M8

M8

Unguided RocketType

USA Country of origin

Production History

Picatinny ArsenalDesigner

1941 - 1944Produced

Specifications

38 lb (17 kg)Missile mass

33 in (840 mm)Length (normal)

4.5 in (110.0 cm)Diameter (normal)

TNTExplosive warhead

4.8 lb (2.0 kg)Explosive mass

Other Information

4,600 yd (4.6 km)Maximum firing range

600 mph (970 km/h)Speed

NoneGuidance System

Description

The 4.5-inch (110 mm) M8 fin-stabilized rocket is approximately 33 in (0.83 m) in length and 40 lb (18.1 kg) and is almost an equivalent of a 105 mm Shell M1. This rocket utilises an M4 fuze which explodes after a 0.015-sec delay set off by auxiliary M1 booster.

The components of the rocket break down into three separate sections, the fuze, shell and motor body. The shell of the rocket or the head is made up of a warhead body fitted with a burster tube. The burster tube itself extends from the shell through the rocket body and through the rocket motor, the purpose of this is to expand the explosive capability of the rocket by utilising the rocket motor as an additional source of fragmentation in the explosion. Once fired, folding fins around the tail flange will extend and spin stabilise the rocket.

The M8 rocket requires a tube launcher to launch (as opposed to being installed directly to external hardpoints) and this accomplished by mounting an M10 cluster launcher to the underside of the aircraft’s wings or fuselage belly. The M10 is a cluster of three 10-foot tubes manufactured from plastic (M14s are made from steel and M15s are constructed of magnesium alloy) and are banded together in six places and are secured to the aircraft via two mounting straps, front and rear. The rear strap also bears the electrical connections which link up to the rockets once in the tubes as the firing links. The release and contact mechanisms are protected from flying links and fired casings ejected from the wing guns to prevent accidental damage or drop release of the M10 launcher.

General info

Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the bomb.

A soldier holding an M8 rocket prior to loading in a launch tube.

Effective damage

The M8 rocket is a 40 lb (18.1 kg) high explosive mass with a TNT warhead which travels at 600 mph (970 km/h). After slamming into a target a slight delay will set off the explosive mass of the missile causing the TNT shell to detonate along with fragmenting the rocket body and motor. Damage is caused by both the high explosives and fragmentation.

Comparison with analogues

Give a comparative description of bombs that have firepower equal to these type of weapons.

Usage in battles

The M8 rockets are typically mounted on an aircraft in groups of three (usually two launchers of three) or a total of 16 on the boat Higgins 78 ft PT-200. The M8 rocket is typically best utilised against personnel, installations and light armoured vehicles due to the fantastic fragmentation of this rocket upon impact and explosion.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Lightweight, able to mount on fighter aircraft
• SHOOTIN' ROCKETS!!

Cons:

• Inaccurate, best fired in groups to increase the chance of hitting a target
• Increases aerodynamic drag, decreasing flight efficiency

History

Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of this weapon. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(weapon-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

Media

• 

  Image of ground crew member adjusting M8 rocket launch tubes under the wing of an A-20G-25.
• 

  Crew members loading M8 rocket tubes under the wing of an P-47D in Saipan, 1944.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;
• references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

• US Rockets and Fuzes - United States Navy Bomb Disposal Manual, 15 May 1945, pg. 14

Rockets
USA
70 mm	FFAR Mighty Mouse · Hydra-70 M247
110 mm	M8
127 mm	HVAR · Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP
298 mm	Tiny Tim
408 mm	Yasser
Germany
55 mm	R4M
73 mm	RZ.65
88 mm	Pb2
150 mm	Wgr.41 Spr
210 mm	Wfr.Gr.21
USSR
55 mm	S-5K · S-5KP · S-5M
80 mm	S-8KO · S-8M
82 mm	M-8 · ROS-82 · RBS-82
122 mm	S-13OF
127 mm	S-3K
132 mm	M13 · M-13UK · ROFS-132 · ROS-132 · RBS-132
212 mm	S-1of · S-21
240 mm	S-24 · S-24B
300 mm	M-31
420 mm	S-25O · S-25OF · S-25OFM
425 mm	TT-250
Britain
51 mm	RP
70 mm	CRV7 M247
80 mm	Type R80 SURA T-80-P 3 · Type R80 SURA T-80-US 3
87 mm	AP Mk I · AP Mk II
152 mm	RP-3
183 mm	Triplex R.P.
292 mm	Uncle Tom · Red Angel
Japan
100 mm	Type 5 No.1 Mod.9
120 mm	Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1
130 mm	Type 75
210 mm	Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 · Type 5 No.6 Mod.9
China
55 mm	Type 57-1
70 mm	FS70
90 mm	Type 90-1
130 mm	Type 130-2
Italy
50 mm	ARF/8M3(AP-AT)
70 mm	Skyfire-70 AC/AP
France
68 mm	SNEB type 23 · TDA
70 mm	FZ49
100 mm	TBA ECC · TBA Multi-Dart 100 AB
120 mm	T10 140 · T10 151
Sweden
75 mm	srak m/55 Frida · srak m/57B
81 mm	Oerlikon Typ 3Z 8Dla
135 mm	m/56D · psrak m/70
145 mm	psrak m/49B · Psrak m/49/56
150 mm	srak m/51
180 mm	hprak m/49
Israel
80 mm	Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon
127 mm	AR

Naval special armaments
USA
Mortars	7.2-inch T37 · Mk 2
Rockets	5-inch GPSR Mk.7 · Mark 108 Weapon alfa
Missiles	RIM-24A
Germany
Rockets	M/50 Bofors
Missiles	Strela-2M
USSR
Mortars	BM-37 · RBM · RBU-1200 · RBU-2500 · RBU-6000 · RKU-36U
Rockets	BM-14-17 · BM-21 · M13 · M-8
Missiles	Volna-M
Britain
Mortars	Ordnance ML 4.2-inch mortar
Japan
Rockets	4.5-inch BBR Mk.7 (USA) · Mark 108 Weapon alfa (USA)
Italy
Missiles	Nettuno
France
Missiles	SS.11