This silent film shows footage of rockets being test fired against a series of armored plates, possibly at the Dugway Proving Ground or the Desert Training Center. It was shot in May of 1944 and these tests were conducted as part of tests of air-to-ground rocket projectiles, likely the FFAR or possibly the HVAR. The FFAR was a 5-inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket developed during World War II for attack from airplanes against ground and ship targets. A rocket launch catapult is visible in the foreground of several shots including at :54 seconds.
The first FFARs were developed by the U.S. Navy and introduced in June 1943. They had a 3.5-inch diameter and a non-explosive warhead, since they were used as an aircraft-launched ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) rocket and worked by puncturing the hull. It was accurate enough for use against surface ships and land targets, but these missions required an explosive warhead. A 5-inch anti-aircraft shell was attached to the 3.5-inch rocket motor, creating the 5-Inch FFAR, which entered service in December 1943. Performance was limited because of the increased weight, limiting speed to 780 km/h (485 mph). The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, was developed to fix this flaw.
The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, also known by the nickname Holy Moses, was an American unguided rocket developed during World War II to attack targets on the ground from aircraft. It saw extensive use during both World War II and the Korean War.
Two different versions of the HVAR were built during World War II. The warheads were either 1) Mk 4 general purpose warheads with 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) of TNT and both nose and base fuses or 2) Mk 25 shaped-charge semi-armor-piercing warheads (having an internal copper cone) with 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) of Composition B and a base fuse only. HVAR testing was complete by D-Day, 6 June 1944, and air-lifted Navy HVAR rockets were soon being loaded on Ninth Air Force P-47Ds to support the break-out at Normandy. Other single-engine delivery aircraft included the F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, TBF/TBM Avenger, and SB2C Helldiver. Twin-engine aircraft sometimes armed with HVARs included the P-38 Lightning, PBJ Mitchell bomber and the PV-2 Harpoon bomber. HVAR could penetrate 4 ft of reinforced concrete and was used to sink transports, knock out pillboxes and AA gun emplacements, blow up ammo and oil-storage dumps, and destroy tanks, locomotives, and bunkers. Navy F4U Corsairs and TBF/TBM Avengers made the most extensive use of the rockets in the Pacific theater after the victory in Europe. Over a million HVARs were made during World War II, and production continued until 1955. HVARs remained in the Navy’s inventory until the mid-1960s. After World War II, newer versions included a new general purpose type with a proximity fuse, and a new shaped-charge warhead for use against tanks.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
