WW2 Soviet rear firing systems.

[klem]

These systems were installed in the rear fuselage of the aircraft to discourage fighter attacks from the blind spot behind the tail. they could be operated by the gunner or the pilot, just in the trajectory of the pursuing fighters thus creating a situation of destabilization for the pursuers.(http://ram-home.com/ram-old/pe-2.html).

 

[Dilandu]

The idea was elegant, but proved to be totally ineffective; rockets, moving slowly immediately after launch, were thrown off course by the turbulence. While the rear-firing rockets remained in some bomber reigments up until the end of the war, this was mostly for psychological reasons (crews felt safer with such "protection" in place).

 

[Dilandu]

P.S. This is DAG-10 - the block of ten AG-2 (Aviatsionnaya Granata - Aircraft Grenade) rear-defense grenades:




Those grenades were installed on bombers, attack planes and even some fighters as additional rear-defense weapon. When enemy pursued the plane, the grenades were discharged. The small drag chutes dragged them out of their cells and away from plane. Friction-ignited pyrotechnical fuze exploded the grenades 3-5 seconds after drop.

Weren't very efficient too, but were cheap and easy to use.

 

[pathology_doc]

Didn't I read somewhere that Buccaneers sometimes carried a 500lb bomb with a retarder mechanism as a form of rear defence at ultra low level? The pursuer either flies into it or the blast slaps him about.

 

[GTX]

Didn't I read somewhere that Buccaneers sometimes carried a 500lb bomb with a retarder mechanism as a form of rear defence at ultra low level? The pursuer either flies into it or the blast slaps him about.

Indeed. The so called "retard defense", or more informally "dropping your knickers".