Okay, so Google sucks, and recollection of the person's name eludes me. Who was it, in the World Wars, that used rpgs mounted on the wings of bi-planes, to destroy German tanks? Infographics posted this once in their videos, and if any of you can verify this without that source, then it has to be supportable abroad. Help, please, on conformation?
That's all I could think of too. Bazooka Charlie and the Grasshopper: A Tale of World War II | Air & Space Magazine| Smithsonian Magazine Definately not WW1.
Apart from our Gladiators (never used for ground attack that I know of), the Soviets flew biplanes (Po2s) and it’s the sort of thing they might do. However, I don’t believe that the Soviets had RPGs during the war - the first one was developed just after the war, I think. I’m doubtful about the sheer practicalities of using such a set up ‘in action’, but that’s just me! (And I’ve just seen in Wikipedia on the Bazooka this business of attaching two or four to the lift struts of Grasshoppers (every day is a school day) so it’s clearly more possible than I’d assumed!)
In WW1 rockets were used to shoot down balloons. Le Prieur rocket - Wikipedia WW2, rockets on British biplane. Used against submarines on the surface not tanks. Photo in link . ROCKET FIRING FAIREY SWORDFISH. 1 AUGUST 1944, ST MERRYN ROYAL NAVAL AIR STATION. PRACTICE WITH AN OPERATIONAL SQUADRON OF ROCKET PROJECTILE FAIREY SWORDFISH, COMMANDED BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER P SNOW, RN.
Well, yes, rockets had considerable use in the Second World War. Apart from ground attack and those used against surface vessels, the Luftwaffe had the R4M and the BR21 (based on the Nebelwerfer!) air to air rockets for use against Bomber formations. Bazookas / RPGs were a bit more…niche! And given the availability of purpose-built air to ground rockets, I’m not sure why you’d choose to rig up a handful of Bazookas!
Yes, I accept that they did it (see my earlier post) - I’m just not sure why you would. I accept there may be some perfectly good reason, however. (And I’m fairly sure someone will know why it was felt worthwhile - my knowledge of air to ground rocketry is close to nil! )