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The ''Nebelwurfgerät'' was a
turret Turret may refer to: * Turret (architecture), a small tower that projects above the wall of a building * Gun turret, a mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon * Optical microscope#Objective turret (revolver or revolving nose piece), Objective turre ...
mounted launcher used to disperse the ''Schnellnebelkerze'' 39
smoke grenade A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone marking device, or as a screening device for unit movements. Smoke grenades are generally more complex and emit a far larger amount of smoke than sm ...
. It was typically found on
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
tanks A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful engine; t ...
from 1942 through 1943.


Operation

The ''Nebelwurfgerät'' was mounted in two sets of three, one on each forward side wall of the turret with each launcher being in
calibre In guns, particularly firearms, but not artillery, where a different definition may apply, caliber (or calibre; sometimes abbreviated as "cal") is the specified nominal internal diameter of the gun barrel bore – regardless of how or wher ...
by in
length Length is a measure of distance. In the International System of Quantities, length is a quantity with Dimension (physical quantity), dimension distance. In most systems of measurement a Base unit (measurement), base unit for length is chosen, ...
. The uppermost launcher tubes were oriented forward and angled slightly outwards while the middle and lower tubes were set on a progressively lower elevation but increasing angle. Six smoke grenades were carried, one in each launcher tube. They were ejected out of each tube by Zündschraube C 23
primer Primer may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Primer'' (film), a 2004 feature film written and directed by Shane Carruth * ''Primer'' (video), a documentary about the funk band Living Colour Literature * Primer (textbook), a te ...
which was
electrically Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...
fired from six
push-button A push-button (also spelled pushbutton) or simply button is a simple switch mechanism to control some aspect of a machine or a process. Buttons are typically made out of hard material, usually plastic or metal. The surface is usually flat or sh ...
s labeled ''Nebelkerzen'', these buttons being grouped in two sets of three, located in the turret to the
left Left may refer to: Music * ''Left'' (Hope of the States album), 2006 * ''Left'' (Monkey House album), 2016 * ''Left'' (Helmet album), 2023 * "Left", a song by Nickelback from the album ''Curb'', 1996 Direction * Left (direction), the relativ ...
and
right Rights are law, legal, social, or ethics, ethical principles of freedom or Entitlement (fair division), entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal sy ...
of the commander's position and forward of his
cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...
. No spare smoke grenades, primers or launcher tubes were carried. Starting in August 1942,
Wegmann Wegmann is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alain Wegmann (born 1958), Swiss professor of systemic modeling * Alice Wegmann (born 1995), Brazilian actress * Christian Wegmann (born 1976), German cyclist * Fabian Wegmann ...
prepared turrets for installation by
welding Welding is a fabrication (metal), fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, primarily by using high temperature to melting, melt the parts together and allow them to cool, causing Fusion welding, fusion. Co ...
mounting brackets to the turret sides and
drilling Drilling is a cutting process where a drill bit is spun to cut a hole of circular cross section (geometry), cross-section in solid materials. The drill bit is usually a rotary Cutting tool (machining), cutting tool, often multi-point. The bit i ...
holes for the wiring so that the troops could mount the device by themselves. Complete ''Nebelwurfgerät'' were mounted by the assembly plants starting in October 1942. During a reported action in February 1943, enemy
small arms A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...
fire had inadvertently set off the smoke grenades inside their launcher tubes resulting in the temporary blinding and incapacitation of the tank crew. Because of this
hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would potentially allow them to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probability of that ...
, the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' was no longer mounted after June 1943 and this device was eventually supplanted by the ''
Nahverteidigungswaffe The ''Nahverteidigungswaffe'' was a roof mounted, breech-loaded, single shot, multi-purpose, 360 ° rotating grenade launcher that could fire a variety of ammunition. It was typically found on German tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther I, Tige ...
''.


Gallery

Image:Sd.Kfz 234-2 side view.jpg, Sd.Kfz. 234 equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-090-3915-18A, Russland, Soldat im Panzerturm.jpg, Panzer II "Luchs" tank equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-219-0595-20, Russland-Mitte-Süd, Panzer III in Fahrt.jpg,
Panzer III The ''Panzerkampfwagen III (Pz.Kpfw. III)'', commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Nazi Germany, Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was List of Sd.K ...
tank equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' behind the ''Schürzen'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-308-0799Q-11A, Italien, Panzer III, Tarnung.jpg, Panzer III tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät. Image:Sd.Kfz 142-1.jpg, StuG III assault gun equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1969-105-05, Krieg im Osten, Nachschub.jpg, StuG III assault gun equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-175-1264-06, Griechenland, Transport von Panzer IV mit Eisenbahn.jpg,
Panzer IV The IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161. The Panzer IV was the most numer ...
tank equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-175-1266-05A, Griechenland, Panzer IV.jpg, Panzer IV tank equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-175-1268-06A, Griechenland, Panzer IV.jpg, Panzer IV tank equipped with the ''Nebelwurfgerät'' Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-087-3675A-18A, Russland, Panzer IV.jpg, Panzer IV tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät behind the ''Schürzen''. Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-618-3945-20A.jpg,
Panther Panther may refer to: Large cats *Pantherinae, the cat subfamily that contains the genera ''Panthera'' and ''Neofelis'' **''Panthera'', the cat genus that contains tigers, lions, jaguars and leopards ***Jaguar (''Panthera onca''), found in Sout ...
&
Tiger I The Tiger I () was a Nazi Germany, German heavy tank of World War II that began operational duty in 1942 in North African Campaign, Africa and in the Soviet Union, usually in independent German heavy tank battalion, heavy tank battalions. It g ...
tanks equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät. Image:Sd.Kfz 181.jpg, Tiger I tank equipped with the Nebelwurfgerät.


See also

* ''
Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung The ''Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung'' (abbreviated N.K.A.V.) was a rear mounted grenade dispenser used to disperse the Schnellnebelkerze 39 smoke grenade. It was typically found on Nazi Germany, German Tanks in the German Army, tanks from 1939 thr ...
'' * ''
Minenabwurfvorrichtung The ''Minenabwurfvorrichtung'' was an anti-personnel mine grenade launcher, launcher used to disperse S-Mines. It was typically found on Nazi Germany, German Tanks in the German Army, tanks such as the Panzer III and Tiger I from 1942 through 194 ...
'' * ''
Nahverteidigungswaffe The ''Nahverteidigungswaffe'' was a roof mounted, breech-loaded, single shot, multi-purpose, 360 ° rotating grenade launcher that could fire a variety of ammunition. It was typically found on German tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther I, Tige ...
''


Notes


References

* * * * * *


External links

*http://tiger1.info/EN/Smoke-grenades.html *http://www.tigertank181.com/53_Gun_and_ammunition.htm *http://panther1944.de/index.php/en/sdkfz-171-pzkpfwg-panther/technik/nebelkerzen-wurfgeraet {{mil-vehicle-stub World War II weapons of Germany Armoured fighting vehicle equipment Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1942