Nebelwurfgerät
The Nebelwurfgerät was a turret mounted launcher used to disperse the Schnellnebelkerze 39 smoke grenade. It was typically found on German tanks from 1942 through 1943.
Operation
The Nebelwurfgerät was mounted in two sets of three, one on each forward side wall of the turret[1] with each launcher being 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in calibre by 15 centimetres (6 in) in length. The uppermost launcher tubes were oriented forward and angled slightly outwards while the middle and lower tubes were set on a progressively lower elevation but increasing angle.[2] Six smoke grenades were carried, one in each launcher tube.[1] They were ejected out of each tube by Zündschraube C 23[3] primer which was electrically fired from six push-buttons labeled Nebelkerzen,[4] these buttons being grouped in two sets of three, located in the turret to the left and right of the commander's position and forward of his cupola. No spare smoke grenades, primers or launcher tubes were carried.[1]
Starting in August 1942, Wegmann prepared turrets for installation by welding mounting brackets to the turret sides and drilling holes for the wiring so that the troops could mount the device by themselves. Complete Nebelwurfgerät were mounted by the assembly plants starting in October 1942.[5] During a reported action in February 1943, enemy small arms fire had inadvertently set off the smoke grenades inside their launcher tubes resulting in the temporary blinding and incapacitation of the tank crew. Because of this hazard, the Nebelwurfgerät was no longer mounted after June 1943[3] and this device was eventually supplanted by the Nahverteidigungswaffe.[6]
Gallery
Sd.Kfz. 234 equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer II "Luchs" tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer III tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät behind the Schürzen
Panzer III tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät.
StuG III assault gun equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
StuG III assault gun equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer IV tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer IV tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer IV tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät
Panzer IV tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät behind the Schürzen.
Tiger I tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät.
Notes
- Fletcher 1986, p. 94.
- Culver & Feist 1992, p. 79.
- Jentz & Doyle 2009, p. 60.
- Fletcher 2011, p. 127.
- Jentz & Doyle 1999, p. 78.
- Zaloga 2016, p. 33.
References
- Culver, Bruce; Feist, Uwe (1992). Panzerkampfwagen Tiger. Ryton. ISBN 9781898135005.
- Fletcher, David (1986). Tiger! The Tiger Tank: A British View. London, UK: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 9780112904267.
- Fletcher, David (2011). Tiger Tank: Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger 1 Ausf. E (SdKfz 181) Model. Somerset, UK: Haynes Publishing. ISBN 9781844259311.
- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary (2009). Panzer Tracts 3-3: Panzerkampfwagen III - Ausf. J, L, M, und N. Boyds, MD: Panzer Tracts. ISBN 9780981538242.
- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary (1999). Germany's Tiger Tanks - D.W. to Tiger I: Design, Production & Modifications. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 9780764310386.
- Zaloga, Steven (2016). Bazooka vs Panzer Battle of the Bulge 1944. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781472812490.