Heller Anti-Tank Weapon

[Petrus]

I am currently seeking any information about a Canadian-built weapon that is referred to as the Heller anti-tank rocket. The only piece of info that I have made it to gather is available at http://www.drev.dnd.ca/e/history_e.asp?page=5&lang=e.
Hopefully a member of this forum knows anything about it. Frankly speaking what I am actually interested in is EVERYTHING about the weapon from basic data to drawings and photos.

Best regards,
Piotr

PS. I am aware that the weapon that I am asking about was not a vehicle - its purpose was to destroy vehicles, so I have dared put this thread in the 'Post-war military vehicles'. And it was really post-war...

[Roger Lucy]

Actually, I was trying to find out more about it myself - which is why I found this thread. The only description of this anti-tank rocket launcher I have seen is in John Weeks' book "Men Against Tanks" (David &Charles 1975) he even has a picture of it - a long launch tube on a tripod with a pistol grip and a small co-incidence range-finder sight. This last, along with its very high muzzle velocity (715 f/s about 240 m/s) for a rocket, made it unique. According to Weeks it was in service with bte Canadian Army from 1956 to 1967. The Brits almost adopted it but chose the Carl Gustav instead. It's best rang was 300 yds but it still could get an 80% chance of a hit at 450 yds. Performance was comparable to the Carl Gustav.

It may be the ultimate genesis of the Heller was a project begun in March 1945 to develope an improved anti-tank projector which was somehow to combine the spigot launcer system of the PIAT with a rocket - when the war ended that project was handed over to CARDE. Clealry at some point the spigot mortar feature was wisely dropped.

[Gunner]

Hi Guys:

Somewhere in a box in my basement I have a Heller sight. I'll not likley get to it in the short term but as the rebuild of my house progresses perhaps I'll dig it out.

Cheers! Mike