Question concerning the38cm Raketenwerfer 61 L/5.4

[daveh]

Am I correct in believing that the 38cm Raketenwerfer 61 L/5.4 as used on the Sturmmorser Tiger was a naval weapon originally?
If so was it ever deployed by the Kriegsmarine? and in what role? I am assuming it was a shore based weapon is this correct?
Any pics?

[Dan Mouritzsen]

Hi

The only place I know it was used (besides being test fired in 1944 in Norway) by the Kriegsmarine. Was on Fanø Island here in Denmark as a part of Marine Küsten Batterie Gneisenau.
It was called 38cm Raketenwerfer 300 (38cm R. Ag. M43). First it was meant as an anti submarine weapon, but the range of the rocket powered dept charge was only 1000 meters instead of the intended 3000 meters. Therefore it was redesigned as a costal anti invasion weapon.

One weapon has survived and it can today be seen at Tøjhus museet in Copenhagen.

The DAWA magazine had an article about this weapon a few years back with some excellent photos and I think I can remember that they also found a surviving example of it somewhere in Norway?

Regards

Dan Mouritzsen

[daveh]

Many thanks for the information and the pic Dan Mouritzsen.

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
Many seem to mix up a little, there were actually 2 different weapons: a) the RaG 38, and b) the RTG 38. The first one was mostly used on ships, it fired an anchor which was kept in the air by a parachute, and tied to the boat with steel wire. This weapon was used by many ships, and enemy aircraft are known to have fallen down when flying into the wire. The other weapon RTG 38 ("Raketen tauch-geschoss") did fire deep mines to a range of ca. 3000 m. In Norway there is at least one existing RTG. The RTG was also used (modified) in the Sturmtiger.

B.

[Witch-King of Angmar]

It was called 38cm Raketenwerfer 300 (38cm R. Ag. M43). First it was meant as an anti submarine weapon, but the range of the rocket powered dept charge was only 1000 meters instead of the intended 3000 meters. Therefore it was redesigned as a costal anti invasion weapon.

The quoted range of the Sturmmorser Tiger("Sturmtiger") cannon is 4600-6000 meters - so it must have been a difference between the rocket-engines of the shells.

~The Witch King of Angmar

[Dan Mouritzsen]

Hi

I will see if i can dig up that DAWA article again.

Dan

[daveh]

Was the range difference due to a change in the warhead ????
In naval use it carried a depth charge, how does this compare in eg terms of weight with the warhead fired from the Sturmmorser Tiger?

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

If it was going to fly under water, it would certainly not go as far as it if travels through air...

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello!
Once again, the RaG which is in Denmark was not the weapon used in Sturmtiger. The Sturmtiger used a modified RTG 38. This, when shore based, had a range of 3000-3500 m.

B.

[Dan Mouritzsen]

Hi

DAWA Nachrichten Nr. 38 has an extensive article about this weapon.

There are two surviving weapons, 1 at Tøjhusmuseet in Copenhagen and 1 at MKB Tromsø Süd Museum in Norway. The one in Copenhagen is marked “bwo 38 cm R.ag. M43 Nr.10. the one in Norway is without any markings.

The Kriegsmarine first experimented with an antisubmarine weapon called the 38 cm RTg. “Raketentauchgranate”. From this weapon they developed the 38 cm Raketenwerfer 300 (R.ag. M43) of which 12 weapons were produced. 3 weapons were tested on the 4. April 1944 in Agdenes at Trondheimsfjord in Norway by MAA 506, 8 rockets were fired.
There were severe problems with premature detonation and they also experienced problems with the wind effect. The desired ranges of 2500 - 3000 m were not reached in these tests.
On the 20. April 1944 further 11 rockets were fired and they experienced at an 18% failure rate. It was decided that the weapon did not meet the expected goal to be an antisubmarine weapon, but that it would be very effective against any type of surface vessels. The weapons were deployed with 1 Weapon on Fanø Island (protecting the only larger harbour on the Danish west coast at Esbjerg) and an unknown amount of weapons at Alta, Agdenes and at Trondheim in Norway.

The 38 cm RTg. was also developed into the Raketenwerfer 61 which was used on the Sturmtiger.

Data.

38 cm Rag M43.
Made by Rheinmetall-Borsig. Developed by MOHRA Gerätebau Aktiengesellschaft Bautsch/ Ostsudeten. Development started August 1942. First prototype was ready for delivery October 1943. Range 2500 – 3000 meters. Weight 1.870 kg. Weight of rocket 300 kg. of them the 158 kg. was explosives. The rocket was powered by 13 kg. of Diglykol powder in cylinder form. Firing rate was 1 shot every 4 minutes.

38 Raketenwerfer 61.
Made by Rheinmetall-Borsig. Range 5600 meters. Weight of rocket 345 kg. of them the 135 kg. was explosives. The rocket was powered by 40 kg. of Diglykol powder in cylinder form. Firing rate was 1 shot every 10 minutes.

Regards

Dan Mouritzsen

[Bjørn from Norway]

Hello Dan!
It is completely true what you write, and now it would be more obvious to the readers that we actually are talking of two different weapons, if including the Surmtiger, actually 3.

B.

[Ludek]

Hello!
I have some information regarding production of RAG 38. (The correct title of this weapon in german is "Raketenabschussgerät"). Are you interested in it?

Regards Ludek

[jopaerya]

Hello Ludek

First a big welcome and thanks for your offer about
the production from the RAG 38 , that would be great .

Regards Jos

[Ludek]

Hello Jos,
I have the folloving information from an engineer who was responsible for manufacturing the weapons RAG 38. (The man informed me in 1986. He died 1996.)

The correct title of this rocket launcher was 38 cm RAG (Raketenabschussgerät).It was a costal anti invasion weapon. Only 3 pieces were completed up to invasion. They were probably not tested.
The production of these weapons was ordered by OKM (Oberkomando der Krigsmarine).The drawings were from Germany. Officers from OKM came periodicaly to check the progres in the production. After invasion the production was interrupted. All components including the documentation were transported into Soviet Union 1945 or 1946. The design of the RAG 38 was very simply. The weapon was hand operated. The rifled barrel was short. The basis plate was anchored to the ground by 4 bolts. The turnstand was welded from rolled beams.

My comment.
The weapos were produced in a part of occupied Czechoslovakia called: Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren".The name of the factory was
(during W W II):
Českomoravské strojírny a.s. Blansko.
in German
Bömisch-Mährishe Maschinenfabriken A.G. Werk Blanz.

I do not know how many RAGs were ordered. I have a bad photo shoving about 32 barrels (or more?) stored in the open air in the factory 1945 or 1946.
I have no photos of the completed weapon.
I was a young boy 1945 living in the factory and I can remember the barrels.

Regards Ludek

[jopaerya]

Thanks Ludek

For your intresting information , the 38 cm RAG in the museum at Kopen-
hagen has the productioncode b.w.o. = Rheinmetal-Borsig AG Dusseldorf .
Maybe Erik E. has the code from the 38 cm RAG in the museum at Tromso ?

Regards Jos