Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    ©

    1972, Almark Publishing Co. Ltd.

    Text © T. J . Gander

    ll

    rights reserv

    ed No

    pa

    rt

    of this publication ma y be repr

    oduc

    ed. sto red in

    n

    relrieval system or

    transmilled

    by

    any

    means  electronic

    mech

    a

    nic

    al or

    by

    photo co

    pying

    witho

    ut

    pr

    ior

    permi

    ss

    ion from the publishers.

    First published - October 1972

    ISBN 855240849 (hard cover edition)

    ISBN 85524 085 7 (paper covered edition)

    Printed in Great Britain by

    Byron Press Ltd

    .

    59 Palmerston Road, Wealdstone, Middlesex

    for the publishers, Almark Publishing

    Co

    . Ltd.,

    270 Burlington Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 4N

    L

    England

    Introduction

    TH E solid fuel rocket

    is

    no newcomer

    to

    modern warfare for its first recorded

    use in battle dates back to AD 1232, but after the fall from grace of the

    Congreve and Hale rockets towards the end of the nineteenth centu ry little use

    was made of it until the German Army re - introduced the rocket in an offen

    sive role from

    1940

    onwards. Actually they could have had rockets in service

    during World War I, for Krupps had purchased the solid fuel rocket patents

    of

    the Swedish experime

    nt

    er Lieutenant-Colonel von Unge in 1909. While the

    rockets then produced w ere extensively tested, they did

    not go

    into production

    as they were virtually hand-made and the slow-burning black powder propel

    lants then in use were prone to damage during storage and transport. This

    damage manifested itself in erratic burning and general unreliabili ty. It was not

    until the advent of the large grain double-based propellants after about 1935

    that a storeable and reliable mass-produced rocket could be manufactured.

    This book sets

    out to show

    how one nation, Germany, employed

    the

    solid fuel rocket as part of its national field armoury. As such it confines

    itself to weapons used on the battlefield and only encroaches onto the anti

    aircraft role when the rockets so employed were also used as

    ground-to

    ground w eapons. How ever, to complete the story  in some cases, mention

    has been made of the airborne use of some of these weapons.

    The research into this subject has been considerably aided by John

    Mil

    som

    who supplied much of the material used in this

    book

    , and

    to whom my

    thanks are due. Acknowledgements and thanks must also be made

    to

    R. C. Gibson,

    John Wilk

    e

    s

    Colour Sergeant Fitch

    of the

    Airborne Forces

    Museum at Aldershot, Peter Chamberlain, the staff of the Photographic Sec

    tion of the Imperial War Museum, and finally my wi fe who typed the

    original manuscript. Kenneth M.

    Jon

    es produced the cov er art .

    ONTENTS

    Section

    Page

    1:

    Deployment and Organisation

    5

    2: Rocket Equipment 14

    3

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    /lBO VE: Start

    of

    a r ocket barrage. The fierce smoke trail was a characteristic

    and awesome accompaniment to Nebelw erfer battery fire.

    F

    RONT

    COVER : (Top) RP

    54

    team at the moment of loading. (Bo ttom)

    I'

    ilrarroo

    per

    w

    ith

    the

    ubiquitou

    s Panz

    erf

    aus

    t

    This

    va

    ri

    a

    nt

    is the

    30

    m mode

    l.

    BA CK COVER:

    Rocket

    troops

    re

    -Ioading a

    5

    cm Nebe

    lw

    e

    rf

    er 41.

    4

    : Deployment and

    Organisation

    ROCKETS were employed by the German forces in World War 2 in an attempt

    to conserve the facilities available for the manufacture

    of war

    weapons.

    A rocket and its proj ector can be made and fired

    with

    a large saving in

    money, manufacturing facilities and training over the corresponding artillery

    equipment. But it was realis

    ed

    from the start that the accuracy

    of

    the rocket

    fell far below that

    of

    the conventional artillery shell. Where the rocket made up

    for

    this

    was

    in its

    ability

    to

    cover large areas

    with

    explosive, smoke or gas in

    a very short time, and rocket units were trained

    to

    maintain a very high rate

    of

    fire over short periods.

    The high fire rate was utilised in beefing-up barrages and counter

    barrages

    though

    the former was the more usual. Fixed projectors (such

    as

    the

    Schweres Wurfgeriit

    40

    and 41) were also used to this end

    while

    the mobile

    projectors were more often used for

    following

    up tank formation attacks, when

    they usually supported the flanks . In the armoured attack the independent

    Panzerwerferbatterie or Wuhrfrahmen-armed half-tracks closely

    followed

    the

    attack and laid down supporting barrages when required, although towed

    projector units sometimes carried out this task. The ability

    of

    the Nebelwerfer

    units to lay smoke cloud screens to hide movement and dispositions was

    often utilised whenever large areas had

    to

    be covered in a short time. The

    rocket units could do the same

    with

    gas

    but

    fortunately this was not called

    for

    during the 1939 -

    45

    conflict .

    T CTIC L

    US S

    OF

    ROCKET UNITS

    The ability to cover large areas with HE (high explosive), smoke or gas

    had to be paid for tactically. Each rocket

    when

    fired left a trail of flame and

    smoke (giving rise to the name Nebelwerfer -smoke thrower) and if this did

    not show up the firing position, the large cloud of dust and debris stirred

    up

    by the rock et s exhaust c ertainly

    would.

    This

    often

    resulted in

    counter

    battery artillery and mortarfire being directed at the Nebelwerfer emplacements.

    Later in the

    war

    the Russians sometimes used Katyusha rockets for this

    purpose so that rocket versus rocket duels occurred. As a result of this

    counter-battery work, the Nebeltruppe had to be experts in getting in and out

    of action quickly.

    Further down the tactical scale, rocket units were often detached to give

    support to relatively small unit actions, so that a single battery sometimes gave

    support to a company attack. There were also more specialised applications

    such as when a 15 cm Nebelwerfer 4 battery was added to the proposed

    complement of a cavalry artillery abteilung attached

    to

    Army Group Centre

    (Russian Front) during 1943. The remainder of the abteilung was to have

    been made up of recoilless 10  5 cm LG 40 guns, so the 15 cm battery would

    have added a great deal of fi repower to the abteilung strength.

    5

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    ORGANISATION OF DIE

    NEBElTRUPPEN

    Up to 1940

    the

    main weight of the German Chemical Warfare Units was

    biased towards smoke

    production

    for tactical screens. The units involved were

    few in number and utilised the

    10

    cm Nebelwerfer 35 an enlarged mortar

    (for details see separate section) . In 1940 this was supplemented

    by

    the

    10

    cm

    Nebelwerfer 40

    but

    by

    the

    same year

    the

    first rocket equipments (the Schweres

    Wurfgerat 40 with its 28/ 32 cm rockets) came into service after development

    at Meppen and Kummersdorf.

    However, during 1939 the first Nebeltruppe were amongst the German

    forces invading Poland, but there was little for them to do. There were in fact

    three Nebelabteilung present during that campaign. As the rocket equipments

    became available a training

    unit

    (Le

    hrabteilung)

    was formed at the Nebel

    truppenschule at Celie, south

    of

    Stettin but the first Werfer Regiment was

    not formed

    until

    June 1940-just too late to take part in the campaign in

    France,

    After

    that, however, the numbers

    of

    Werferbrigaden (each made up of

    two or three Werferregimenter) increased until there were twenty in the line

    and numerous other units available for special purposes such as the

    Panzerwerferbatterie and Rheinbote units. A second training unit and range

    was at Munster- Nord.

    ESTABLISHMENTS

    Basically there

    were

    three different types of rocket unit, of which the basic

    unit

    was

    the Abteilung (artillery brigade) . These abteilung were joined in dif

    fering

    combinations

    to form Werferregimenter. The three basic abteilung were

    as follows.

    (1) Rocket Projector Brigade Motorized). Werferabteilung [mot ]).

    Normally equipped with the 15 cm Neberwerfer 41 this

    formation

    consisted

    of a brigade staff and staff battery with

    up

    to three batteries (werfer

    batterien), The

    equipment

    for

    this

    unit is shown separately, but the

    staff

    consisted of:

    Brigade HQ

    Reconnaissance/ observation platoon

    Rangefinder section.

    Maintenance unit

    Ad ministrative staff

    Signals staff

    Anti-tank unit, armed with the 3·7 cm or later the 7·5 cm Pak.

    BEL

    0 W:

    A battery o f

    15

    cm Nebelwerfer 41 s in action. No te the absence o f

    p ersonnel w

    ho

    wo

    uld

    ha ve been under cover during the firing period

    (2) Heavy Rocket Projector Brigade motorized}-Schwere Werferabteilung

    mot)

    .

    These units

    could

    be equipped with either the

    21 cm Nebelwerfer

    42,

    the 28/ 32 cm

    Nebelwerfer

    or later the 30 cm Nebelwerfer

    42

    or 56. A brigade

    was

    described as heavy if more than one battery was equipped with the

    21 cm

    equipment

    or larger

    (the

    normal werferabteilung usually had only

    one

    21

    cm battery,

    if that).

    Thus a Heavy Brigade

    could

    consist of three

    21

    cm

    batteries or two 21

    cm

    batteries and one 15 cm battery.

    However

    , the brigade

    HQ

    was

    often enlarged by the addition

    of

    an extra detachment to deal with

    chemical decontamination, in addition to the normal HQ units.

    (3)

    Mountain

    Rock

    et Projector Brigade-Gebirgswerferabteilung .

    Relatively few in number these

    units

    were normally equipped with the 10 cm

    Nebe

    lwerfer

    35 and 40 mortars, though rocket

    equipment could

    be added

    for

    special campaigns, eg, the

    1942

    Caucasus campaign.

