapon at a Vo of 135m/s but accelerates in flight. Tanks could be attacked at ranges up to 100yd., larger targets like houses at larger distances of 300m and more.

Another major problem was the ammunition itself. The fuse of the warheads had a bad habit of prematurely detonating. In fact, the handling of the ammunition was considered so dangerous that immediately after the war any and all practice firing of the weapon was strictly prohibited, although the weapons themselves officially remained in service until 1951.



http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/8172/panz...nzerfaust13.htm


Now I want you to repeat all that back without reading it from the screen... * :

Thank you Michael and Ross! It sounds like a fun toy, I'll have to see if they are available in the states!

[PeterL]

Rex: "It sounds like a fun toy, I'll have to see if they are available in the states! "

If you got a GI Joe for Christmas you're half way there

[Ross_Moorhouse]

Rex: "It sounds like a fun toy, I'll have to see if they are available in the states! "

If you got a GI Joe for Christmas you're half way there

I am starting to worry about you Peter. Playing with dolls now. Bet you let G.I. Joe go out on some R&R with Barbie too.... *

[PeterL]

Ross: "Bet you let G.I. Joe go out on some R&R with Barbie too.... "

This being the twentyfirst century he's probably an item with Buzz Lightyear

[Ginger.]

Sorry chaps,lager fumes got me again.:
I collapsed in a snotty pile,allowing Missy to sneak in at low level and strafe the aerodrome.
I have gone to plan B to get the PIAT onto the dropzone,can't say too much Mrs.Ginger's spies are everywhere.:-X
Great picture of Action Man Peter,I'd forgotten how accurate those titchy uniforms were,right down to he special Airborne Forces B/D trousers.

[stephen]

Ross: "Bet you let G.I. Joe go out on some R&R with Barbie too.... " *

This being the twentyfirst century he's probably an item with Buzz Lightyear

Ken is the one I was always a little iffy about.