Land Mattress
Encyclopedia
Mattress was the term applied to ground-based Allied
multiple rocket launcher
s during World War II
. Compared with the German
and Soviet
forays into this area (the Nebelwerfer
and Katyusha launchers respectively) the Allies developed and deployed these weapons late in the war. Nevertheless, they did see useful service as artillery
support during the crossings of the Rhine and the Scheldt
rivers.
launch system developed by the Allies was designed to be deployed on warships and landing craft and fired in support of troops in a landing action. The rockets were 5-inch cordite
sticks and the launching system, known as a "mattress projector", was capable of projecting a salvo of 800 to 1,000 rockets 3000 yards (2.7 km) in around 45 seconds. The weapon was also known as the stickleback
.
, it was tested in the summer of 1944 and saw some action with British
and Canadian
troops, with mixed results. The Land Mattress was based on the 3 inches (76.2 mm) tube of the RP-3
or "60lb" rocket used as an air-to-ground weapon with Naval 5-inch shells as warheads, and consisted of a 16- or 30-tube launching system mounted on a towed carriage. The land version had an operational range of 8,000 yards (7.3 km). Rounds were fired at a rate of 4 per second. At the crossing of the Scheldt
over a thousand rockets were fired in 6 hours.
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
multiple rocket launcher
Multiple rocket launcher
A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns...
s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Compared with the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
forays into this area (the Nebelwerfer
Nebelwerfer
The Nebelwerfer was a World War II German series of weapons originally designed to deliver chemical weapons. They were initially developed by and assigned to the Wehrmacht's so-called Chemical Troops ...
and Katyusha launchers respectively) the Allies developed and deployed these weapons late in the war. Nevertheless, they did see useful service as artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
support during the crossings of the Rhine and the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
rivers.
Sea Mattress
The first multiple rocketRocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
launch system developed by the Allies was designed to be deployed on warships and landing craft and fired in support of troops in a landing action. The rockets were 5-inch cordite
Cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
sticks and the launching system, known as a "mattress projector", was capable of projecting a salvo of 800 to 1,000 rockets 3000 yards (2.7 km) in around 45 seconds. The weapon was also known as the stickleback
Stickleback
The Gasterosteidae are a family of fish including the sticklebacks. FishBase currently recognises sixteen species in the family, grouped in five genera. However several of the species have a number of recognised subspecies, and the taxonomy of the family is thought to be in need of revision...
.
Land Mattress
The so-called land mattress was a ground-based weapon named after its naval equivalent. Based on the Z Gun anti-aircraft rocketsZ Battery
The Z Battery, was a short range rocket-firing anti-aircraft weapon which fired 3-inch diameter rockets, used in ground-based single and multiple launchers for the air defence of the United Kingdom in World War II.- See also :...
, it was tested in the summer of 1944 and saw some action with British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
troops, with mixed results. The Land Mattress was based on the 3 inches (76.2 mm) tube of the RP-3
RP-3
The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"...
or "60lb" rocket used as an air-to-ground weapon with Naval 5-inch shells as warheads, and consisted of a 16- or 30-tube launching system mounted on a towed carriage. The land version had an operational range of 8,000 yards (7.3 km). Rounds were fired at a rate of 4 per second. At the crossing of the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
over a thousand rockets were fired in 6 hours.