| LRAC 73-50 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-tank rocket launcher |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Wars | Korean War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | DEFA |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.7 kg (14.7 lb) |
| Length | 1.2 m (3.9 feet) |
|
| |
| Caliber | 73 mm |
| Rate of fire | 4 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 170 m/s (557.7 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 200 m (656.2 feet) |
| Maximum firing range | 1,200 m (3,937 feet) |
| Filling | RDX/TNT[1] |
| Filling weight | 300 g |
| LRAC 73-50 | |
 LRAC 73-50, showing firing shield and sight |
External imagesThe LRAC de 73mm Mle 1950 (lance-roquettes antichar de 73 mm modèle 1950 (LRAC 73-50)) was a French antitank rocket launcher produced and fielded in the 1950s. The LRAC fired a 73-mm high explosive antitank projectile that was capable of penetrating over 11 inches of rolled homogenous armor when struck at a 90-degree angle of impact.[2] The LRAC 73-50 was replaced in French service by the 3.5-inch M20 Bazooka.
The LRAC 73-50 had a shield to protect the operator's face from the rocket's back-blast.[3]
Citations and sources[]
- ↑ Bollendorf, p. 300.
- ↑ COMHART Volume 10, p. 66.
- ↑ www.musee-infanterie.com
- J. E. Stauff, J. Guillot, and R. Dubernet, Comité pour l'histoire de l'armement terrestre (COMHART) Tome 10 Armaments Antichars Missiles Guidés et Non Guidés, Délégué Général pour l'Armement, 1996
- John Bollendorf, ST-CW-07-29-74 Projectile Fragment Identification Guide Foreign, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington: GPO, 31 December 1973 (DIA Guide)
The original article can be found at 73mm LRAC and the edit history here.