T34 Calliope

This article is about tank-mounted rocket launcher. For other uses, see T34 (disambiguation).

T34 Calliope
T34 Calliope in France
Type	Tank-mounted rocket launcher
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1943
Specifications
Main armament	60 × 4.5 in (114 mm) rockets, 75mm M3 L\40 gun
Secondary armament	2 .30 cal M1919A4 machine guns

The Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope) was a tank-mounted multiple rocket launcher used by the United States Army during World War II. The launcher was placed atop the Medium Tank M4, and fired a barrage of 4.5 in (114 mm) M8 rockets from 60 launch tubes. It was developed in 1943; small numbers were produced and were used by various US armor units in 1944-45. It adopts its name from the musical instrument "Calliope", also known as the steam organ, which had similar lined pipes.

Variants

• Rocket Launcher T34 (Calliope) - Version carrying 60 4.5 in (114 mm) rockets in arrangement of a group of 36 tubes on the top, and a pair jettisonable groups of 12 tubes on the bottom (M4A1 not jettisonable).
• Rocket Launcher T34E1 (Calliope) - Same as T34 but groups of 12 jettisonable tubes replaced by groups of 14 tubes.
• Rocket Launcher T34E2 (Calliope) - Caliber of rockets increased from 4.5 in (114 mm) to 7.2 in (183 mm), number of tubes remains at 60. Saw combat in 1944-1945.

See also

• Matilda "Hedgehog" - Australian armoured fighting vehicle using spigot mortars.
• Sherman Tulip - British Sherman with two "60 lb" 3-inch rockets mounted on turret.
• Katyusha, Soviet truck-mounted rocket launcher
• Panzerwerfer German 15 cm Nebelwerfer barrage rocket system, on an armored half-track
• List of U.S. Army Rocket Launchers By Model Number

External links

• Short video of T34 Calliope being loaded and firing

References

• Hunting, David. The New Weapons of the World Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Diagram Visual Information Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-312-36832-1