The German 9mm Rocket and it’s Descendents

1. The German 9mm Rocketand it’s Descendents or The Intro to Mel’s Gyrojet Book!!!

2. High Pressure Supersonic flow Lower Pressure Mach 1 in nozzle throat Rocket Theory Conservation of Momentum – Every action has an equal and opposite reaction Force = mass x velocity x velocity Mass is a function of size of nozzle throat in a rocket

3. Why a Rocket Normal Cased Cartridge Self Contained Cartridge - Propellant in Bullet Throat size & burn time Rocket Cartridge - Propellant in Bullet – Exhaust Nozzle

4. German 9mm Rocket Cartridges • Col Jarrett found 11 Rocket rounds in Walther Factory in 1945 • Unloaded in white • Capt Pollard Report – To British D. of A. (S.A.) 30/7/45 • 5000 rocket bullets made at Walther and loaded at DWM Wittenberg • Weapon was a modified blowback Schmeisser type, smooth bored and Walther pistol with a recessed blot head supporting the cap nipple – interview with Karl Walther and Schmeisser • Steel ball as primer anvil • Muzzle velocity increased from 1200ft/sec to 1700ft/sec • Enable powerful weapon with low recoil in a cheap blowback weapon capable of mass production • Based on Langweiler impulse propulsion concept ca 1939 • Apparently not simple a rocket • Subsequently other rounds turned up in Germany Mel Carpenter collection-ex Val Forgett (ex Jarrett)

6. ~ 902 ft/sec ~ 30mm overall length – 6 exhaust ports

8. Walther Rockets My 9mm ex-Kaultmann – 30.23mm Mel Carpenter Photo Woodin Laboratory 9mm ex-Jarrett – 30.23mm My 9mm ex-Jarrett – 30.23mm

9. Walther Rockets Mel Carpenter Photo Woodin Laboratory ex-Kaultmann– 34.6mm Mel Carpenter Photo Woodin Laboratory – 30mm

10. DWM/Schurk Rockets • CIOS Report – DWM Schultup nr Lubeck -2/7/46 • DWM denied involvement initially • Involved in aspects of Langweiler impulse propulsion • “Mr Strecke has been engaged in this effort” • Courtesy of the Woodin Laboratory Rounds from A. Schurk of Munich marked “Langweiler Project” Courtesy of the Woodin Laboratory

11. Polte Rockets ??? Courtesy of the Woodin Laboratory - Mel Carpenter Photo

12. Unknown German 9mm Rocket • Reportedly German • Very blunt bullet • Rear nipple very short • Overall length ~30mm • Legit??? Mel Carpenter collection-ex Val Forgett Lew Curtis collection-ex Kaultmann

13. British 9mm Rocket Cartridges • Chief Superintendent Armament Research – Ft Halstead 30/8/45 • Based on work published in 1939 by Langweiler on impulse-propulsion • Testing done with modified 7.92x57 tracer increased MV by 150 ft/sec • Recommended British Conduct Experiments • Use Lab mockup weapon • Start with an exact copy of the German bullet • Recommended various types of propellants which could be tried • Sir Dennis Burney – (for B.T.Co. ???) 14/9/45 • Describes the German rocket bullet • References test of “rocket projectiles” in the Hotchkiss 6 pdr. • Attached Minutes • Preliminary designs being manufactured at Radway Green – 23/1/46 • Trials of D6(B) 341/56 and D6(B) 338/56 with propellent P.16454 – 5/3/47 • 341/56 fired satisfactorily • 338/56 blew out duralumin nose plug before complete pressure buildup • Worked with steel nose plug • Requested further tests of 250 rounds – order confirmed • Trial at ROF Swynnerton terminated 29/8/47

14. Design 341/56 • Appears to be open at rear • Self Contained cartridge design • Tested successfully

15. Design 338/56 • Based on German design • Top closed with nose plug • Used perforate disk • Initially unsuccessful • Later tested successfully • Steel nose plug • Disk removed

16. U S Navy 9mm Rocket Cartridge • Built by China Lake Naval Armament Lab in 1954 • No evidence of a weapon ever being built • Used a test fixture like the British • Built for Don Stoehr • Based on a sample of Walther Rocket from Fred Datig • Less than a dozen made • Not a serious research program German 9mm Rocket US Navy 9mm Rocket Mel Carpenter collection

17. US Navy Rocket Mel Carpenter collection

18. French Rocket

19. Czech 9mm Holecek Cartridges • Jaroslav Holecek worked for the firm Zbrojovka Brno Czech had data on German caseless work from WW I and WW II Round nose cartridge tested in a modified CZ vz 247 submachine gun Improved cartridge with flanges achieved 400 m/sec (1300 ft/sec) Primer residue exited barrel Aimed at conversion of 9mm Para weapons Reportedly developed in early 1950s

20. Czech 9mm RZK Rocket Rifle Cartridge

21. Other 9mm Rocket Cartridges • Russian • In 1957 Val Forgett was told by Karl Walther that the 9mm Rockets found in his desk were not German but Russian but didn’t work • In 1994 at Artillery Museum in St Petersburg Val saw a drawer with these cartridges in two lengths and pistols. When he referred to them as “German” he was told “no they are Russian” • Karl Walther was a strong Nazi supporter and “uncooperative” – Pollard • Other German efforts applying Langweiler’s concept besides Walther’s • 7.62mm Self Contained round identified • Dates from early 1970s • German Post WWII • 9mm Submitted to Meppen for testing in 1962 • MBA Gyrojets • Buy Mel Carpenter’s book when it is published Courtesy of Yuri Bushin and John Moss Courtesy of the Woodin Laboratory

22. Summary • Germany had a fairly broad effort on 9mm Rockets • Numerous variations of German 9mm Rockets • Langweiler’s technical principles still unclear • French and British efforts Immediately after war • Czech effort may be based on German effort • US effort kind of an afterthought • Lots more research needed • Warning!!! • Lots of replicas, copies and fakes (US, German & Swiss) • Some marked, but most are not marked • History of the cartridge is best insurance

23. Credits • Herb Woodend - British Material • Mel Carpenter & Bill Woodin – Photos and German Ref • Ted Koch • Peter Petrusic • Yuri Bushin • John Moss • Rolf Foerster • John Schmitt • IAA Journal 410 & 412 • Buttweiler Archives

24. Backup Charts

26. Dutch Rocket Cartridges • Product of Artillerie - Inrichtingen • Apparently no work in 9mm • Appears to be related to Gyrojet