Northover Projector

A Home Guard northover thrower in 1941

The Northover Projector ( dt. Northover-Werfer ) is a British mortar of the Second World War in the caliber 63.5 mm.

history

In 1940 the British developed the Northover launcher, but its performance in battle was completely inadequate. When more effective weapons became available, the Northover launcher was largely withdrawn from action. Only troops from the Home Guard and some army and air force units continued to use the Northover launcher primarily to guard airfields.

technology

The Northover launcher is a very simple construction. It consists of little more than a steel tube, a tripod for the stand, trigger and tap. Aiming was done using the simplest means of aiming. Ordinary hand grenades , anti-tank rifle grenades or incendiary projectiles were fired . A small propellant , ignited by a blind cartridge , generated the necessary gas pressure. Some launchers were also redesigned by the troops. So the tripod was removed and replaced by a wheel carriage to ensure easier transport. Two resourceful members of the British home defense team developed a Northover launcher with a five-fold revolver chamber . The five shells could be fired in relatively quick succession.

The crew consisted of two riflemen and the commander.

Technical specifications

• Caliber: 63.5 mm
• Weight: 61.2 kg
• Tube length: 914 mm
• Muzzle velocity: 60 m / sec
• effective firing range: 250 m

The penetration power of the anti-tank grenade was 50 mm at a firing distance of 100 meters and an angle of impact of 90 ° between the target surface and the projectile trajectory.

literature

• Ian Hogg : 20th Century Artillery. Gondromverlag, Bindlach 2001, ISBN 3-8112-1878-6 .

Web links

Commons : Northover Projector  - collection of images, videos and audio files