Pre-1946 Grenade Launchers

[World B4]

Here are some interesting projects I wanted to post. Some are actually light mortars. I don't care.

From Britain:
A late WW1 prototype, a humble beginning
https://collections.royalarmouries.org/first-world-war/type/rac-narrative-125.html
From the USSR:
The spade mortar, a jack of 2 trades that was bad at both
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/37mm_spade_mortarThe Kukalov, the true big iron, not fielded due to weight

https://augfc.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F76462842875

View: https://augfc.tumblr.com/post/76462842875/the-kulakov-grenade-launcher-origin-ussr

The Taubina AG-2, a true wonder weapon ahead of it's time

https://peashooter85.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F162996520057

View: https://peashooter85.tumblr.com/post/162996520057/the-taubina-ag-2-automatic-grenade-launcher-an/embed


From Italy:
The Lanciabombe, the wonderful combination of a want for a bazooka without recoilless weapon technology. In english, the name loosely translates to "hearing loss"*
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2-italy-anti-tank-weapons-60mm-lanciabombe/
From Germany:
The M19, an automatic light mortar for fortifications
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M19_MaschinengranatwerferThe Sturmkampfgewehr, a bit of an enigma

https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/ekcsvo

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/ekcsvo/a_demonstrative_picture_of_the_sturmkampfgewehr/

Some mystery grenade launchers. Again, bit of an enigma
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2711The "granatkarabiner" as it's called. Enigma 3, revenge of the enigma
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2183If any are hoaxes I'd like to find out here, rather than a site with a less friendly and helpful userbase.

Lastly, something I could use translating assistance with due to auto-translate failing me in my time of need. The 3rd article here is all in german. I'd like to know what it says.
https://kosta-g.livejournal.com/tag/sprgr.?utm_medium=endless_scroll
*it actually doesn't

 

[Temistocle]

In english, the name loosely translates to "hearing loss"*

Not sure if it was a joke, but "Lanciabombe" means "bombs thrower" in English.

 

[Grzesio]

The Taubina AG-2, a true wonder weapon ahead of it's time

Calling this weapon as "Taubina" or "Taubina Automatic Grenade Launcher" is actually a little bit unfortunate. It's a matter of declension - "Taubina" actually means "of Taubin" or "Taubin's" in Russian (surely coming from Avtomaticheskiy Granatomet Taubina - Taubin's Automatic Grenade Launcher) - so the basic form "Taubin" or "Taubin's" should rather be used in English translation.

 

[timmymagic]

Here's a pic I took of the Blanch Chevalier just before COVID kicked off. It's in the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The rifle below is the Farquhar-Hill Semi Automatic Rifle.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

The Type 10 grenade launcher

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Walther Kampfpistole

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Here's a pic I took of the Blanch Chevalier just before COVID kicked off. It's in the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The rifle below is the Farquhar-Hill Semi Automatic Rifle.

An obsolete Martini-Henry turned into a grenade launcher... Only the British could think that one up.

 

[Kosta_g]

The 3rd article here is all in german. I'd like to know what it says.

You can read it in English here: RIFLE GRENADE FOR SHOTGUNS OF THE GERMAN VOLKSSTURM: A CURIOUS DEVELOPMENT IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE REICH By Michael Heidler
and here https://nfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CFJ-Jan-Fev-2013.pdf

 

[!Mark]

Another italian grenade launcher project for parachute divisions, described like and compared to a Bazooka by this book, but it threw a grenade, not a rocket.
Bettica was a name associated with a WW1 mortar, maybe the designer was the same? Maybe this was a handheld lighter version?

 

[Bottleship]

German 50 mm mortar / grenade launcher:

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Two late-war mortar / grenade launcher weapons tested in the field by the US

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Also this little guy...

I found it here: https://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Recently-Developed-Ordnance-Materiel.pdf

^^^ check out the link for more tidbits that are not relevant in this post ^^^

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Finally this. Not much info on it though.

https://www.valka.cz/HWR-t254273

 

[publiusr]

Any silent grenade throwers based on bows and such---it is less likely to give ones position away and fool moving troops into thinking it a tripped mine.

 

[tom!]

Hi.

Japanese Type 98 5 cm Charge Thrower:

Special small spigot grenade launcher for engineers to fire explosive charges and bangalore torpedoes.


captured launcher wih small charge


launcher with bangalore torpedo.

Yours

tom!

 

[NMaude]

Also this little guy...

I found it here: https://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Recently-Developed-Ordnance-Materiel.pdf

^^^ check out the link for more tidbits that are not relevant in this post ^^^

They look like some kind of weird butt-plug.

 

[cattalonX]

An unidentified grenade launcher from the Sino-Japanese War
https://www.ytta.cn/digimuseum/relics/1591123473927766016/culturalrelichttps://www.krzzjn.com/show-1188-117475.html

 

[Grey Havoc]

Some mystery grenade launchers. Again, bit of an enigma
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2711The "granatkarabiner" as it's called. Enigma 3, revenge of the enigma
https://www.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2183

Updated links for those two articles (one is an archive link):
https://smallarmsreview.com/previously-unknown-ss-grenade-rifles/
http://archive.smallarmsreview.com/display.article.cfm?idarticles=2183

 

[Joint Soviet Fighter]

Hopefully, this is the right thread for Dyakonov's Grenade Launcher -

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzEwstAUS58

I actually happened upon the manual via a YouTube video that I initially found on Twitter, but as I can't seem to locate said footage, atm, I only have the screenshots of the 60 page manual that I mostly "transcribed" via Google Translate, so I'm not sure if anyone would be interested in reading/seeing it, but I can post the pages if needed/wanted.

As for the actual weapon, given the substantial recoil of the rifle that would break the collarbone of the shooter if it were fired like a standard Mosin, why not make it easier for everyone & combine the timed mortar bomb/round with a slightly larger version of The Spade Mortar, instead?

Just curious .

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Well, if you just want more bang for your buck on a rifle grenade, you substitute a 60mm mortar bomb...

I understand that this field improvisation actually got official approval eventually.