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38 cm schwerer Ladungswerfer 
Summary
The 38 cm schwerer Ladungswerfer (38 cm sLdgW) was a spigot mortar used by Germany during World War II. It was used by engineers to demolish obstacles and strongpoints. It proved to be too heavy for its role and it was gradually withdrawn from front-line service.
| 38 cm schwerer Ladungswerfer | |
|---|---|
| Type | Spigot Mortar |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rheinmetall |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) |
| Barrel length | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) |
| Diameter | 38 cm (1 ft 3 in) |
| Shell | 149 kilograms (328 lb) |
| Caliber | 169 millimetres (6.7 in) (spigot diameter) |
| Elevation | 37° to 85° |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Maximum firing range | 1,000 m (1,100 yd) |
| Filling weight | 110 pounds (50 kg) |
Propellant was placed at the top of the spigot and ignited when the projectile slid far enough down the spigot to complete the electrical circuit. The spigot mortar was mounted on a traversing bracket on a drum-shaped platform that was staked to the ground. It fired HE and smoke rounds.
External links edit
- mortar page from TM-E 30-451 Handbook on German Military Forces on Lone Sentry
- Allied intelligence report on 38 cm ammunition on Lone Sentry
Sources edit
- 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