German 7.3cm rocket launcher; - does anyone know of it's actual use in WWII?

Jason Cameron

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
115
Reaction score
37
Location
Cypress, Texas
Country
llUnited States
It's not often we hear of a German "wonder weapon" that was previously not well known. I suppose this is one of them: a German crew weapon rocket 7.3cm launcher. Think of a 73mm mortar that dumps 35 rounds on your head AT THE SAME TIME!

Was this actually used in combat in WWII? What would the ASL counter look like?

Reference:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_Hs_297

Blast Models: https://www.blast-models.eu/en/
 

Jason Cameron

Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2008
Messages
115
Reaction score
37
Location
Cypress, Texas
Country
llUnited States
It's not often we hear of a German "wonder weapon" that was previously not well known. I suppose this is one of them: a German crew weapon rocket 7.3cm launcher. Think of a 73mm mortar that dumps 35 rounds on your head AT THE SAME TIME!

Was this actually used in combat in WWII? What would the ASL counter look like?

Reference:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_Hs_297

Blast Models: https://www.blast-models.eu/en/
I'll reply to my own post...it appears that the minimum range was 500 yards (13 hexes). That makes it less of a tactical weapon and more like an OBA type. I suppose it could be a mortar type of weapon of 73mm with a rate of fire (ROF) of "5".
 
Last edited:

daniel zucker

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Messages
1,200
Reaction score
452
Location
new jersey
Country
llUnited States
After reading the Wikipedia article section about the projectile, IMO the ASL Fire Power and IFE should be very low, like 6 or 8. and the ROF should be 2. The 'bombs' that this thing fired were very small (28 cm or 11 inchs) and had about 10 oz. of TNT. It also seems that the main purpose was AAA. It was a static defensive weapon.
 

von Marwitz

Forum Guru
Joined
Nov 25, 2010
Messages
14,385
Reaction score
10,287
Location
Kraut Corner
Country
llUkraine
It's not often we hear of a German "wonder weapon" that was previously not well known. I suppose this is one of them: a German crew weapon rocket 7.3cm launcher. Think of a 73mm mortar that dumps 35 rounds on your head AT THE SAME TIME!

Was this actually used in combat in WWII? What would the ASL counter look like?

Reference:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henschel_Hs_297

Blast Models: https://www.blast-models.eu/en/
It has been used in combat.

I definitively know that it had been positioned atop the cliffs above the bridge of Remagen along with other AA assets. I have been on site, but today you can only see some remnants of fixed positions there without being able to tell for which weapon they have been used exactly.

I seem to recall that it (or a similar device) has also been used on German naval vessels.

EDIT:

I can confirm for Remagen. Quote from German Wikipedia:

Das Gerät war als sogenannter Volks-Fla-R-Werfer für den Masseneinsatz im Volkssturm gedacht. Bis zum Februar 1945 waren 50 Geräte ausgeliefert worden, die für die Truppenerprobung vorgesehen waren. 24 dieser Werfergestelle (4 Züge zu je 6 Werfern, eingesetzt in jeweils 2 Halbzügen) gingen mit der 3./ FlakLehruVersAbt 900 (ortsfest) im Raum Remagen in Stellung und wurden dort am 2. März 1945 erstmals gegen alliierte Jagdbomber eingesetzt. Wenige Tage später, nach der Einnahme der Ludendorff-Brücke bei Remagen, fielen einige der als geheim eingestuften Werfer unbeschädigt in die Hände der Amerikaner.[5] Schon ab Januar 1945 kamen sechs Werfergestelle im Hafenbereich der Insel Helgoland zur Aufstellung, über deren Einsatz jedoch nichts bekannt ist.[6]

Google tranlated:

