Grzesio
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I was reading a popular Russian book about mortars and rocket launchers ("Mortars and rocket artillery, 100 years of history" by Victor Myryanin) some time ago, and I was really fooled, when, after dealing with popular prewar German rocket systems (e.g. 15 cm WGr and 28/32 cm Wk), which were described really reasonably, the author suddenly wrote:
German army put also into service a 280 mm three-barelled mortar, comprising of a supporting frame with traverse and elevation gears, a baseplate and smooth barrels with impact firing devices at rear ends. Front ends of the barrels were supported by the frame, rear ends put on the baseplate. The mortar was transported on a 3 t truck.
The mortar could be fired both from the ground or from the truck. Shots were fired one after another. After three shots, barrels were removed for reloading and a new set of loaded barrels was put in their place. General data: barrel weight 65 kg, baseplate weight 200 kg, rate of fire 6 shots in 10-15 minutes, traverse angle when fired from the ground 4,5 deg, max. range of a 75 kg rocket projectile 6500 m.
The mortar does not resemble any German artillery or rocket system known to me - neither in shape, nor characteristics... Was something like that built at all?
One possibility I see, is that author includes a couple of prewar sources in the bibliography, so maybe one of them described such a "wonder weapon", which was even planned bun never eventually materialized? Or was it just a propaganda?
Kind regards
Grzesio
German army put also into service a 280 mm three-barelled mortar, comprising of a supporting frame with traverse and elevation gears, a baseplate and smooth barrels with impact firing devices at rear ends. Front ends of the barrels were supported by the frame, rear ends put on the baseplate. The mortar was transported on a 3 t truck.
The mortar could be fired both from the ground or from the truck. Shots were fired one after another. After three shots, barrels were removed for reloading and a new set of loaded barrels was put in their place. General data: barrel weight 65 kg, baseplate weight 200 kg, rate of fire 6 shots in 10-15 minutes, traverse angle when fired from the ground 4,5 deg, max. range of a 75 kg rocket projectile 6500 m.
The mortar does not resemble any German artillery or rocket system known to me - neither in shape, nor characteristics... Was something like that built at all?
One possibility I see, is that author includes a couple of prewar sources in the bibliography, so maybe one of them described such a "wonder weapon", which was even planned bun never eventually materialized? Or was it just a propaganda?
Kind regards
Grzesio