Kz 8 cm GrW 42

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]

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.

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. [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