Rheinmetall light Minenwerfer

(new pattern)

 

 

 

 

German designation :

7.58cm lMW n/A

Calibre :

75.8mm L/5.2

Weight of the barrel :

23 kg

Weight in action :

2157 kg

Weight in marching order :

275

Barrel length :

0.395 m

Barrel grooves

number :

6

depth :

1.5 mm

width :

20.25 mm

Propellant :

11 g / 14.5 g / 18 g / 21.5 g

Height of line of fire :

770 mm (in the low-angle mode)

315 mm (at 0°)

H.E. shell weight :

4.6 kg – bursting charge : 620 g Astralite

Gas shell weight :

4.4 kg – bursting charge : 37 g Picric acid

46 l of Phosgene

Muzzle velocity :

77 m/s (with the lowest charge)

121m/s (with the highest charge)

Max. range :

300 m / 1000 m (with old pattern explosive mine)

325 m / 1312 m (with new pattern explosive mine)

300 m / 1300 m (with gas mine)

Elevation :

+ 75° / 0° (in the high-angle mode)

+ 31° / + 12° (flat fire from wheeled carriage)

+ 31° / 0° (flat fire from bedding)

Traversing angle :

360°

Recoil :

190 mm

Height of weehls :

0.75 m

Track :

0.95 m

Rate of fire :

up to 20 rounds a minute for short periods

Personell required :

6 men

Remarks :

Introduced into the German Army in 1916. Since the front of the bedding was shaped like a semicircle, it was able to traverse 360°. As Gas shells it used the lacrimatory B-Stoff (with Xylyl bromide), and the lethal C-Stoff (with Mono or Tri-chloromethyl cloroformate) and D-Stoff (with Phosgene). Projectiles included also a special message shell designed to burst in the air over the addresses position when all other means of delivering it had failed. It could be carried either by two men with the help of poles, or, after two wheels of 75cm diameter had been stuck onto the axles of its bedding, drawn by hand (see the picture).

For other images of this mortar see :

http://www.thetankmaster.com/ENGLISH/AFV/Minenwerfer.asp