'Z' Batteries - British AA Rocket system

I'm looking for photos of 'Z' Batteries both of the rocket launcher and aerial shots of 'Z' Battery sites. I'm interested in contemporary photos plus more recent shots taken as part of archaeological investigations. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

David T

 

Adam,

Many thanks for the leads. As you suspected, I've seen a few already, but hadn't picked the 'Peoples War' story of Peter Helsdon and the the 'Hidden Glasgow' site has also been very useful. Thanks, again

David T

 

a bit late but in 'History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, 1914-55' by Brig Routledge there are two photos of 'Z' batteries. One 3" launcher firing and one of the salvo bursting.

 

Anti-Aircraft Rockets used over London.

Page 41

LIFE - Google Books

 

Apologies if posted before but brought to attention re the news item about the Bethnal Green disaster.There was a mention of a new anti-aircraft rocket.I assume the Z rockets would have been the new weapon.


http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php/Secrets/Z-Battery

Britain and Rocket Technology
BBC - WW2 People's War - "Z"Battery, Rocket AA in Hyde Park

 

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/battle-specifics/6167-battle-britain-new-facts.html

Some info on AA rockets here.

 

Thanks VP

In a book Wartime Leicester,it states there was an active 250 rocket "Z" battery in Victoria Park in the centre of town for a time.This was eventually replaced by dummy units.Would cause major damage with debris falling back to earth.

 

From the RA Commemoration Book.
Rob.

 

Not really relavent to Z batteries but there were AA rocket launchers added to some Tank Landing Craft about 1944. No real info on these but they appear to be small single shot devices.

 

I used to live just off Vicky park, any photos in the book?


Hello VP

no photos only a map in the middle page and a bit of text

its called birds eye leicester by t c cartwright

 

Hi , I am doing eveything I can to discover My Grandfarthers past during WW2.His name was Wilfred Savage and I belive he was a cilvilin working for George Kent LTD (Luton , England ) not sure when from but judging on some dates I have 1935 to 1953. My Grandfarther worked on two seperate designs during the war he delveloped system of remotely setting the time fuses of a battery of warheads the warhead itself is approx 30/40cm in length and about 3.5inch in width , its in three sections the top part being a brass cone with a thin tip to it , the second section was to incase all of the timing workings and the third section was the adjustable timing pieace. The way he designed this to work was to go off in two ways one was if it it hit a soild object ( Enemy Bombers in this case ) then the tip would shatter a fire the firing pin underneath and denote the explosive section. The more clever side to his design was the timing piece at the bottom of the warhead as it could be adjusted to any time rate inwhich you wanted it to go off for this he was honoured by being awarded the Britsh Empire Medal.Following this success he devoted his energies to the control of a ground-to-air missile guided onto its target by sound emission.The end of the war in 1945 meant that the weapon never reached its final stage of development but became a very early prototype.

What he designed are real as I have three of these warheads all in prime condtion , I have yet to discover anything on any records of there exsitance but also have access to photographs of Top Brass test firing my Grandfarthers Roackets.....could this be a rare prototype? If you could offer any advice on rocket/misslie weaponary I would love to here from you.

 

please post any photos/info you have
im sure forum members will be able to add

 

This from 'AA Command' by Colin Dobison

 

I also found this on the genesis and development of U.P.'s from 'Design and Development of Weapons' by Postan, Hay and Scott. Part of the epic HMSO History of the Second World War.







tested in Jamaica, there is a nice posting.