tank battles were very common during the first and World War II . The Germans were equipped with the impressive armored chariot , which performed very effectively on the battlefield, but it also inspired the Allies to develop weapons that could destroy them. These weapons developed rapidly during the war, among which the LRAC-50 73mm bazooka was the descendant of these weapons.
Battler Origin
This anti-tank bazooka was developed by teacher and physicist Robert H. Goddard. Just five days before the end of World War I, he and his partner Clarence N. Hickman shared their inventions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
During the two World Wars , the funds provided for such weapons decreased, so Goddard withdrew from the research on the bazooka in 1923. This led to Hickman taking over the project and sticking to it until it was completed.
During World War II, the use of anti-tank launchers
to the beginning of World War II, the power of rocket launcher was far greater than before. American soldiers are equipped with two rocket launchers: M1 and M1A1. The former is more powerful and more reliable. It fires high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) missiles that can penetrate up to 76 mm of armor.
During the Allied Invasion of North Africa , the German army seized a batch of M1 bazooka. Scientists reverse engineered these weapons and developed Panzerschreck, officially named Raketenpanzerbüchse 54. The Germans improved the launch device, expanding the diameter of the rocket from 60 mm to 88 mm. This extra firepower makes the warhead easier to penetrate tank armor.
The French wanted to develop their own bazooka
World War II ended, the French wanted to build their own anti-tank bazooka. Officially named the Lance-roquettes antichar de 73mm modèle 1950 (LRAC de 73mm Mle 1950), it is based on the US-made M20 "super bazooka" but it doesn't have its range. It also draws on Panzerschreck's approach and uses steel plates to protect operators.
Although it fires warheads not as large as those of German launchers, the rocket's size is still impressive, and when hit at a 90-degree angle, it can penetrate over 280 mm of rolled uniform armor. The LRAC-50 73mm rocket launcher is also lighter and smaller than other anti-tank weapons, and can fire 4 shells per minute.
The LRAC-50 73mm bazooka used during Korean War was put into use by members of the French contingent during the Korean War. These troops often march on rough terrain, so the small size of this weapon is a major benefit. Rocket launchers have also proven to be quite effective against Chinese T-34 tank .
LRAC-50 73mm rocket launcher, also used in the First Indochina War and Algerian War. Although no heavy tank was put into use in the conflict, they also demonstrated the effectiveness of the weapon for other targets. French soldiers used it to destroy bunkers and fortifications, and also proved its effectiveness in the jungle battles of French Indochina.
The LRAC-50 73mm rocket launcher used later
After the Korean War, the LRAC-50 73mm rocket launcher was almost useless to the French. However, other countries continue to use it. Morocco New independent soldiers gained a large reserve of this weapon, and more of this weapon were delivered to IDF . Over the next few decades, they fought a lot of battles and used the bazooka to achieve great results. However, the IDF stopped using the weapon after the Six Day War in 1967.
Today, the LRAC-50 73mm rocket launcher has been replaced by more modern weapons. However, collectors are still very interested in getting them. And a few years ago, some of these weapons artworks had entered the collector market.
