Wgr.41 Spr

Description

The Wgr.41 Spr rocket (scale is approximate)

The Wurfgranate 41 was a projectile fired by the 15cm Nebelwerfer 41. It was spin-stabilized and featured quite an unusual design, with the rocket motor placed in the front and the explosive charge positioned at the tail. It was known for its utility, being used for all types of bombardments over the course of the war, including gas and smoke deployment.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon:

• 15 cm Pz.W.42
• Zrinyi I

General info

The 15cm Wurfgranate 41 is best used at shorter ranges, due to it being inaccurate and highly affected by gravity, requiring the user to make aim adjustments based on the target's distance from the launcher. While the rocket contains a whopping 2.15kg of explosive mass, it is also large and has extremely poor penetration (27mm), which only allows it to overpressure enemy vehicles if a weakspot is hit. Such a hit, however, will almost always knock out the enemy vehicle without the need of a follow-up shot.

Effective damage

The rocket is highly explosive, which allows it to knock out open-topped vehicles with shrapnel without the rocket hitting the vehicle itself. The high explosive mass will, in almost all cases, destroy an enemy vehicle instantly upon succesful penetration or overpressure. In the event of the rocket failing to pierce enemy armor, its detonation will still be powerful enough to destroy their tracks, immobilizing the enemy and allowing the user to more carefully aim their next shot at the opponent's weakspots.

Comparison with analogues

The Wurfgranate 41 is somewhat different from other vehicle-mounted rockets, such as the M8, being heavier and larger yet containing more explosive material. That means it is less effective at longer ranges due to a slower projectile speed and higher firing arc, but is also able to overpressure vehicles more easily thanks to the higher caliber and more explosive power.

Usage in battles

The Wurfgranate after being launched, as pictured in-game. Note the still-active rocket propellant, which shuts down shortly after exiting the launch tube, after which the projectile glides the rest of the way.

The Wurfgranate is best used against lightly armored and open-topped vehicles, which it is able to easily destroy with a single, often indirect hit. Should it be used against heavier opponents, the rocket has the best chance of knocking out its target by overpressuring its roof armor. Because of this, unless facing light vehicles, the user should always attempt to aim the rocket at the enemy tank's roof or turret front.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• High explosive mass
• High firing arc allows it to hit targets hiding behind cover from above
• Produces a large cloud of smoke and dust upon detonation, which can blind and disorient enemy vehicles

Cons:

• Slow projectile speed
• High firing arc makes aiming difficult for inexperienced users
• Loud sound and a trail of smoke produced during initial launch, often betraying the user's position
• Poor penetration (27mm)

History

Designed specifically for the Nebelwerfer in mind, the Wurfgranate 41 was first issued to troops in 1940, after the Battle of France. Thanks to its utility, it saw extensive use in bombardment campaigns from 1941 all the way to Germany's surrender in 1945. It was used for explosive shelling, smoke deployment and toxic gas distribution. Almost five and a half million projectiles were manufactured over the course of the war. Due to its distinctive sound, allied troops nicknamed the Wurfgranate the "Screaming Mimi" or "Moaning Minnie".

See also

• M8 (US vehicle-mounted rocket)
• M-8 (Soviet vehicle-mounted rocket)

External links

Rockets
USA
70 mm	FFAR Mighty Mouse · Hydra-70 M247
110 mm	M8
127 mm	HVAR · Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP
298 mm	Tiny Tim
408 mm	Yasser
Germany
55 mm	R4M
73 mm	RZ.65
88 mm	Pb2
150 mm	Wgr.41 Spr
210 mm	Wfr.Gr.21
USSR
55 mm	S-5K · S-5KP · S-5M
80 mm	S-8KO · S-8M
82 mm	M-8 · ROS-82 · RBS-82
122 mm	S-13OF
127 mm	S-3K
132 mm	M13 · M-13UK · ROFS-132 · ROS-132 · RBS-132
212 mm	S-1of · S-21
240 mm	S-24 · S-24B
300 mm	M-31
420 mm	S-25O · S-25OF · S-25OFM
425 mm	TT-250
Britain
51 mm	RP
70 mm	CRV7 M247
80 mm	Type R80 SURA T-80-P 3 · Type R80 SURA T-80-US 3
87 mm	AP Mk I · AP Mk II
152 mm	RP-3
183 mm	Triplex R.P.
292 mm	Uncle Tom · Red Angel
Japan
100 mm	Type 5 No.1 Mod.9
120 mm	Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1
130 mm	Type 75
210 mm	Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 · Type 5 No.6 Mod.9
China
55 mm	Type 57-1
70 mm	FS70
90 mm	Type 90-1
130 mm	Type 130-2
Italy
50 mm	ARF/8M3(AP-AT)
70 mm	Skyfire-70 AC/AP
France
68 mm	SNEB type 23 · TDA
70 mm	FZ49
100 mm	TBA ECC · TBA Multi-Dart 100 AB
120 mm	T10 140 · T10 151
Sweden
75 mm	srak m/55 Frida · srak m/57B
81 mm	Oerlikon Typ 3Z 8Dla
135 mm	m/56D · psrak m/70
145 mm	psrak m/49B · Psrak m/49/56
150 mm	srak m/51
180 mm	hprak m/49
Israel
80 mm	Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon
127 mm	AR