20 cm leichter Ladungswerfer

20 cm leichter Ladungswerfer
Type	Spigot Mortar
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1940–45
Used by	Germany
Wars	Second World War
Production history
Designer	Rheinmetall
Specifications
Mass	93 kg (205 lb)
Barrel length	54 cm (1 ft 9 in)
Diameter	20 cm (8 in)
Shell	21.27 kg (46 lb 14 oz)
Caliber	90 mm (3.5 in) (spigot diameter)
Elevation	45° to 80°
Traverse	5°
Maximum firing range	700 m (770 yd)
Sights	dial
Filling	Amatol
Filling weight	6.8 kg (15 lb)

The 20 cm leichter Ladungswerfer (20 cm leLdgW) was a spigot mortar used by Germany during World War II. It was used by engineers to demolish obstacles and strongpoints. It was gradually withdrawn from front-line service from 1942.

Propellant was placed at the top of the spigot and ignited when the projectile slid far enough down the spigot to complete the circuit. It fired HE (high explosive) and smoke rounds in addition to a special Harpunengeschosse (harpoon bomb) that carried a rope with hooks to clear mines or wire obstacles.

External links

• mortar page from TM-E 30-451 Handbook on German Military Forces on Lone Sentry
• Allied intelligence report on Lone Sentry

Sources

• Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945. New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3

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