WesWorld

German Army Artillery - 1934

The Heer puts a premium on its support weapons, which (in 1934) includes the mortars, infantry guns, and machineguns of the infantry and the artillery that supports the infantry. Each infantry division includes an organic artillery regiment, and additional independent regiments are attached at corps level. Infantry battalions include infantry guns and mortars as organic direct and indirect fire support weapons, and infantry regiments include additional infantry guns and mortars in support of the infantry.


Tube Artillery
Tube artillery is the primary weapon of the Heer's artillery branch, as both infantry guns and mortars are classed as infantry weapons. Some work is being done on the use of rockets instead of conventional cannon, but as of 1934 no such weapons have been issued.

In 1934, the basic weapon of the Heer artillery is the 105mm howitzer. This weapon is used by the organic artillery regiments and some of the independent artillery regiments. The current 105mm howitzer can fire a 14.81 kg projectile to a maximum range of 10671 meters. The weapon, with its shield, weighs just over 1.5 metric tons.

The basic heavy weapon of the Heer artillery is the 150mm howitzer. This weapon is used by the organic artillery regiments and many of the independent artillery regiments. The current 150mm howitzer can fire a 43.5 kg projectile to a maximum range of 13325 meters. The weapon, with its shield, weighs almost 5.5 metric tons.

The largest howitzer in the Heer arsenal is the 210mm howitzer. This weapon is used only by independent artillery regiments. The current 210mm howitzer can fire a 113 kg projectile to a maximum range of 16750 meters. The weapon (which does not have a shield), weighs over 16.5 metric tons

The smallest howitzer in front-line service with the Heer is the 75mm mountain howitzer. Smaller and lighter than the 105mm weapons, the 75mm howitzer can be broken down into multiple loads for easier movement in mountain terrain by mule or manpower. The current 75mm mountain howitzer can fire a 5.75 kg projectile to a range of 9150 meters, and weighs (fully assembled) 750 kg.

The backbone of the Heer's long-range artillery is the 150mm field gun. This weapon is used only by independent artillery regiments. The current 150mm field gun can fire a 43.5 kg projectile to a maximum range of 24825 meters. The weapon (which does not have a shield), weighs almost 12.5 metric tons

The largest guns currently in the Heer's inventory are the 350mm Langer Max guns, currently being remounted onto railroad carriages to improve their mobility. The 12 guns of this size (another 6 are on order) are issued to 2 independent heavy artillery regiments. The 350mm gun fires a 700 kg shell to a maximum range of 37,325 meters. The weapon and its railway carriage weigh approximately 218 metric tons and rides on a 12-bogie carriage.


Mortars
In the Heer, mortars of the Stokes/Brandt type have replaced the older minenwerfers of the Great War period, being much smaller and more portable. These weapons are assigned to the infantry and are integral parts of infantry companies, battalions, and regiments, providing the infantry commander with quick indirect fire support when and where he needs it.

In 1934, the light mortar used by the infantry companies is a 50mm mortar. It fires a 0.9 kg projectile out to a maximum range of 520 meters, and weighs 14 kg.

The medium mortar used by the infantry battalion is an 81mm mortar. It fires a 3.4 kg projectile out to 2400 meters, and weighs 57 kg.

The heavy mortar, or smoke thrower, is used by the infantry regiments and is a 105mm mortar. It's primary role is as a smoke or chemical mortar, but an HE round is provided in addition. It fires an 8.7 kg projectile out to a maximum range of 3000 meters, and weighs 93 kg.

The 200mm spigot mortar is strictly an engineer weapon, intended for use against minefields, wire, antitank obstacles, and weapon emplacements. It fires 22 kg projectiles out to a maximum range of 720 meters, and weighs 93 kg.


Infantry Guns
The Heer's infantry guns are designed to provide primarily direct-fire HE support to the infantry, though they have indirect fire capability if tied in to an artillery fire direction center.

The 75mm infantry gun is the Heer's light infantry gun, issued to the infantry battalions. A very short-barrelled weapon, it trades range for light weight and handiness. It fires a 6 kg projectile to a maximum range of 3375 meters, and weighs 400 kg with its shield.

The 150mm infantry gun is the Heer's heavy infantry gun, issued to the infantry regiments. The 150mm infantry gun, like the 75mm infantry gun, trades range for lighter weight, weighing "only" around 1.7 metric tons with its shield. It fires a 28.8 kg projectile to a maximum range of 4698 meters.

1937 Artillery update

All 18 of the 35cm Langer Max guns in service are mounted on railroad carriages, with 6 more units on order.

