Hitlerite Germany paid great attention to missile systems for the ground forces, and in the early forties, several such models entered service. Several jet mortars of the Nebelwerfer family have been consistently developed and implemented. They were based on the same ideas and solutions, but they had design differences and different characteristics.
Family start
The preconditions for the appearance of the Nebelwerfer rocket launchers (literally "Thrower of the fog") took place already in the mid-thirties. At that time, the development of barreled mortars for chemical projectiles was underway. With the help of such weapons, it was proposed to put up smoke screens or use chemical warfare agents. The use of high-explosive fragmentation ammunition was not excluded. Within a few years, they created two "fog throwers" of classical mortar architecture.
In the late thirties, there was a proposal to abandon the mortar scheme in favor of rockets. By that time, Germany had serious experience in the field of unguided missiles, and it was applied in a new project. A full-fledged example of this kind of weapon appeared at the very end of the thirties.
The first samples of a new weapon called the 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 (15 cm Nb. W. 41) entered the army in 1940, shortly after the end of the French campaign. By the time of the attack on the USSR, the Nebeltruppe units received a sufficient number of rocket launchers and were able to test them in battles.
Towed and self-propelled
Product Nb. W. 41 was made in the form of a towed system on a wheeled carriage. Its main element was a block of six tubular guide barrels with a caliber of 158 mm, arranged in a hexagon. The design of the mortar-launcher allowed horizontal and vertical guidance. The length of the product, taking into account the beds, reached 3.6 m, its own weight - 510 kg.
In the spring of 1943, the Panzerwerfer 42 combat vehicle went into production. It was the Sd. Kfz half-track armored personnel carrier. 4/1 with a redesigned troop compartment, which housed a launcher with 10 barrels. Such a machine differed from the towed "Thrower" in its large salvo size and increased mobility, which also affected its combat survivability.
For the jet mortar, turbojet projectiles of the 15 cm Wurfgranate 41 family were intended. These products had a tubular body assembled from several sections and intermediate bushings. The head fairing was made hollow. The front of the hull contained a powder charge; in its walls there were oblique nozzles, providing a set of speed and spinning of the projectile around the axis. The tail compartment was given under the warhead - 2.5 kg of TNT, 4 kg of smoke-forming mixture, or several liters of CWA. W. Gr. 41 had a length of no more than 1.02 m and a mass of no more than 36 kg.
The powder engine accelerated the jet mine to 340 m / s. The maximum firing range is 6, 9 km. Due to design features and manufacturing deficiencies, significant dispersion could have occurred, impairing accuracy.
Rocket mortars "Nebelwerfer-41" were actively used from 1941 until the end of the war. In 1941-45. about 6300 launchers of two types were built and approx. 5, 5 million W. Gr. 41. Such systems were used both for their intended purpose, for setting curtains, and as a means of reinforcing barreled artillery. As far as we know, shells with BOV have never been used in battles.
The weapon coped with its tasks, although it was not devoid of flaws. In particular, the smoke trail and the characteristic sound when the engine was running unmasked the position, which put the towed mortars at risk. The recognizable sound of a running engine has led to nicknames. In the Red Army, the German mortar was called "Ishak", in the Allied armies - "Screaming Mimi".
Increased caliber
In 1941, the smoke forces entered the 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 rocket launcher, which had a completely different architecture. Initially, such a system was carried out in a towed configuration, but then options for mounting launch guides on armored vehicles of various types, both German and captured, appeared.
Used high-explosive fragmentation projectile 28 cm Wurfkörper Spreng. It had a main body with a 280 mm warhead and was equipped with a thinner shank with a powder engine. Such a product weighed 82 kg and carried 50 kg of explosives. The 32 cm Wurfkörper Flamm ammunition was also developed. It had a body with a diameter of 320 mm, weighed 79 kg and carried 50 liters of liquid load. In the event of a fall, an incendiary mixture or CWA was sprayed over an area of 200 sq.m.