    In addition to the above there were also

    independent

    armoured projector

    companies (Panzerwerferbatterie)

    which

    employed the

    15

    cm Panzerwerfer 42

    mounted on

    Maultier

    half-tracks, These were normally organised into two

    platoons, each

    with

    four

    projectors.

    There were no established units for the Schweres Wurfgeriit

    40

    and 41 .

    Manpower

    was detailed

    off

    for their use whenever they were required.

    It must be stressed at

    this

    point that the Werferregimenter and smaller

    units

    were not normally part of any Army divisional establishment but were

    allotted

    to

    the various armies, corps and divisions by OKH (General Head

    quarters

    of

    the Armies). Only the

    SS

    Panzer Divisions (SS 1, 2, 3,

    5

    9,

    10

    ,

    12)

    had organic Werferabteilung (each

    of 18

    projectors).

    To return to the Regimental level, regiments like their brigades were divided

    into Werferregimenter and Schweres (heavy) Werferregimenter. The W erfer

    regimenter was normally comprised

    of

    a Regimental HQ and HQ battery,

    two

    15

    cm abteilung, one

    21

    cm abteilung and a

    light

    projector

    column

    (usually

    a 15 cm

    detachment)

    for special purposes. A Schweres Regimenter was one

    in which more than one abteilung

    was

    equipped with the

    21 cm Nebelwerfer

    42

    or larger. Normal establishment

    for

    one of these heavy units was two 21 cm

    or

    28/32

    cm (later

    30

    cm) abteilung and one

    15

    cm abteilung.

    The

    Werferabteilung

    (mot) (15 em)

    As

    the

    basic

    unit of

    the Nebeltruppe, the W erferabteilung needs further

    explanation . Its equipment strength table is shown separately but shows that

    the brigade

    HQ

    had a paper battery

    with

    the usual

    HQ

    staff and anti -tank

    unit. There were usually three batteries, each

    with

    six projectors, and one

    3 ·7

    cm

    Pak or 7·5 cm Pak anti-tank gun.

    On the road each abteilung column covered a length

    of 1800

    metres and

    took 20

    minutes

    to

    pass one

    point

    . This was on a first class road

    when

    the

    column

    speed was 30 km/hr. On the autobahn the speed

    could

    be raised

    to

    40 km/ hr and lowered

    to 20

    km/ hr

    for

    second class roads

    or

    tracks.

    In action a brigade covered a

    front of

    up to

    1200

    m,

    as

    each battery took

    350

    m

    although

    200

    m was the more

    usual- th is

    reduced the

    front to about

    800-900 m. The inherent inaccuracy of the rocket projectile meant that

    volume

    of fire had to replace accuracy and the watchword

    of

    the Nebeltruppe was

    Klotzen, Nicht Kleckern (roughly- thump,

    don

      t

    tap ).

    This was shown by

    the ability

    to

    fire

    108

    rounds in

    10

    seconds, and 648 in

    90

    seconds. Such a

    volume

    of fire would saturate most targets and led to early reports

    from

    the

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    ABOVE: aultiers with

    15

    cm Panzerwerfer 4 projectors being prepared

    for

    action

    during the

    winter of 1944.

    Note rhe discarded packkiste at the

    bottom

    left

    of

    the picture.

    Russians

    that the 15

    cm Nebelwerfer 41 could fire 6 rockets in five

    seconds

    actually the firing rate

    was

    six in ten seconds.

    It must be stressed that the establishments described above and in the

    tables are for ideal situations. Even at the start

    of

    a campaign the manpower,

    equipment

    and transport figures

    could

    be reduced by up to a

    third

    as a result of

    sickness, maintenance, unserviceability, etc. By 1945 manpower had become so

    critical that Werferregimenter consisted of two abteilung only. Transport was

    another problem area and it should

    be

    borne in mind

    that

    many of the projectors

    described in

    this book

    were often

    towed into

    action by horses. However most

    SS units managed to maintain a higher establishment of equipment and man

    power due to the preference shown to Party formations.

    In September 1944, certain of the Werferabteilung were re-designated

    Volks-Werferabteilung. The term had purely political overtones in view of

    the impending defence

    of

    the Reich, and made no differences to establishments

    or role in the Nebeltruppen.

    ROCKET

    UNIT DESIGN TIONS

    Few

    records remain of the Nebeltruppen (later Werfertruppe) formations.

    Listed below are the known regiments which made up the Werferbrigaden

    in

    1945:

    Werferbrigade 1

    2 Werfer Regi menter 3,

    70

    3

    4 Werfer Regi menter 51, 52, s2

    5

    6

    7 Werfer Regimenter 83, 84 (Normandy July '44)

    8

    9 Werfer Regimenter 14, 54

    10

    11

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16 Werfer Regimenter 86, 87

    17 Werfer Regimenter 88, ?

    18

    Werfer Regimenter 21, 22

    19

    20

    8

    Listed below are the known units which made up the larger Nebeltruppen

    formations

    in 1945. No priority has been given to unit seniority . The list is

    not complete .

    Note: s-schweres (heavy)

    Stab-Staff.

    Stell-Stellung (static, garrison)

    (mit

    21 [pz]

    Bttr)-with

    21

    battery made up of 15cm

    Panzerwerfer 42 on

    Maultier

    half-tracks.

    WR- Werfer Regiment.

    Werfer Lehr Regiment 1, 2

    Wer fer Regimen t s 1

    Werfer Abteilung 1 (with WR 54)

    Werler Regiment s 2

    Werfer Abteilung 2 (with WR 52)

    Werfer Regiment s 3

    Werfer Abteilung 3 (wi th WR s3)

    Stab Werfer Regiment z b

    V

    4

    Werfer Abteilung 4

    Werfer Abteilung 5 (with WR 55)

    Werfer Abteilung 6

    Werfer Abteilung 7

    (with

    WR 54)

    Werfer Abteilung 8

    (with

    WR s 2)

    Stab Werfer Regiment s b

    V

    8

    Werfer Abteilung 9

    (with

    WR 71)

    Werfer Regiment 10

    Gebirgs Werfer Abteilung

    10

    Werfer Abteilung 11

    s Werfer Regimenter 13. 14, 15

    Panzer Werfer

    Bam

    21

    (with

    WR 57)

    Panzer Werfer Battr 22

    (with

    15 Panzer Grenadier Div)

    s Werfer Regimenter 21, 22, 26

    Werfer Abteilung 31

    Werfer Regimenter 38. 50, 51, 52 53

    Werfer Regiment 54 (mit

    21

    [pz] Battr)

    Werfer Regiment 55, 56

    s Werfer Reg iment 57 (m it 21 [pz] Battr)

    Werfer Reg iment 70 (mit

    21

    [pz] Battr)

    Werfer Regiment

    71

    (Tunisia '43)

    Werfer Regimenter 77,79,81,83,84,86,87,88,89

    Stell Werfer Regimenter 100, 101, 102, 103

    Werfer Batlerien 105

    113

    114

    151 (with WR 70)

    203

    208

    211

    224

    287

    (with

    WR 56)

    408

    458

    The Smoke Units that took part in

    the

    Invasion of Poland in September

    1939

    were Nebelabteilung 1, 2 and

    5.

    9

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    - - ; o . . . ; ; ; ; , . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

     

    Rocket Projector Regiment (motorized)

    Werferregimenter (mot)

    UNIT

    (f)

    c

    :J

    Ol

    Qi

    Q)

    ,

    c

    c

    0

    U

    Q

    0 0

    X

    u

    0

    0

    0

    0::

    1I II,Ii >I' 110 . .

    2

    3

    10

    10 3

    2

    3 1

    11 II,IiII>'1 110 l3,lttery ..... . .. . . . .

    3

    12

    70 70 9 6 2 13 2

    1 1111. 4 . 

    nll l l l lry.

    . . . . ... ....

    3

    27 105 113

    10

    12

    6

    6 31 2

    I', "I, " I  ' 1I II ry

    3

    27

    105

    113 10

    12

    6 6 31

    2

    l ' j i 'I' l l lt i 1IIIIIoly .

    3

    27

    105

    113

    10 12

    6

    6

    31

    2

    A

    l l i , I I I

    " 1;

      I0 n ....

    . .

    . . . . . .

    5 45

    45 2

    3

    1111 ,, 1

    ..

    . . . . . .. . .

    ... 14 101

    440 464

    44

    47

    20 4

    18

    109 9

    Total strength 555

    10

    ABOVE: Top)

    32

    em Wurfkorper

    MFL

    50. Bottom) 30 em Wurfkor

    pe

    r Spreng.

    AMMUNITION ESTABLISHMENTS

    NUMBER

    OF

    ROUNDS)

    Werferabteilung

    mot)

    (15 em)

    Carried into action:

    1728

    explosive (80%)

    432 smoke (20%)

    ie, for each battery:

    432 explosive

    108 smoke

    Sehwere Werferabteilung

    mot) (21

    em)

    Carried into action: 900

    HE-10

    salvoes

    ie, for each battery: 180

    For light column: 360

    Sehwere Werferabteilung

    mot)

    30

    em)

    Carried into action: 600

    HE-3

    salvoes

    ie, for each battery: 120

    For light column: 240

    Sehwere Werferabteilung

    mot)

    (28/32 em)

    Carried into action: 45028 cm

    HE

    150

    32 cm Incendiary

    Gebirgsnebelwerferabteilung 10 em Nebelwerfer

    35)

    Carried into action: 1899

    HE

    1269 Smoke

    For each battery:

    453 HE

    303 Smoke

    For light column:

    540 HE

    360 Smoke

    11

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    :;-

    ' '

    .

    ~ . ~ ~ ; c ? ;

    .

