- Yes
- No
Staghound fitted with Rockets
This vehicle is commonly named the staghound tulip however that is not correct and only the British versions of this modification are called tulips. There are 2 different versions of this modification were done by this regiment. The First Canadian Army did also mount rockets to a half track. (If anybody has any information on this hit me up as I’d love to make a suggestion for this also)
History:
The story behind fitting rockets of a staghound was one trying to fill a gap that some of the front line units wanted. Reconnaissance regiments, armoured car regiments, and armoured regiments wanted direct control over higher calbre HE. In 1944 the 18th Armoured car regiment tried to get 105mm M7’s however that request was denied as the M7 was not authorized for armoured car regiments. So they started to test other means to get the firepower they wanted. So the 18th Armoured Car Regiment also called the 12th Manitoba Dragoons fitted rails to the side of the turret of a staghound. They rockets they choose to fire from these platforms were the same as those equipped on Typhoons. There was 2 version of this modification a single fixed rail on one side of the turret and the second version was rails on either side of the turret and a bracket mounted to the barrel so that they rails could elevate.
The 2 different setups (These are the drawings directly from "18 Cdn Armd C Regt (XII Manitoba Dragoons) Initial Report on Rocket Projectiles fitted to staghound armoured car)
Fixed rail only on 1 side of turret
Rails on both sides of turret and bracket fitted to barrel so the rails can elevate
They tested these rails with 3 different rockets with each of the modifications drawn above:
The rockets they tested were:
60 lb HE, 25 lb AP, and 45 lb WP (white phosphors)
Report on firing trails:
After trails It was determined that only the 60lb HE was suitable for this setup.
The ranges of when the rockets detonated were 100 yards to 3000 yards. (80-2750m)
Once trails were finished successfully the First Canadian Army recommended to the CMHQ that further research and development be put towards this, but the 12th Manitoba dragoons were sent on the offensive and the project was not continued from that point on. However as stated in my opening statement the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade tested with mounting rockets to a half track.
The British later tested out their own version by mounting a landmattress to a staghound and mounted RP-3’s to Sherman’s, Sherman Firefly’s, Staghounds, and Cromwells.
Photos:
Specs(T-17E1):
Armament:
37mm M6 gun
2x .30 cal M1919A4
Rockets:
60lb HE (Possibly RP-3 since it mentions the rockets were from the typhoon)
25 lb AP
45 lb WP
No reloads for rockets as reloads for the rockets were to be carried by a separate vehicle.
General Vehicle specs:
Crew: 5
Maximum speed: 55 mph (88.51 km/h)
Power to weight ratio 13.50 bhp per ton.
2 engines, with fluid coupling to common transfer case.
2-inch smoke mortar in the turret.
Armour:
1 1/4 inch turret
7/8 inch hull front
3/4 inch sides
Specs on Staghound
Sources:
26th Field Regiment RCA/XII Manitoba Dragoons Museum
http://www.12mbdragoons.com/england.html
Vehicle Data Book Canadian Army Overseas (December 1944)
Additional Information:
While researching for another suggestion I stumbled upon more reports of some of the test firings of the vehicle and testing out smoke rockets. That includes ranged (image 327)
Its possible this was for the Land mattress version of the staghound rocket launcher
Source Canadian Military Headquarters, London (CMHQ), Files Block No. 55 - 5792 (image 315-327)