8 cm Granatwerfer 34
| 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 | |
|---|---|
 A GrW 34 at the Festung Hohensalzburg | |
| Type | Mortar |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Nazi Germany Bulgaria |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1922–1933 |
| Produced | 1934–1945 |
| Variants | 8 cm GrW 34/1 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 62 kg (136.6 lbs) steel barrel 57 kg (125.6 lbs) alloy barrel |
| Barrel length | 1.14 m (3 ft 9 in)[1] |
| Shell | 3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz) |
| Caliber | 81.4 mm (3.20 in) |
| Elevation | 45° to 90° |
| Traverse | 10° to 23°[1] |
| Rate of fire | 15-25 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 174 m/s (571 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 400–1,200 m (440–1,310 yd) |
| Maximum firing range | 2.4 km (1.5 mi)[1] |
The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 (8 cm GrW 34) was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II.[2] It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.
History
The weapon was of conventional design and broke down into three loads (smooth bore barrel, bipod, baseplate) for transport.[2] Attached to the bipod were a traversing handwheel and a cross-leveling handwheel below the elevating mechanism.[3] A panoramic sight was mounted on the traversing mechanism yoke for fine adjustments. A line on the tube could be used for rough laying.[4]
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.[4]
See also
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- Brandt Mle 27/31 original French mortar design of the 1920s, after which all 3"/8 cm/81.4 mm/82 mm mortars of the Second World War era were patterned
- Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar British equivalent
- M1 mortar US equivalent
References
- ^ a b c Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Mortars and rockets. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco Pub. Co. ISBN 0668038179. OCLC 2067459.
- ^ a b German Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. May 25, 1943. p. 102.
- ^ German Infantry Weapons. United States War Department. May 25, 1943. pp. 103–104.
- ^ a b US War Department, Military Intelligence Service; Special series no. 14 (May 25, 1943). German Infantry Weapons. Washington: US Government Printing Office. pp. 102–112.
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Sources
- Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945. New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3
External links
