Bazookas and RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenades) are considered tank buster weapons since they can effectively disable a tank. Because of their devastating potency, the two phrases are frequently used in the military and dreaded by tank veterans. Children and teens learn about bazookas and RPGs via television shows and computer games that portray them as exploding weapons capable of eliminating evil guys.
Bazooka vs RPG
The main difference between bazooka and RPG is that their payload is delivered in different ways. The bazooka’s payload, or rocket ammo, is kept in the back end of the inner chamber. On the other hand, the RPG has its payload outside the inner chamber, at the front end. The RPG-7 is the most popular RPG, and it was created near the close of World War II. The RPG-7’s structural architecture was a hybrid of a bazooka developed in the United States and a German tank buster known as the Panzer Faust. There are just two pieces to the RPG: the launcher and the rocket itself.
A bazooka is a shoulder-fired weapon that can be carried about. During World War II, the United States Army developed bazookas, which were employed to deadly effect against German tanks. During WWII, other armies adopted the technology, and the weapons became well-known due to their high-profile employment in the battle.
The RPG is a very cost-effective and effective weapon against all sorts of heavy and light armoured vehicles, fortifications, and enemy personnel. The RPG Portable Rocket Launcher is compatible with various rockets and rounds, greatly enhancing infantry fighting and tactical capabilities. Depending on the task, target, and environment, the operator can choose from multiple ammo sets.
Comparison Table Between Bazooka and RPG
| Parameters of Comparison | Bazooka | RPG |
| Invention | The bazooka was invented in the United States and was first deployed in World War II. | The Russians designed the RPG, which was influenced by the concepts of the bazooka and the German Panzer Faust. |
| Payload | The payload of the bazooka is stored in an inner chamber at the tube’s back end. | The payload of the RPG is at the front. |
| Invention Year | The bazooka was designed and developed in the year 1942. | The RPG was designed and produced in the year 1958. |
| Range | Bazooka’s range is 110 metres. | RPG range is 700m. |
| Mass | The mass of the bazooka is 6.01 kg. | The weight of the RPG is 6.3 Kg. |
What is Bazooka?
The term “bazooka” refers to a man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon used by the United States Army. The revolutionary Bazooka, also known as the “Stovepipe,” was one of the first generations of rocket-propelled antitank weapons employed in infantry warfare. Its solid rocket engine allowed it to deliver high-explosive antitank warheads against armoured vehicles, machine gun nests, and reinforced bunkers at ranges well beyond those of a typical thrown grenade or mine. A HESH round was also fired from the Bazooka, which was efficient against structures and tank armour.
The nickname came from the M1 variant’s faint similarity to the musical instrument known as a “bazooka,” developed and popularised by American comedian Bob Burns in the 1930s. Several bazookas were captured by German forces in early North African and Eastern Front battles during WWII, and they quickly reverse-engineered their version, expanding the warhead diameter to 8.8 cm and issued it as the Raketenpanzerbüchse “Panzerschreck.” The name “bazooka” is still used colloquially to refer to any shoulder-fired missile weapon.
What is RPG?
In 1961, the Bazalt firm created the RPG, which the Soviet Army eventually adopted in the same year. The weapon’s simplicity, low cost, toughness, and effectiveness made it one of the most popular anti-tank weapons globally, and it has been in use since the Vietnam War. Its ease of use and low cost allowed it to be mass-manufactured in massive quantities, with tens of thousands being purchased by dozens of countries worldwide.
The RPG is 37.8 inches long and weighs 14.5 pounds empty and 19 pounds with the 85mm calibre bullet loaded. It has a maximum range of 900 metres and a sighting range of 500 metres before self-destructing. This is roughly the equivalent of three football fields every second. The rocket’s starting velocity is 117 metres per second, increasing to 294 metres after the rocket assist is activated. It can pierce up to 13 inches of armour at zero degrees at maximum speed.
Because the RPG is a direct-fire weapon, the gunner’s ability has a direct impact on its battlefield efficacy. When guiding a target downrange, the weapon’s main flaw is a crosswind. With gusts of more than 7 miles per hour, a gunner cannot expect to strike more than 50% of the rounds beyond 180 metres. They must determine both the direction and velocity of the wind, but even then, the results may differ.
Main Differences Between Bazooka and RPG
- The bazooka was invented in the United States and was first deployed in World War II whereas, The Russians designed the RPG, which was influenced by the concepts of the bazooka and the German Panzer Faust.
- The payload of the bazooka is stored in an inner chamber at the tube’s back end whereas, the payload of the RPG is at the front.
- The bazooka was designed and developed in the year 1942 whereas, the RPG was designed and produced in the year 1958.
- Bazooka’s range is 110 metres whereas, the RPG range is 700m.
- The mass of the bazooka is 6.01 kg whereas, the weight of the RPG is 6.3 Kg.
Conclusion
The “bazooka” and the “rpg” are shaped charge explosive projectiles launched from a man-portable rocket launcher tube. The term “bazooka” hasn’t been used by the US military in decades, and the weapons that went by that name are likewise no longer in use by the US military, while some are still in use by other countries. Similar weapons exist in the US arsenal, although none are referred to as “bazookas.” Although the first “bazooka” was created and deployed before the first “RPG” anti-tank weapon, both weapons underwent several generations of development and refinement. One of the two families of weapons may have been somewhat more successful than the other in any given year.
References
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=NDa1CwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA3&dq=bazooka+vs+rpg&ots=xKj-u9zpcN&sig=0HaVoaxzhMK459_Zh2hzEybXKzk
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/45364159