Rheinmetall light Minenwerfer

(old pattern)

 

 

 

 

 

German designation :

7.58cm lMW a/A

Calibre :

75.85mm L/5.2

Weight of the barrel :

23 kg

Weight in action :

90 kg

Barrel length :

0.395 m

Barrel grooves

number :

6

depth :

1.5 mm

width :

20.25 mm

Propellant :

11 g / 14.5 g / 18 g

H.E. Shell weight :

4.6 kg – bursting charge : 560 g Astralite

Gas Shell weight :

4.4 kg – bursting charge : 16 g Grf. 88

46 l of Phosgene

Muzzle velocity :

70 m/s

Max. range :

160 m / 1050 m

Elevation :

+ 75° / + 45°

Traversing angle :

60°

Rate of fire :

up to 20 rounds a minute for short periods

Personell required :

6 men

Remarks :

Introduced into the German Army late in 1914. As Gas shells it used the lacrimatory B-Stoff (with Xylyl bromide), and the lethal C-Stoff (with Mono or Tri-chloromethyl cloroformate) and D-Stoff (with Phosgene). Projectiles included a special message shell designed to burst in the air over the addresses position when all other means of delivering it had failed. A light MW shell had about the same effect as the shell of a 77mm field gun.