SS-Heavy Mortar Platoon

During Operation Barbarossa in 1941 the Germans encountered the large Soviet 120-PM-38 12cm mortars. The qualities of this weapon were immediately recognized and any captured weapons immediately put into service under the designation 12cm Granatwerfer 378(r) (Literally, grenade thrower). The Germans were so impressed by this weapon that they immediately set about making their own version.

This German duplicate design was called 12cm Granatwerfer 42 (though sometimes it is referred to as the 12cm Granatwerfer 43 for the year it was introduced to service). The tube length was 186.5cm and the complete weapon weighed 285kg.

It fired the Wurfgranate 42 that weighed 15.8kg, which included 3.1kg of high explosives. The warhead was usually fitted with the Abstandszünder 41 (distance detonator) extender fuse. The maximum range was slightly over 6km. It could use both Soviet and German ammunition. Because of the weight of the weapon a two wheeled axle was utilized, enabling the mortar to be towed into action. The axle could then be quickly removed before firing.