    , : ~ ~ ; , - . : . ; . \ ~ ~ ~ : ~ ~ ~

    ABOVE: (Top to Bottom 21 em Wurfgrenate 42 Spreng; 7.3

    cm

    Propaganda-

    granare 41; 28 cm Wurfkorper Spreng (unfused) in its packkiste

     .

    UNIFORMS OF RO KET TROOPS

    The original users were the Nebeltruppe or Smoke Troops, who were dressed

    in th e infantry-style uniform used by most of the technical formations

    of

    th e

    German Army during World War 2: the arm of service colour was a dark

    red (burgundy red) and appeared on the shoulder straps and the collar patch

    (as t he base colour). The forage -cap for other ranks had dark red piping on

    the cuff. Camouflage smocks

    wer

    e occasionally worn .

    The most prominent users of the Panzerfaust were the Fallschirmjager

    or Paratroop Regiments. The cover

    shows

    an Unteroffizier (Serg ea

    nt)

    in

    the

    slyl e of dress affected by paratroopers in the Mediterranean theatre

    of

    war . The

    Inll n camouflage smock and a canvas bandolier were peculiar

    to

    these troops

    lilt :

    former is shown as issued  but this soon became bleached

    to

    a lighter

    11

    :

    1 1

    0. The grey-blue helmet of paratroop pattern could be covered by a loose

    :; 11 I

    colo

    ured cover . The single

    wing on

    the upper arm denotes rank, and is

    ,,

    ;

    ,,;olly

    li

    n ,I rectangular patch. Other members

    of

    the platoon using the

    c,mi ed spare rounds, often tucked into their waistbelts like the

    :;111;

    q r l l l l they a lso carried- a somewhat more dangerous practise

    owing

    I 111

    li

    llllm

    sizo of th e Panze rfaust round.

    12

    ABOVE: A

    squad

    of German paratroops moves caurio usly

    along

    a

    road

    under

    fire. The leading man carries a

    RP

    43 and has a slung rifle. His No 2. behind.

    ca rries a round fer rhe RP

    43

    in his lefr hand, and a rifle

    in

    his right. This is

    at Normandy, June 1944.

    The Panzerfaust was issued to normal infantry units in

    1944

    in lieu

    of

    anti-tank artillery, and also

    tothe

    Hitler Youth and the newly-created Volksturm

    (Home Guard) . The latter consisted of old men, and those unable to

    fight

    in the

    Wehrm

    ac

    ht

    for

    medical reasons. The Panzerfaust was often issued in place

    of

    proper personal arms to these formations in last-ditch attempts

    to

    stem th e

    tide of Allied armour. There w as only a token attempt at uniform in that items

    of

    Army, Navy and Air Force uniform (principally caps and greatcoats)

    were

    issued. An authorized armband for the Volksturm bore the words Deutscher

    Volksturm-Wehrmacht : improvised armbands of white

    with

    black letters also

    appeared with and without the

    word

    Wehrmacht . No rank appears to have

    been shown- th e officers of these detachments were often Party leaders in

    the first instance, until the close proximity of Allied troops caused them to

    hand over their command to the Wehrmacht .

    13

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    2: Rocket

    Equipment

    The 15 cm Rocket

    TH E 1 5 cm rocket was the most widely encountered and used of all the

    German rocket projectiles .

    It

    came into widespread service during late 1941

    and remained operational till the end of hostilities and even after

    1945

    remained

    in service

    with

    the French forces.

    The 15 cm rocket came with three basic

    fi l l ings-HE,

    smoke and chemical.

    The chemical variant was not used operationally, but was stockpiled ready

    for

    use (18,600 were captured at H

    Muna

    5t Georgen in 1945).

    The spin stabilized rocket was

    of

    an

    advanced design and differed from

    all other types in use at that

    time

    by having the rocket

    motor

    at the front

    of

    the shell and the

    HE

    or smoke payload in the base. This rather

    odd

    arrange

    ment was brought about to make use

    of the

    rocket

    motor

    as shrapnel when

    the

    shell exploded . In other rocket types the motor tended to separate in one piece

    on detonation and

    thus

    had little destructive effect. Placing the

    motor

    in front

    of the explosive however ensured

    the

    fragmenta

    tion

    of the motor housing and

    increased the weapo n s anti-personnel hazard.

    The motor vented

    through

    26 angled venturi situated evenly in a ring

    some two-thirds

    of

    the length down the body (see below) . Inside the

    forward part of th e body were seven sticks of compresed black Diethylene

    Glycol Dinitrate which made up the propelling

    unit.

    This was

    ignited

    by a

    cellulose tube filled

    with

    black powder which ran the full length

    of

    the

    motor. When primed by an electrical initiator placed in

    anyone

    of the 26

    exhaust holes the

    igniter

    caused

    the propellant to

    burn at

    both

    ends at once

    and so ensure fast and even burning which increased the motor s efficiency.

    The

    motor

    weight totalled 14 Ibs and the rocket s velocity

    was

    1,120 feet/ sec.

    Maximum

    range

    was

    7,723

    yards

    for

    HE and

    7546 for

    smoke.

    BELOW: 75 em HE Rocket with Tp : Tropical use stencils

    14

    ABOVE: Inserting an ERZ

    39

    initiator into a rocket in a 75 em anzerw erfer 42.

    (IWM-STT5705).

    The payload

    was

    in a fibre container in the rock et s steel base. The usual

    HE charge was Ib of

    TNT

    which

    could

    cause considerable blast damage.

    A fuse was screwed into the base and could be either a

    conventional centri

    fugally armed contact fuse or a

    time

    delay fuse for use on fortifications . The

    charge was held separate

    from

    the

    motor

    by an iron spacer

    to

    prevent prema

    ture detonation.

    The rocket was usually painted dark green or grey with identifying stencils

    in white or black. Length was

    36·6

    inches and weight

    70

    Ib for

    HE

    and

    79

    Ib

    for smoke.

    The rockets were delivered to the troops in wooden boxes each

    containing

    one round and an

    initiator

    in a waxed cardboard tube clipped under the lid.

    These initiators were

    known

    as the Elektrischer Randdusenzunder 39 or

    ERZ 39.

    LAUNCHERS

    The

    5 em Nebelwerfer 4

    The 15 cm Nebelwerfer 4 is still perhaps

    the

    best known of the rocket

    launchers used by the Germans and was encountered on all fronts

    from

    1942

    onwards. Originally thought to

    be

    a form of mortar

    it

    earned the names of

    Moaning Minnie

    or Screaming

    Mimi

      from

    the

    Allies who learned to fear

    its high rate of fire and destructive powers

    throughout

    the war.

    Basically the Nebelwerfer

    4

    (or Nebelwerfer d as it was sometimes referred

    to

    in Allied reports) was a well designed six-barrelled

    weapon

    which

    was

    light,

    mobile and relatively cheap. The six 5 inch long barrels were spaced

    equally round a central axis and

    mounted

    on a two wheel carriage with a

    split trail and a front stabiliser plate (see photographs). The barrels could be

    elevated from 5

     

    45 ° and traversed 27° 

    Weight when

    ready

    for

    action was

    15

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    only 1191 Ibs so only a

    light

    towing vehicle was required- usually a

    3-ton

    truck . The carriage was adapted from that used on the 3·7 cm Pak 35

    /3

    6 L/45.

    The barrels were 16 cm in diameter with three raised guide rails about t inch

    high reducing the calibre to 15 cm. Laying was effected by use of the elevation

    and traverse wh ee ls on th e left of th e piece where a dial sight was attached

    under a hinged metal box cover. Loading was carried out by two numbers

    of

    the

    four-man crew each working from one side and loading the bottom

    barrels first and working upwards. The rockets were held in place by spring

    clips

    with

    the bases projecting (see photographs). A further spring catch was

    then moved over to contact the electrical initiator in one of th e venturi. After

    loading the

    crew retired to prepared

    slit trenche

    s some

    10

    - 15 yards away and

    the

    rockets were fired. The rockets were fired in a set sequence (see diagram)

    by electrical impulses from a hand generator and the impulses were trans

    mitted to the projector along a seven-core cable to a plug and socket on the

    ebe lwe rfer

    41

    firin g diagram The six

    barrels we re fired in th e follow ing

    sequ ence: 1-4-6-3 -5-2.

    0

      O

    BELOW: A loaded 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 capturedat Ba

    nnev

    i/le near Troam on

    July

    20, 1944. The box on the

    left-hand

    side contains the sigh ts IWM -B77

    83)

    .

    ABOVE: Loading the top t

    wo

    rounds

    into

    a

    15 cm

    Nebelwerfer

    41

    .

    IWM-STT5137J.

    right

    - hand side

    of the mounting.

    From

    th

    ere

    the

    pulses were fed to

    the initiators

    by fixed cables on the projector. The rockets were fired at 2-second intervals

    and this interval had to be judged by th e firer using the rotary hand

    generator-one turn

    fired

    one rocket

    .

    All

    six rockets

    could then

    be fired and

    reloaded in

    90

    second

    s When

    fired

    the

    rockets made a

    distinct

    droning

    sound

    and left a trail

    of

    smoke which gave rise to one of the Nebelwerfer

    41

    's tactical

    limitations as these smoke trails were highly visible and attracted counter

    battery artillery and mortar fire.

    The

    15

    cm

    Nebelwerf

    er

    41

    remained

    the

    sta ndard

    equipment of th

    e

    Werferabteilung throughout the war .

    hemical Warfare

    To complete the 15 cm details a brief mention of the projectiles intended for

    chemical warfare must be mad e. The rockets used for this purpose were 40·1

    inches long (same length as the smoke filled Nebelgranate) . Markings on the

    nose were either a series of green

    rings--each

    gree n ring

    acting

    as a code for

    7

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    the f i l l ing-or

    a green cross. There

    were

    three main fillings, two variations

    of

    mustard gas and one

    unidentified

    odourless gas, as well

    as

    phosgene which

    was first used at Verdun in

    1917.