The powder engine accelerated the projectiles of two types up to a speed of 140-145 m / s. The high-explosive projectile flew at a range of about 1920 m. The lighter 32 cm Wurfkörper Flamm had a range of 2.2 km.
Rocket mortar "28/32 cm Nebelwerfer-41" was a towed system with a lattice package of guides for six shells. Also, a standard projectile capping placed on a support could be used as a launcher. The capping was also fixed on combat vehicles, this configuration of the launcher was called Wurfrahmen 40.
28- and 32-cm rockets were actively used in all the main theaters. As in the case of the previous system, in practice, only high-explosive and incendiary ammunition was used. The 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 rocket launcher differed from the 158-mm system in a shorter firing range, but a greater projectile power. The advantage was the ability to mount the mortar on self-propelled vehicles.
Based on 28/32 cm Nb. W. 41, the 30 cm Nb. W. system was created. 42 for a high-explosive shell 30 cm Wurfkörper 42 Spreng. In its design, it was similar to existing ammunition, but it was distinguished by a more streamlined hull shape. A shell with a length of 1.2 m weighed 127 kg and delivered 67 kg of TNT at a distance of 4.5 km. The 30 cm Nebelwerfer 42 launcher practically did not differ from existing frame construction systems.
Five-barreled mortar
In 1942, another rocket launcher appeared, combining the features of previous samples - the 21 cm Nebelwerfer 42. The launcher included five 210-mm tubular barrels on a wheeled carriage. Later this mortar was rebuilt for use in aviation.
210mm W. Gr. 42 had a cylindrical body with an ogival head. Product length - 1.25 m, weight - 110 kg. The fairing contained a warhead with 10, 2 kg of explosive; the use of other loads was not envisaged. The rest of the volumes were given to the engine. The projectile accelerated to 320 m / s and flew at 7, 85 km.
In the interests of the Luftwaffe, the 21 cm Nb. W. 42 under the name Werfer-Granate 21 / Bordrakete 21 / BR 21. Rocket 21 cm W. Gr. 42 retained the basic elements, but was equipped with a different fuse. The detonation was carried out at a distance of 600-1200 m from the launch point. The detonation range was set before the launch of the carrier. Single-engine fighters of the FW-190 type could carry two tubular guides for missiles, heavier aircraft up to four.
In the initial role of the 21 cm jet mortar, the Nebelwerfer 42 performed well. A salvo from several installations covered a sufficient area, and a significant payload exerted the required effect on the enemy. However, the drawbacks remained in the form of low accuracy and accuracy.
The BR 21 aircraft missile proved to be ineffective. The unguided missile was not very accurate, and preliminary guidance and launch from the required distance were too difficult and dangerous due to the enemy's return fire. As a result, the missile armament could not show sufficient efficiency even when fighting against dense formation of bombers.
Fog Throwers on the battlefield
German rocket launchers / multiple launch rocket systems were actively used from 1940 to 1945 for a number of basic tasks. The Nebeltruppe units were responsible for setting up curtains and reinforcing other artillery. In special cases, they were supposed to use BOV - but this did not come to that. Since a certain time, jet weapons have been used by combat aircraft.
The most massive example of the family was the first serial mortar 15 cm Nb. W. 41. Other samples were made in a smaller batch. The total release of launchers has reached several tens of thousands. The most massive were 158-mm rockets - 5.5 million pieces. The production of the rest did not exceed 300-400 thousand units.
Nebelwerfer systems were used mainly as rocket artillery to supplement barrel systems. In this role, they showed good results, but still did not have a decisive influence on the course of battles. The results of the use of rocket mortars were affected by their insufficient number and some design problems. A volley of multiple installations at high dispersion did not give all the desired results. Also, in a number of cases, the power of the light warhead turned out to be insufficient.
Nebeltruppe units and their weapons actively participated in battles in all theaters and generally coped with the assigned tasks. However, they usually did not manage to seriously influence the course of battles. Moreover, the systems of the family could not prevent the natural ending - in 1945, Hitlerite Germany, together with all the "Nebelwerfer", was defeated. Including with the help of more advanced, effective and successful rocket launchers.
