New (old style) weapon in Iraq

[280plus]

No link to article...

From an article on Iraq. ..."Most of the latest attacks, at a time when overall violence is at its lowest level since the beginning of the war in 2003, have singled out Iraqis, but one development affects the Americans. A new weapon has appeared in Iraq: Russian-made RKG-3 grenades, which weigh just five pounds and, attached to parachutes, can be lobbed by a teenager but can penetrate the American military’s latest heavily armored vehicle, the MRAP. The grenades cost as little as $10, according to American military officials, who would not say how often they have killed soldiers. "....... This is the grenade they refer to;;  looks like a German WWII Potato Masher...

http://www.inert-ord.net/russ02i/rkg3_upg8/index.html
   
 

[Jocassee]

I was hoping you were going to say Puff the Magic Dragon was being resurrected.

Too much to hope, I guess.

"Spooky", as it also became known, had such awesome firepower it was almost invulnerable to small arms fire. On a typical black starless night in July, 1973 "Spooky" lifted into the sky over Bien Hoa. Like a vulture "Spooky" slowly circled its target at 2,000 feet and with all its guns blazing at the rate of 6,000 rounds a minute, there was no place to hide. "Whoever built 'Puff' had a sick mind." said one soldier. "At night it looked like a red line of light coming from the heavens, like Hell leaking fire."

"Once 'Puff' had done his work on an North Vietnamese Army company and we went out on patrol to count bodies," said another soldier. "We walked for about a mile and didn't see anything. First we could smell it, and then we couldn't believe what we saw. What was once 200 men was now a stream of slush. 'Puff' had shredded them to bits leaving nothing but communist mush. It was just like putting 200 men through a meat grinder. When Puff did his work there wasn't enough left to put in a bag and send home to Mama."

Dang.

http://www.dc3history.org/ac47_puff.htm

Sorry for the thread hijack. 

[Bogie]

I've wondered about how cost effective it would be to just fill a few B52s full of small pieces of scrap metal, and then just dump 'em over the target...
 

[El Tejon]

New?

Ummm no, apparently no one in the U.S. militree has a book about WWII AFVs.

[Jamisjockey]

I was hoping you were going to say Puff the Magic Dragon was being resurrected.

Too much to hope, I guess.

Dang.

http://www.dc3history.org/ac47_puff.htm

Sorry for the thread hijack. 

Why would they resurect a defunct and obsolete piece of crap?  The AC130 is the AC47's successor and does a marvelous job at obliterating the enemy.

[280plus]

And chances are the enemy can't reach it with one of those grenades... 

 

[roo_ster]

New?

Ummm no, apparently no one in the U.S. militree has a book about WWII AFVs.

I recall reading about the use of "anti-tank grenades" on the Eastern Front.

Obviously the grenade was single-use, but I suspect the user was, too, given how close to a tank you needed to be.

[280plus]

I recall the Brits used "sticky bombs" against tanks. I think they used something like tar on the outside of the explosive pack so all you had to do was throw it at the target and it would stick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sticky_bomb

[Jamisjockey]

I recall reading about the use of "anti-tank grenades" on the Eastern Front.

Obviously the grenade was single-use, but I suspect the user was, too, given how close to a tank you needed to be.

Seems like a great urban warfare grenade, tossed from a rooftop ontop of the tank.....hard to defend against in an urban environment especially during an occupation.

[K Frame]

Sticky bombs play a role in Call of Duty World at War (COD5).

[El Tejon]

I recall reading about the use of "anti-tank grenades" on the Eastern Front.

Yes, it is as if none of the Doggies have heard of a "Panzerhandminen" (panzerfaust head with a stick).  The US militree has a chronic case of CRS.

Soviets had something similar.  That's why the Dutchies started putting that anti-magnet paste on their AFVs.  Kostya and Misha would pop out of the grass and slap on a magnet mine on a MkIV and then run like hell.

The US militree had a rifle grenade that was similar to this.  My maternal grandfather said it was very handy for bunkers, but if you could hit an open top IFV or AFV it would burn for days.

[280plus]

Sticky bombs play a role in Call of Duty World at War (COD5).

You know, I got that for Christmas, maybe an older version, but my damn graphics card couldn't handle it. 

Ion Idriess talks all about methods an urban resistance force could use to defeat a tank in one of his Guerilla Series books. Verrrry interesting.

[crt360]

Is the parachute stabilizer large enough to allow re-direction with a fan?

"Malik, your grenade . . . it is . . . coming back to you!!!"

[HankB]

Seems like a great urban warfare grenade, tossed from a rooftop ontop of the tank.....hard to defend against in an urban environment especially during an occupation.

Not really . . . just see to it that there are no rooftops left that are higher than the top of the tank.

Problem solved.

[Boomhauer]

Soviets had something similar.  That's why the Dutchies started putting that anti-magnet paste on their AFVs.  Kostya and Misha would pop out of the grass and slap on a magnet mine on a MkIV and then run like hell.

The Germans also had magnetically attached grenades. Anti-magnetic paste or concrete was used to counter this. In fact, I remember reading about a German soldier who went to attack a T-34, but when the tank spotted him and tried to run him over, he had to dive into a shallow trench. The tank crossed the trench and the soldier attached the grenade to the belly of the tank, which did not have concrete on it.

[MechAg94]

So this is basically just a shaped charge designed to attack the armor from the top.  Neat design if it hits right. 

Are our vehicles going to start putting grating on the top now? 

[Brad Johnson]

Yes, it is as if none of the Doggies have heard of a "Panzerhandminen" (panzerfaust head with a stick). 

I think the literal translation is Armor/Tank Hand Mine.

BRad

[wingnutx]

Not new. They just need to get close enough to throw it at a vehicle, which is pretty easy in a city.

Hitting from the side works fine, the chute just keeps it oriented.

There was a spate of attack with these several years ago, but I haven't of any since then.

Here's some video...

And an article

[Jamisjockey]

Not really . . . just see to it that there are no rooftops left that are higher than the top of the tank.

Problem solved.

A little hard to do without butchering the civilian population.

[280plus]

Hey Wingnut! Nice to "see" you! 

How's things?

[seeker_two]

A little hard to do without butchering the civilian population.

Your point is?...... 

[Balog]

Your point is?...... 

We aren't genocidal monsters? That wouldn't even be like Dresden; it would be massive civilian death for no damn reason.

[freedom lover]

We aren't genocidal monsters? That wouldn't even be like Dresden; it would be massive civilian death for no damn reason.

I think saving our soldiers' lives is reason enough. They're not American civilians.

[MechAg94]

During WWII, if any resistance was met in a town, they often pulled back and bombed/shelled it.  One good way to take out a sniper in a building was to take down the building with a bazooka or something else.  War sucks. 

[seeker_two]

I think saving our soldiers' lives is reason enough. They're not American civilians.

...and we have no responsibility to risk American lives to save the lives of other who weren't smart enough to get out of the way.....