    Doubtless there were

    many

    other agents

    available.

    BEL OW:

    Laying

    a 75 em Nebel

    werf

    er 47 T

    he sight being

    used is

    probably

    an

    Aushilfsrichtmittel38 (No 8 Auxiliary sight) . BOTTOM: Prepanng a 7 em

    Nebelwerfer 47 for firing.

    ABO

    VE

    T

    his shot of

    a

    7

    em

    Neb

    elwerfer

    may

    have been 'po

    sed

    as th e

    re

    is

    no

    cable

    leadi

    ng

    t

    the ju nction

    box

    on the right-hand side of the

    pr

    ojector Nore

    ho wever the rocker's rransp0r/ tub e under the soldier's boot. (IWM-NA2628).

    These

    weapons were

    not used

    operationally partly due to the

    great dislike

    of

    gas

    by

    Hitler

    who was himself

    gassed

    during World

    War I) and

    many of

    the

    senior

    Army

    commanders,

    but

    more

    particularly

    to fear of retaliation

    by the

    Allies.

    It was

    well known to

    the

    Germans

    that the

    Russians were

    equipped

    with aircraft capable

    of

    spraying prussic acid over large areas, which would

    require a great deal of protection and

    de-contamination

    activities by

    the

    recipients. As a result many chemical filled shells and rockets were refilled

    with high

    explosive

    during

    the latter stages of the war, but

    were not always

    re-colour

    coded.

    Chief Chemical Warfare adviser

    to

    the

    Army High Command

    OKW)

    during

    1945 was General Hermann Ochsner, General die Nebeltruppen.

    15 em Do gerat 38

    The Do-geriit designation was sometimes wrongly applied by

    the

    Allies to

    the

    Nebelwerfer

    4

    but in fact it applied to a projector developed for use by the

    Fallschirmjiiger the German parachute arm). It fired a single 15 cm rocket and

    was

    designed to be

    dropped by

    parachute.

    The main

    projector

    frame Schiessrinne) waS a metal

    framework

    some 7 to

    8 feet long and 6 inches square.

    t was supported

    at

    the forward

    end

    by

    a

    bipod

    with limited elevation and traversing gear. The rear end rested on the

    ground. This frame was very

    lightly

    constructed and weighed only 421b. Attach

    ed to

    it

    was a dial sight, which was normally packed in a special container,

    and the electrical firing mechanism and cable. The

    whole

    equipment was

    designed

    to

    break down

    into

    containers for parachute dropping and then

    quick

    nnd easy assembly for use. The rocket

    was then introduced

    from

    the forward

    end

    of the

    frame and fired, as

    with the Nebelwerfer

    41,

    from

    a

    position

    under

    cover some 10-15 yards distant. As there was

    only

    one round to be fired a simple

    two -core cable

    could

    be used with probably a light battery

    for

    an electrical

    sOllrce.

    19

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    ABOVE: The

    15

    em Nebelwerfer 41 on display at the Imperial War Mu seum 

    The Do-geriit does not appear to have been widely used and illustrations of

    it are rare.

    5 em Panzerwerfer 42

    One of the major

    limitations

    in action of the Nebelwerfer

    41

    was the smoke

    trail left

    by

    the rocket in f light. As already mentioned this attracted counter

    bilttery

    activity

    and thus reduced the length

    of

    time a rocket battery could

    sl i ly in action before it had

    to

    withdraw. To overcome this

    limitation

    the

    1':lIm,

    rw

    crfer 42 was developed

    to

    make the

    15

    cm projector more mobile. It

    ill v()

    l

    vo ci mounting

    ten 15 cm barrels on

    the

    roof

    of

    a lightly armoured

    IVI:llilli'lr

    (Milk) truck

    manufactured

    by

    Opel. The ten barrels were arranged in

    1 '11/ lilY  ,

    :. r

    fivll

    ilnd the mounting

    had a 270

    0

    traverse and

    80

    0

    elevation.

    1,,,,01111

    11

    1:,,:1

    III Ito c:mi d

    out

    outside

    the

    vehicle so in use

    the

    vehicle fired

    II 11 11

    il

    l II

    (11",11,,,, illi

    lido II I(:

    cab ) and then moved off

    into

    cover to reload.

    II ,

    J\ l,

    lIlli l

    ,1 III'

    ·H

    '

    ',"e l

    W:1S, to

    give its full designation,

    the Sd

    Kfz 4/1

    1'1," 1 I I 

    II

    I I

    VI' ''

    ~ / : l l I h  ::I:IIHI:lrd commercial chassis

    of

    this vehicle had

    1,  111

    11 Id

    ll

    ll,,  1 Il y ' ' '1 '

    1 11

    i l1l1 11,\

    HI: II

    ' ilxle wnd wheels with a

    Horstmann-type

    1111 I  11 1,,1 1111 1''''' '

    '\111\

    ,, I dissimilar to that used

    on

    the British

    )

    Universal Carrier series. The original drive shaft had been shortened to drive

    the

    forward

    track sprockets . Each track had its

    own

    brake controlled by two

    levers on the driver's right which could be used to assist steering.

    The welded armour body was

    TI

    inches thick and proof only against

    small arms fire. Each vehicle carried one 7 ·92 mm

    MG

    34 or MG 42 mounted

    on a pintle above the cab, and the crew of three usually carried three

    9 mm SUb-machine guns with

    2,000

    rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 2,000

    rounds of 7 ·92 mm . As well as the ten rockets loaded in the projector another

    ten were carried internally. Further rounds were carried in accompanying

    Munitionspanzer

    Maultiers. Even with the above mentioned load the tracked

    Maultier had a good cross-country performance

    with

    the 3·6 litre six-cylinder

    engine giving a speed

    of 25

    mph over flat

    ground

    . Some 300 were ordered.

    However the

    Maultier

    was seen

    only

    as a makeshift design

    until

    the Panzer

    werfer 42

    could

    be mounted on the chassis of

    the

    Schwerer Wehrmachts

    schlepper

    (or

    SWS). This came

    into

    service in late 1944. The 15 cm

    Panzerwerfer was unchanged but the SWS could now carry

    26

    rockets

    internally in addition to the ten in the projector. Overall layout was similar

    to th at of the earlier Maultier, but the

    all-round

    performance was improved

    and the overall

    height

    was lower (6 feet 8 inches as against 8 feet 6 inches).

    The armoured version of the SWS was intended to replace the Sd Kfz 250 and

    251

    half-track series but the end

    of

    the

    war

    prevented this happening. It

    followed

    the general half-track layout but had numerous improvements in

    design, especially in the track.

    Some SWS

    units

    were encountered from late 1944 onwards. One captured

    example was

    found to

    carry, in addition

    to the full

    complement

    of

    rockets,

    two

    8,8

    cm Panzerschreck launchers, Panzerfauste, hand grenades, smoke grenades

    and magnetic charges as well

    as

    the

    roof-mounted

    MG 42 and the crew's

    side arms.

    Allied intelligence reports mention the Pan

    ze

    rwerfer

    42

    being mounted on the

    BELOW:

    An

    Allied motor cyclist examines a captured Nebelwerfer 41 in May

    1943 Note the electrical cables for flfing and the internal guide rails inside the

    barre/ IWM-NA2583).

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    views of Maultiers carry-

    I IJ  cm Panzerwerfer

    42

    ors. Note the leading

    ;/1. III

    he lower picture

    IllI.

    conine

    cooling

    vents

    22

    ABOVE: Maintenance on a

    75 cm

    Panzerwerfer

    42.

    No te the

    G on

    the

    hull

    side which is probably a battery letter.

    Sd Kfz 11 / 5 Leichter

    Zugkraftwagen

    in

    1943

    .

    No

    pictorial evidence

    of this

    variant appears to survive.

    After the war the

    French

    mounted

    captured Panze rw erfer

    42 projectors

    on

    Somua carr iers but this vehicle is beyond the scope of this book

    In additon to the 15 cm projectors mentioned above, the 21 cm Nebel-

    werfer

    42

    cou ld also be fitted with lin er rails to fir e th e 15 cm rocket. The

    30 cm Raketenwerfer 56 could also

    be

    so adapted.

    At the end of the

    war

    experiments were being carried

    out

    by Skoda and

    Krupp

    to

    investigate fin stabilisation

    of

    the

    15

    C l1 rocket, and also the

    fitting

    of hollow charge exp losive heads wa s projected. One much revised 15 cm

    design was being developed at Rugenwalde

    as

    a concrete piercing weapon

    Weighing 130 kg and about 280 cm long it cou d be fired from a closed

    breech tub e or from rails. Several test f irings were made but the end of the war

    precluded fu rther trials.

    In March

    1945

    it was proposed that a 12 cm rocket shou ld

    be

    designed

    to

    replace the

    15

    cm rocket as an

    economy

    meas ur

    e

    Existing

    15

    cm projectors

    would be fitted with liner rails

    but as

    with so

    ma

    ny

    ot

    her

    developments

    the war ended before the project really started.

    23

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    The 2 cm Rocket

    The 21 cm Wurfgrenate 42 Spreng was developed and utilised alongside the

    15

    cm rocket. However in appearance

    it

    resembled a

    conventional

    artillery

    round as

    it was

    carefully streamlined by the

    addition

    of a false hollow nose

    ogive)

    which

    did

    away with the usual blunt nose of most German rockets.

