Schwere Granatwerfer 34 restoration project

[Bjørn]

Hello.
I have been working on a interesting project the last year or so.
It all started when I bought a de-activated tube for the German 8cm mortar, or the "8cm Schwere Granatwerfer 34"





The tube or "Werferrohr" is 1941 dated, and has a lot of nice markings, and original paint.

[Bjørn]

I then got in contact with a very nice fellow in Latvia, who had some ground-dug parts for the mortar.
He sent me these pictures, of a ground-plate, and original bipod that he had for sale. Of course the parts was a bit rusted, but they were in remarkable good and complete condition after lying in the ground all these years.

[Bjørn]

A deal was made, and a couple of weeks later I got the parts by car from Latvia (The seller had a friend who was going to Norway, to work)
I lubed up the moving parts on the bipod and after a couple of hours work, everything worked as it should.

I just had to try the parts together, and take some pictures:

[Bjørn]

[Bjørn]

I also bought a very nice "Richtaufsatz 35" sighting device for the Granatwerfer, with original transport case here in Norway.

[Bjørn]

My childhood friend Roger, came by to have a look, when he heard I had got the parts and was assembling the mortar.

He was quite impressed

[Bjørn]

I gave the bipod and groundplate a long, good bath in Oxalic acid. After going over the parts with a steel brush several times, all rust was removed.
I had to replace a few nuts and bolts in the locking mechanism for the sight, but other than that, nothing but original parts were used. The groundplate and bipod got a layer of new primer, and grren paint, that almost matches the paint on the tube itself (Feldgrau RAL 6006)
The resault became quite good.

[Bjørn]

More pictures

[Bjørn]

I have also collected some nice accessories for the mortar.

[Bjørn]

Grenade and lifting charges: