T27 Xylophone
"By the rocket's red glare~!"
- – From the United States National Anthem, Star-Spangled Banner.
The T27 Xylophone was an early Rocket Battery used by the United States army during the latter part of World War II. In Flames of War, it is mounted on a truck for mobility, but in reality, it was more often assembled and then fired from a stationary position.
Late War[edit]
IRL[edit]
The Xylophone was introduced in 1944 to offer an American version of more common rocket artillery that was entering the theater along with the M4A3 calliope. The Xylophone was typical of rocket artillery of the period: potentially deadly, noisy, terrifying, and slow as hell to reload. It only saw service in Europe and was phased out of service after the end of the war. In spite of this, the Xylophone was used in some units as late as the Vietnam war, which isn't bad for a 20-year-old design.
| US Forces in Flames of War | |
|---|---|
| Tanks: | M4 Sherman - M3 Lee - M5/M3 Stuart - M24 Chaffee - M26 Pershing - M27 Tank - M6 Heavy Tank - T14 Heavy Tank |
| Transports: | M3 Halftrack - Jeep - DUKW |
| Infantry: | US Armored Rifle Platoon - Parachute Rifle Platoon - Rifle Platoon - American Rifle Company - Glider Platoon - Machine Gun Platoon |
| Artillery: | US 155mm - US 105mm Artillery - US 75mm Artillery - US 81mm Mortars - T27 Xylophone - 57mm Anti Tank Platoon - M12 155mm Artillery Battery - M7 Priest - M8 Scott |
| Tank Destroyer: | M10 - M18 Hellcat - T55 Gun Motor Carriage - M36 Slugger |
| Recon: | M3 Scout Car - M20 Security Section - M8 Greyhound Cavalry Recon Patrol |
| Aircraft: | P40 Warhawk - P47 Thunderbolt - P38 Lightning - F4U Corsair |
| Anti-Aircraft: | M15 & M16 AAA Platoon |