WfrGr 21 Rocket Mortars in use

[Zamex]

Interesting story, Peter!
As for Fw 190, W.Gr.21 was tested for the first time on single Fw 190 A-4/R6, W.Nr.140743, TR+TQ. The first usage of it is reported during the US raid on Schweinfurt on October 14, 1943. I think they were widely used from then.
The rocket tubes were jettisonable.

[squirrel]

May I add one question?

When the Wgr 21 were introduced, were only single aircraft in a Staffel equipped with mortars, or were there entire Staffeln with mortar carrying aircraft, maybe one Staffel in each Gruppe? Which units did have mortars?

For how long did they remein in service? I presume at the end of the war all mortar carrying aircraft had been destroyed or replaced.

Claus Nattermann

[robert_schulte]

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

Please inform me how you wish to address this issue, if need be I'll remove the whole post.

This might be of help to NOT remove this post:
The same picture is in the book "Focke-Wulf Fw 190/Ta 152" of Dressel and Griehl on page 122 (German ed.). There is also a photo of Unger standing at the side of his plane, where the Krebsgerät is visible.

[Erich]

Unger sitting on an a/c he did not fly operationaly. It is a widely used propaganda shot used in many books to show the rear firing mortar unit. A total flop when used by 12.Sturm/JG 3. Unger interviewed said it was a detriment and more of a problem for the SturmFw pilots to carry into combat than to actually use the unit against bomber pulk's. the 12th staffel discontinued the silly weapon early in the summer of 44 and carried the standard zusatztank in place. The pic and several others is in Priens IV./JG 3 history as well as a well known photo in his collection which he happily signs and explains in detail if asked..........


A staffel which I will not name was also in II.Sturm/JG 300 and tested very briefly with the same terrible results in 44.

v/r E ~ Claus I have April of 43 when the mortar was introduced to Bf 109's/Fw 190's. any thoughts from anyone else ? When the ZG units were drawn to Reich defence in late summer of 43 the twin mortar arrangement seemed to be standard equipment and then a transfer of a/c the mortar fir on Me 410A's