(edited title) Museum's inventory: P.I.A.T.

I'm not sure why, but I really want a P.I.A.T. launcher. Maybe it's because they are cool, weird, or just because I have a couple of rounds, but I really want one.

By the way, thanks for these posts, Martin. While you can never satisfy everyone (as has been demonstrated in this thread), I think the majority of milsurp fans on this board have been enjoying everything you have posted. Keep it up. Those who don't like it are free to exercise their right to look at other posts, threads or websites.
 
Again, I do not recommend this show but here they are "shooting" the P. I. A. T.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku_oAmIcsvE

If they bothered to do 15 minutes of research they would have realized that it is not the weapon that is at fault but as we use to say when I was in the army it is a case of operator headspace.

And this guy! Well, what can I say!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj76mfiIa34&NR

As my dad always told me, "THERE IS NOT SUBSITUTE FOR KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!"
 
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I fired the 3.5" rocket launcher (Bazooka) in my basic with 2nd Bn PPCLI. I would hate to rely on it against a main battle tank. Watching the rocket wobble through the air on it's arc to the target was anything but reassuring.
Neither was putting your hand into the venturi after a misfire, turning the rocket for a better contact, hoping that your gunner had done his part with the controls.

The US rocket launcher with the pull out tube and pop up sights instilled a little more confidence. You could follow the rocket all the way to the target and it got there a lot quicker than the missile from the 3.5".
 
Ah yes, the LAAW.....(light anti-armor weapon).

Developed in the 60's, and still useful against any Infantry Fighting Vehicle that isn't a tank (and useful enough if you shoot enough LAAW's at the tank's weak points-especially the engine :D ).

Relatively lightwieght with a powerful punch......
 
Recce21 said:
bearhunter is his name on here.

Also, my great uncle was in the same platoon as Smokie and had nothing but bad things to say about him haha. Said the only reason he won the VC was he was so drunk all the time he didnt really give a #### what happened to him or around him. Basically said he was a drunk ####### the whole war.
Click to expand...

You know a lot of people. KC now Smokie??
 
Sharps '63 said:
I would hate to rely on it against a main battle tank. Watching the rocket wobble through the air on it's arc to the target was anything but reassuring.
Neither was putting your hand into the venturi after a misfire, turning the rocket for a better contact, hoping that your gunner had done his part with the controls.

The US rocket launcher with the pull out tube and pop up sights instilled a little more confidence. You could follow the rocket all the way to the target and it got there a lot quicker than the missile from the 3.5".
Click to expand...

Given a choice between the 3.5 inch Rocket Launcher, M20A1B1 and a rock I would choose the rocket launcher. At the time the 3.5 inch came into service it could defeat the standard battle tank of the Russians, the T34. If by this, "The US rocket launcher with the pull out tube and pop up sights" you mean the 66 mm LAAW, M72 it was a "Fire and Forget" weapon just like the rocket launcher. You could not guide the rocket to the target. You could watch it but not guide it. It was not the TOW! Beside the M72 LAAW would not defeat the T72 tank being used by the Russian at the time the LAAW came into service. The best you could do with a LAAW was to knock off a track. Which you could also do with a 3.5 inch rocket. Beside 66 mm = 2.6 inches; 3.5 inches = 89 mm and in the case of shaped charges SIZE DOES MATTER!
 
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Today, especially in Afghanistan M72 are used for a complete different task. The rocket launcher, that everyone was complaining about reveal to be very useful in Afghanistan urban context. Its typical sound was scaring the opponent and gave more time to organize an attack. As modern soldiers, we do not look the M72 the same way than the last 15-20 years. Since we droped the TOW missile, which I was lucky to fire three missiles our anti-tank capabilities are now limited.

I'll have a look next week... I think we have a Bazooka... not sure though.

Martin
 
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