View source for Wurfrahmen 40

{{Short description|German World War II multiple rocket launcher}}
{{italic title|string=Wurfrahmen}}
[[Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-216-0417-09, Russland, schwerer Wurfrahmen an Schützenpanzer.jpg|thumb|right|Wurfrahmen mounted on [[Sd.Kfz. 251]]]]

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]] [[half-track|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'' ("[[Junkers Ju 87|Stuka]] on Foot" or "Walking Stuka") and ''Heulende Kuh'' ("Bellowing Cow").<ref>[http://www.wwiivehicles.com/germany/half_tracks/sdKfz251.html SdKfz251, in "WWII Vehicles" website]</ref>

== Development ==
[[File:German rocket fire against Polish positions during the Warsaw Uprising.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Sd.Kfz. 251-mounted Wurfrahmen in action against Polish positions during the [[Warsaw Uprising]]]]

Introduced in late 1940, the weapon system was a framework with adjustable base plates fitted over and alongside a vehicle which could hold [[30 cm Würfkorper 42 Spreng|300&nbsp;mm]] [[high explosive]] (HE) rockets; [[28/32 cm Nebelwerfer 41|280&nbsp;mm HE and 320&nbsp;mm]] [[Incendiary device|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 halftrack]]s also mounted Wurfrahmen, with four frames at two per side.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://beutepanzer.ru/Beutepanzer/us/M3_halftrack/M3_wurframen.html |title=M2/M3 Halftrack Gepanzerter Mannschaftstransportwagen M3 401(a) mit Wurfrahmen 40 |access-date=2017-11-05 |archive-date=2020-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926105346/http://beutepanzer.ru/Beutepanzer/us/M3_halftrack/M3_wurframen.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Nebelwerfer]]
* [[Panzerwerfer]]
* American [[T40 Whizbang]]
* U.S. Navy [[7.2-Inch Demolition Rocket]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commonscat-inline|Wurfrahmen 40}}
*[http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/rocket/index.html Germany's Rocket and Recoilless Weapons]

{{WWIIGermanGuns}}
{{WWIIGermanAFVs}}

[[Category:World War II self-propelled artillery of Germany]]
[[Category:Self-propelled rocket launchers]]
[[Category:Multiple rocket launchers]]


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