Interwar Italian Rocket Artillery?

[Persephone]

So, as part of my ongoing timeline over on the other place, Italy undergoes a drastic societal change as a result of government mismanagement of the Red Biennium (spurred on by a more militant Italian Socialist Party), the Fiuman Expedition, and the Vlora War leading to a three way civil war that ends with the victory of a Nationalist coalition led by Gabriele D'Annunzio. Now, without going too much into details about the technological developments that occur later on in the timeline, Italian military doctrine and development takes a different turn from OTL. By coincidence, I've become increasingly interested in rocket artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems as of late, which brings me to my question: What would a hypothetical interwar Italian rocket artillery look like and how could it develop?

Right now, the current design idea I have for it is something based off of or influenced by the Infernal Machine used by Giuseppe Marco Fieschi in his failed assassination attempt on Louis Phillipe I of France, much like how OTL's Katyushas were possibly influenced by it. That being said, I'm unsure about how it could be developed or who could spearhead the development of it, and I'm hoping folks can give some suggestions or insight on the idea as well as their own ideas for possible homegrown Italian rocket artillery systems.

 

[SinghSong]

If you're looking for a candidate to spearhead the development of interwar Italian rocket artillery, surely it'd have to be Gaetano Arturo Crocco, the Neapolitan-born founder of the Italian Rocket Society, who went on to become Italy's leading space scientist IOTL? Crocco started studying space flight, jet propulsion and rocket fuels in 1923 IOTL, and in 1927, the Aeronautic Experimental Institute, where Crocco was working, obtained a 200,000 ItL financing (equivalent to today's 1million Euro) to develop black-powder-fuelled rockets, which were tested later in a BPD firing range at Segni, in Lazio. Crocco then moved onto research on liquid fuels, and drew up plans for the first Italian-built combustion chamber, which he tested in 1930 with the help of his son, Luigi Crocco.

IOTL though, the lack of interest and financing, followed by the outbreak of WW2, confined Crocco to academic activities: he directed the Aeronautic Engineering School from 1935 to 1942 and then again from 1948 to 1952, and in these years, Crocco wrote hundreds of papers and patented so many inventions that his students used to say in mock poetry "Everything I use or see, Oh my Crocco is made by thee." So then, it doesn't take too much divergence, or of a stretch of the imagination, for the proud celebrity fighter pilot and aviator Gabriele D'Annunzio to take a closer look at, and a far keener interest in, Crocco's pioneering aviation and astronautical research than Mussolini ever did.

And with greater interest, resources and funding, one can easily imagine D'Annuzio putting Crocco in charge of a rocket development program early on, and perhaps having him prioritizing the interwar development of Italian air-to-ground barrage rocket artillery, akin to the British RP-3 and US M8 rockets which were developed later on IOTL, originally designed for use as the primary armament for the Regia Aeronautica's fighter-bombers and torpedo bombers, but also utilizable by ground-to-ground rocket artillery launchers as well (perhaps also drawing inspiration from D'Annuzio's former military experience aboard a torpedo boat, with D'Annuzio envisioning rocket artillery as suitable for use in a similar role?). What do you think?

 

[Creekmench]

I can see Italy developing a scud esque missle as a defensive and offensive measure being used as both a terror weapon and and to destroy logistic depots.

 

[Coiler]

By coincidence, I've become increasingly interested in rocket artillery and multiple rocket launcher systems as of late, which brings me to my question: What would a hypothetical interwar Italian rocket artillery look like and how could it develop?

Honestly, I think it wouldn't look that much different in practice from anyone else's of a similar time period. I mean, for all the deserved reputation of the Katyusha, there were rockets used by everyone in WW2 (see the 4.5 inch American rockets and Nebelwerfers), and rockets compared with shells are apples and oranges, especially given the technology of the time.

 

[Death's Companion]

Combining a weapon that can hit anything that it's not aimed at with an army that cannot hit anything it's aiming at is either lunacy or brilliance.

Let's face it given Italy it's only going to be one.

 

[Persephone]

If you're looking for a candidate to spearhead the development of interwar Italian rocket artillery, surely it'd have to be Gaetano Arturo Crocco, the Neapolitan-born founder of the Italian Rocket Society, who went on to become Italy's leading space scientist IOTL? Crocco started studying space flight, jet propulsion and rocket fuels in 1923 IOTL, and in 1927, the Aeronautic Experimental Institute, where Crocco was working, obtained a 200,000 ItL financing (equivalent to today's 1million Euro) to develop black-powder-fuelled rockets, which were tested later in a BPD firing range at Segni, in Lazio. Crocco then moved onto research on liquid fuels, and drew up plans for the first Italian-built combustion chamber, which he tested in 1930 with the help of his son, Luigi Crocco.

IOTL though, the lack of interest and financing, followed by the outbreak of WW2, confined Crocco to academic activities: he directed the Aeronautic Engineering School from 1935 to 1942 and then again from 1948 to 1952, and in these years, Crocco wrote hundreds of papers and patented so many inventions that his students used to say in mock poetry "Everything I use or see, Oh my Crocco is made by thee." So then, it doesn't take too much divergence, or of a stretch of the imagination, for the proud celebrity fighter pilot and aviator Gabriele D'Annunzio to take a closer look at, and a far keener interest in, Crocco's pioneering aviation and astronautical research than Mussolini ever did.

And with greater interest, resources and funding, one can easily imagine D'Annuzio putting Crocco in charge of a rocket development program early on, and perhaps having him prioritizing the interwar development of Italian air-to-ground barrage rocket artillery, akin to the British RP-3 and US M8 rockets which were developed later on IOTL, originally designed for use as the primary armament for the Regia Aeronautica's fighter-bombers and torpedo bombers, but also utilizable by ground-to-ground rocket artillery launchers as well (perhaps also drawing inspiration from D'Annuzio's former military experience aboard a torpedo boat, with D'Annuzio envisioning rocket artillery as suitable for use in a similar role?). What do you think?

This is exactly the type of response I was looking for! I read a bit about Crocco while I was doing some research, but wasn't sure if he would be a good fit, so it's good to know that he'd work for the idea. In my timeline, WW2 doesn't happen, with a series of regional wars occurring instead (with the two that Italy's involved in taking place sometime later in the early to mid 40s and early 50s), so that would give Crocco plenty of time to develop his ideas and receive funding for his projects. This is perfect, thank you so much!

Honestly, I think it wouldn't look that much different in practice from anyone else's of a similar time period. I mean, for all the deserved reputation of the Katyusha, there were rockets used by everyone in WW2 (see the 4.5 inch American rockets and Nebelwerfers), and rockets compared with shells are apples and oranges, especially given the technology of the time.

Hm, that's a fair point. Thanks for the input!

Combining a weapon that can hit anything that it's not aimed at with an army that cannot hit anything it's aiming at is either lunacy or brilliance.

Let's face it given Italy it's only going to be one.

To be entirely fair, the Italian military ITTL isn't the same one that existed IOTL, with a more centralized high command and actual inter-service cooperation, less executive interference, no incompetent idiots like Badoglio running the show, and generally better equipped/trained than OTL (turns out, having to fight a bloody civil war means that you'll have to learn from your mistakes and improve your military for future conflicts). That being said, they do promote a healthy amount of drug use for improved results in warfare, so combining rockets with soldiers that regularly hype themselves up for battle with stimulants is equally insane and brilliant.