Pressluftgranate

[Captain Mike]

Just found the "Pressluftgranate" mentioned in a chronicle of the 7th Panzer Division. I can email a picture if you wish. Has anyone further information about that ordnance? It looks like one of those "Stuka zu Fuss" 28cm Flammölgranaten being fired from a SPz 251/XX. Only difference is that it is mounted on a sIG 33 (not self-propelled!).

Captain Mike

"Nicht immer die Besten, aber garantiert die Lustigsten" VI. Inspektion HUS II

[Shadow 1st Hussars]

I ran a search and all I could find was this:

http://www.wehrtechnikmuseum.de/index.html

It appears to be a muesum (My german isn't the greatest), but it clearly lists what you are looking for on the front page and it says you can contact them in English. Sorry, that's about all I can do.

[ June 15, 2003, 08:44 AM: Message edited by: Shadow 1st Hussars ]

[Ozzy]

Originally posted by Shadow 1st Hussars:

I ran a search and all I could find was this:

http://www.wehrtechnikmuseum.de/index.html

It appears to be a muesum (My german isn't the greatest), but it clearly lists what you are looking for on the front page and it says you can contact them in English. Sorry, that's about all I can do.

Correct, it is a museum, but it is unknown to me despite being German. Neither does it provide any info via Internet.

The fact that almost no information can be found about the "Preßluftgranate" lets me second the opinion that this ordnance in reality never existed.

This source: http://www.balsi.de/15cmpanzerwerfer.htm

confirms your assumption about the 15cm Panzerwerfer 42 ("Stuka zu Fuß", "DO-Werfer"), which was mounted on

- Opel "Maultier" as SdKfz 4/1 (typical)

- schwerer Wehrmachtschlepper

- 3-t-Halbkettenzugmaschine

- Somua

(It's predecessor, the 15cm-Nebelwerfer 41, was mounted on a wheeled gun mount and towed by a SdKfz11)

It fired

- Werfergranate (propulsed Sprenggranate)

- Flammölgranate

- Nebelgranate

The source also mentions that a battery equipped with this weapon fired 108 rockets in 10 seconds (and was generally more powerful than the Katyusha), and

durch den Aufschlag der unzähligen Granaten entstand ein Wechsel von Ober- und Unterdruck mit schweren Folgen für den Feind (Pressluftgranaten-Legende)

that "by the impact of the innumerable grenades an alteration of overpressure and negative pressure was created, with severe consequences for the enemy", which obviously generated the legend of the Preßluftgranate.

When comparing the Flammölgranate with later weapons (Napalm, Daisy Cutter), or comparing the dense barrage of Sprenggranaten with British Blockbuster bombs) the effects of pressure shocks or low pressure become obvious.

In the memoirs "Meine Jugend in Stalingrad" by Josef Mairinger, he mentions the usage of the Do-Gerät, and the consequences

Unsere Panzer voraus, wir hinterher. Als wir diesen Hügel kampfos hinter uns hatten, sahen wir ein Leichenmeer. Die Do-Geräte haben dort wahrscheinlich zum erstenmal Pressluftsprenggranaten eingesetzt. Die Wirkung war brutal, bei jedem Einschlag war im Umkreis von 50 m jedes Lebewesen kaputt.

Die Leichen standen im Schützengraben, lehnten am Ufer mit dem Gewehr im Anschlag. Blut kam aus Mund und der Nase. ... In der nächsten Nacht haben die Russenflugzeuge Flugblätter abgeworfen. Wenn wir noch einmals solche Sprenggranaten verwenden, kommen sie sofort mit dem Gas. Dann haben wir die Stukka zu Fuß nie wieder gesehen.

"Our Panzers ahead, we're in the follow. After seizing the hill without any fighting, we saw a sea of dead bodies. We assumed the Do-Geräte have used the Preßluftsprenggranate for the first time. The effect was brutal, within a radius of 50m around each impact any creature was smashed.

The dead were standing in the trenches, resting on the riverbank with the rifle in firing position. Blood ran out of noses and ears... In the following night, Russian aircrafts dropped leaflets - if we would ever use again such Sprenggranaten, they will immediately answer with gas. Henceforth we have never seen again the Stuka zu Fuß"

The description of the effect on the casualties does also underline the theory about pressure effects. Similar reports have been heard often from British air raids against German cities. The 5000kg blockbusters have caused the same lethal effects on people in cellars and shelters.

It is obvious that a very dense pattern of substantially heavy Sprenggranaten will cause the same effect.

[ June 16, 2003, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: Ozzy ]