The 17cm K 37 in MrsLaf (17cm K37 gun in heavy howitzer carriage) has been adopted by the Heer to supplement and replace the 150mm field gun. As the name suggests, it's carriage is the same carriage used by the 210mm howitzer. This heavy weapon (17.5 tons) fires a 68 kg projectile to a range of 28 km.

The Heer infantry has adopted 2 new light mortars to replace the 5cm light mortar. The 5 cm Granatenwerfer 37 will replace the older 5cm Granatenwerfer 29 in the infantry and mountain divisions. It weights 4.1 kg, and fires the standard 0.9 kg bombs to a range of 525m. The panzer divisions, having carriers for their infantry, will replace their 5cm mortars with the short 81mm mortar, the 8 cm Kurzer Granatenwerfer 37. This weapon fires the standard 3.4kg 8cm mortar bombs to a range of 1150m.

The first rocket artillery weapons are approaching service, with the 15cm Nebelwerfer expected to be standardized in 1937 as the 15cm Nebelwerfer 37 (the historical 15cm Nbw 41). This weapon has 6 tubes, weighs 540 kg, and fires 34kg 15cm rockets to a range of 6800 meters.

With the decision in 1935 to motorize the artillery branch, the then-current 15cm howitzer was clearly destined for change, as it's lack of suspension made it unsuited to high-speed towing, even with an addition two-wheel bogie. The replacement howitzer was standardized in 1937 as the 15cm sFH 37, the new howitzer weighing in at 5680 kg and having an increased range of 15,400 meters.

[105mm Field Howitzer Model 18]

Development of the Light Field Howitzer Model 18 commenced in 1927 in response to Heer requests for a weapon to replace its collection of light field guns and howitzers. The Rheinmetall firm responded with a modern, split-trail weapon that entered production in the early 1930s. The weapon is intended to replace all other equipment used by the Heer’s light artillery batteries. It can fire various types of ammunition, including AP solid shot. The current price for the weapon is RM 44,000.

The lead firm of the production group is Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Düsseldorf; the follower firms are F. Schichau GmbH, Königsberg, Menck und Hambrock AG, Hamburg-Altona and Stieberitz und Müller Eisenwerk GmbH, Apolda. To date production exceeds three thousand units and production is continuing.

[75mm Light Infantry Gun Model 18]


Development of the Light Infantry Gun Model 18 commenced in 1927 in response to Heer requests for a weapon to replace the minenwerfer of Great War vintage that remained in service. The Rheinmetall firm responded with a compact, light-weight weapon featuring a ‘shotgun-style’ of barrel to save weight and reduce the size of the weapon. The weapon is issued to infantry and rifle regiments of the Heer as a direct fire support weapon at the regimental level, and it has been adapted to a variety of self-propelled mountings.

The lead firm of the production group is Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Düsseldorf; the follower firms are Gebrüder Böhler AG, Kapfenberg, Maschinenfabrik Deutschland AG, Bochum, and Stahl und Walzwerke Hennigsdorf AG, Hennigsdorf. To date production exceeds one thousand units and production is continuing.

[150 mm Heavy Field Howitzer Model 37]

Development of the Heavy Field Howitzer Model 37 commenced in 1929 in response to Heer requests for a weapon to replace its heavy field howitzers of Great War vintage. The Rheinmetall firm responded with a modern, split-trail weapon that entered production in the early 1930s. The weapon is intended to replace all other equipment used by the Heer’s medium field batteries.

The lead firm of the production group is Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Düsseldorf; the follower firms are Metallwarenfabrik Spreewerk AG, Berlin-Spandau, Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg, Nürnberg and Stahlwerke Brünninghaus AG, Westhofen. To date production exceeds one thousand units and production is continuing.

[170 mm Heavy Field Gun Model 38]

The firm of Friedrich Krupp, Essen, commenced design work on what would become the 170 mm Heavy Field Gun Model 38 commenced early in 1933 at the request of the Heer. At that time it lacked modern heavy artillery, with the few batteries in existence fielding a collection of aged veterans of the Great War. Krupp responded with a thoroughly modern design which featured a dual-recoil system; the barrel recoiled normally in its cradle, but the whole top carriage, which carried the barrel and its cradle, recoiled across the main part of the carriage. This system damped out the recoil forces and made for a very steady firing platform. Combined with modern propellants and shell design the 170 mm Heavy Field Gun Model 38 offered the Heer a very long range weapon to be used in counterbattery support at the corps level. It was standardised in 1938 and entered production at that time. Since that time more than two hundred fifty examples have been delivered by Krupp and production at Essen is continuing.

