Original Item: Only One Available. Original Vietnam Era Hydra 70 Rocket with M230 Warhead. Rocket and engine have been demilitarized for training purposes, and have been painted blue, and clearly stenciled INERT by the United States Military. These were fired from rocket pods attached to Huey UH-1B, and AH-1 Cobra Gunships during the Vietnam War in a surface-to-ground role.
This particular Rocket looks to have been made specifically for practice used, and is composed of a long dummy war head and fuse, with a Mark 66 Rocket Motor Assembly. There is writing on the rocket in black marker, which indicates it is a test rocket, and there are no markings stamped into it. The Rocket Motor is marked NIP H/ 30003-233AS107, which we have seen on other examples. The MK66 Motor Assembly is still equipped with it’s original spring loaded stabilization fins. Weighs about 26 lbs and measures 66" in overall length.
This is an impressive piece of Vietnam Aviation Ordnance, which would be ideal as a centerpiece of a Vietnam Era aviation display.
History of the Hydra-70 Rocket
The HYDRA 70 (70mm) Rocket System is a family of 2.75" unguided rockets.The 2.75 inch Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) was originally developed by the US Navy for use as a free-flight aerial rocket in the late 1940s. Used during both the Korean and Vietnam wars, their role has expanded to include air-to-ground, ground-to-air, and ground-to-ground. The 2.75 inch rocket system has a rich history of providing close air support to ground forces from about 20 different firing platforms, both fixed-wing and armed helicopters, by all US armed services. When the requirements of this system were changed to a new air-to-ground role for fixed and rotary wing aircraft, new fuzing and warhead performance characteristics, as well as a modified motor for low speed aircraft became necessary. The HYDRA 70 family of rockets was designed to fill this role. The Hydra 70 rocket system is used by US Army Special Operations Forces, the US Marine Corps, the US Navy, and the US Air Force. The Hydra-70 rocket is fired from all armed Army Helicopters and the armed helicopters of most sister services. The rocket is also fired from many U.S. fixed wing platforms and is a major export munition to many allied nations. The Army's Hydra-70 PM at Rock Island, IL is assigned as the single item manager responsible for meeting the rocket needs of all users.
Literally millions of these munitions were fired in Vietnam. Helicopters armed with HYDRA-70 rockets were also deployed in Operation Just Cause as well as Desert Storm. The APACHE helicopters that opened the air campaign by destroying two radar sites inside Iraq with HELLFIRE missiles also used HYDRA-70 rockets which hit and scattered thousands of razor-sharp flechettes across the sites. The 2.75-inch munitions also proved useful during the ground phase of the Gulf War. Members of the 2d Battalion, 229th Attack Helicopter Regiment from Fort Rucker, Alabama, used primarily 30-mm chain guns and 2.75-inch rockets against the fortified positions and large bunker complexes they encountered during the second day of the ground offensive.
The war reserve unitary and cargo warheads are used for anti-materiel, anti-personnel, and suppression missions. The Hydra 70 family of Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets (FFAR) also includes smoke screening, illumination, and training warheads. These rockets are used by rotary, wing, fixed and ground platforms. The most widely used application is on helicopters for air-to-ground engagements.
Currently, In the US Army, Hydra 70 rockets are fired from the AH-64A Apache/AH-64D Apache Longbow using M261 19-tube rocket launchers, and the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and the AH-1F "modernized" Cobra using seven-tube M260 rocket launchers. The AH-1G Cobra and the UH-1B "Huey" used M200 19-tube rocket launchers. The Navy uses the 19 round LAU-61C/A and the seven round LAU-68 D/A rocket launchers.
