28/32cm Nebelwerfer 41 (28/32cm NbW 41)

History

The WWII German Army (1939-1945) used several main types of rocket launchers in the conflict. There are towed 15cm and 21cm Nebelwerfer systems (translated as "smoke mortar") as well as 30cm versions. Multiple rocket launchers became a vehicle-mounted solution, designed to replicate the successful Soviet "Katyusha" series.

The 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was another system used by the Wehrmacht from 1941 (as the name suggests) in circulation until the end of the war in 1945. About 345 of these weapons are in service with the ranks of the "Nebeltruppen" - the German equivalent of the US Army's "Chemical Corps".

The 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 (abbreviated "28/32 cm NbW 41") weighed 2,500 pounds and launched six 280 mm (28 cm) or 320 mm (32 cm) caliber rockets. The rockets weigh 180 and 175 pounds, respectively, and are housed in a launcher unit that includes basic elevator and roll controls. The missile is stabilized along its trajectory by the tail, leaving the launcher at 480 feet per second and can reach target areas of 2,100 yards (280mm missile) and 2,400 yards (320mm).

The 28cm rocket carries 110 pounds of high-explosive (HE) fill, while the 32cm version carries 100 pounds of combustion oil. The rocket types are called "Wurfkorper Spreng" and "Wurfkorper Flamm" respectively. The latter can also be used as chemical delivery weapons.

The launcher is on a two-wheeled frame that is transported (towed) by a mobile vehicle. In addition to the hardware, the wagon allows the task force to make some fine-tuning on the battlefieldthe two-wheeled design allows the crew to steer the unit in the direction of expected fire, essentially allowing for a full 360-degree traverse.

The shovel and stabilizer arms were lowered prior to launch to account for the violent recoil effect of the launched missile. Once the system is ready, the crew is close by for covermissiles are fired one at a time, but there is now an inherent single-shot capability.

Interestingly, the box the rocket arrives in is designed to be suitable for launching the rocket without the need for a two-wheeled carriage assembly. The small support legs have been folded down to provide height.

More importantly, this small mass significantly expands the tactical value of the 28/32 cm NbW-41 series, as the weapon does not require a special launcher. Therefore, these boxes can be installed in various configurations and used in vehicles or as fixed locations.

The true value of battlefield missiles is exposed time and time again in conflict. While not precise weapons in themselves, rocket launchers of that era were huge psychological weapons, as they were lethally saturated across the area - affecting unfortunate enemy forces so much that they found themselves on the receiving end . The greatest danger to the combatants themselves is counter-battery fire, and the crews operating their systems are largely unprotected and somewhat close to the front.

Many 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 launcher systems were eventually modified from 1943 to use the newer 30 cm Wurstkorper 42 series rockets, which in turn produced new "30 cm Nebelwerfer -42" stock units .

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

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Armor

6x 280mm (11") High Explosive (HE) OR 320mm (13") Oil Field Field Incendiary Missile; reload depends on ammunition carrier.

Changes