An ancient 2-inch Konstantinov unguided rocket set up before Russian trenches, likely on the Caucus Front, circa 1915-1916.
Designed in the early 1850s by Lt. Gen. Konstantin Konstantinovich Konstantinov– an illegitimate son of the younger brother of Russian Emperor Alexander I– the Konstantinov rocket was considered more advanced in terms of performance and payload to the British Congreve rockets of the day.
By the Crimean War, the Russian Imperial Army adopted 2-inch, 2.5-inch, and 4-inch rockets of his design in fragmentation and incendiary variants which far outclassed field artillery of the day. For reference, the 4-inch rocket, loaded with a 10-pound frag grenade, had a maximum firing range of 4,150 m. By comparison, a 10-pounder Parrott rifle only had an effective range of about 1,700 m. Further, they could be ripple-fired as many as 36 rockets in a single salvo, forming a kill box.
The Russians had some 23.000 Konstantinov rockets on hand by the Crimean War and used them during the siege of Sevastopol– fired from the roofs and upper floors of buildings to strike British lines– and at Revel in the Baltic against ships of the Royal Navy,
By 1898, advances in field artillery had eclipsed their niche usefulness. They were withdrawn from service, and the last rocket batteries disbanded.
However, we all know the Russians never throw anything away when it comes to ordnance and, as seen above, Konstantinovs popped up again in the Great War.
Further, there is some anecdotal evidence the Finns still had a few of them in inventory during WWII, no doubt inherited from Tsarist stocks left behind in the former Grand Duchy in 1917.
Raketti vie 1300 valistusta ja uutisia sis�lt�vi� lentolehtisi� naapurin puolelle.
Classified by the Finns as fortress rockets (Linnoitusraketti) there are pictures of them being used to harass Soviet lines in 1941 near Hanko (Hango), some 90 years after they were introduced.
Linnoitusraketti valmiina lentämään. Hangon rintama 1941.09.20
The rocket takes off (night view) from the rock of the island over the back to the neighbor’s island across the border of the rental area. Hanko front 1941.09.20
The rocket has launched. Hanko front 1941.01.01
The Finns liked them so much that they went on to make an even more rudimentary version to carry propaganda leaflets (Propagandalehtisiä Lähetetään Raketin).
“Sending propaganda rockets: Situational information with local news is delivered to the neighbor’s side by rockets. According to the prisoners, the news delivered in this way is read carefully, because this news through us arrives much faster than the prisoners’ own situational information about the day’s events. Valkeajärvi (Uhtua direction) 1941.10.28”
