NEBELWERFER 41 ROCKET LAUNCHER

Developed by Germany in the years leading up to WWII, the Nebelwerfer 41 was a chemical powered rocket launcher, (the ‘41’ denoting the type of chemical used for the motive power.) Typically used on a small trailer, this weapon was a sixbarrel system for launching 150mm unguided rockets. Quite small and lightweight, the Nebelwerfer was a versatile and maneuverable addition to the Wehrmacht’s arsenal. Nearly 6000 launchers were made, together with over 5 million rockets, and were used extensively by Germany and its allies. Many of these weapons were captured by the Red Army, and rather than scrap them they developed their own 150mm rockets and turned them back against the Germans! While the German-designed rockets used a finned tail to stabilize the projectile, the Russian version was rotated utilizing gas outlet nozzles set at 14 degrees around the rocket. The latter system was more accurate, although the loss of energy through the nozzles led to a somewhat reduced range.