OVERALL LENGTH

TOTAL WEIGHT (with fuze)

HEAD DIAMETER

HEAD LENGTH (with burster tube)

BURSTING CHARGE (TNT)

MAXIMUM RANGE

MAXIMUM VELOCITY

COLOR

FUZING

GENERAL:

The M16 is a spin stabilized rocket, the construction of which is somewhat similar to the 4.5" fin stabilized rocket M8 (See page 15). The M16 (T38E3) is the H.E. round and the M17 (T39E3) is the practice round.

DESCRIPTION:

The head, loaded with high explosive, contains a fuze well cup and a burster tube. The burster tube projects about 15 inches into the center of the rocket motor to se-cure additional fragmentation. The motor body is a steel tube threaded at each end to receive the head and the nozzle plate, which contains eight nozzle equally spaced in a circle and one nozzle in the center. The eight nozzles are set at an angle in order to impart rotation to the round when fired. The center nozzle is normally closed by a blow-out disc which is designed to fall when the internal pressure in the body surpasses a predetermined limit. The nozzle openings are protected by a plastic sealing disc which remains in place during firing and is blown out by the rocket blast.

The propelling charge consists of 30 grains of ballistite strung on wires of a cage-like trap. The igniter consists of a charge of black powder enclosed in a plastic tube atta-ched to the trap and running the length of the charge. The tube also contains an elec-tric squib. The leads of the squib pass through one of the nozzles, one lead being grounded to the motor body and the other connected to a contact ring.

PRACTICE ROCKET, M17:

The M17 is similar in design and construction to the M16 but lacks in the explosive charge and live fuze.

H.E. ROCKET, M20:

The M20 is similar in design and construction to the M16, differing only in that the ignition wires are attached to spoole rather than contact rings.

PRACTICE ROCKET, M21:

The M21 is similar in design and construction to the M20 but lacks in the explosive charge and the live fuze.