8 cm Granatwerfer 34

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8 cm Granatwerfer 34
1655 - Salzburg - Festung Hohensalzburg - Schwerer Granatwerfer 34.JPG
A GrW 34 at the Festung Hohensalzburg
Type Mortar
Place of origin Nazi Germany
Service history
In service1937–1952
Used by Nazi Germany
East Germany
Bulgaria
Yugoslavian Partisans [1]
Wars World War II
Production history
Designer Rheinmetall
Designed1932–1934
Unit cost810 Reichsmark
Produced1934–1945
No. built75,255 [2]
Variants8 cm GrW 34/1
Specifications
Mass62 kg (136.6 lbs)
steel barrel
57 kg (125.6 lbs)
alloy barrel
Barrel  length1.14 m (3 ft 9 in)

Shell 3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz)
Caliber 81.4 mm (3.20 in)
Elevation 45° to 90°
Traverse 10° to 23°
Rate of fire 15-25 rpm
Muzzle velocity 174 m/s (571 ft/s)
Effective firing range400–1,200 m (440–1,310 yd)
Maximum firing range2.4 km (1.5 mi)

The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 (8 cm GrW 34) was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II. [3] It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire. [4]

Contents

History

A four-man crew of Waffen-SS soldiers firing on Yugoslavian partisans, December 1943. Stanowisko niemieckiego mozdzierza w gorskiej wiosce w Bosni (2-540).jpg
A four-man crew of Waffen-SS soldiers firing on Yugoslavian partisans, December 1943.

The weapon was of conventional design and broke down into three loads (smooth bore barrel, bipod, baseplate) for transport. [3] Attached to the bipod were a traversing handwheel and a cross-leveling handwheel below the elevating mechanism. [5] A panoramic sight was mounted on the traversing mechanism yoke for fine adjustments. A line on the tube could be used for rough laying. [6]

The 8 cm GrW 34/1 was an adaptation for use in self-propelled mountings. A lightened version with a shorter barrel was put into production as the kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42.

The mortar employed conventional 8 cm 3.5 kg shells (high explosive or smoke) with percussion fuzes. The range could be extended by fitting up to three additional powder charges between the shell tailfins. [6]

A total of 74,336,000 rounds of ammunition were produced for the Granatwerfer 34 from September 1939 to March 1945. [2]

Ammunition

List of available ammunition for the Granatwerfer 34. [7]

NameCaliberMass of explosive materialTarget effectOther information
Wurfgranate 34
(Mortar grenade 34)
80,7 mm533 gBlast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 34 Blauring
(Mortar grenade 34 bluering)
530 gBlast, shrapnel and chemical effectChemical agent: Adamsite
Wurfgranate 34 Ex
(Mortar grenade 34 dummy)
0 gNone (training ammunition)Ammunition used for learning general handling
Wurfgranate 34 Nb
(Mortar grenade 34 smoke)
500 gSmoke effectEffect load: Sulfur trioxide in pumice stone
Wurfgranate 34 Üb
(Mortar grenade 34 training)
57 gMinimal blast effectTraining ammunition
Wurfgranate 34 Weißring
(Mortar grenade 34 whitering)
550 gBlast, shrapnel and chemical effectChemical agent: Phenacyl chloride
Wurfgranate 38
(Mortar grenade 38)
400 gBlast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 38 Deut
(Mortar grenade 38)
200 gEjection charge
Wurfgranate 38 umg
(Mortar grenade 38 rebuild)
550 gBlast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 39
(Mortar grenade 39)
400 gBlast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 40
(Mortar grenade 40)
80,9 mm2000 gBlast and shrapnel effect
Wurfgranate 40 Üb
(Mortar grenade 40 training)
0 gNoneTraining ammunition

See also

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

Citations

  1. Vukšić, Velimir (July 2003). Tito's Partisans 1941–45. Warrior 73. Osprey Publishing. pp. 25, 61. ISBN   978-1-84176-675-1.
  2. 1 2 (in German)
  3. 1 2 German Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. May 25, 1943. p. 102.
  4. Chamberlain and Gander 1975, p. 7
  5. German Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. May 25, 1943. pp.  103–104.
  6. 1 2 German Infantry Weapons. Special series no. 14. Washington: United States War Department. May 25, 1943. pp. 102–112.
  7. Database of the Dresdner Sprengschule GmbH

General sources

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