    Layout

    of the rocket

    was

    conventional ie, the motor was at the rear and the

    warhead in front, both encased in a mild steel body. The

    motor was

    made up

    of

    seven propellant sticks, each

    21·67

    inches long, each stick 2-46 inches in

    diameter. A grid trap separated the propellant from the nozzle assembly and

    between the two

    was

    a tinfoil sealing disc to keep out moisture. Round th e

    edge of the nozzle assembly were 22 venturi angled

    at

    16°

    from the rocket

    axis

    to

    impart the stabilising spin in

    flight.

    In the centre of the

    one-piece

    nozzle

    plate

    was

    a hole ready to take the ERZ 39 (Elektrische Randdusenzunder 39)

    initiator . When fired electrically the ERZ 39 would ignite a

    quickmatch

    relay

    through

    the centre

    of

    the

    motor to

    the black

    powder

    igniter at

    the front of the

    body. A small spacer ring held the

    igniter

    separate from the

    motor to

    ensure

    even burning . Weight of the motor was 87·75 Ib and the nozzle assembly

    5  12 lb. The propellant alone weighed 40·25 lb.

    The 90 Ib warhead shell contained 22-4 Ib of T T and

    was

    threaded onto

    the

    motor

    body. A

    point

    detonating fuse with an

    optional

    delay

    of

    0 ·

    10

    seconds

    was

    screwed

    into

    a booster cup in the nose. Connection to the fuse

    was made from the false ogive by a wooden rod .

    Overall length of the rocket was 49·21 inches and

    the

    total weight was

    241 ·3 Ibs.

    Only

    HE rockets appear to have been used in

    this

    calibre. Supplied

    to the front line in shaped mild steel cage crates, they

    were

    painted black or

    dark grey with white stencilled markings.

    LAUNCHERS

    The 2

    em

    Nebelwerfer 4

    Originally intended to be an enlarged version of the six-barrelled 15 cm

    Nebelwerfer

    41 . The 21

    cm

    Nebelwerfer 42 ended up as a five-barrelled

    projector. However in all other respects

    it

    clearly resembled the 15 cm

    projector and even utilised the same 3·7 cm Pak derived carriage.

    The decision to use the five-barrel layout was made because of

    the

    better

    balance and

    stability

    of

    the

    mounting when

    using

    the

    heavier

    21

    cm

    ammunition.

    The 4 feet 3?

    inch

    long barrels were spaced round a central axis and held

    in position by stamped steel

    plates-one

    near the breech and another

    half-way to the muzzle. Elevation and traverse controls were simple and actu

    ated by pressed steel

    wheels

    on the left of the carriage. Elevation

    was

    from

    _5 ° to 45° and traverse 12 ° either side. As on the 15 cm equipment there

    was a split trail and a stabilising plate on the front of the axle. The wheels

    w ere stamped steel discs with

    6·00/20

    pneumatic tyres.

    Weight

    of

    the

    equipment was

    12

    cwt 605 kg). Maximum range of the projector was 8530

    OPPOSITE PAGE: A sequence showing the loading and firing of a

    21

    cm

    Ncbelwerfer

    42

    TOP) Loading-notethe transp ort cages. MIDDLE) Operating

    the hand generator.

    BOTTOM)

    Firing, there appears to be three projectors in

    use

    /WM-STT7339).

    24

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    yards (7850 metres) according

    to

    range tabl es but some rockets managed

    to

    reach 1

    0,000

    yards on trials in North Africa.

    Loading was effected from the rear.

    Wh

    en loaded the rocket rear was flush

    with the end of the barrel and held in position by spring-loaded catches.

    Firing was normally carried

    out

    electrically from a p osition under cover some

    10 yards

    from the

    projector.

    connection to the

    electrical

    network

    on

    the

    barrels

    being made by a six-core cable via a

    junction

    box on the right-hand side of

    the mounting. The

    0 3A

    initiating current came from a small hand generator.

    For firing order see diagram.

    During 1944-45 the firms of Krupp and Skoda were both experimenting

    with fin

    stabilising

    of 21

    cm rockets. The German surrender in May 1945 ended

    these experiments. Other experiments w ere also carried out with

    hollow-charge

    warheads for the 21 cm rocket.

    21

    cm Nebelwerfer 42 fir ing diagram.

    The five barrels were fired

    in

    the

    following

    sequence:

    1-5-3-4-2.

    1

    ---)

    /---

    )

      5

    I

    2

    \ .

     . ,,--

     

    /

    l

    4 )i 3

    .

    \ . /

    ' - ~ . /

    BELOW

    Troops

    reti

    re t

    cover

    after

    loading

    the rockets

    int

    o a

    21 em Nebelwerfer42. ( lWM-MH347  .

    AIRCRAFT LAUNCHERS

    Although strictly outside the scope of this book, mention should be made of

    the fitting of 21 cm rocket launchers to fighter aircraft in an attempt to break up

    the

    massive

    formations

    of

    8th USAAF

    bombers (mainly

    B-17

    Flying Fortresses)

    which

    made almost daily daylight raids over the Reich from 1942 onwards.

    The defensive fir e of these format ions made interception by normal fighter

    armament difficult and costly, so many possible solutions were tried out and the

    21 cm

    projector

    came

    well

    out

    of

    experiments.

    The

    equipment was called the Wurfgerat 21, and fired a normal 21 cm

    Wurfgrenate 42 Spreng from a single

    21

    cm barrel hung under the wing of

    a BF 109G·6/ R4 fighter. To the crews the projector was known as the

    Ofenrohr (or Dodel) (not to be confused with the 8·8 cm Panzerschrek) and

    two were carried by each

    fighter

    , one

    under

    each wing. First issued

    to squad

    rons during mid-August 1943 they were fired from some 800 yards behir:d the

    formation and proved very effective. However, th e projectors slowed down the

    fighter aircraft considerably and affected th e airflow over the elevators, so

    that

    wh

    en

    long-range

    escort fighters such

    as

    the P-47 Thunderbolt

    and P-51

    Mustang

    came

    into

    use by

    the USAAF the Ofenrohr was withdrawn from

    use. They were used mainly by JG 1 and JG 26 , both Schlageter units,

    and the period of ma xim um success was August and September 1943.

    The

    Fw 190A-4

    / R6

    was

    also

    fitted

    with

    the WG

    21,

    as was the

    twin

    engined

    Bf

    11 OF-2 which

    could

    carry

    four tubes

    . A

    ground attack adaptation

    of

    th e WG

    21

    w

    as

    tried out by Hs

    129B units

    on

    the

    Eastern Front

    for

    use

    against tanks, but was not a success. Ju 88 ground attack units also tried

    the WG 21, ?gain without success.

    The

    28 32

    cm ockets

    The first of

    the

    Ger'man field rockets

    to

    enter service, the

    28/32

    cm

    rccket

    equipments

    appear

    ed

    in late

    1940.

    Compared with later rockets

    they

    were of

    poor

    ballistic shape but compensated for

    the

    ir relatively

    short

    range by

    th ei

    r

    large payloads.

    Both rockets had basically

    the

    same co

    nstruction

    a

    nd

    motor, and used

    the

    same projectors

    but

    the major difference5 are best described

    fir

    st:

    The 28 em Wurfkdrper

    Spr

    e

    ng

    This

    weighed

    181 Ibs and contained 110 Ibs of

    TNT

    or amatol.

    It could

    be

    identifi

    ed

    by

    a 1

    j-

    inch

    wid

     )

    pink

    band

    round the

    head

    of

    the

    projecti le.

    Length

    was

    3 feet

    11

    inches.

    The

    32

    em Wurfkdrper M L 50

    This

    weighed

    174 Ibs and co ntained 11

    gallons

    of a

    mobil

    e brown

    incendiary

    liquid

    made

    from

    a mixture of petrol and diesel oil. The

    identifying

    band

    was

    green and

    yellow.

    Length

    was

    4 feet inches. Filling was carried out

    through

    a

    plug

    behind the

    swell

    of

    the

    head .

    The general appearance of the rocket can

    be

    seen

    from th

    e

    photographs.

    In

    both

    types

    the

    motor

    was

    at

    th

    e rear

    with the la

    rge

    bulbous

    head

    containing

    the proportionately

    large charge. Propulsion came

    from

    a

    14

    Ib 9 oz charge of

    propellant known

    as

    dieth

    ylene

    glycol dinitrate

    . This substance

    was

    in a single

    stick

    with one central hole and e

    ight grooves

    spaced round

    the outside

    to

    assist burning . In

    this

    hole and

    the

    grooves cellular sticks were placed

    to

    start

    the burning

    after

    ignition

    from

    front

    and rear by two separate ignitors.

    Ignition was commenced

    by an electrical

    initiator

    in

    the

    base. The exhaust

    27

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    gases vented

    through 26

    1 cm jets inclined

    14

     

    right

    to impart spin to

    the

    rocket

    in flight . Diameter of the

    motor was

    14 cm. For tropical use the exhaust end of

    the motor

    was sealed with

    aluminium foil

    or a mild steel plate. European

    rounds

    were

    left

    unprotected.

    The fuse on

    the 28

    cm

    was

    of

    the point detonating

    or graze

    action

    type.

    A safety pin

    was fitted

    which had

    to

    be removed before

    firing. After

    firing, two

    centrifugal bolts armed the fuse. Fusing for the 32 cm rocket was similar.

    Both types were

    cont

    ained in a wood or metal crate known as a

    packkiste . They were designed to be fired from this crate and the crate also

    served as storage and cnrrying containers.

    Maximum

    range for the

    28

    cm was

    2337

    yards and

    2217

    yards for the

    32

    cm. Minimum range

    was

    1019 yards.