The device was intended as a so-called Volks-Fla-R-Werfer for mass use in the Volkssturm. By February 1945, 50 devices intended for troop testing had been delivered. 24 of these launcher frames (4 platoons of 6 launchers each, used in 2 half-platoons each) were deployed with the 3./ FlakLehruVersAbt 900 (stationary) in the Remagen area and were used there for the first time on March 2, 1945 against Allied fighter-bombers. A few days later, after the Ludendorff Bridge near Remagen was taken, some of the classified launchers fell undamaged into the hands of the Americans.[5] As early as January 1945, six launcher frames were erected in the port area of the island of Helgoland, but nothing is known about their use.[6]


von Marwitz
 

von Marwitz

Forum Guru
Joined
Nov 25, 2010
Messages
14,385
Reaction score
10,287
Location
Kraut Corner
Country
llUkraine
Some more:

Die Henschel Hs 297 Föhn war eine deutsche Kleinst-Flugabwehrrakete im Zweiten Weltkrieg.

Vom Prinzip her ähnelt die Hs 297 der Fliegerfaust, jedoch mit dem Unterschied, dass die Hs 297 nicht als Schulterwaffe konzipiert wurde. Bei beiden Waffensystemen sollten mehrere kleinkalibrige, ungesteuerte Raketen gegen Tiefflieger eingesetzt werden.

Es gab zwei unterschiedliche Versionen: „Föhngerät“ und „Schießkarren“, beide nutzten die gleiche Rakete. Nur die Föhngeräte waren auf anfliegende Ziele richtbar, die Schießkarren waren dagegen nur für Sperrfeuer geeignet. Schießkarren wurden auf Sperrfeuerräume ausgerichtet und beim Einflug eines Ziels in diese Räume ausgelöst.[1] Die Föhngeräte wurden mittels eines Schwebehalbkreisvisiers im direkten Verfahren gerichtet.[2] Mit dem „Hand-Föhn“ war aber auch eine tragbare, von der Schulter zu schießende Version mit einem Bündel von drei Startrohren in Entwicklung; diese konnte bis Kriegsende jedoch nicht abgeschlossen werden.[3]

Die Raketen hatten ein Kaliber von 7,29 cm bei einer Länge von 29,5 cm und einem Gewicht von 2,7 kg. Der Start erfolgte aus einfach konstruierten Gestellen, die 35 Raketen (5 × 7) aufnehmen konnten und aus denen mehrere Raketen gleichzeitig abgefeuert wurden. Auch Einzelstarts waren möglich. Die Reichweite der Raketen betrug 1200 Meter. Der verwendete Sprengkopf war mit 280 g RDX/TNT gefüllt und besaß einen Aufschlagzünder mit Selbstzerlegeeinrichtung.[4]


The Henschel Hs 297 Föhn was a German midget anti-aircraft missile used in World War II.

In principle, the Hs 297 is similar to the Fliegerfaust, but with the difference that the Hs 297 was not designed as a shoulder weapon. In both weapon systems, several small-calibre, unguided missiles were to be used against low-flying aircraft.

There were two different versions: "Föhngerät" and "Schießkarren", both using the same missile. Only the hair dryers (google means "Föhngerät"... 🤣) could be aimed at approaching targets, while the shooting carts were only suitable for barrage fire. Shooting carts were aimed at barrage spaces and triggered when a target entered those spaces.[1] The hairdryer devices were aimed using a floating semicircle sight in the direct method.[2] However, with the "Hand-Föhn" a portable version to be fired from the shoulder with a bundle of three launch tubes was also in development; however, this could not be completed by the end of the war.[3]

The rockets had a caliber of 7.29 cm, were 29.5 cm long and weighed 2.7 kg. Launch was from simply constructed racks that could hold 35 rockets (5 × 7) and from which multiple rockets were fired simultaneously. Single starts were also possible. The range of the missiles was 1200 meters. The warhead used was filled with 280 g of RDX/TNT and had an impact fuse with a self-destructive device.[4]


21957

21958


von Marwitz
 

Robin Reeve

The Swiss Moron
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Messages
19,646
Reaction score
5,630
Location
St-Légier
First name
Robin
Country
llSwitzerland
Here in Switzerland, we call a warm wind in the Alps: Foehn.
And, by derivation, a hairdryer.
I presume that the German Foehn also designates that wind.
 
Top