Pre-1946 Grenade Launchers

[World B4]

Here are some interesting projects I wanted to post. Some are actually light mortars. I don't care.

From Britain:
A late WW1 prototype, a humble beginning

Collection

Explore our objects, archives and library with the new Royal Armouries Collection online

collections.royalarmouries.org

From the USSR:
The spade mortar, a jack of 2 trades that was bad at both

37 mm spade mortar - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Kukalov, the true big iron, not fielded due to weight

https://augfc.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F76462842875

View: https://augfc.tumblr.com/post/76462842875/the-kulakov-grenade-launcher-origin-ussr

The Taubina AG-2, a true wonder weapon ahead of it's time

https://peashooter85.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F162996520057

View: https://peashooter85.tumblr.com/post/162996520057/the-taubina-ag-2-automatic-grenade-launcher-an/embed


From Italy:
The Lanciabombe, the wonderful combination of a want for a bazooka without recoilless weapon technology. In english, the name loosely translates to "hearing loss"*

60mm Lanciabombe - Tank Encyclopedia

The Lanciabombe was an experimental design for an infantry operable, shoulder-fired anti-tank gun, able to penetrate 70mm of armor.

tanks-encyclopedia.com

From Germany:
The M19, an automatic light mortar for fortifications

M19 Maschinengranatwerfer - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The Sturmkampfgewehr, a bit of an enigma

https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/ekcsvo

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/ForgottenWeapons/comments/ekcsvo/a_demonstrative_picture_of_the_sturmkampfgewehr/

Some mystery grenade launchers. Again, bit of an enigma

Previously Unknown SS Grenade Rifles

By Bas Martens

www.smallarmsreview.com

The "granatkarabiner" as it's called. Enigma 3, revenge of the enigma

Two German Curiosities of World War Two: Sturmkampfgewehr and Granatkarabiner

By Michael Heidler

www.smallarmsreview.com

If any are hoaxes I'd like to find out here, rather than a site with a less friendly and helpful userbase.

Lastly, something I could use translating assistance with due to auto-translate failing me in my time of need. The 3rd article here is all in german. I'd like to know what it says.

kosta_g, posts by tag: sprgr. - LiveJournal

Interesting posts by tag: sprgr.. Read on the LiveJournal blog kosta_g

kosta-g.livejournal.com

*it actually doesn't

 

[Temistocle]

In english, the name loosely translates to "hearing loss"*

Not sure if it was a joke, but "Lanciabombe" means "bombs thrower" in English.

 

[Grzesio]

The Taubina AG-2, a true wonder weapon ahead of it's time

Calling this weapon as "Taubina" or "Taubina Automatic Grenade Launcher" is actually a little bit unfortunate. It's a matter of declension - "Taubina" actually means "of Taubin" or "Taubin's" in Russian (surely coming from Avtomaticheskiy Granatomet Taubina - Taubin's Automatic Grenade Launcher) - so the basic form "Taubin" or "Taubin's" should rather be used in English translation.

 

[timmymagic]

Here's a pic I took of the Blanch Chevalier just before COVID kicked off. It's in the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The rifle below is the Farquhar-Hill Semi Automatic Rifle.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

The Type 10 grenade launcher

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Walther Kampfpistole

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Here's a pic I took of the Blanch Chevalier just before COVID kicked off. It's in the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The rifle below is the Farquhar-Hill Semi Automatic Rifle.

An obsolete Martini-Henry turned into a grenade launcher... Only the British could think that one up.

 

[Kosta_g]

The 3rd article here is all in german. I'd like to know what it says.

You can read it in English here: RIFLE GRENADE FOR SHOTGUNS OF THE GERMAN VOLKSSTURM: A CURIOUS DEVELOPMENT IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE REICH By Michael Heidler
and here https://nfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CFJ-Jan-Fev-2013.pdf

 

[!Mark]

Another italian grenade launcher project for parachute divisions, described like and compared to a Bazooka by this book, but it threw a grenade, not a rocket.
Bettica was a name associated with a WW1 mortar, maybe the designer was the same? Maybe this was a handheld lighter version?

 

[Bottleship]

German 50 mm mortar / grenade launcher:

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Two late-war mortar / grenade launcher weapons tested in the field by the US

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Also this little guy...

I found it here: https://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Recently-Developed-Ordnance-Materiel.pdf

^^^ check out the link for more tidbits that are not relevant in this post ^^^

 

[ArmchairSamurai]

Finally this. Not much info on it though.

https://www.valka.cz/HWR-t254273

 

[publiusr]

Any silent grenade throwers based on bows and such---it is less likely to give ones position away and fool moving troops into thinking it a tripped mine.

 

[tom!]

Hi.

Japanese Type 98 5 cm Charge Thrower:

Special small spigot grenade launcher for engineers to fire explosive charges and bangalore torpedoes.


captured launcher wih small charge


launcher with bangalore torpedo.

Yours

tom!

 

[NMaude]

Also this little guy...

I found it here: https://www.bulletpicker.com/pdf/Recently-Developed-Ordnance-Materiel.pdf

^^^ check out the link for more tidbits that are not relevant in this post ^^^

They look like some kind of weird butt-plug.

 

[cattalonX]

An unidentified grenade launcher from the Sino-Japanese War

https://www.ytta.cn/digimuseum/relics/1591123473927766016/culturalrelic

抗战文物考证：八路军制造的世界第一支榴弹发射器 - 武器研究 - 抗日战争纪念网

烟台博物馆收藏的这件武器由八路军制造，可谓世界上第一支榴弹发射器。它的发明研制可看出，当时八路军兵工厂拥有一批世界级的武器、弹药专家——01 奇特的缴获武器在烟台市博物馆新馆二楼东展厅，展出了一批抗日战争时期的文物，有民兵使用的地雷、八路军胶东兵工厂制造的武器、缴获的日军武器等。其中在缴获的日军武器当中，有一件非枪非炮

www.krzzjn.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

Some mystery grenade launchers. Again, bit of an enigma

Previously Unknown SS Grenade Rifles

By Bas Martens

www.smallarmsreview.com

The "granatkarabiner" as it's called. Enigma 3, revenge of the enigma

Two German Curiosities of World War Two: Sturmkampfgewehr and Granatkarabiner

By Michael Heidler

www.smallarmsreview.com

Updated links for those two articles (one is an archive link):

Previously Unknown SS Grenade Rifles - Small Arms Review

By Bas Martens

smallarmsreview.com

Two German Curiosities of World War Two: Sturmkampfgewehr and Granatkarabiner

By Michael Heidler

archive.smallarmsreview.com

 

[Joint Soviet Fighter]

Hopefully, this is the right thread for Dyakonov's Grenade Launcher -

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzEwstAUS58

I actually happened upon the manual via a YouTube video that I initially found on Twitter, but as I can't seem to locate said footage, atm, I only have the screenshots of the 60 page manual that I mostly "transcribed" via Google Translate, so I'm not sure if anyone would be interested in reading/seeing it, but I can post the pages if needed/wanted.

As for the actual weapon, given the substantial recoil of the rifle that would break the collarbone of the shooter if it were fired like a standard Mosin, why not make it easier for everyone & combine the timed mortar bomb/round with a slightly larger version of The Spade Mortar, instead?

Just curious .

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Well, if you just want more bang for your buck on a rifle grenade, you substitute a 60mm mortar bomb...

I understand that this field improvisation actually got official approval eventually.