    LAUNCHERS

    Simplest

    of

    all of

    the 28

    /

    32

    cm projectors

    was the

    carrying crate. Each crate had

    small hinged legs on its base and these

    could

    be used

    for

    small elevation correc-

    tions

    after

    the

    front of

    the

    crate had been

    positioned

    on an earth

    mound

    or low

    wall.

    Laying

    was completed

    by

    simply pointing the round

    at its

    target

    . The

    safety pin was then removed and the rocket fired electrically by a hand genera -

    tor after the user had taken cov er some 10 15 yards away. Single rou nds used

    in this way were of great assistance in demolishing strong points and bunkers

    in the path of attacking

    infantry

    units but accuracy

    was

    not of a

    high

    order and

    only

    large targets could be usefully engaged. However

    the

    large explosive or

    inc e

    ndiary

    charge

    was

    devastating in

    it

    s effect.

    The

    Schweres Wurfgerat 4 nd 4

    The Schweres Wurfgeriit

    40

    and 4 w ere two tYP3S of the same static launching

    frame

    to hold four 28

    or

    32

    cm rockets in

    their

    crates ready for

    firing.

    The

    only

    differences

    between the

    two types

    wns that

    the

    Schweres Wurfgeriit

    BEL

    O

    W:

    Schweres Wurfger

    iit

    emplaced and loaded ready for the assault on

    Sebastapol 1942.

    ABOVE: (Top) Schweres Wurfgerat 4

    0

    Bo

    tt

    om) Schweres Wurfgeri :t 41.

    40 was made of wood and weighed

    115

    Ib while the 4 model was metal

    and weighed 243 lb. Both were simple frames with the front legs adjustable

    for elevation. Four crates were laid on top and after connecting up the initi-

    ators in the rocket base centres the

    equipment was

    ready for action. As always,

    firing was

    carried out

    from

    a position

    under cover

    but

    the

    Schweres

    Wurfgeriit

    was

    often used in

    remotely controlled

    batteries to cover approaches

    to

    a

    de-

    fended position or emplaced

    to

    lay

    down

    a

    rocket

    barrage

    during

    an attack.

    All four

    rockets

    could

    not be fired at once,

    but

    at

    2 second

    intervals.

    29

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    This delay was introduced automatically by means of a device known as the

    GILikzundkette 40 mV. It was in fact made up of lengths of a delay composition

    in plug assemblies to each rocket. An electrical pulse from a standard hand

    generator fired one rocket and the delay composition then acted as a slowmatch

    to fire off the other rockets after 2 4 and then 6 seconds. The cableform ends

    were identifiable by metal tags and labelled 4,0,2,6 (seconds) from left to right as

    this was the correct firing order, ie, 3-1-2-4. The required firing current was

    O amperes.

    Laying the Wurfgeriit frames was effected by setting up the frame facing the

    target and then setting the elevation angle by using a hand clinometer on the

    motor body (as shown in the pl1otograph). The front of the frame was then

    raised or lowered until the appropriate angle was obtained and the adjustable

    frame

    front

    legs were locked in position. If the rockets were already on the

    frame up to four men were needed to carry out this task. A range and elevation

    table is shown separately.

    The Schweres Wurfgerat 41 could also be used to fire 30 cm rockets from

    their transport crates.

    The WG

    28

    As the

    war

    in Russia progressed, it bacame appa rent that the Russian tank

    forces were becoming more

    powerful as

    time ran out for the opposing Panzer

    BELOW· A Czech officer us

    ing

    a hand

    cl

    inom eter t dete

    rmi

    ne the correct

    elevation of a Sch weres Wurfgerat

    41;

    up to four men we

    r

    n

      ded

    to

    ho ld

    the

    frame in

    pl

    ace before clamping .

    IWM-81

    5 103 .

    Extract from range tables for

    28/32

    cm Rocket

    Projectors

    40

    and

    41

    (Schwere Wurfgerat 40 und

    41

    28cm HE Rocket

    Correction

    50% zone

    Range Elevation for

    drift

    length

    breadth

    m

    mils mils m m

    300

    400

    500

    600

    700

    800

    900

    1000

    1100

    1200

    1300

    1400

    1500

    1600

    1700

    1800

    1900

    1925

    68

    92

    116

    140

    165

    192

    219

    248

    278

    311

    344

    379

    417

    460

    509

    569

    659

    698

    + 5

    + 7

    + 8

    +10

    + 11

    + 13

    +

    15

    +

    17

    + 19

    +21

    +23

    +26

    + 28

    + 31

    + 35

    + 39

    + 45

    +48

    -

    -

    -

    -

    -

    160 20

    20

    60

    150 20

    30

    50

    150

    30

    150

    40

    40

    50

    140 40

    50

    30

    120

    50

    60

    10

    70

    0

    80

    80

    90

    0

    900

    400

    500

    600

    700

    800

    900

    1000

    1100

    1200

    1300

    1400

    1500

    1600

    1700

    1800

    1900

    2000

    2100

    2200

    _ . 0

    32cm

    Incendiary Rocket

    78

    98

    118

    140

    162

    185

    208

    233

    259

    286

    314

    344

    375

    409

    447

    490

    540

    602

    800

    + 7

    + 8

    + 10

    + 12

    +13

    +

    15

    +17

    +

    19

    + 21

    + 23

    + 26

    +28

    +30

    +

    33

    +36

    +40

    +

    44

    +49

    +

    60

    31

    -

    I

    -

    i

    170

    20

    170

    20

    170

    20

    170 30

    180

    30

    180 30

    180

    40

    40

    80

    170

    50

    160 50

    60

    50

    140 60

    70

    20

    110 80

    100 80

    9000

    I

    100 110

    30

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    units. To try and stem the armoured flood, many airborne

    weapons

    were

    experimented with, and amongst them

    was

    a

    tube-launched

    adaptation of the

    28 cm rocket. known

    as

    the Werfer Gerat 28 (or WG

    28)

    . This launcher

    was

    mounted

    under

    the

    wings of

    both the

    Hs 129B and an undesignated Ju 88 ,

    unofficially known as the Ju 88N or Ju 88Nbwe. In both cases the WG 28

    was

    not

    a success, probably due

    to

    its

    drag-inducing

    large frontal area and the

    generally poor accuracy

    of the

    28 cm rocket. As a result of

    the

    experiments

    both types of aircraft were adapted to carry the 7·5 cm Kwk 39 anti-tank gun.

    Another type of aircraft that attempted to use

    the

    WG 28 operationally was

    the

    Focke-Wulf

    F 190F-8. These aircraft were

    flown by

    ·SchlachtflieJer

    units

    on the Eastern Front but

    the

    results were

    not encouraging

    and the units went

    on to try other ·tank-busting· methods. In service with these

    units

    the WG 28

    was referred to as the ·Werfer-Granate 28/ 32· .

    BELOW: Laying a

    28

    /32 cm Nebelwerfer 41

    . h

    e mushroom shaped ob jects

    on

    top are u

    sed

    to h

    old

    the

    ro

    cke ts in p lace when t

    he top

    flap s hingedforwards

    and

    do w n f

    or

    transportation.

    Note

    the

    c

    ble from t

    he

    f i

    ring

    position to the

    connect ion

    box

    and the leads to the rocket i

    ni

    tiator. I WM -STT5

    56

    0 .

    ABOVE: A

    28

    /3

    2

    cm

    N ebelwerfer

    41

    Note the

    junc

    tion

    box

    on the

    near

    side

    The

    28 32

    em ebelwerfer 4

    To give the 28/

    32 cm

    rockets more

    mobility

    than

    that

    afforded

    by

    the

    Schweres Wurfgerat

    40

    and 41 the Nebelwerfer 41 was developed. This con

    sisted of a two-wheeled trailer towed

    into

    action by a

    Sd

    Kfz 1

    O/1-ton

    half

    tracked vehicle. On this trailer was mounted six open steel frames in two

    superimposed rows of three. Each of the six frames was contoured to hold one

    32 cm

    rocket and lin er rails were provided for use with

    28

    cm rockets. Elevation

    and traverse mechanism was provided for use by the layer

    who

    stood by or sat

    on the left-hand mudguard and used a small dial sight fixed to the launcher

    framework. These sights were covered by a hinged metal flap when not in use.

    In action the launcher was held rigidly in position by

    two

    jacks in

    front of

    the

    launcher rails and a small trail spade. The trail was not

    spli t -a

    feature which

    differentiates the Nebelwerfer

    41

    from the similar 30 cm Raketenwerfer 56.

    Traverse for the Nebelwerfer

    41

    was 30 °and elevation from 0

    to 45

    °.

    Weight

    was 2,460 lb . Ranges were the same as

    that

    for

    the

    Schweres Wurfgerat 40

    and 41.

    Firing was effected electrically. The

    connection

    box was on the right-hand

    side of the projector. For an initiator the Steckzunder

    40

    was used. This was

    a simple plug screwed

    into

    the centre

    of

    the rocket base . Two 13 inch long

    insulated leads leading

    from

    it were then connected to

    the

    fixed electrical

    circuitry on th e launcher The Steckzunder

    40

    was carried separately from other

    ammunition in sealed cardboard cartons, each

    holding 16

    initiators ready

    for

    use. Rockets were fired in the order shown in the diagram.

    The 28/ 32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was one of the projectors used by the

    Heavy Rocket Projector Battalions motorised) (Schwere Werferabteilung

    (mot)

    of the

    SS

    and

    Army

    divisions. They saw extensive service in Russia.

    8  

    3 cm Nebelwerler

    41

    firing diagram. The

    ix crad les were fired in the follow ing sequence :

    2-5-1-3-4-6.

