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454:
428:, which fired a zirconium-tipped spotter tracer round visible past 2,000 yards, it could engage targets out to 2,000 m (2,200 yd). The strike was observed by the No. 1, who called the fall of shot. The No. 2 maintained the spotting rifle and observed the back blast area. The WOMBAT entered service in 1964, rapidly replacing earlier versions in service with the regular army; but it never fully replaced MOBAT and CONBAT with infantry units of the
31:
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The Wombat was a development version which was adopted and replaced the earlier BAT and MOBAT weapons. It was in turn replaced by anti-tank guided missiles. The L6 Wombat itself comprised the L12A3 BAT gun, but mounted on a new lightweight carriage. The vertically sliding breech of the BAT and MoBAT
258:
version was greatly lightened through the use of magnesium alloys hence the name (Weapon Of
Magnesium Battalion Anti-Tank). The Wombat was used by mobile units such as paratroopers and marines. the Wombat was also issued to some TA battalions such as 5th Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment
302:
was replaced by a lighter horizontally hinged breech. The Wombat was mounted on a small two wheeled carriage, which was removable in order to be moved over obstacles and then locked to the carriage again. The weapon was normally carried in the rear of a specially adapted Land Rover (
324:, or small darts, giving a "shotgun" effect. These rounds could be used against infantry in the open. The base of the BAT cartridge case was frangible, the reaction gases venting directly backwards through a single large
320:, which it could fire out to around 1,800 m. The HESH round could defeat 400 mm (16 in) of armour. Other ammunition types include the canister and modified canister rounds. The latter released
446:. (The American designation was the .50-cal M8C spotting rifle. It used a shorter cartridge than the .50-cal machine gun.) The tracer rounds matched trajectory with the CONBAT to 350.
143:
3 (DC) Detachment
Commander, (No.1) Spotter + main armament loader + maintained the spotting Rifle, (No.2) Driver, main armament unloader and rear security + back blast observer
788:
778:
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have ever attacked. The wire guidance of MILAN would also have been problematic in the built up areas of Berlin. It was envisioned that Wombat would be used in '
286:, took their place. WOMBAT remained in anti-tank platoons in Berlin to supplement MILAN until the late 1980s, due to the expected engagement ranges should the
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453:
408:
A new build weapon with a lightweight carriage, which meant that it was usable by all air Mobile (Infantry
Battalions) plus mobile troops, such as the
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409:
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A BAT with the shield removed to lighten it (even though it still weighed some 770 kg (0.76 long tons) and a spotting weapon (a
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328:. This was in contrast to the US recoilless designs, which used a frangible sidewall to the cartridge case and multiple venturi.
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Non
British users of the MOBAT variant were Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia and New Zealand. Australia used the WOMBAT variant.
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36:
317:
310:
654:, author John Weeks states the name "Wombat" was a reference to the animal and had nothing to do with magnesium.
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The original towed gun complete with a heavy armoured shield and wheeled mount. Accepted for service in 1953.
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version without a gun shield, and the ConBAT version with a new spotting rifle attachment. The
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The
Illustrated encyclopedia of 20th century weapons and warfare, Volume 11
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The
Lessons Of Modern War: Volume III: The Afghan And Falklands Conflicts
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as a carrier for the L6 Wombat in the snow-covered mountains of Norway.
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163:
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283:
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A conversion of the L4 MoBAT or L2 BAT utilizing a L40A1 12.7 mm
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in 1982, but they were not off-loaded from the transport ships.
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270:
to become the standard anti-tank weapon of the Army in the post-
560:
User
Handbook for the Gun, Equipment, 120mm BAT, L6 (WOMBAT)
471:
Royal
Marines Wombat outfitted Snow Trac on patrol in Norway
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L6 Wombat being prepared for firing during winter training
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Wombats were among the anti-tank weapons taken by the
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242:(Battalion, Anti-Tank) was a 120 mm calibre
294:' attacks mounted on the back of stripped down
586:Cordesman, Anthony H; Wagner, Abraham (1991).
