Question-
Would a Gruppenführer in a Infantry unit usually have a flare pistol issued to him?
If not who would normally be issued a flare pistol-or would it be given out only for special assignments?
Flare Pistols
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charlie don't surf
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flare pistols
were issued to all funkers (radio operators), regardless of the situation also to platoon comanders and any one involved in charge of an assault as far as I know
there were several diferent types of flare pistols, single barrel, double barrel, and a reinforced (barrel with grooves) for use with grenades and inside armoured vehicles....
there were several diferent types of flare pistols, single barrel, double barrel, and a reinforced (barrel with grooves) for use with grenades and inside armoured vehicles....
"Assiduus usus uni rei deditus et ingenium et artem saepe vincit"
Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdues both intelligence and skill:
Cicero
Constant practice devoted to one subject often outdues both intelligence and skill:
Cicero
Kampfpistolen
Along the same lines, anyone have any idea how common the grenade launching versions were? Years of use?
In the battle between good and evil, evil usually has more fun.
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Robert Hurst
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Hi Gorbag
From about 1942 the growing demand for close-support weapons on the Eastern Front led to various emergency solutions.
One of these was the adaptation of the 2.7 cm Walther Leuchtpistole to fire small HE grenades of special design. These proved to be quite effective within their limits, and so, to try and extend these limits, the Kampfpistole was introduced.
There were two basic models of Kampfpistole. The first was simply the standard Walther Leuchtpistole with the barrel bored out and rifled with eight lands and grooves. A small bubble-type clinometer sight was attached to the left rear of the pistol, above the butt. Four types of grenade were developed for use with this pistol, but in addition, the standard ammuntion for the smooth-bored Leuchtpistole could also be fired from it, though with some risk of bulged cartridge cases and some loss of range.
The improved model was again a modification of the Leuchtpistole, but in this version the barrel was bored out and a rifled steel liner inserted. This liner was formed with a collar at the base end which prevented loading any of the normal breech-loading Leuchpistole or Kampfpistole ammunition. A removable sight was fitted to the barrel and a folding butt was provided. By removing the liner (quickly done with a screwdriver) and replacing it with a smooth-bore liner, any ammunition for the smooth-bore Leuchtpistole could be fired. But none of the rounds for the original Kampfpistole could be fired from the second model.
The Kampfpistolen were widely used, probably more on the Eastern Front than anywhere else, but they were principally employed for anti-personnel work.
Grenades for Leuchtpistole
Wurfkorper 361 LP:
An egg grenade 39 screwed to a stem. Before firing, a brass reinforcing tube had to be fitted into the barrel of the pistol from the breech end. At the base of the grenade stem was a percussion cap and small propelling charge. This also lit a delay fuze of 4 1/2 seconds to detonate the grenade. Range 75 to 100 m.
Wurfkorper 326 LP:
A small finned bomb in a signal-type cartridge case. On firing, a safety pin slid from the tail and armed the impact fuze. Range 300 m with short-barrelled pistol, 500 m with long.
Sprenggranat Pat. LP:
Cylindrical projectile with rounded nose held in a signal-type cartridge case. Only for close-quarter fighting from tanks or cover, since the range was only about 5 m, less than the danger area. Delay fuze of 1 second.
Panzerwurfkorper 42LP:
Pear-shaped hollow charge head on pre-rifled stem. Only used with a specially modified pistol having a 23 mm rifled liner, fore-end grip, butt and special sights. Range 80 m, penetration 80 mm.
Nebelgranate 42/11:
The Egg Smoke grenade 42 on a stem, similar to the Wkp 361 LP
Grenades for the original Kampfpistole
Sprengpatrone fur KP:
High-explosive pre-rifled projectile with nose fuze, fitted into a short aluminium cartridge case. Range 100 m.
Nebelpatrone fur KP:
A smoke round of similar size and appearance to the HE round.
Also available for use were two parachute illuminating rounds (firing white and green stars respectively) and a message carrying round.
Grenades for the improved Kampfpistole
Wurfkorper 361 KP:
Similar to the 361 KP (above) but with a special stem having a pre-rifled band to suit the insert.
Nebelpatrone 42/11 KP:
An egg smoke grenade on a special pre-rifled stem.
Regards
Bob
From about 1942 the growing demand for close-support weapons on the Eastern Front led to various emergency solutions.
One of these was the adaptation of the 2.7 cm Walther Leuchtpistole to fire small HE grenades of special design. These proved to be quite effective within their limits, and so, to try and extend these limits, the Kampfpistole was introduced.
There were two basic models of Kampfpistole. The first was simply the standard Walther Leuchtpistole with the barrel bored out and rifled with eight lands and grooves. A small bubble-type clinometer sight was attached to the left rear of the pistol, above the butt. Four types of grenade were developed for use with this pistol, but in addition, the standard ammuntion for the smooth-bored Leuchtpistole could also be fired from it, though with some risk of bulged cartridge cases and some loss of range.
The improved model was again a modification of the Leuchtpistole, but in this version the barrel was bored out and a rifled steel liner inserted. This liner was formed with a collar at the base end which prevented loading any of the normal breech-loading Leuchpistole or Kampfpistole ammunition. A removable sight was fitted to the barrel and a folding butt was provided. By removing the liner (quickly done with a screwdriver) and replacing it with a smooth-bore liner, any ammunition for the smooth-bore Leuchtpistole could be fired. But none of the rounds for the original Kampfpistole could be fired from the second model.
The Kampfpistolen were widely used, probably more on the Eastern Front than anywhere else, but they were principally employed for anti-personnel work.
Grenades for Leuchtpistole
Wurfkorper 361 LP:
An egg grenade 39 screwed to a stem. Before firing, a brass reinforcing tube had to be fitted into the barrel of the pistol from the breech end. At the base of the grenade stem was a percussion cap and small propelling charge. This also lit a delay fuze of 4 1/2 seconds to detonate the grenade. Range 75 to 100 m.
Wurfkorper 326 LP:
A small finned bomb in a signal-type cartridge case. On firing, a safety pin slid from the tail and armed the impact fuze. Range 300 m with short-barrelled pistol, 500 m with long.
Sprenggranat Pat. LP:
Cylindrical projectile with rounded nose held in a signal-type cartridge case. Only for close-quarter fighting from tanks or cover, since the range was only about 5 m, less than the danger area. Delay fuze of 1 second.
Panzerwurfkorper 42LP:
Pear-shaped hollow charge head on pre-rifled stem. Only used with a specially modified pistol having a 23 mm rifled liner, fore-end grip, butt and special sights. Range 80 m, penetration 80 mm.
Nebelgranate 42/11:
The Egg Smoke grenade 42 on a stem, similar to the Wkp 361 LP
Grenades for the original Kampfpistole
Sprengpatrone fur KP:
High-explosive pre-rifled projectile with nose fuze, fitted into a short aluminium cartridge case. Range 100 m.
Nebelpatrone fur KP:
A smoke round of similar size and appearance to the HE round.
Also available for use were two parachute illuminating rounds (firing white and green stars respectively) and a message carrying round.
Grenades for the improved Kampfpistole
Wurfkorper 361 KP:
Similar to the 361 KP (above) but with a special stem having a pre-rifled band to suit the insert.
Nebelpatrone 42/11 KP:
An egg smoke grenade on a special pre-rifled stem.
Regards
Bob