Original WWII British Inert PIAT Anti-Tank Bomb Launcher Round - Dated October 1944

Original Item. Only One Available. This is a salty Inert British WWII PIAT Anti-Tank Bomb Launcher HEAT (high explosive anti-tank) "Bomb" round. This example retains its original factory paint and stamps, with a date of 10/44, for October 1944. This example is missing the fuze cap and has some minor material loss across but still displays very well without. Like all deactivated ordnance, this PIAT Round is Not Available for Export.

The tip of the PIAT has a red band painted on it, and the lower head has one large blue stripe between two black stripes. The round measures roughly 14⅝” in length. The round is missing some of the paint in certain spots, with the threads of the head missing some metal as well. The piece wrapped around the fin assembly is bending in a few spots and has some material loss along the edges. The shaft of the round is stamped SUNSHINE 8/44. The PIAT round is stamped in two places on the warhead\

CR/C 31 10/44

And

T.N.T. 3

The top of the round likely unscrews, but due to the deterioration of the metal, we have not attempted to unscrew it, and we would not recommend doing so. This example has some material loss on the ring at the very end of the round, so it no longer sits straight up, but will lay nicely for display.

This is a very rare deactivated HEAT type PIAT round, and it is definitely a nice example overall, despite the damage. Ready to display!

The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) was a British anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in response to the British Army's need for a more effective hand-held infantry anti-tank weapon. It consisted of a steel tube, a trigger mechanism and firing spring, and was based on the spigot mortar system; instead of using a propellant to directly fire a round, the spring was cocked and tightened. When the trigger was pulled, it released the spring that pushed the spigot forward into the rear of the bomb. This detonated the propellant in the bomb itself, which was then thrown forward off the spigot. It possessed an effective range of approximately 100 yards (90 m).

This system meant that the PIAT had several advantages, which included a lack of muzzle smoke to reveal the position of the user, the ability to fire it from inside buildings, and an inexpensive barrel. The PIAT entered service in 1943, and was first used during the Allied invasion of Sicily that year; it remained in use with British and Commonwealth forces until the early 1950s, when it was replaced by the American bazooka. A large number of PIATs were supplied to the Soviet Union through Lend Lease, and it was also used by the French resistance and the Polish Underground. The Israeli Haganah used PIATs during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Six members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces received Victoria Crosses whilst using the PIAT in combat.