# WWII HVAAR / FFAR Aircraft & Ship Launch Rockets In Color 27242

This fascinating silent color film from World War II shows a variety of rockets produced by the United States for use in the conflict. Many of these weapons were developed at Caltech, and the film shows some of the work done there to perfect these systems. Various launch platforms are shown including small craft such as the LCI and the LCM, and aircraft of various kinds including the Navy's Harpoon. The 5-inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket or FFAR was an American rocket developed during World War II for attack from airplanes against ground and ship targets. The first FFARs were developed by the U.S. Navy and introduced in June 1943. They had a 3.5-inch diameter and a non-explosive warhead, since they were used as an aircraft-launched ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) rocket and worked by puncturing the hull. It was accurate enough for use against surface ships and land targets, but these missions required an explosive warhead. A 5-inch anti-aircraft shell was attached to the 3.5-inch rocket motor, creating the 5-Inch FFAR, which entered service in December 1943. Performance was limited because of the increased weight, limiting speed to 780 km/h (485 mph). The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, was developed to fix this flaw. Aircraft that used FFAR include the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber and the Vought F4U Corsair fighter. The Western Allies of World War II for the most part employed little rocket artillery. During later periods of the war, British and Canadian…

- Kind: Film
- Genres: War, Industrial and advertising
- Archive: [Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/27242TheRocketsYouAreHelpingToBuild)
- Licence or status: none stated by the archive
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (the archive gives no rating; placed by Invisible Network from its collection and subjects)

[Watch now](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/watch/archive/ia/27242TheRocketsYouAreHelpingToBuild?play=1)