15 cm Nebelwerfer

15 cm Nebelwerfer

LandDuitsland
TypeMeerdere raketwerpers
In gebruik1941–45
Gebouwd5283+

De 15 cm Nebelwerfer (15 cm NbW 41) was een Duitse meervoudige raketwerper die in de Tweede Wereldoorlog werd gebruikt. Het diende met eenheden van de Nebeltruppen, het Duitse equivalent van het Chemical Corps van het Amerikaanse leger. Net zoals het Chemisch Korps verantwoordelijk was voor gifgas en rookwapens die in plaats daarvan werden gebruikt om explosieven te leveren tijdens de oorlog, zo ook de Nebeltruppen. De naam "Nebelwerfer" kan het best worden vertaald als "mistwerper" of "rookwerper".

Bron:15 cm Nebelwerfer op Wikipedia

15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 WalkAround
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Wacht, Zoeken 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 voor u...
Nebelwerfer 41 15 cm
FotograafRandy Ray
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Nebelwerfer 41 15-cm Rond Te Lopen
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Zie ook:

Tweede Wereldoorlog: de definitieve visuele geschiedenis van Blitzkrieg tot de atoombom (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Kaart voor kaart van de Tweede Wereldoorlog (DK History Map by Map) - Amazon

Nebelwerfer 41 15-cm Walk Around
FotograafVladimir Yakubov
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Nebelwerfer 41 15-cm Walk Around
FotograafOnbewust
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The “Smoke Thrower” of the Nebeltruppen

De 15 cm Nebelwerfer (NbW 41) was a towed six-barrel rocket launcher that became one of the most iconic sounds of the Second World War. Originally developed by the German “Smoke Troops” (Nebeltruppen) for the delivery of chemical weapons and smoke screens—a classification used to bypass the Treaty of Versailles—it was primarily used to fire high-explosive rockets. While it lacked the pinpoint accuracy of traditional artillery, its ability to saturate a target area with six massive rockets in a matter of seconds made it a devastating weapon of area denial and psychological warfare.

Attribute Technical Specification (15 cm NbW 41)
Role Multiple Rocket Launcher (Towed)
Kaliber 158.5 mm (6.24 inches)
Barrels 6 tubes, 1.3 meters long
Weight (Empty) 540 kg (1,190 lbs)
Rate of Fire 1 salvo (6 rockets) in 10 seconds
Maximum Range 6,900 meters (approx. 4.3 miles)
Muzzle Velocity 342 m/s (1,120 ft/s)
Koets Modified 3.7 cm PaK 36 split-trail carriage

Design Engineering: Spin-Stabilized Impact

  • The “Front-Engined” Rocket: Unlike most rockets where the motor is at the rear, the 15 cm Wurfgranate 41 had its motor in the voorzijde. The exhaust venturis were located about two-thirds of the way down the body. This was designed to keep the warhead above the ground during detonation to maximize blast and fragmentation, though it made the rockets more complex to manufacture.
  • Spin-Stabilization: The rockets were stabilized not by fins, but by 26 canted nozzles in the exhaust ring. These nozzles were drilled at a 14° angle, causing the rocket to spin rapidly in flight, which significantly improved accuracy over fin-stabilized designs.
  • The Fixed Firing Order: To prevent the massive backblast from toppling the lightweight carriage, the tubes were never fired simultaneously. They followed a strict electrical firing sequence: 1-4-6-2-3-5. This distributed the recoil forces evenly across the mount.
  • Electrical Remote Ignition: Because the backblast was dangerous and kicked up massive amounts of debris, the crew operated the launcher from a distance (typically 10–15 meters away) using an electrical ignition box and a long cable.

Operational History: The “Moaning Minnie”

  • Psychological Impact: Allied troops in Sicily and Normandy nicknamed it “Screaming Mimi” or “Moaning Minnie” because of the terrifying, high-pitched wailing sound the rockets made as they descended. The sound was often as effective at breaking morale as the actual explosions were.
  • The Smoke Trail Weakness: The rockets left thick, persistent white smoke trails that pointed directly back to the launcher’s position. This made Nebelwerfer batteries high-priority targets for Allied counter-battery fire, forcing crews to “shoot and scoot” immediately after a salvo.
  • Saturation vs. Precision: A single battery of six launchers could deliver 36 rockets (carrying nearly 90 kg of high explosives) into a small area in just 10 seconds. This made them perfect for halting infantry charges or clearing out defensive “soft” targets.
  • Self-Propelled Success: The system was eventually mounted on armored half-tracks to create the Panzerwerfer 42, solving the mobility and vulnerability issues of the towed version by allowing it to move almost immediately after firing.

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