Yet, those large bore rifles were largely obsolete even by the outbreak of the conflict in 1939.
A few nations even sought to refine the concept.
A trained shooter/team could deploy upwards of four (4) rounds per minute.
French soldiers training with the LRAC in the early 1950s. It was employed by French contingent Forces in the Korean War.
A larger weapon clearly isnt always better, and the French were simply the first to consider that fact.
The LRAC was very much part of that inclination to provide the ground pounders with compact yet powerful weapons.
It was there that the compact size of the weapon was seen as a real benefit.
The French-made LRAC de 73mm Mle 1950 was an anti-tank rocket launcher. It saw use with the French Army alongside such weapons as the MAS-49 rifle and MAT-49 submachine gun.
Its small size proved to be an asset in the jungles.
It was used alongside the Belgian-made Blindicide an improved version of the American M-20.
The LRAC took influences from the German Panzerschreck, notably the face shield that protected the user from the weapon’s back blast.
Like the American M20 “Super Bazooka” the LRAC incorporated an optical range finder but with a steel face plate to protect the operator’s face from the rocket back blast.
French military doctrine of the early Cold War called for compact weapons — noted by the short length of the LRAC and theMAS-49 rifle.
Sometimes called the “French Bazooka,” the LRAC was used to great success against the T-34 during the Korean War. It was considered obsolete by the late 1950s.
The LRAC weighs just 14.7 lbs. and is only 3.9 feet in length. This represents a great deal of power in a relatively compact package.
Moroccan soldiers armed with the LRAC in a parade circa 1960. Note the MAT-49 submachine guns — anotherFrench-made weapon.
While it was largely removed from French service in the early 1960s, the LRAC was still effectively employed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the Six Day War of 1967.
