Unknown German Rocket Gun

[panzer1946]

Hello,
I found these 3 photos on the net somewhere. The only thing my notes say about it is that it is:

1. German origin
2. multiple barreled rocket gun
3. circa WW2

Can anyone verify the above, give dimensions of the unit and rockets, and also put a name to apparatus?

Thanks,
Tony "Panzer 1946" Ivey

 

[Grey Havoc]

That may be one of those German rocket-based airfield defense systems that was discussed here sometime back. I'll see if I can find the thread/s.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Here's one. I think that there might been another thread that mentions them, but if there is, I haven't been able to find it, at least for now, sorry.

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,6776.0/highlight,airfield+defense+rocket.html

 

[panzer1946]

Thanks GH,
Good info there. Still not sure if the photos I posted depict a version of the flak-kabels thingies or something on line with 'fire-and-forget' rockets like the "Fohn", etc.

-Tony

 

[Grey Havoc]

Glad to be of help. I'll keep my eye out for more info.

 

[sagallacci]

Looks like an early version of the Fohn (umlaut over the o ) anti-aircraft system. Operational versions used an open framework instead of the tubes.

 

[edwest4]

I think this is an early version of the 7.3 cm "Föhn Gerät."

7,3 cm protiletadlový raketomet Föhn : Germany (DEU)

www.armedconflicts.com

 

[Justo Miranda]

info

 

[Grzesio]

What strikes me now, is the thickness of the tubes. If you look at the last picture, the tubes have really thick walls - while German rocket launchers had them in the order of 2 mm. Then, there are these cooling or reinforcing ribs on the tubes, there are these heavy pieces at the rear ends of the barrels, these wires...
I think, whatever it was, it was a muzzle loader, not necessarily a recoilless rocket launcher, rather a gun, maybe something of the 8,8 cm R Werfer 43 principle, probably intended for rapid firing, but not too rapid reloading (German AA launchers with electric ignition used either induction coils, either contact rings, with no need for connecting wires to every rocket). On the other hand, if the weapon could not be quickly reloaded, these ribs are probably not for the cooling purpose...

 

[HoHun]

Hi Grzesio,

What strikes me now, is the thickness of the tubes. If you look at the last picture, the tubes have really thick walls - while German rocket launchers had them in the order of 2 mm. Then, there are these cooling or reinforcing ribs on the tubes, there are these heavy pieces at the rear ends of the barrels, these wires...

As the picture quality is not so great, maybe what looks like "reinforcing ribs" are in fact just wound wire coils to hold the actual launch tubes in place? I'm asking because to my eye it seems as if the ribs weren't all perfectly parallel, thus the idea we might be looking at coils.

Regards.

Henning (HoHun)

 

[BB1984]

Agree that some sort of Fohn Gerat variant is most likely. In "Field Rocket Equipment of the German Army" Gander talks about a number of non-standard launchers being used. None of the ones he describes fits this particular layout, but he talks about fixed mountings being used to cover river crossing sites and a variety of ground combat oriented development versions, so some sort of developmental one off seems plausible.

The carriage also has the look of an AA platform without high elevation capability (hence my assumption of ground to ground use), though it seems to be materially different from the 3.7cm Flak platform that was used in practice.

 

[Grzesio]

But Foehn was percussion fired, as well as the RZ 65 it was derived from. Then it really didn't require such heavy tubes or barrels.

 

[Tzoli]

These seems to be somewhat larger pictures:

https://strangernn.dreamwidth.org/2146138.html

from:

https://strangernn.dreamwidth.org/tag/%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%BA%D0%B0

 

[Grzesio]

The carriage also has the look of an AA platform without high elevation capability (hence my assumption of ground to ground use),

By the way, if you look closely, elevating gear sprocket is visible (particularly in the view from the rear with horizontal barrels) on the lower part of the semi-circular side plate of the cradle. Judging from this, the max elevation angle was around 85 degrees.

 

[BB1984]

The carriage also has the look of an AA platform without high elevation capability (hence my assumption of ground to ground use),

By the way, if you look closely, elevating gear sprocket is visible (particularly in the view from the rear with horizontal barrels) on the lower part of the semi-circular side plate of the cradle. Judging from this, the max elevation angle was around 85 degrees.

I see your point and don't disagree that maybe the mount is capable of high elevations, but I'm still thinking ground to ground for two reasons:

1. At 85 degrees, especially for the lowest bank of rockets it looks like the rocket exhaust would go down directly into the mounting. This isn't impossible, but I don't recall seeing German launchers designed this way (though admittedly there is a ground to ground Fohn-Gerat launcher that comes close). The Fohn-Gerat pedestal launcher seems designed to avoid this.
   
   
2. It's emplaced right next to a tree. For a ground to ground weapon covering a specific arc of fire, and wanting at least a little concealment, being next to a tree might be reasonable but for an AA weapon, which would presumably want a 360 degree, high angle field of fire, it seems unlikely. Again, unlikely does not equal impossible, and, if it's a test rig, this might be a non-firing emplacement drill or just a restricted fire (i.e., an artillery range) emplacement, so not saying it's conclusive.

 

[klem]

Some useful information on the Foehn, taken from (World War II Catalog of Enemy Ordnance Materiel BACM Research-p.352.2)

 

[publiusr]

A small version of that might scare off birds from the runway...if self-immolating to reduce debris ingestion risks.

 

[klem]

Foehn pictures : fixed and mobile version.

 

[Grzesio]

Please note, the launcher in the colour photos is a Kriegsmarine variant (7,3 cm RAg), BW photos show a Luftwaffe/Heer version.