Kz 8 cm GrW 42

The kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42 (kz 8 cm GrW 42) was a mortar used by Germany during World War II. It was developed as a lightened version of the standard German 8 cm GrW 34 medium mortar with a shorter barrel for use by paratroopers, but replaced the ineffective 5 cm leGrW 36 as that weapon's shortcomings became apparent. The kz 8 cm GrW 42 fired a bomb over 3 and a half times heavier twice as far as the smaller mortar, but was less than twice as heavy. It broke down into the standard three loads for transport.

kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42
Type	Mortar
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
Used by	Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Rheinmetall
Designed	1940–41
Produced	1941–45
No. built	1,591[1]
Specifications
Mass	26.5 kg (58.4 lb)
Barrel length	74 cm (2 ft 5 in)[2]
Shell weight	3.5 kg (7 lb 11 oz)
Caliber	81.4 mm (3.20 in)
Elevation	40° to 90°
Traverse	14° to 34°[2]
Rate of fire	15–25 rpm
Maximum firing range	1.1 km (0.68 mi)[2]

Some weapons were provided with a lanyard-operated loading/firing mechanism for remote-controlled use. It was generally known as the "Stummelwerfer" or "Stump-Thrower".

References

1. (in German)
2. Chamberlain, Peter (1975). Mortars and rockets. Gander, Terry. New York: Arco Pub. Co. ISBN 0668038179. OCLC 2067459.

• 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

External links

• German Infantry Mortars