×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Chart (2024) Special Forces
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
MODERN ARMIES
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
WWII VEHICLES & ARTILLERY
Land Systems / Battlefield

Sherman Calliope (Rocket Launcher, T34)


Multiple Rocket Launch System (MLRS) Tracked Support Vehicle [ 1944 ]



Calliope systems were popularized in World War Two, though their battlefield effectiveness was subject to debate.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/31/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
The attempt to mate a multiple rocket launching system to a vehicle was nothing new by 1944. The Soviets were already finding successes with their Katyusha launchers against the Germans, who in turn had been fielding their Nebelwerfer weapons for some time. The general idea was to launch massive amounts of high-explosive munitions at distance against entrenched foes. Accuracy was of some concern though the sheer psychological effects of such a weapon lead some to believe this to be their only battlefield advantage. As a whole, the idea can be of under some debate as to the effectiveness of the Calliope system in a war planner's tool chest.

The Sherman Calliope first appeared onto the scene in France in 1944 as the T34 Calliope system. The system featured 60 x 107mm tubes mounted above the standard Sherman turret and operated directly with it in terms of elevation and direction. The rockets could be engaged from within and fired all at once.

Calliope systems offered up a large amount of indirect firepower with very little modifications needed to the system carrying it. The system need only be stationary and have the firing systems onboard. As such, rocket launching systems of all types were used throughout the war, mated to armored chassis, trucks and jeeps.

The Sherman Calliope appeared in various forms throughout the latter stages of the war - many never seeing combat. The few that did offered up modest successes and were showcased in Europe and the Pacific. The T40 "Whiz Bang" Sherman became the most identifiable of the type and saw combat action in the final year of the war. The T99 became the only Sherman Calliope system to feature a permanent Calliope fitting onto the standard Sherman tank turret.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

Specifications



State Factories - USA
Manufacturer(s)
United States
Operators National flag of the United States
1944
Service Year
United States
National Origin
5
Crew
200
Units


FIRE SUPPORT / ASSAULT / BREACHING
Support allied forces through direct / in-direct fire, assault forward positions, and / or breach fortified areas of the battlefield.
SPECIAL PURPOSE
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.


19.4 ft
(5.9 meters)
Length
8.6 ft
(2.62 meters)
Width
9.0 ft
(2.74 meters)
Height


Various: 1 x 9-cylinder Continental R-975 CI engine at 400 horsepower; 2 x General Motors GM 6-71 engines; 1 x Ford GAA V-8 engine; 1 x Chrysler WC Multibank engine; 1 x Caterpillar RD-1820 radial engine.
Drive System
24 mph
(38 kph)
Road Speed
99 miles
(160 km)
Road Range


60 x 4-6" rockets (launched from wooden tubes arranged over the existing turret structure).
AMMUNITION
Dependent on configuration. 10 to 60 rocket projectiles of various caliber.


Rocket Launcher T34 "Calliope" - Rocket Artillery Vehicle; fitted with 60 x 4-6" rocket tubes.
Rocket Launcher T34E1 - Based on T34; fitted with 14 rocket tubes.
Rocket Launcher T34E2 - Based on T34; provision for launching 7.2" rockets.
Rocket Launcher T39 - Enclosed box mounting; 20 x 7.2" rockets.
Rocket Launcher T40 "WhizBang" - Fitted with 20 x 7.2" rockets.
M17 - Same as T40
Rocket Launcher T72 - Based on T34 with shorter tubes; never produced.
Rocket Launcher T73 - Based on T40; 10 x firing tubes; never produced.
Rocket Launcher T76 - Development Model; rocket launcher; based on M4A1 Sherman; fitted with 7.2 rocket launcher; sans main gun.
Rocket Launcher T105 - Development Model; rocket launcher; based on M4A1 Sherman; rockets fired from enclosed case; sans main gun.
Multiple Rocket Launcher T99 - Development Model; twin enclosed box mounts fitting 22 x 4.5" rockets.


Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge
Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk
Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War
Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War
Military lapel ribbon for the Ukranian-Russian War
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2
Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War
Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Images



1 / 1
Image of the Sherman Calliope (Rocket Launcher, T34)
Image from the Public Domain.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Chart Military Ranks DoD Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content; site is 100% curated by humans.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2023 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2023 (20yrs)