416:. It was also fitted to vehicles, such as the
694:Anti-tank Weapons (Modern Military Equipment)
670:. The Tank Museum. Event occurs at 9:46-9:58
529:
527:
8:
306:). The Wombat could also be mounted on the
789:Military equipment introduced in the 1950s
18:
619:. The Tank Museum. 2023. pp. 72–75.
611:
609:
158:12.8 kg (28 lb 4 oz) HESH
779:Recoilless rifles of the United Kingdom
667:MOBAT, WOMBAT, CONBAT | Anti-Tank Chats
487:
449:
274:era. The BAT and MOBAT were used until
784:Cold War weapons of the United Kingdom
718:
7:
534:FitzSimmons (1969). Bernard (ed.).
262:BAT was developed from the wartime
424:. When fitted with an M8C .50 cal
116:3.86 m (12 ft 8 in)
14:
394:) added. It could be towed by an
316:The usual round for Wombat was a
135:1.09 m (3 ft 7 in)
756:
744:
732:
714:Pictures of Mobat and ammunition
464:
452:
213:Effective firing range
29:
250:. It was also produced in the
221:Maximum firing range
208:463 m/s (1,520 ft/s)
1:
664:Copeson, Chris (5 May 2023).
343:forces used the Swedish made
696:, Brassey's (UK) Ltd, 1996.
224:1,610 m (1,760 yd)
216:1,000 m (1,100 yd)
437:L7 CONBAT ("Converted BAT")
375:L2 BAT, Battalion Anti Tank
232:Optical with spotting rifle
37:Imperial War Museum Duxford
805:
592:. Routledge. p. 289.
311:armoured personnel carrier
244:recoilless anti-tank rifle
755:
743:
731:
726:
617:Tankfest Souvenir Special
276:anti-tank guided missiles
168:120 mm (4.7 in)
147:
108:308 kg (679 lb)
54:Place of origin
28:
562:. Director of Infantry,
496:"Britains-smallwars.com"
398:or, later, a Land Rover.
16:British recoilless rifle
266:, replacing it and the
566:. 1964. WO Code 14202.
414:Royal Marine Commandos
392:Bren light machine gun
268:Ordnance QF 17-pounder
264:Ordnance, RCL, 3.45 in
194:Rate of fire
385:L4 MoBAT (Mobile BAT)
420:or a 3/4 ton portee
204:Muzzle velocity
564:Ministry of Defence
198:4 rounds per minute
410:Parachute Regiment
352:Parachute Regiment
87:Production history
767:
766:
652:Men against Tanks
520:Weaponsystems.net
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498:. Archived from
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100:Specifications
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692:Norris, J.,
687:Bibliography
672:. Retrieved
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504:. Retrieved
500:the original
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396:Austin Champ
365:
349:
341:Royal Marine
339:and British
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315:
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272:World War II
261:
255:
251:
248:British Army
246:used by the
239:
237:
124: length
67:Used by
35:A Wombat at
331:During the
288:Warsaw Pact
81:Vietnam War
773:Categories
762:ConBAT gun
546:B009B70ZRG
506:2010-02-07
477:References
422:Land Rover
322:flechettes
298:vehicles.
296:Land Rover
278:, such as
178:-8 to +17°
23:L6 Wombat
750:MoBAT gun
403:L6 WOMBAT
362:Operators
345:Snow Trac
256:L6 Wombat
174:Elevation
72:Australia
727:BAT guns
370:Variants
333:Cold War
308:FV432/40
280:Vigilant
184:Traverse
92:Designed
738:BAT gun
354:to the
326:venturi
164:Calibre
700:
623:
596:
544:
304:Portee
240:L2 BAT
229:Sights
132:Height
122:Barrel
113:Length
674:5 May
640:MOBAT
482:Notes
418:FV432
335:era,
284:MILAN
252:MOBAT
154:Shell
95:1950s
698:ISBN
676:2023
621:ISBN
594:ISBN
542:ASIN
412:and
337:NATO
318:HESH
282:and
238:The
188:360°
140:Crew
105:Mass
77:Wars
44:Type
650:In
775::
608:^
526:^
313:.
678:.
629:.
602:.
548:.
509:.
432:.
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