    33

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    ABOVE:

    A Russian soldier holds a meter rule against a

    28/32 cm

    Nebel-

    werfer

    41 In

    the

    foreground

    are two

    28cm

    rockets - one

    unfused

    and one in

    its packkiste·. In

    front

    of he launcher are the

    28 cm lin

    er rads not needed for

    the two visible

    32 cm

    rockets loaded in the launcher.

    In

    the

    background

    can

    be seen a 15

    cm

    Nebelwerfer 41

    (IWM-21024J.

    The chweres Wurfrahmen 4

    One

    of

    the lessons learned from the early campaigns

    of

    1939-40 was the need

    for heavy support fire

    for

    the forward elements

    of

    the Panzer divisions.

    At

    that

    time much of

    the

    Wehrmacht artillery was still conventional in form and towed

    by horse or truck. This was too

    slow

    and lacked cross-country ability so

    alternative means had to be found. One solution and the most

    widely

    used

    was

    the

    Sturmgeschiitze series of mobile guns on a

    wide

    variety of tracked

    chassis. The half-tracks were also involved in this new concept but they were

    mainly too light

    to

    effectively mount the heavy weapons needed. To rectify

    BELOW: A poor qualilV battlefield shot

    of

    an Sd Kfz

    251 1

    in action. This

    vehicle was sometimes called SlUka zum fuss - Infantrv Stuka .

    IUOVE:

    An Sd

    Kfz

    251 /1

    firing its last rocket

    during

    the

    fighting

    in Stalingrad. Note the empIV crates.

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    :.. . -

    AB O

    VE:

    A captured Sd Kfz 251 with the SWR

    40

    frames clearly visible. The

    swivelling pla tes and clamps are sho wn at varying angles IWM -NA 10

    436

    ) .

    this the Schweres Wurfrahmen 40 was designed by the J.Gast KG. of Berlin

    Lichtenberg

    during

    1940 for

    mounting on the

    Sd Kfz 251 or 251 / 1. The end

    result meant

    that the

    relatively

    light half-track could

    pack a

    punch

    harder

    than

    many

    of its heavier,

    co

    stlier and more

    complex

    counterparts

    (though not as

    accurately) .

    In it s final form the Schweres Wurfrahmen 40 or SWR 40) enabled th e

    Sd Kfz 251 or more

    comm

    only the 251 / 1 t o carry si x

    28

    /

    32

    cm rockets

    in their crates on a frame designed to carry three projectil es on each side of

    the vehicle. The rockets were attached to a plate on this frame still in their

    carrying crate and

    they were

    fired

    from the

    crate. Each

    pivoting

    plate

    could

    be

    elevated between 5°and

    45

    ° and a scale was provided

    for

    laying along with a

    fixing clamp.

    The rockets were

    not

    loaded on to the Wurfrahmen until required-otherwise

    the width of the vehicle could become awkward. In transit, the six rockets were

    stowed inside the vehi c le. Normally the load consisted of five 28 cm rockets

    and

    one 32 cm

    incendiary. In action

    the

    vehicle was directed nose first

    towards the

    target

    (no other

    traverse c

    ontrol

    was

    provided),

    brakes

    were

    applied, the crates

    ( packkiste )

    loaded, the plate elevated to the required angle

    and then clamped into position . The

    crew

    th en retired to cover some

    10

    yards

    distant for

    firing. Extra rounds

    could

    be carried in

    follow

    - up

    half-tracks

    or

    lorries. Once the rockets had been expended or even not required further the

    Sd Kfz 251 / 1

    could

    still carry out its

    num

    erous tasks while retaining the

    SWR 40 . The normal armame

    nt

    of

    2MG

    34 s was retained and in some cases

    the forward

    MG 34

    was

    replaced

    by

    a 2

    cm KwK 30

    or

    KwK 38

    .

    S

    chw

    eres Wurfrahmen

    40

    firing

    diagram. The si x c rad es w ere fired in

    Ihe foll

    owin

    g

    se

    quence : 1

    -2-3-4-5

    -6.

    36

    There were two sub-types of the SWR 40 the A and B,

    but

    these appear

    to have differed only in the

    el

    ectrical firing circuits on the frames, and even

    then only

    in

    the

    co

    nnections

    to

    the

    init iator. The Type A used for an

    initiator

    the

    Steckzunder

    40, as

    used in the

    28/32 cm Nebelwerfer

    41.

    However the

    Type B used

    the

    similar

    Druckknopfzunder 42

    which differed

    mainly

    in having

    press stud terminal s on the ends

    of

    th e leads. Like th e earlier initiator,

    it

    was

    issued in sealed cardboard cartons

    containing

    16 items.

    The six rockets could be fired in ten seconds. The accompanying diagram

    shows the firing order.

    Sd Kfz 25

    half-tracks

    carrying

    the

    SWR 40 were

    widely

    used in Russia,

    especially

    during

    the sieges of Stalingrad and Leningrad.

    They were

    also

    encountered in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy and

    NW

    Europe.

    One other vehicle that carried the SWR 40 was th e French built Infantrie

    Schlepper

    UE(f)

    . This was one of the small infantry carriers captured during

    the 1940 campaign and held in reserve by the Wehrmacht until late 1943 when

    the growing threat

    of Allied

    invasion in

    North

    France led

    to the improvisation

    of many types of

    mobile weapons

    on French cha ssis. Small numbers

    of the

    UE

    carriers

    were

    adapted

    to

    carry

    four

    launchers, two on each side.

    With

    a

    crew

    of

    two or three internal rocket

    stowage must

    have been minimal.

    Aiming

    and

    firing methods were th e same as that described

    for

    the full SWR 40 . It is

    not

    known how many vehicles w ere converted. Weight of th e vehicle with the racks

    fitted was 1 ·75 tons.

    The 3 cm Rocket

    Of

    all

    the

    large field rockets, the

    30 cm

    rocket

    was

    the largest and

    the

    latest

    to see service.

    It

    bene

    fited

    from earlier experience in

    that it employed

    an

    enlarged

    15

    cm motor and its launchers

    wer

    e similar to, and in two cases

    the same as, those employed by the 28 / 32 cm rocket.

    In appearance it was much more streamlined than the clumsy-looking 28/ 32

    cm family, but apart from that they were similar in concept, ie, the rocket

    motor was at the rear and the proportionately large warhead w as at the front .

    There the resemblance ended

    for

    the

    30

    cm

    Wurfkiirper 42

    Spreng

    (or

    Wurfkiirper

    Spreng 4491)

    weighed 277

    Ib of which

    100

    Ib

    was the

    amatol

    bursting charge. The

    propellant

    weight

    was just

    over

    33

    Ib which meant a

    higher payload to motor w eight rati o than other German field rocket types and

    this resulted in a ma x imum range of 6000 metres (6562 yards) though the

    BELOW: A Wurfrahm

    en 40

    armed Sd Kfz

    251 1 rea

    dy

    for

    act ion. No te the

    commander s stereoscopic binoculars.

  • 8/20/2019 Almark - Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army 1939-1945

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    normal fighting range was from

    400

    -5500 metres

    (437-6015

    yards) . Overall

    length was a fraction over 4 feet.

    The

    30

    cm rocket appears to have used high explosive fillings only. They

    were painted black

    with white

    stencilled letters round the nose to denote filling

    and batch number.

    As already mentioned the motor was an enlarged version of the successful

    15

    cm motor. The motor was 22- inches long and 8- inches

    wide

    and contained

    in a steel tube 0-43 inches thick. Seven sticks

    of

    Hydro-cellulosepulver made

    up the propellent

    which vented

    through the base venturi block consisting

    of

    18

    holes angled

    12

    °

    42

    to rotate the projectile. This venturi-block had a central

    hole into

    which

    the initiator was permanently fixed. In the event

    of

    a misfire

    however,

    the initiator could be unscrewed and replaced by a

    new

    item. When

    fired electrically the initiator ignited a small

    gunpowder

    pellet

    which

    in turn

    ignited a celluloid tube

    which

    ran centrally along the motor to the maintainer.

    The maintainer started the main motor charge

    as

    normal,

    but

    the maintainer

    was held from the charge sticks by a wire mesh grid, introduced to prevent

    damage or premature firing

    of

    the motor

    if

    the rocket was accidentally dropped

    or knocked.

    L UNCHERS

    Like the 28 / 32 cm rocket the 30 cm rocket was issued to the

    front

    line in

    a

    wooden

    carrying crate or 'packkiste'. This could also be used as a launching

    rack but was

    not

    often so employed.

    Also like the

    28/32

    cm series the Schweres Wurfgerat

    4

    was used in a

    BELOW: 3 cm rockets in flight Note the re lative absence of smoke

    IW

    M-S

    TT5572J

    ,

    ,

    ,

    ABOVE: Camouflaging a 3 cm Nebelwerfer 42 p

    ri

    or to i ts use in a barrage

    Th

    e

    end result can be

    se

    en in the

    left

    backgroun

    d.

    purely static or defensive role, as a launching ramp for the

    30

    cm projectile .

    For details of the Schweres Wurfgerat

    4

    see the section on the 28/ 32 cm

    rockets.

    The 3 em Nebelwerfer 42

    Following similarity

    to

    the 28/ 32 cm, the 30 cm Nebelwerfer

    42

    was an

    enlarged version of

    the

    28 /

    32

    cm Nebelwerfer 42. The only real difference was

    in the w elded steel projectors which were re-contoured and longer to take

    the

    30

    cm ammunition . In addition the

    two front

    stabiliser jacks were

    not

    always

    fitted. Laying, firing and firing sequence was the same

    as

    the 28/ 32 cm

    Nebelwerfer

    4

    .

