The 8 cm Granatwerfer 34 (8 cm GrW. 34) was the standard German infantry mortar throughout World War II. It was noted for its accuracy and rapid rate of fire.
History
The weapon was of conventional design and broke down into three loads (smooth bore barrel, bipod, baseplate) for transport. Attached to the bipod were a traversing handwheel and a cross-leveling handwheel below the elevating mechanism. A panoramic sight was mounted on the traversing mechanism yoke for fine adjustments. A line on the tube could be used for rough laying. The 8 cm GrW 34/1 was an adaptation for use in self-propelled mountings. A lightened version with a shorter barrel was put into production as the kurzer 8 cm Granatwerfer 42. The mortar employed conventional 8 cm 3.5 kg shells (high explosive or smoke) with percussion fuzes. The range could be extended by fitting up to three additional powder charges between the shell tailfins. A total of 74,336,000 rounds of ammunition were produced for the Granatwerfer 34 from September 1939 to March 1945.
== Users == Nazi Germany East Germany Bulgaria Yugoslav Partisans
== Ammunition == Early rounds were 80.7 mm (3.18 in) calibre, the 1940 design rounds were slightly larger at 80.9 mm (3.19 in)
== See also == List of infantry mortars
=== Weapons of comparable role, performance and era === Brandt Mle 27/31 — French equivalent Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar — British equivalent M1 mortar — US equivalent
Notes
References
Citations
Main sources
External links
German: Mortars & Infantry Guns German Infantry Mortars WW II German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons (Archived 2009-10-23)
