| High Velocity Aircraft Rocket | |
|---|---|
"Holy Moses" HVARs mounted on a TBF Avenger |
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| Type | Air-to-surface rocket |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | United States military |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1944-1955 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 140 pounds (64 kg) |
| Length | 6 feet (1.8 m) |
| Diameter | 5 inches (130 mm) |
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| Warhead | High explosive |
| Warhead weight | 45 pounds (20 kg) |
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| Engine | Solid-fuel rocket |
| Operational range |
3 miles (4.8 km) |
| Speed | 950 miles per hour (1,530 km/h) |
| Guidance system |
None |
The High Velocity Aircraft Rocket, or HVAR, also known by the nickname Holy Moses,[1] was an American unguided rocket developed during World War II to attack targets on the ground from aircraft. It saw extensive use both during World War II and during the Korean War.
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The HVAR was designed as an improvement on the Forward firing aircraft rocket or FFAR, which was underpowered and not fast enough for many uses.[1] The HVAR was 5 inches (130 mm) in diameter, and carried a 21-kg (45-lb) high-explosive warhead.[1]
Two different versions of the HVAR were built during World War II. One was a general-purpose missile with base and nose fuzes, and the other had a semi-armour-piercing warhead with a nose fuse. After World War II, newer versions included a new general purpose type with a proximity fuse, and a shaped-charge warhead for use against tanks.[1]
The HVAR was normally used to attack tanks, trains and bunkers. More than one million HVARs were built, and the rocket saw widespread service in World War II and the Korean War before production ended in 1955.[1]
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