High Velocity Aircraft Rocket

High Velocity Aircraft Rocket. The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket was a World War II-era air-to-ground rocket developed by the United States Navy to provide aircraft with increased standoff firepower against heavily defended targets. Designed at the Naval Ordnance Test Station in China Lake, it offered a significant velocity advantage over earlier rocket artillery like the 5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket. Primarily deployed from carrier-based aircraft such as the F4U Corsair and TBF Avenger, it saw extensive combat in the Pacific War and later during the Korean War.

Development and design

The development program was initiated in response to the limitations of existing aerial rockets used by the United States Army Air Forces and the United States Navy. Engineers at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, led by figures like C. J. LeVan, sought to create a rocket with a higher muzzle velocity to improve accuracy and pilot safety. The design utilized a 3.5-inch forward-folding fin assembly for stability and was propelled by a cast ballistite solid propellant grain. This propellant choice, developed with expertise from the California Institute of Technology, allowed for a faster burn rate compared to the cordite used in the British RP-3. The rocket body was manufactured primarily at the Naval Ammunition Depot in McAlester and the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.

Operational history

The rocket entered service with the United States Pacific Fleet in late 1944, with its combat debut occurring during the Philippines campaign. It proved highly effective in the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa, where squadrons from Task Force 38 used them against Imperial Japanese Navy shipping, coastal defenses, and Japanese airfields. During the Korean War, it was widely employed by aircraft like the F4U Corsair and AD Skyraider of the United States Seventh Fleet in close air support missions against Korean People's Army and People's Volunteer Army positions. Its use declined with the introduction of more advanced systems like the Zuni rocket and early air-to-surface missiles, but it remained in inventory with some United States Marine Corps units into the late 1950s.

Variants

The primary variant was the **HVAR 5-Inch**, which carried a standard general-purpose warhead. A specialized **HVAR with Armor-Piercing warhead** was developed for use against capital ships and heavy fortifications, seeing action against targets like the battleship *Yamato*. Post-war experiments included test vehicles for shaped charge warheads and a version with an improved propellant mix for the United States Air Force. These tests were conducted at facilities such as the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and the Eglin Air Force Base proving grounds.

Specifications

* **Caliber:** 5 inches (127 mm) * **Length:** 68.3 inches (1.73 m) * **Weight:** 140 pounds (64 kg) * **Warhead:** 45 pounds (20 kg) of TNT or Composition B * **Propellant:** Ballistite solid fuel * **Velocity:** 1,375 feet per second (419 m/s) * **Range:** Approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) * **Launch platforms:** F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, TBF Avenger, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang, AD Skyraider

See also

* Tiny Tim (rocket) * Bazooka * M8 (rocket) * RP-3 * Holy Moses (rocket) * List of U.S. Army rockets * Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake

Category:Aircraft rockets Category:World War II American rockets Category:Korean War weapons of the United States