[Lone Sentry: 380-mm Spigot Mortar Bomb, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends]
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"380-mm Spigot Mortar Bomb" from Tactical and Technical Trends

The following U.S. intelligence report on the ammunition for the German 380-mm (15-in) spigot mortar (Schwerer Ladungswerfer) was originally published in Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 35, October 7, 1943.

[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]
 

380-MM SPIGOT MORTAR BOMB

Some details of the ammunition for the 380-mm (15-in) Spigot Mortar (Schwerer Ladungswerfer) are now available. Both smoke and HE bombs are fired by this weapon, but the following data refers to the HE bomb.

German name    38-cm Wurfgranate 40
Total weight331 lb
Bursting charge110 lb
Maximum diameter15 in
Length overall4 ft 11 in
Length of bomb2 ft 3/4 in
Fuze Wgr. Z 36, a standard percussion nose fuze as used in German mortar bombs.
Gaine* Zdlg. C/98 Np., a standard gain containing Penthrite.
Propellant There are two charges contained in cloth bags in an adaptor fitted with an electric primer. The propellant is known as Gudol, (see Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 31, p. 37) and is a flashless double-base propellant containing nitroguanidine. Weights are as follows: Charge I, 385 grams (13.56 oz); Charge II, 175 grams (6.19 oz).

*The metal casing of a shell holding the explosive.

 
 


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