The M9 "Airborne Bazooka"
Even before the improved M1A1 was gaining traction, the airborne branch of the US Army requested a Bazooka version with improved portability. Airborne troopers were traditionally lightly-armed units and tank-killing powers were much appreciated with the arrival of the M1. However, the launch tube was fixed to its 54.5 inch length which made it a cumbersome weapon for a paratrooper to haul into the tight confines of a transport aircraft, let alone drop and land with the unit strapped to his body. A formal request for a modified Bazooka was issued in November of 1942 and this produced the new M9 designation.
Several prototype forms made up the M9 development process and resulted in a two-piece, breakdown unit which reduced travel lengths to 31.5 inches. The gain in portability allowed engineers to slightly lengthen the launch tube itself, thusly promoting an increase in engagement ranges by as much as 50 yards. Additionally, the longer launch tube improved accuracy and all this at the expense of a few extra pounds of travel weight. As the original battery ignition system of original Bazookas proved prove to failure in cold weather environments, a new magneto system was devised. The muzzle was also revised to use a conical blast deflector and the safety system appeared near the grip handle. The solid wooden shoulder support of the M1 was dropped in favor of a wire, two-position rest which reduced weight and cost while simplifying production. The M9 was adopted in June of 1943 though deliveries did not begin until August of the following year. Production was slow and netted just 26,087 units before the improved M9A1 was issued to the tune of 277,800 units.
The M18 "Improved Bazooka"
Improvements to the Bazooka line could still be made, particularly in the area of weight saving and this was seen through the T90 prototype which was adopted as the aluminum-body M18 Bazooka. Weight was reduced by nearly 6 pounds and body connections were either screwed or riveted for improved robustness. The wire shoulder support was simplified to a single-position assembly. The M18 arrived late in the war, introduced in April of 1945, as the war in Europe concluded in May after Hitler's suicide in his Berlin bunker.
The war in the Pacific would last until August to which a formal Japanese surrender took place in early September, marking the end of World War 2 as a whole. This limited overall production of M18 units to just 500 units and, of these, only 350 made it to the frontlines before the end of the war.
The 3.5-inch "Super Bazooka"
As early as 1943, a "Super Bazooka" with improved capabilities was under consideration, firing a larger 3.5 inch projectile able to pierce up to 11 inches of armor. The revised weapon was adopted as the M20 but not until October of 1945, well after hostilities of World War 2 has ended. Production was slow now that there proved a lessened need and first units were not seen until 1948. It was only the arrival of the Korean War, which pressed American forces back into action, that Super Bazooka production spiked. The weapon was needed largely to counter the threat posed by North Korean T-34/85 Medium Tanks, the same war-winning design fielded by Soviet forces in World War 2 - though with 85mm main guns rather than their original 76mm designs. American forces still utilized the smaller-caliber M9 and M18 models but the M20s proved their effectiveness in both anti-tank and bunker-busting sorties. Improvements to the original M20 then followed and this produced the M20A1 and M20A1B1 marks before the end of the war in 1953.
The M20 incorporated features found in both the preceding M9 and M18 lines. One of the key additions was an adjustable bipod assembly and an aft- grip handle. The breech was wrapped by a solid conical deflector and sling loops were standard at a central and aft point. The weapon was also given a collapsible sighting device and single-action safety. While the wire shoulder rest was retained from earlier forms, it was simplified to a single-position structure.
The Bazooka's Practical Battlefield Effect on Tanks
Tanks were/are traditionally constructed with most of their armor protection at the front facings for both turret and hull and this requires anti-tank teams to gain a more advantageous position, usually against their moving target giving rise to teams "hunting" a tank down - to engage along its more vulnerable sides or rear. The Bazooka was capable of engaging all available German tank types with success through skill and, sometimes, sheer luck. It was recorded that a single, well-placed shot was all that was needed while other scenarios required multiple shots in order to accurately pierce vital engine components or the crew compartment. Bazookas were used against the lighter Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks as well as the heavier Panzer V ("Panther") and Panzer VI ("Tiger") tanks. A shooter would need to understand the limitations of his weapon as well as the weaknesses of the target in question.
Bazooka shots against the overlapping wheel system used in German tanks more often did nothing to immobilize the vehicle as the projectile could only pass through the out wheel assembly. Similarly, engaging tracks was risky and not a guaranteed approach to stopping the enemy force. It was realized that the bazooka held the advantage against the sides and rear of both hull and turret, where penetration was particularly afforded at the turret. A well-placed shot to the engine compartment may have sparked an engine fire which would have forced the tanker crew out of their vehicle, only to be killed by awaiting enemy riflemen.
The Bazooka at War
The Bazooka was not an American-only weapon during World War 2 and Lend-Lease allowed the system to be delivered to Allies around the globe. The largest foreign operator of the type became Free French forces which received some 11,350 units during the war. The Soviet Union received approximately 3,000 examples but held them in lower regard against their proven anti-tank rifles. Brazil received about 2,900 examples while Britain took on a stock of over 2,100 units. China was given 2,000 examples while all parties eclipsed the meager 170 or so examples delivered to Canadian forces.
World War 2 production of Bazookas totaled 476,628 examples along with 15,603,000 rockets.
The Bazooka, in its varied forms, was used across all major theaters concerning World War 2 - their first use in North Africa and then later across the Mediterranean, mainland Europe and the Pacific. They proved effective against all enemy tanks in service, assuming more vulnerable areas were targeted, while also being able to tackle fortified positions as "bunker busters". HEAT, and training rockets were eventually met with smoke rounds that could conceal movements of allies or blind attackers. White phosphorous warheads (M10 projectile) proved particularly effective, producing smoke, causing sensory irritations and even burning skin. Listed engagement ranges were around 300 yards but realistic ranges were kept under 100 yards to ensure accuracy.
Bazooka Versus Panzerschreck
The Germans first noted the "Bazooka" in the fighting across North Africa following the Allied invasion but they did not receive any captured examples for evaluation until some fell to capture from Soviet forces along the East Front (the Soviets received the Bazooka via Lend-Lease). The Germans appreciated the concept enough to adopt a more potent version as the "Raketenpanzerbuchse 43" in 1943 (popularly known by the name of "Panzerschreck"). Despite its Bazooka influence, the resulting German design was a very different weapon of larger 88mm caliber, a magneto-based action and large, square blast shield. However, these changes came at a price for it made the Panzerschreck a weapon twice as heavy as the American Bazooka and less accurate with a shorter engagement range. The 88mm projectile gave the same penetration values of the smaller American 2.36" design. The original RPzB 43 was followed by the improved Raketenpanzerbusche 54 in August of 1944. Panzerschrecks were also nicknamed "stovepipe" in German Army service.
Captured Bazookas were identified in German nomenclature as the "6cm Raketenpanzerbusche 788(a) - "6cm" to indicate their caliber and the lowercase "a" to indicate their American origin.
The Bazooka's Post-War Service
While a frontline anti-tank weapon in World War 2 and the Korean War, the Bazooka saw only limited service in the upcoming Vietnam War (1955-1975). Recoilless rifles and more modern rocket launchers eventually superseded the Bazooka line beginning in the 1960s. The most popular (by quantity) of the Cold War -era designs were the American 66mm M72 LAW (Light Anti-tank Weapon), the Swedish 84mm Carol Gustav (recoilless rifle) and the wide range of Soviet RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenade). The USMC in Vietnam saw their trusty Bazookas being phased out before June 1966. "Leathernecks" did not receive their new LAWs well for the weapon's ability to take in water during patrols.
Bazooka operators included Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Greece, Indonesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United Kingdom among others (see Operators listing below for full list).
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