|
|
Post by raven on Jan 29, 2003 22:17:42 GMT -5
Ok, sorry in advance for asking a dumb question. I am not a veteran, but I read a lot of books about the Vietnam war and do as much volunteer work- such as at the Moving Wall as I can when it comes to Oregon where I live. I try to learn as much real information/history as I can, from people who actually lived it and remember it- not like some of the Hollywood movies. I am reading a book now called- A Hundred Miles of Bad Road. The author mentiones using " Beehive rounds". Could someone please explain to me what those are ? The author does not and I have a curiosity that just makes me ask you. Thank you in advance.
|
|
|
|
Post by Frisbee on Jan 30, 2003 11:33:06 GMT -5
raven, The beehive round that I'm familar with is an artillery round that has hundreds of dart like projectiles in it.I saw them fired from 105 howitzers once when we were attacked at Firebase Currahee in the Ashau Valley in 1969.The 105's lowered their guns level with the ground and did what was called "direct fire" at the attackers.Very effective round to say the least.I don't know if it was used in other weapons or artillery. Hope this helps you. Frisbee
|
|
|
|
Post by Frisbee on Jan 30, 2003 11:41:56 GMT -5
raven, Frisbee again.You might also want to post your question under the Artillery section of this site and maybe someone could be of greater help.And no question is ever dumb, so feel free to ask anything you want. Frisbee
|
|
|
|
Post by MrBill on Mar 30, 2003 10:01:23 GMT -5
Hello Raven
I was on 155mm Howitzers. B/2/12 Arty. 69-70. We had Beehive rounds and only fired them once (fortunately) for a demonstration. Frisbee is correct, the shell is loaded with thousands of little darts, very sharp and small (approx. 1 inch). When fired the shell is set for "muzzle blast" which means it explodes as soon as it leaves the gun, propelling these thousands of darts forward toward the target. For our demonstration we set up a lot of ammo boxes outside our perimeter at various distances. I will never forget what we saw and heard after we fired the shell. After the shell exploded I heard a sound that sounded like a very high wind and instantaneously all the boxes exploded into small pieces. Most of the boxes were reduced into small splinters. The larger pieces were nailed to the trees. The tree line in front of our gun was covered with pieces of wood nailed to the trees. I was on 105MM and 155MM Howitzers and I know they both carried them, I don't know about the bigger guns.
|
|
|
|
Post by raven on Mar 30, 2003 10:18:59 GMT -5
Mr. Bill-
Thanks for answering.
I guess there all sorts of means of destruction. Wonder who thought of that one ? Do you think they still use anything like that ? I guess it would be an effective means of stopping an attack if the attackers were coming straight at you and you had to slow them down....
I sure hope those things never misfired.
Thanks again for your help.
|
|
|
|
Post by gmarlin on Jun 21, 2003 2:21:43 GMT -5
Mr. Bill- Thanks for answering. I guess there all sorts of means of destruction. Wonder who thought of that one ? Do you think they still use anything like that ? I guess it would be an effective means of stopping an attack if the attackers were coming straight at you and you had to slow them down.... I sure hope those things never misfired. Thanks again for your help. Hey Raven. I was with CoH, 2nd Btn, 3rd Marines in Khe Sanh, RVN 1968 Tet Offensive and I was also a trained 106mm Recoiless Rifleman. The 106 gun can be mounted on a jeep that also fired beehive rounds for personnel effect in case your position is threatened to be over-run. It was a very effective round but moving the location of the gun was too slow and had a 10 second life expectancy of the Marines that fire it if they did not move fast enough. Hope this helps. gmarlin |
|
|
|
Post by Ascout on Jul 7, 2003 10:22:23 GMT -5
Raven, just to shed a little more light, those projectiles are more correctly called 'flechettes', which is French for 'darts'. Basically, they are about 2 inch long finned nails (which is what we called them in armor)...10,000 of them in a 152mm M551 Sheridan main gun (a light tank) and are usually referred to as 'canister' rounds in armor and usually in recoiless rifles (we had those also, 2 106mm ones on 3/4 tone and 1/4 ton vehicles in the aerorifle of an air cav unit I was in. I also was a tank commander in 2/11th ACR where we made much use of canister rounds. There are even loaded today in some shotgun shell cases for law enforcment. Just do a 'Google' image search for 'flechettes' and you will find something.
|
|
|
|
Post by raven on Jul 8, 2003 8:37:59 GMT -5
Thanks to all the men who have taken the time to answer my question. You know the saying, to the world you are only one person, but to one person you are the world ? Well the thinking holds true- when you take the time, just a moment to answer a question or take the time to share a memory or thought- you make a difference- because only you know- others of us no matter how hard we try, no matter how much we wish we could, we can never know some of the things you know, remember some of the things you do or have survived the things you all have. You are all a part of history, a story that needs telling. Thanks again for your help.
Raven
|
|
|
|
Post by Liasion on Jul 8, 2003 21:11:05 GMT -5
Raven, I was in a 105 mm battery, and we used the beehive round on one occasion when sappers came through the wire and began throwing grenades in some of our bunkers. The 105 round had about 8,000 of the "fleschettes". 4,000 were facing forward and 4,000 were facing backwards. When the round was fired, the first 4,000 went straight forward, and the other 4,000 turned over, then started forward causing sort of a second wave behind the first. The round was not designed to kill, only to cripple, and it was very effective.
|
|
