Charles Carpenter, also known as "Bazooka Charlie," was a US Army pilot during WWII, tasked with spotting enemy positions from the air for artillery bombardment.

In 1942, Charles Carpenter enlisted in the US Army as a second lieutenant. He flew light observation aircraft after finishing flying training, and gained extensive experience in enemy surveillance and observation, as well as artillery scouting missions.

Carpenter was assigned to the 4th Armored Division of General George Patton's 3rd Army, as a Grasshopper pilot and artillery spotter.

Despite his dissatisfaction with his plane's lack of armament and offensive potential, he learned that other scout pilots were attaching weapons to their planes.

Inspired by stories he’d heard from other unarmed scout aircraft, now, Major Carpenter decided to follow suit, strapping not one, but six M1A1 bazookas to the wing struts of his Grasshopper.

Carpenter began striking German armoured formations now, that his aircraft, which he called Rosie the Rocketer, was armed.

​​Carpenter discovered that even against heavy tanks such as the Tiger 1, using bazookas as airborne weapons was highly effective at immobilising German tank targets, with any strong hit against the thinner armour shielding the top of the tank.

By the end of the war, Carpenter was credited with destroying six enemy tanks, officially making him a tank ace, though his total count and contributions are likely much higher.

Music Credits: All This Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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