9.13 cm Minenwerfer "Lanz" and "Mauser" Variants

[Bildberichter]

Hi Folks

I have been researching German WW1 auxiliary minenwerfers and realised there is quite a bit of confusion about the Lanz and Mauser versions of the 9.13 cm trench mortars. The two are often incorrectly identified on websites, photographs and even by museums.

Although both had the same calibre and both were smooth bore mortars, their ammuntion and breech construction differed quite a bit. The United States Army's "MANUAL FOR TRENCH ARTILLERY" Part 1 of July 1918 (War Department Document No.817) describes the two types as (excluding the ammo):

MINENWERFER "LANZ"

This minenwerfer is composed of a steel tube of diameter of 91.3 mm (3.09 inch) resting on a four branched stand which can be folded for transportation through the trenches. When firing the stand is placed on a wooden platform consisting of 9 boards reinforced and held together by means of 2 angle irons. The stand, serving as a carriage, is fastened to the platform by means of a connecting key. Direction is given to the mortar by traversing the whole mortar and platform and elevation is given to the mortar by means of a pendulum hanging in front of a graduated dial.
The mortar is loaded by the muzzle for the projectile and by the breech for the charge. The primer is a rifle cartridge and the firing mechanism is a rifle breech.

MINENWERFER "MAUSER"

This minenwerfer is almost the same as the "Lanz," same construction, same diameter, and same elevation sight. The breech block is different. It is a steel cylinder in which is bored a powder chamber. It slides inside the barrel and is easily taken out by means of a handle. When firing it is held in place in the barrel by a strong pin 2.5 cm (1 inch) in diameter, which runs through both the barrel and breech block. A vent is pierced through the breech block. The propelling charge is contained in a small silk bag fitted with a Bickford fuse. To load the charge the breech block is removed and the charge placed in the powder chamber, the fuse running through the vent.

The most notable differences that can be seen on photos are:

1. The shape of the barrel (the Lanz had a muzzle ring, while the Mauser is simly a pipe)

2. The breech (the Lanz has a half screw breech with a straight handle, while the Mauser breech was simply held in place by a T-shaped pin and moved with a D-shaped handle)

3. Sighting arrangement (the Lanz had no exterior sights, while the Mauser had a primative open front and rear V sight)

The following two photos illustrate this:

LANZ:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48140075@N04/4610396448/

MAUSER:

http://humanbonb.free.fr/Phototheque/im ... 351475.jpg

I have a copy of an Austrian manual of for the Lanz that shows the construction in detail. Does anyone have something similar for the Mauser? I would love to see how the breech fitted into the barrel and how the chamber and pin was positioned. Any further info would be much appreciated!

[Bildberichter]

To confuse things even further, the Mauser style minenwerfer seems to have been used by the Russians as well! In Russia it was known as the "Bombomet Type GR" and it was mounted to a slightly different carriage. Also note the extra stiffening(?) band between the barrel and elevation mechanism:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WWlru ... ortars.jpg

Does anyone have detail ons these? Were they imported before the war or made in Russia under licence?

They were also used by the Fins.

[KaiserChief]

Interesting topic. I did a short research on this weapons a several weeks ago, but without credit :roll:
Could place here some basic technical drawings of the Lanz mortar published in the manual you´ve ment? Is there something about construction of firing positions?

Regards
V.

[Bildberichter]

KaiserChief

I have the tech drawings of the Lanz, but nothing about the firing posistions. The only info I have on small trench mortar firing posistions comes from the manual of the Austrian 9cm M14 minenwerfer:



I need drawings of the Mauser as I want to construct a replica for our re-enactment group. Can anyone assist or does anyone know where I can lay my hands on a set of drawings?

[Bildberichter]

Some more pics of the Mauser variant:

Note the stiffening band that runs parallel to the barrel and the elevation arc:


Here the Mauser appears on a slightly different carriage:


A surviving Mauser in the collection of the Australian War Memorial (captured in Palestine):


This mortar is incorrecly listed as a Lanz in the AWM's records.

[Bildberichter]

Mike Etzel from the AWM has sent the following info:

"The length of the barrel is 610 mm and the calibre is 87 mm (not 91.3 mm as is commonly stated in the literature). This measurement was obtained by measuring the inside of the smooth bore barrel in numerous different locations and the diameter keeps coming out as 87 mm. The external diameter of the barrel is 94 mm. This is rather intriguing and I cannot explain the discrepancy of the calibre dimension to the officially accepted one. The record has been changed accordingly from “Lanz” to “Mauser” and should appear on the web site shortly."

Interesting. Are most of the record wrong on the calibre of the Mauser minenwerfer, or did the Germans perhaps supply 87mm calibre "export" mortars to the Turks...? More questions than answers it seems!

[Bildberichter]

Here is a pic of another surviving Mauser minenwerfer on yet another version of the carriage. This example is at the Somme "Museum of Shelters" in Albert, France:

Does anyone have access to this museum to have the mortar measured up? I have tried in vain to contact the museum...

[Bildberichter]

The friendly folks from Musée Somme 1916 (which was closed until 1 Feb) has sent me a detailed set of measurements of their Mauser mortar tube. Their example is definately 91.3mm calibre, which confirms my suspicion that the AWM's minenwerfer is a Turkish copy of the German item or an export version made for the Turks.

Thanks Jon and Christine from the Somme Museum for your friendly help!

[Ralph Whitehead]

Hello Bildberichter, You recently contacted the WFA regarding a postcard of mine marked as Lanz Minenwerfer and you corrected it as Mauser Minenwerfer. You were looking for a better resolution copy. I tried to contact you but the e-mail address you supplied failed, Yahoo stated it was not valid. Please contact me if you would like further details or a larger copy of the photo, thanks. Ralph Whitehead

[JTV]

To confuse things even further, the Mauser style minenwerfer seems to have been used by the Russians as well! In Russia it was known as the "Bombomet Type GR" and it was mounted to a slightly different carriage. Also note the extra stiffening(?) band between the barrel and elevation mechanism:

Might be worth noting that this was model 1915 of GR minethrower, later model 1916 had completely different kind of carriage.

More info:
http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/MORTARS2.htm#91MM

Jarkko

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Mauser minenwefer (I think):

Image from Ebay
Sturm78

[Bildberichter]

Oooh nice. I have not seen this pic before! First time I see a pic of the Mauser with the breech block tube removed. Note no gas sealing rings or other devices on the breech mechanism! Also not the "stove pipe" ammo which was almost just as long as the barrel with a plain fuze on the front. These things were really primative... Thanks for sharing Sturm78

[Bildberichter]

The small white "lollipop" item sticking out above the breech block must be the silk bagged powder charge with the Bickford fuze sticking out from it. The fuze was pushed through a small venthole in the breech block. Also note the NCO has the breech locking pin/bolt in his right hand. Very crude...

[jopaerya]

Found on Ebay some drawings of the mortar and rounds .

Regards Jos

[Bildberichter]

Thanks, I also bought this manual, but it is for the Lanz, not the Mauser.