Kurzer 8cm Granatwerfer 42 (kz 8cm GrW 42)

History

During World War II (1939-1945), the German Army relied primarily on two infantry-grade mortar weapons - the compact 5 cm (50 mm) leGrW 36 and the larger 8 cm (80 mm) medium mortar Gun GrW 34 (detailed elsewhere on this page). Both were excellent weapons developed before the war (and not conducive to mass production in wartime), but the 50mm form exposed its inherent shortcomings soon after the actual operation, it was too complicated for its own use, providing It has a limited attack range and its projectiles are largely ineffective for a given character. Its dismal field results meant that production ceased as early as 1941, and the gun quickly entered second-line servicethough it persisted throughout the remainder of the war because ammunition supplies were readily available and portability was a priority.

An important attribute of infantry.

Due to the increasing reliance on the 8cm GrW-34 form, Rheinmetall engineers started work on a new version of this weapon in 1940. After the necessary prototyping, testing and evaluation phases, the new product entered service as the "Short 8 cm Granatwerfer 42" series - essentially a lightweight version of the existing GrW 34 mortar, with a shortened barrel for compactness, Weight reduction measures Halve the load and support the firing of heavier projectiles, with better anti-infantry performance It has roughly the same attack range as the previous 5cm lwGrW 36.

For transportation, the system can be divided into three main components to accommodate reassembly to a new location through multiple occupations.

The production of the kz 8cm GrW 42 gun began in 1941 and continued until the end of the war in 1945. It earned the nickname "Stummelwerfer" on the battlefield.

When completed, the Kz 8cm GrW 42 weighs 58.5 lbs and has a barrel length of 747 mm - making it an ideal replacement for the leGrW 36 series issued to German paratroopers. The weapon fires a 3.5kg 81.4mm shell at a range of 1,100 meters. Well-trained and experienced staff can handle 15 to 25 rounds per minute.

The gun has a built-in elevation function that allows the barrel to be tilted from 40 degrees to 90 degrees. Similarly, the lateral function allows 14 to 34 degree turns along the centerline.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes