The Type 10 and Type 3 rocket boosters were rocket artillery systems used by garrison troops of the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

during the late stages of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in defense of island bases in the Pacific.

Design

Instead of being a conventional piece of rocket artillery with motor and warhead enclosed within a body both types were detachable solid-propellant boosters that could be attached to a ''Type 97 No.6 Land Bomb'' or ''Type 99 No.6 Ordinary Bomb''. The bombs were launched from single wooden or metal inclined V-shaped troughs. These troughs could either be laid against earthen embankments or mounted on bipod or monopod launch frames. Elevation for the Type 10 could be varied by adjusting the guide wires on the base between +30° to +50°. The rocket boosters consisted of a nose cone, propellant chamber, butt plate, tail fins, and a single venturi. The propellant chamber held three sticks of solid-propellant and was closed at the front by a nose cap. In the center of the nose cap, there was a socket for a blasting cap that was electrically ignited by an umbilical cord attached to the booster. The bombs and the booster were placed at the end of the trough and a wooden spacer was placed between the booster and the bomb. After a few seconds, the booster burnt out and dropped away while the bomb continued on its course. The Type 10's range was limited to . There was also a slightly longer rocket booster, the Type 3, that had a range up to and accuracy for both was poor. They were not weapons that could be fired at a specific target but were instead fired ''towards'' a target. Due to its limited range, the launchers were vulnerable to counter-battery fire and their poor accuracy made them more useful in

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

operations than in defense.

Rocket Boosters

Bombs

Since two different types of bombs and boosters were used the overall weight should be considered as approximate because the weight of each bomb without its tail cone is not known. Both the Type 97 No.6 Land Bomb or the Type 99 No.6 Ordinary Bomb could be used.

Photo gallery

File:Type 10 and Type 3 monopod.jpg, A captured monopod launcher. File:127-GW-304-114958 (24979778292).jpg, Two Type 10 rocket boosters found on

Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...

File:127-GW-304-139732 (24466501484).jpg File:Type 97 No.6 Land Bomb.jpg, Type 97 No.6 Land Bomb File:Type 99 No.6 Ordinary Bomb.jpg, Type 99 No.6 Ordinary Bomb

References

Notes

{{Imperial Japanese Army artillery World War II artillery of Japan Rocket artillery 190 mm artillery Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1944