(75mm Mountain Gun Model 36)

The 75mm Mountain Gun Model 36 was designed by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG of Düsseldorf to meet Heer requirements for a 75mm weapon to serve in the mountain divisions and replace the variety of Great War vintage guns and howitzers that formed the mountain artillery park at that time

The design of the 75mm Mountain Gun Model 36 is relatively conventional in regard to the gun itself, with its standard horizontal sliding block breech and muzzle brake. To maximize its ability to fire at high-angles it has been given rear trunnions to lengthen the distance between the breech and the ground although springs became necessary to balance the muzzle preponderance. Furthermore it uses a variable recoil system that shortens the recoil as the elevation increased. The breech incorporates a transport joint to allow it to be separated from the barrel. The spades at the end of the split trail legs are removable. It uses light-alloy disc wheels with rubber rims, and no gun shield is fitted to save weight. It can be towed in one load or broken down into eight pack-loads to be carried by mule or horse.

The first examples of the 75mm Mountain Gun Model 36 were manufactured by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG at Düsseldorf but subsequent production was undertaken by the Berndorfer Metallwarenfabrik, Arthur Krupp AG, Werke Berndorf and by the Eisenwerk Brühl AG, Brühl.

As of 31 December 1939 some four hundred examples of the 75mm Mountain Gun Model 36 had been delivered to the Heer and production was continuing.

(150mm Heavy Infantry Gun Model 33)

Development of the Heavy Infantry Gun Model 33 commenced in the late 1920s in response to a Heer requirement for a heavy fire support weapon at the regimental level. Rheinmetall-Borsig responded with a compact but conventional weapon firing a heavy shell, providing commanders a direct fire weapon of great destructive potential. It is issued to infantry and rifle regiments throughout the Heer and it has been adapted to a variety of self-propelled mountings.

The lead firm of the production group is Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, Düsseldorf; the follower firms are Polte Armaturen und Maschinenfabrik AG, Magdeburg-Wilhelmstadt and Stahl und Walzwerke Hennigsdorf AG, Hennigsdorf. To date production exceeds five hundred and is continuing.

(150 mm Smoke Mortar 37)

The 150mm Smoke Mortar 37 was fielded by the Heer in 1937 for the purpose of laying down chemical smoke screens or saturation high-explosive barrages. It is issued to special units of the Nebeltruppen. The rocket is spin-stabilised to increase accuracy, and features a rocket motor located in the front, with the exhaust venturi located two-thirds down the body from the nose – which optimises the blast effect of the rock, as it is above ground level when it detonates. The rockets are fired from a lightweight six-tube launcher.

(150 mm Heavy Field Gun Model 18)

The 150 mm Heavy Field Gun Model 18 was developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig in response to Heer requirements issued in the later 1920s, and the prototype weapon appeared in 1932. The type was adopted by the Heer as an interim heavy artillery piece, and between 1932 and 1938 two hundred examples of the 150mm Heavy Field Gun Model 18 were constructed. The type has been superseded in production by the 170mm Heavy Field Gun Model 38, but remains in service with heavy artillery detachments of the Heer.

(81mm Trench Mortar Model 31)

This weapon is a variant of the Hotchkiss-Brandt model 1927, and was adopted as the standard heavy mortar of the Heer in 1931. It is issued to infantry, mountain and motorised troops as the principal infantry support weapon at the battalion level.

(75mm Light Gun Model 40)

Development of recoilless weapons by Rheinmetall began in 1937 in an effort to provide airborne troops with heavy support weapons that could be dropped by parachute. A small series of weapons were produced as a private venture and demonstrated to representative of the Defence Ministry late in 1939. For a variety of reasons a decision to procure the weapon was delayed until August 1940, and the first production weapons were delivered in 1940 to the Heer’s parachute contingent.

(105mm Mountain Howitzer Model 40)

This weapon was introduced to re-equip the heavy artillery units of the mountain divisions. It can be broken down into four sections for transport. It is in production at the present time by the firm of Bohler.

(75mm Field Gun Model 38)

In the early spring of 1941 the Army Ordnance Office placed orders with the firm of Krupp for a small quantity of these weapons for issue to mobile elements of the intervention troops.

This weapon was developed as a private venture by the Rheinmetall firm as a potential replacement for the 10.5 cm leFH 18. It featured a folding tripod undercarriage that gave the weapon an all round traverse without need to adjust its firing position. It was demonstrated to representatives of the Army Ordnance Office in early 1944, with a decision to adopt the weapon following later that year. Low rate initial production followed in 1945, with the initial intent to re-equip all light artillery battalions of active infantry divisions in the Heer.



Technical Data

Calibre: 10.5 cm
Tube length: 3.456 metres (L/30)
Weight in travelling position:
Weight in firing position: 2,300 kg
Muzzle velocity: 610 m/s
Range: 14,000 m
Shell weight: 14.81 kg
Elevation: −5 ° to + 75 °
Traverse: 360°
Rate of fire: 6-8 rounds per minute