15 cm Nebelwerfer 41
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 | |
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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 | |
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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
- 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.
- 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.