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The Anti-Aircraft Target Rocket M2 was a 3.25-inch (83 mm) rocket developed and used by the United States Army during World War II. It was designed to serve as a training target for anti-aircraft guns, capable of simulating attacks by low-flying aircraft. The nosecone of the rocket was ogival, and it was fitted with oversized fins to aid in tracking of the rocket by trainees.

Shipped with two to three rockets in a package, the Target Rocket Projector M1 was used for the rocket's launching platform. It consisted of a set of launching rails on a two-wheeled trailer and weighed 750 pounds (340 kg); capable of being elevated to 60 degrees, it allowed the rocket to be launched at random angles and directions to increase the effectiveness of the training exercises, and could fire up to two rounds per minute. A modification of the basic rocket, designated as the Anti-Aircraft Training Rocket M2A1, replaced the basic M2 in service; it added a flare that ignited on launch to aid in visual tracking of the target that burned for approximately 30 seconds after launch.

References

1. ^ Ordway and Wakeford 1960, p.167
2. ^ Hogg 2001, p.373
3. Parsch 2024
4. ^ Hogg 2001, p.380
5. Hogg 2001, p.374

Bibliography

• Hogg, Ian V. (2001). The American Arsenal. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 978-1853674709.
• Ordway, Frederick Ira; Ronald C. Wakeford (1960). International Missile and Spacecraft Guide. New York: McGraw-Hill. ASIN B000MAEGVC.
• Parsch, Andreas (2024). "Anti-Aircraft Target Rocket M2". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles Appendix 4: Undesignated Vehicles. designation-systems.net. Retrieved 11 June 2024.

• Rocket weapons of the United States
• World War II weapons of the United States
• Military equipment introduced in the 1940s