German Nebelwerfer

In a gun emplacement on the Eastern Front, August 1942. / Photos by Ernst Franck

 

Schweres Wurfgerät 41 (28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 für 28 cm Wurfkörper Spreng / 32 cm Wurfkörper Flamm).

The Nebelwerfer were German grenade launchers developed during the First World War. They were later developed into rocket launchers and were a common weapon of World War II.

Schweres Wurfgerät 40/41:
The heavy throwing device 40 (wood) and the heavy throwing device 41 (steel) could fire both the 28 cm explosive device and the 32 cm flameproof device. In the case of the throwing device 40, four wooden packing boxes weighing 30 kg were housed on a 52 kg frame. It was replaced in 1941 by the heavy throwing device 41 (steel), in which four rockets were housed in a 20 kg steel packing box on a 110 kg steel frame.

28-cm-WK-Spr:
The 28 cm WK Spr was the propellant for the 15 cm launcher grenade 41 with an over-caliber warhead with a wall thickness of 1 mm. With a length of 1260 mm and a total weight of 82 kg, the warhead designed for pressure (gas strike) carried 50 kg of explosives. Because of the small propellant charge, only a range of around 1900 m was achieved and the spread was considerable. Since it was an area weapon, however, the spread could be accepted. The great effect earned the weapon the name "Stuka on foot", because of the starting noise it was also called "Howling Cow".

32-cm-WK-Flamm:
The 32 cm WK flame had the same propellant charge, the warhead with a maximum diameter of 33.7 cm carried 50 liters of flame oil and a dismantling charge of 1.6 kg. With a length of 1300 mm and a total weight of 79 kg, a range of around 2200 m was achieved. One hit set fire to an area of ​​around 200 m² (for example, a square of around 14 × 14 meters). It was customary to mix a rocket salvo so that the ratio of high explosive ammunition to flame ammunition was five to one. For example, the SdKfz 251/1 Ausf. B with a throwing frame usually carried five 28 cm WK Spr and a 32 cm throwing body Flamm in individual throwing frames attached to the side.

28/32-cm-Nebelwerfer 41:
The 28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was a trailer solution for the projectiles of the heavy throwing device that were already in use and could be shot down from the trailer. There was no longer any need to load the launcher frame with the heavy bullets and a quick change of position could be made after the shot. For greater stabilization, the trailer received a folding support with a spur plate. Straightening with straightening attachment 35 was carried out for the height with a ratchet and for the side with a crank. With retractable inserts, it was also possible to shoot with the 28 cm bullet with this system. The projectiles were ignited electrically by incandescent fuse 40 without delay. The shooting took place at least 3 minutes after another. Reloading took about 5 minutes and only the top three frames were loaded at a short distance. Introduced in 1941, but due to its short range (approx. 2,000 m), the weapon was rarely used.

 

 

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A German Sniper in Stalingrad

A German sniper (scharfschütze) from 6. Armee takes aim with a Karabiner 98k rifle with mounted Soviet Mosin Nagant PE scope on the outskirts of of Stalingrad (now Volgograd), September 1942. Photos by Ernst Franck. The five month long battle would be one of the bloodiest battle in the history of warfare. According to archival figures, the Soviets suffered 1,129,619 total casualties; 478,741 personnel killed or missing, and 650,878 wounded or sick. The Axis suffered 850,000 total casualties (wounded, killed, captured) among all branches of the German armed forces and its allies; 400,000 Germans, 200,000 Romanians, 130,000 Italians, and 120,000 Hungarians and smaller numbers of Croatian, Slovak, French, Spanish and others were killed, wounded or captured.

The German snipers were among the best in the world. Every firing as with the German fighter pilots had to be confirmed by witnesses. Many actual kills were therefore not scored. In comparison, for example, Soviet snipers independently set their kill rate without confirmation or retesting, with the number often being increased many times for propaganda reasons.

The sniper’s effect was recognized on the German side only in 1942, and the first official service provision of the Wehrmacht was from May 1943. Even with the service provision, the sniper actually did not exist until late in the Russian campaign and in the withdrawal battles on the Eastern Front meant that German troops knew how important and decisive a sniper could be. With the introduction of the sniper badge in 1944, the performance of the lone fighters was fully appreciated.

German snipers preferred the Mauser K98k with a 2- to 6-fold rifle scope of Zeiss and the Gewehr 43 of Walther This was also popular with Brandenburg and SS-Hunting Associations.
Most Successful German Precision Shooters:

- Matthäus Hetzenauer, 1924-2004, 345 confirmed kills on the Eastern Front 1943-45.

- Sepp Allerberger, 1924-2010, 257 confirmed kills on the Eastern Front 1942-45.

- Bruno Sutkus, 1924-2003, 209 confirmed kills, on the Eastern Front 1944-45.

- Friedrich Pein, 1915-1975, 200+ confirmed kills, on the Eastern Front 1943-45.

- Gefreiter Meyer – 180 confirmed kills.

- Oleh Dir – 120 confirmed kills.

- Helmut Wirnsberger – 64 confirmed kills on the Eastern Front 1942-45.

As a Sniper, these soldiers use specially equipped rifles by the targeted killing of enemy individuals as their military mission. Their constant mission is to fight enemy snipers. The target to be tackled is usually 300 to 600 m away, in special cases greater ranges. The snipers of the police are mostly called precision shooters.

The sniper works alone or together with an observer. He needs to know exactly what is going on around him, the glow of a cigarette or the flash of a metallic object from the reflection of a ray of sunshine could cost him his life a few hundred yards away from an enemy sniper. It takes a lot of training, perseverance and good nerves to stay in place even if the enemy troops are so close that you can smell them.

The lack of appreciation of the special task makes many of them good at what they which is why the soldier must have a strong and self-confident character. The regular troops often find the ambush attack unfair. Even the fear of enemy snipers sometimes increases the general discomfort even against their own sniper.

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