Wurfrahmen 40 the new meme vehicles

The Wurfrahmen 40 (“launch frame 40”) was a German World War II multiple rocket launcher. It combined a vehicle such as the Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack or captured French Renault UE Chenillette with rocket artillery to form a more mobile and protected artillery piece than the towed Nebelwerfer. It was nicknamed Stuka zu Fuss (“Stuka on Foot” or “Walking Stuka”) and Heulende Kuh (“Bellowing Cow”).

Development and history:

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Introduced in late 1940, the weapon system was a framework with adjustable base plates fitted over and alongside a vehicle which could hold 300 mm high explosive (HE) rockets; 280 mm HE and 320 mm incendiary rockets were also used, the rockets being fired while in their loading crates. Although spin stabilized, the rockets were not as accurate as conventional artillery, and reloading was time-consuming due to their weight. Where feasible, rockets were ripple-fired in large numbers to quickly saturate a target. The system was successful as a support weapon for mobile Panzer formations, particularly in urban areas.

When used on the common mounting, the Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack, a frame with six base plates were used, with three on each side. The Chenillette UE employed either two per side or four frames on the rear. The Hotchkiss H35 mounting used two per side also. Some captured American M3 halftracks also mounted Wurfrahmen, with four frames at two per side.

Ammunition:
The Wurfrahmen 40 is able to use three types of ammunition

  1. 28cm Wfk. Spr.
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Shell weight : 83 Kg

Length: Complete: 1,190 mm Warhead:720mm

Diameter: 280 mm

Velocity: 145 m/s

Maximum firing range: 1925 m

Filling: Amatol

Filling weight: 36 Kg



  1. 30cm Wfk. 42 Spr.
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Shell weight : 83 Kg

Length: Complete: 1,230 mm Warhead: 750 mm

Diameter: 300 mm

Velocity: 230 m/s

Maximum firing range: 4.5 km

Filling: Amatol

Filling weight: 45 Kg



  1. 32cm Wfk. M. Fl. 50
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Shell weight: 79 kg

Length: Complete: 1,234 mm Warhead: 750 mm

Muzzle velocity 145 m/s

Maximum firing range: 2,200 m

Filling: Kerosene mixture

Filling weight: 40 Kg


Now for the important part what type of vehicles where able to carry the Wurfrahmen 40 there is 5 vehicles but two of them are half trucks with with no armament so am not going to put them here so we are left with thses 3.

  1. panzerkampfwagen 35 h(f) mit 28/32 cm wurfrahmen 40
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  1. Pz.Kpfw I Ausf.B mit 28/32cm Wurfrahmen 40
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  1. Renault UE Chenillette
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Sources:
German explosive ordnance volume 1

German and Japanese solid fuel rocket weapons

6 Likes

Nice job!

I read decades ago about limited usage (but with devastating effects of the kerosene version) as wing mounted A2G weapons used by Stukas (around Sewastopol area) vs soft targets, so in case you want to create a suggestion:

Add a A2G version, German CAS has imho still too few historical A2G loadout options…

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I actually have no information about this since the only vehicles that used the Wurfrahmen 40 are the one i talked about up there, there is incendiary bombs though that can kinda serve the same purpose and might actually do it even better than the rocket

Take a look at thses subjects then

And this replay by TT33a

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I was (ofc) talking about the 28/32 cm rockets and not the “Wurfrahmen” :-)
I remembered them as i was quite impressed that such large and heavy rockets were used early war from an aircraft.

Regarding effects of C 250 or C 500 vs a potential 32 cm rockets i agree in general, imho it just depends how accurate your bomb drops are and which (and how many rockets) you have.

I am fully aware of gaijin’s policy to implement what they want, not only limited to Germany.

I see those things more from a technological aspect without focusing on nations, so i would like to see things like an unarmed Mosquito (with the 4.000 lbs bomb) or an actual successful cluster bomb vs hard targets like the AB 250 with SD 4 HL.

That’s why i was interested in incendiary weapons, because at least in theory they should create a small effect comparable to a thermobaric bomb. So depending on location of impact and time of ignition there might be an effect of “overpressure” and lack of oxygen for tank crews.

The last one can fit nicely as a separated suggestion
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No 38(t)?

Wanted to add it at first but all pics about it seems to suggest that it only have one rocket instead of 2 rockets on the back or 4 rockets (2 on each side)

Sounds like an idea they might pick up for an event.

Kind of like the RBT-5.
I would love to see them though ^^

My hopes are built around the Renault UE Chenillette it has no armament but it’s hell of a rat tank the rockets will not need alot of depression to be used in direct firing it will be like a mini Sturmtiger plus since it only have 4 of them and only that to defend it self it will be a very nice reward as an event vehicle