A bazooka is a man-portable recoilless anti-tank rocket launcher weapon, widely deployed by the United States Army, especially during World War II. Also referred to as the "stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was among the first generation of rocket-propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat. Featuring a solid-propellant rocket for propulsion, it allowed for high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) shaped charge warheads to be delivered against armored vehicles, machine gun nests, and fortified bunkers at ranges beyond that of a standard thrown grenade or mine. The universally applied nickname arose from the M1 variant's vague resemblance to the musical instrument called a bazooka invented and popularized by 1930s American comedian Bob Burns.
M1 bazooka
A prototype of the world's first "tube-type rocket-propelled grenade launcher", the grip part of "ORIGINAL BAZOOKA" is marked "MAY 1942" and is signed by the development team including Hickman, Skinner, and Yule
An M1 bazooka with M6A1 and M6A3 rockets
American soldier with M1A1 bazooka on August 23, 1944, near Fontainebleau, France
Man-portable anti-tank systems
Man-portable anti-tank systems are traditionally portable shoulder-launched projectile systems firing heavy shell-type projectiles, typically designed to combat protected targets, such as armoured vehicles, field fortifications and at times even low-flying aircraft.
Mauser 1918 T-Gewehr 13.2x92mm anti-tank rifle at the Musée de l'Armée in Paris.
RPG-7 rocket launcher with shaped charge rocket.
A recoilless rifle, such as this Carl Gustav recoilless rifle, produces a large backblast when fired
Baktar-Shikan Man portable Anti tank Guided Weapon