    The 3 em Raketenwerfer 56

    On

    this

    projector

    the launching

    rails remained the same

    as

    on the

    30

    cm

    Nebel

    werfer 42 but the carriage was adapted from the 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun

    carriage. This was of the split-trail type. The

    two

    trails were

    tubular

    and split

    to 56 inches between

    the

    trails. On each trail

    was

    a brake lever connected by

    a cable

    to

    the wheel. The 16·2 inches diameter wheels had solid rubber tyres

    and were made up of pressed steel discs. The axle was mounted on yokes

    . hinged

    to

    the carriage and mounted on transve

    rse

    leaf spring suspension. When

    the trail was spread

    this

    leaf spring was compressed and this stabilised the

    carriage.

    Apart from the normal towing eye at the end of the trail arms, a second eye

    was provided on the carriage under the projector frame so that other projectors

    could

    be

    added

    to

    form a chain (see photograph on page 41). In the photo

    graph the towing vehicle is a

    Maultier

    Munitionspanzer but many other

    methods of towing could be used including horses.

    As on other rocket projectors the sights were on the left along with the

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    elevating from 0 °_65 °) and traverse 40 °) controls. However apart from the

    normal dial sight an open fixed sight calibrated from 100-1000 metres 110

    1093 yards) was also provided .

    As mentioned in the section

    on

    the 15 cm

    rocket

    the 30 cm

    Raketenwerfer

    56 could be adapted to fire the 15 cm projectile. Liner rails could be inserted

    into the 30

    cm

    projectors and

    when

    not in use, these rails were stacked and

    secured onto the launcher frames (see

    photographs)

    .

    BELOW: A

    30

    em N ebelwerfer

    42. No

    te the open box at the lef

    t

    ha

    nd

    si

    de

    which covers the sig

    ht

    s when not i n use.

    40

    AB OVE: Three abandoned 30 em Raketenw

    er f

    er 56s in front of mu

    ni tion

    spanzers al O

    ell

    e in April

    1945.

    On

    to

    p

    of

    the

    pro

    j ectors are stack

    ed

    the

    15

    em

    li

    ner rails. I

    WM

    -

    BU 4

    30) .

    The 30

    cm

    Raketenwerfer

    56

    entered service

    during 1944

    and remained

    in

    use on all fronts until the end of hostilities.

    The cm Rocket

    The sharp

    division of

    status and establishment

    between the

    regular Wehrmac

    ht

    and units of the Waffen

    55

    even went down to equipment and weapon level.

    Thus

    it is not surprising

    to discover

    that although the

    55 units

    also used the

    standard field

    rocket equipments

    ,

    they developed

    and used a

    different type

    of

    rocket for issue to their formations alone. This rocket was the 8 cm Raketen-

    sprenggranate,

    developed from

    a projectile

    originally intended

    for aircraft use,

    and which differed from most of the larger field rockets in being fin stabilised

    instead of

    spin-stabilised

    .

    It

    has been suggested

    that

    this

    form

    of

    rocket was

    adopted after exp erience under bombardment from the Russian Katyusha

    projectors and the resemblance

    between

    the 8

    cm rocket

    and its Russian

    counterparts was close.

    Actually, the diameter of the rocket was 78 mm, and the overall length was

    27· 7 inches

    703 mm)

    . Weight was 15 Ib 3 oz . At the rear, four fins raised

    the diameter to 7·875 inches 200 mm) . The propellant used was six cordite

    sticks which were

    electrically

    primed and ignited by

    two gunpowder

    discs.

    Exhaust gases vented through a single 20 mm base venturi. Motor weight was

    10 Ib 4  54 kg). The warhead was formed

    of

    three perforated pellets of pressed

    flake TNT weighing 11b

    t

    oz 610 gms) .

    Arming of

    the warhead

    was

    effected

    partially by the burning propellant

    which

    melted a so metal disc and allowed

    the

    detonator

    to approach a ce

    ntrifugally-rele

    ased striker, ready for

    the

    nose

    impact

    fuse

    to

    set off the warhead. Maximum range

    of

    the 8

    cm rocket was

    5796 yards 5300 m)

    with

    a velocity of 950 f/sec. A smoke carrying version

    was

    also used.

    The main launchers for this rocket were the mUltiple projector

    known

    as

    the

    cm R-Veilfachwerfer which could

    fire

    up to

    45 rockets in one salvo, and

    the

    single

    Mantlerohr

    .

    Both

    launchers were

    of

    the rail variety and resembled

    current

    Russian equipment. In both types the

    rocket

    lay on rails

    supported

    by four

    metal studs,

    two

    on each side

    of

    the

    rocket body.

    41

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    ABOVE: An cm Raketensprenggranate  N ote the leads running from the se

    to

    the firing c

    ir

    cuit

    The performance

    of the

    8 cm fin-stabilised rocket in action

    as

    opposed to

    the more complex 'spinners' added further fuel to the arguments between the

    SS and the Army, and in early 1944 a meeting was held in Berlin to decide

    the matter. Their decision was that the

    cm

    rocket was superior to the 15

    cm

    series

    but

    Hitler himself overruled any change-over in production rates and

    ordered large scale field trials

    of

    the two equipments which were never com

    pleted . In retrospect

    it

    seems likely

    that

    the decision in favour

    of

    the 8 cm was

    largely a political one in

    view of

    the gradual and insidious policy

    of

    the SS

    in taking over every part

    of

    the war effort

    of

    the Third

    Reich a

    policy which

    culminated in

    SS

    control

    of

    the

    V weapon

    campaign and even eventually the

    Wehrmacht itself.

    The 1 em Nebelwerfer

    35 nd 4

    The Nebelwerfer 35 and 40 are included as they constituted the first equipment

    of the Chemical Warfare troops. They were

    not

    rocket equipments

    but

    large

    mortars.

    First issued to the Nebelabteilung in late 1935 the 10

    cm

    Nebelwerfer 35

    was an enlarged version

    of the

    cm Schwere Granatenwerfer 34 mortar.

    Five men formed the crew in action and the 228 Ib weight of the complete

    weapon could be transported by pack-animal, two wheeled handcart or

    sledge. Rate of fire

    was of

    the order of 12 15 rounds per minute. Range was

    3025 m. In

    1939

    the Nebelwerfer 35 was the standard equipment

    of

    the

    Nebelabteilung during the Polish campaign and was also issued to the

    Gebirgswerferabteilung (mountain rocket projector brigades) .

    The 10 cm Nebelwerfer

    40

    was a much heavier and more complex weapon .

    It embodied a recoil mechanism

    as

    the projectile was loaded via a breech

    block and fired by percussion as in a normal artillery piece however the

    high elevation and trajectory

    of

    a mortar was retained, and the barrel remained

    smooth bored.

    Weight

    was

    1730

    Ib which meant that the piece had

    to be

    towed

    on its wheeled carriage, usually behind a light truck or by men across

    country. Range was increased to 6225 m and the firing rate was 8 10 rounds

    per minute.

    AMMUNITION

    The Nebelwerfer 35 and

    40

    both had a calibre of 10·5 cm but fired differing

    ammunition- however, the Nebelwerfer 35 could fire the generally heavier

    Nobolwerfer 40 rounds. A list of the various types follows:

    42

    10

    m

    Nebelwerfer 35

    HE

    10 cm Wurfgranate 35 Spreng

    Smoke

    10 cm Wurfgranate 35 Nebel

    10 cm Wurfgranate 35 Nebel S

    Incendiary 10 cm Wurfgranate 35 Brenn

    10 m Nebelwerfer 4

    HE

    10

    cm Wurfgranate 40 Spreng

    Smoke

    10 cm Wurfgranate

    40

    Nebel

    10 cm Wurfgranate 40 Nebel S

    10 cm Wurfgranate

    40

    wKh Nebel

    Weights

    varied for

    a rough guide the 35 Nebel weighed 16 Ib

    while

    the

    40 Nebel weighed 21·9 lb .

    Chemical-filled rounds (other than smoke) were available but not used.

    2 mm Luftfaust

    By late 1944 Allied air supremacy was so overwhelming that drastic anti-air

    craft measures

    wer

    e being contempla ted by all arms of the German forces. Some

    of these measures involved anti-aircraft rockets

    which

    are beyond the scope

    of

    thi

    s book,

    as

    they primarily concerned the anti-aircraft arms. However, one

    stop-gap solution can be mentioned here,

    as

    it concerns a projector intended

    for

    issue to front-line troops who were especially troubled by the activities of

    ground attack aircraft such

    as

    the Ilyushin

    11 2

    , P-47 Thunderbolt and Typhoon

    or Tempest. This equipment iNas known as the Luftfaust or Fliegerfaust. In the

    event the

    war

    ceased before it saw field service, but large numbers had been

    manufactured and were ready for issue.

    The equipment was designed

    for

    quick, simple and cheap manufacture. The

    shoulder-mounted projector consisted of nine drawn

    steel tubes eight

    sp aced

    @®@

    @@@

    @@@

    20

    mm (-79 in H. E. ROCKET PROJECTOR (LUFTFAU5T)

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    In a circle round one central tube. These nine tubes were held securely in

    place by

    four

    identical stamped steel plates. Each plate had an integral sleeve

    to make the structure

    re

    ally rigid and the

    two

    end plates were welded in

    position

    - the other

    two

    were

    friction

    fitted and held in place

    by the

    firing

    assembly.

    The nine rounds

    were

    pre-loaded in ready-spaced

    clips

    5 that

    the clip could

    be fitted directly into the projector. Pre-spacing of

    the individual

    rounds was

    effected by two

    further

    steel plates similar but lighter, to those spacing the

    tubes on the projector. Rounds were held fixed in position by wire spring

    clips on the base plate of the clip while the front plate

    was

    'floating', so that

    when the rounds were introduced

    into

    the projector and pushed home the

    front

    plate

    was

    pushed back

    onto

    the b