Hood´s UP mounting
- Karl Heidenreich
- Senior Member
- Posts: 4808
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:19 pm
- Location: San José, Costa Rica
Hood´s UP mounting
What is it for?
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Sir Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Churchill
Re: Hood´s UP mounting
Found on http://www.hmshood.com
7" Naval Wire Barrage, Unrotated Projectile Rocket Launcher
Type: Mark I
Number of Tubes: 20 (smooth bore)
Rocket: 7 in./178 mm fin stabilised rocket (3 in. / 76 mm motor)
Warhead: 8 oz / .14 kg aerial mine (CE)
Fuse: No. 700 and No. 720
Rate of Fire: Salvoes of 10
Maximum Altitude: @ 1,000 ft / 305 m
Elevation Angle (Max. / Min.): ? ° / @ 45°
Training: 360°
Comments: Hood was outfitted with 5 UP mounts which were added in 1940. One was atop "B" turret, and the remaining four on the Shelter Deck. In general, the UP, or "Unrotated Projectile," (AKA "rocket-on-a-string") was a largely unsuccessful attempt at a low altitude anti-aircraft defence system. Concept- When hostile aircraft were detected, the UP "layer" (operator) would manually launch a salvo/spread of 10 rockets.
Upon reaching @1000ft, the rockets would detonate and expel mines attached to three parachutes by @400ft of cable. Aircraft flying through the aerial minefield would snag the cables and pull the mines into themselves. In reality, the system was slow & cumbersome. The aerial minefields were clearly visible & easily avoidable. This, coupled with other factors such as the volatile nature of the cordite/rockets & the risk of mines floating back onto the launching ship, doomed this weapon to mothballs. There are no records of UPs bringing down any aircraft.
Hi Karl.
The UP launcher was a hair brained idea that never really caught on.
Infact, it did more harm to the British than it ever did to the Germans.
I believe in the late 1930's, 3 sailors were burned aboard Hood when the Up launcher discharged accidentally.
One of Prinz Eugen's shells ignited a UP launcher and caused a mini-fireworks display on Hoods deck.
They were removed from all British ships after the Hood incident.
The UP launcher was a hair brained idea that never really caught on.
Infact, it did more harm to the British than it ever did to the Germans.
I believe in the late 1930's, 3 sailors were burned aboard Hood when the Up launcher discharged accidentally.
One of Prinz Eugen's shells ignited a UP launcher and caused a mini-fireworks display on Hoods deck.
They were removed from all British ships after the Hood incident.
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Only known Parachute and Cable success
"There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today!"