Nebelwerfer 40

The NbW 40 is one of the better examples of German overengineering since it fired a slightly heavier bomb over twice as far as the NbW 35, but weighed almost eight times more than the earlier model. It was an innovative breech-loading design with the wheels permanently attached to the carriage, from which it was fired, and which wasn't disassembled for transport. It replaced the NbW 35 in (Nebelwerfer "smoke-mortar") battalions belonging to the Chemical Corps of the Heer; exactly how the American fielded their own M2s in chemical mortar battalions. It was replaced by the 15 cm Nebelwerfer 41 multiple rocket launcher from 1941.

• Name — 10 cm Nebelwerfer 40 • Origin — Nazi Germany • Type — Mortar • Is Artillery — yes • Service — 1941–45 • Used By — Nazi Germany • Wars — World War II • Designer — Rheinmetall • Design Date — 1939–40 • Manufacturer — Rheinmetall • Production Date — 1941–42 • Unit Cost — 14000 Reichsmark • Weight — 800 kg (1,763.6 lbs) • Part Length — 1.72 m L/17.7 • Cartridge — HE: 8.6 kg Smoke: 8.9 kg • Caliber — 105 mm (4.13 in) • Rate — 8–10 rpm • Velocity — 310 m/s (1,017 ft/s) • Max Range — 6.35 km • Elevation — 45° to 84° • Traverse — 14°

They began to replace the 10 cm Nebelwerfer 35 mortars from late 1941 in the Nebelwerfer battalions, and were used by Gebirgs-Werfer-Abteilung (Mountain Mortar Battalion) 10 plus the first battalion of the Nebel-Lehr Regiment (Demonstration Regiment) and saw service in the North Africa, Finland and Russia.

• Illustration — A Nebelwerfer 40.