The 20 cm leichter Ladungswerfer (20 cm leLdgW) was a spigot
mortar used by Germany during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. 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 It was gradually withdrawn from front-line service from 1942.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
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
Spigot mortars
World War II mortars of Germany
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1940
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