Is this relic part of a Nebelwerfer?

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

It was during my last visit to the Ardennes when I discovered this relic, in a hedge at the foot of the Elsenborn ridge near Dom Butgenback. I've never formally identified it so thought may be you could help. To me it looks very similar to the (bottom) propulsion unit from a Nebelwerfer perhaps a 42 (30 cm NbW 42).
As you can see it was fired and is now a hollow inert tube. The end where the charge would have screwed into place has blown out caused when it exploded. But for all this it's in good condition considering what it must have gone through. I have pictured a .30 cal and K98 cartridge next to it just to give an idea of size, it's also very heavy!.
In a museum I saw a couple of similar but there tubes were shredded caused by explosion, sadly they were not labelled.
For reference the last picture is of a similar looking tube I found on internet.
Thanks for any help you can give.
All the best.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Steve T]

LS

If it is it is missing the launching/flight piece off the bottom. As you know, the projectile for the 15cm had a definite 'step' in the body below the band on the base of your relic. The thread on the top would definitely be for the tip.fuse cover. It is feasible that you have the main body of a nebelwerfer round, without the warhead cap and base piece.

I, like you, have been unable to find a picture to prove for definite your relic is a nebelwerfer round but, there is a damn good chance it is.

Maybe one of the guys over in eastern Europe can ID it for you positively ?

Very nice piece.

Steve T

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Thanks for your reply Steve.
I know what you mean when you say the narrower launch/flight piece off the bottom. I think my piece could be from the bigger Nebelwerfer type that didn't have the narrow tube as shown in picture 1. Picture 2 shows the narrow tube type.
It's a strange one this but I'm sure if anyone can identify this it'll be on here.
All the Best.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Falschirmjager]

It was during my last visit to the Ardennes when I discovered this relic, in a hedge at the foot of the Elsenborn ridge near Dom Butgenback. I've never formally identified it so thought may be you could help. To me it looks very similar to the (bottom) propulsion unit from a Nebelwerfer perhaps a 42 (30 cm NbW 42).
As you can see it was fired and is now a hollow inert tube. The end where the charge would have screwed into place has blown out caused when it exploded. But for all this it's in good condition considering what it must have gone through. I have pictured a .30 cal and K98 cartridge next to it just to give an idea of size, it's also very heavy!.
In a museum I saw a couple of similar but there tubes were shredded caused by explosion, sadly they were not labelled.
For reference the last picture is of a similar looking tube I found on internet.
Thanks for any help you can give.
All the best.
LUCKYSTRIKE

I have seen one exactly the same as what you have got there and its deffinately a Nebelwerfer! There was also a piece in The Armourer Magazine which i write for occassionally about these relics and if i can find the issue it was it i will post up the pictures and again most were just like the remnants youve got there! Very nice find that. Best Regards, Tim.

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Tim,
Thanks very much for the ID. Armourer Magazine is really good Ive got a few issues but not the one with the Nebelwerfer article, if you can find it Im looking forward to seeing the pic's.
Ps I didn't know you've written for them, next time I see you let me know which mags you're in because I may have it and also what your articles were about.
Cheers.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Falschirmjager]

Tim,
Thanks very much for the ID. Armourer Magazine is really good Ive got a few issues but not the one with the Nebelwerfer article, if you can find it Im looking forward to seeing the pic's.
Ps I didn't know you've written for them, next time I see you let me know which mags you're in because I may have it and also what your articles were about.
Cheers.
LUCKYSTRIKE

Hi there mate, Will have look through the issues ive got here and see if its still here as ive only kept certain copies and ones ive written articles in. I did a fair few on Luftwaffe research which was what i specialised in for some 8 years and worked as an unpaid researcher for the German War Graves Commission representing them an assissting German families with work regarding relatives lost over the UK in WW2, in affect liasioning with them to help families discover where relatives were lost and where their graves can be found etc. This was an immensely rewarding task if a very busy one. One research job took almost two years and ended with me meeting the daughter of a Luftwaffe bomber flight engineer who was lost when his Dornier 217 was shot down over Westerham Iin Kent, it crashed behind Pilgrims House Westerham one of four shot down by Wing Commander Wight-Boycott that night. Strangest thing was his daughter named Inga was born the morning her father lost his life-was very sad taking her to his grave at Cannock that first meeting as she explained how much it hurt her mother and her fathers family to find out he had been firstly buried ina makeshift grave at the crashsite. It did help her though and she left happy that he is at rest in such a beautiful place. Another good one was my research into Gefrieter Richard Riedel an Me109 pilot lost over Kent. He had dived into the ground in mysterious circumstances during combat but had not been shot down and i spent a year investigating the possible causes and my opinion after looking into all of the facts was that his aircraft had suffered a high speed phenomenon known as "lock up" where he had dived from height and his aircraft was unable to pull up-many RAF pilots were lost until this was investigated later as many had no understanding of the physics involved at the time, not until the sound barrier etc had been fully understood later on. I was able to provide the first ever photographs of this young man aged just 21. Anyway, i have an article coming up in the July/August issue on the German WW1 Anti Tank rifle the 13mm T-Gewehr which you might find interesting and i will go through the issues ive got here and get back to you as you may well have some of the ones with my aircraft researches in. Best Regards mate, Tim.

[Paul B]

Some images of the rocket motor from the Nebelwerfer 41 manual for comparison.

Motor:


Venturi assembly:


Motor fitted to 28cm rocket:


Motor fitted to 32cm rocket:


All the best,
PB

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Tim,
Thanks for your reply I very interesting read. I can only imagine how rewarding it must have been after all your research to finally meet the immediate family and give them some sort of closure. I think its time I took out a subscription to Armourer. If you written articles for the magazine I guess the next step will be a book?

Hi Paul,
Thank you for your reply those diagrams and details are invaluable, I notice most of the different sized Nebelwerfers all seem to have the same if not very similar propulsion units. But I guess if it worked then it made sense to use it and was economical to manufacture.
Thanks again I appreciate your reply.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[bogdan]

Hi Luckystrike,
At first I didn't think it was a 15cm nebelwerfer rocket because I was thinking the threaded area was the TOP of the tube. It's actually the BOTTOM of the motor tube where the nozzle/charge adapter screwed on. The other end is what remains of the ballistic cap that is pressed on, no threads, and has lost the top nose piece. Please see the attached photos. The first is the overall round. The threaded part of your round is to the right - below center with the nozzle/charge adapter screwed on. The upper left is the complete ballistic cap. The second pic is of the complete ballistic cap. You can see the dividing line between the base and top part of the cap just above the thumb in the picture. The third shows the inside of the cap with the detail shown in your second picture.
Regards,
Bill

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Bogdan,
Thanks very much for the info, you're right you've made a definate match so top marks to you and thanks for your help. I sort of assumed the end with the holes in it would be the rocket end of a nebelwerfer, so its great to see your matching picture (last pic) showing that its actually the front end just below the nose cone. Your pictures show a nice clean example is it yours?, its in remarkably good condition with even the original paint, very nice.
All the Best.
LUCKYSTRIKE