Description

The 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41, literally smoke mortar, was a six-barrelled towed rocket launcher.

Combat Use

Proper employment of the 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 is detailed in the firing table:

  • The weapon is only useful against ground targets. Because of the method of fire, it is only effective with a certain minimum ammunition expenditure.
  • Fighting small, pin-point targets goes against the nature of the weapon, except in close combat.
  • Firing suddenly, and at a high rate of fire, must be strived at by all means.
  • Aim grading at smaller intervals than 100 meters is generally useless.
  • The optimum fighting distance start at 4000 meters.

As is also evident from the accuracy of the weapon, the guidelines clearly point out that the 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 was a saturation weapon, which was generally ineffective against minor targets.

Production Costs

15 cm Nebelwerfer 41
Price 3350 Reichmark
Man-hours 650
Production time 3 months
Iron 983 kg
Manganese 0.58 kg
Chromium 0.11 kg
Copper 4.30 kg
Zinc 2 kg
Rubber 28 kg

Technical Information

15 cm Nebelwerfer 41
Gun
Caliber 158.5 mm
Weight, combat ready 540 kg
Weight, with transport carriage 590 kg
Barrel length 1.3 m
Barrel length in calibers 8.2
Range (max) 6900 m
Rate of fire, cyclical 36 rounds per minute
Rate of fire, effective 3.6 rounds per minute (three six-shell salvos every five minutes)
Barrel life Unlimited
Mount
Maximum elevation 45°
Minimum depression -5.625°
Traverse 23.625°

Accuracy

The accuracy is expressed as the area within which half the shells would fall.

Range 15 cm Wgr. 41 Spr 15 cm Wgr. 41 Nb 15 cm Wgr. 41 w Kh Nb
Length Width Length Width Length Width
1000 m 389 m 14 m 538 m 26 m 534 m 25 m
1500 m 363 m 20 m 526 m 37 m 517 m 35 m
2000 m 339 m 26 m 511 m 48 m 498 m 45 m
2500 m 298 m 38 m 482 m 67 m 462 m 61 m
3000 m 276 m 45 m 462 m 78 m 439 m 71 m
3500 m 245 m 56 m 428 m 96 m 396 m 87 m
4000 m 227 m 64 m 403 m 108 m 365 m 99 m
4500 m 202 m 76 m 361 m 127 m 314 m 119 m
5000 m 188 m 86 m 329 m 142 m 277 m 134 m
5500 m 168 m 104 m 276 m 167 m 217 m 162 m
6000 m 156 m 122 m 237 m 186 m 174 m 188 m
6500 m 137 m 170 m 169 m 229 m 115 m 255 m

Sources

  1. Vorläufige Schußtafel für den 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 mit der 15 cm Wurfgranate 41 Spreng und der 15 cm Wurfgranate 41 Nebel mit 15 cm Treibsatz DOV Digl.-Pulver. Berlin : Heereswaffenamt, 1944. 93 p. H Dv 119/982. NARA T283 R34.
  2. PAWLAS, Karl R. Waffen-Revue W 127 - Datenblätter für Heeres-Waffen, -Fahrzeuge und Gerät. Nurnberg : Publizistisches Archiv für Militär- und Waffenwessen, 1976. 248 p. ISBN 3-88088-213-4.