syscom3
Pacific Historian
I received this in an e-mail today. I take no responsibility for its accuracy. Thats for the Luftwaffe experts in here to decide. And for those of you have a hard time understanding what that means, if you have an issue with this and want to blame me, go talk to Mr. Hand.
JG 1 and JG 11 especially II./JG 11 with the Bf 109Gused the single Br 21 under each wing during the spring of 1943. both Fw190's and the Bf 109 were equipped. During the fall of 1943 the Bf 110G-2's of ZG 26 and ZG 76 were also equipped this time with two mortars under each wing and of course the heavy 20 mm cannon and sometimes a single 3.7cm was fitted. Later in October 1943 II./ZG 26 transferred out the Bf 110G-2 to the Me 410A and it was equipped with the 4 mortars as well. Attacks were made in 3-4's and in staffel strength upwards of 10 to 12 a/c.
The idea was to pump these into the sides and
especially the rear of the B-24 and B-17 bomber formations causing major disruption where the
single and twin engine fighters could close in using
their heavy cannons. The idea was to fire the rockets outside the range of the bomber crews .50 cal mg's.
Heavy US bombers were lightly skinned aluminum creatures. the mortar rounds, one each from each mortar were high explosive in nature. they could not be properly aimed and were et off at random with the hope they
would blow up upon meeting the bombers skin, engines,etc. many times the rocket simply blew through one side of the fuselage and out the other and exploded harmlessly yards away. I am not really sure of the overall
range of the weapon, but it was obvious that contact with a bomber would incapacitate or destroy it in a huge explosion. Yes they used these type of fuses (proximity) on their flak rounds and yes the rockets had a predetermined range before they exploded. Just not sure of the ranges of the rocket nor the .50 but it was over a 1000 yards.
Me410-B2-WGR-53.jpg
The Wgr 210 (Wurfgranate 210) had a velocity of
320m/sec. and a range of 1,200m. Its use in 1943-44 did not live up toexpectations because it could not be aimed, etc., but it quickly evolved into the very successful R4M under-wing rocket. These 55mm rockets weighed a scant 4 kg (8.8 lbs.), were proximity-fused, had velocity of 250m/sec. and were typically fired at a range of 1,500 to 1,800 meters. A Bf 109, Fw 190 or a Me262 could carry 24 to 48 of them on rails under the wings. They were
first used against day bomber formations in spring
1945, so they came along too late to have much effect on the air war. The first time they were used, 6 Me 262s used them to shoot down 15 B-17s in less than two minutes at a range 1,700 meters without loss. (Rudolf Lusar, German Secret Weapons of the Second
World War, New York,
1959, pp.118-20.)
"The weapon wasn't actually a mortar, it was a rocket
launcher: the 21cm Nebelwerfer 42. The Luftwaffe designation was Wgr.21. The spin-stabilised rocket weighed 248lb at launch of which 90lb was the warhead. A
time fuse detonated the warhead at a preset distance
of 600 - 1200 yards from launch, resulting in a lethal zone about 30 yards wide.
It wasn't particularly successful. It's max. velocity
of 1,020 fps was too slow for accurate aiming, and it was extemely difficult for the pilot to judge the distance to the target accurately enough: most of these rockets exploded too far in front of, or behind thetarget. However,
when they did work they were spectacular: during an
early attack sortie in July 1943, a rocket exploded directly beneath one B-17, causing it to swing into first one and then another aircraft in the formation, resulting in the destruction of all three aircraft with just one shot!
JG 1 and JG 11 especially II./JG 11 with the Bf 109Gused the single Br 21 under each wing during the spring of 1943. both Fw190's and the Bf 109 were equipped. During the fall of 1943 the Bf 110G-2's of ZG 26 and ZG 76 were also equipped this time with two mortars under each wing and of course the heavy 20 mm cannon and sometimes a single 3.7cm was fitted. Later in October 1943 II./ZG 26 transferred out the Bf 110G-2 to the Me 410A and it was equipped with the 4 mortars as well. Attacks were made in 3-4's and in staffel strength upwards of 10 to 12 a/c.
The idea was to pump these into the sides and
especially the rear of the B-24 and B-17 bomber formations causing major disruption where the
single and twin engine fighters could close in using
their heavy cannons. The idea was to fire the rockets outside the range of the bomber crews .50 cal mg's.
Heavy US bombers were lightly skinned aluminum creatures. the mortar rounds, one each from each mortar were high explosive in nature. they could not be properly aimed and were et off at random with the hope they
would blow up upon meeting the bombers skin, engines,etc. many times the rocket simply blew through one side of the fuselage and out the other and exploded harmlessly yards away. I am not really sure of the overall
range of the weapon, but it was obvious that contact with a bomber would incapacitate or destroy it in a huge explosion. Yes they used these type of fuses (proximity) on their flak rounds and yes the rockets had a predetermined range before they exploded. Just not sure of the ranges of the rocket nor the .50 but it was over a 1000 yards.
Me410-B2-WGR-53.jpg
The Wgr 210 (Wurfgranate 210) had a velocity of
320m/sec. and a range of 1,200m. Its use in 1943-44 did not live up toexpectations because it could not be aimed, etc., but it quickly evolved into the very successful R4M under-wing rocket. These 55mm rockets weighed a scant 4 kg (8.8 lbs.), were proximity-fused, had velocity of 250m/sec. and were typically fired at a range of 1,500 to 1,800 meters. A Bf 109, Fw 190 or a Me262 could carry 24 to 48 of them on rails under the wings. They were
first used against day bomber formations in spring
1945, so they came along too late to have much effect on the air war. The first time they were used, 6 Me 262s used them to shoot down 15 B-17s in less than two minutes at a range 1,700 meters without loss. (Rudolf Lusar, German Secret Weapons of the Second
World War, New York,
1959, pp.118-20.)
"The weapon wasn't actually a mortar, it was a rocket
launcher: the 21cm Nebelwerfer 42. The Luftwaffe designation was Wgr.21. The spin-stabilised rocket weighed 248lb at launch of which 90lb was the warhead. A
time fuse detonated the warhead at a preset distance
of 600 - 1200 yards from launch, resulting in a lethal zone about 30 yards wide.
It wasn't particularly successful. It's max. velocity
of 1,020 fps was too slow for accurate aiming, and it was extemely difficult for the pilot to judge the distance to the target accurately enough: most of these rockets exploded too far in front of, or behind thetarget. However,
when they did work they were spectacular: during an
early attack sortie in July 1943, a rocket exploded directly beneath one B-17, causing it to swing into first one and then another aircraft in the formation, resulting in the destruction of all three aircraft with just one shot!
