Borgward Heavy RCL AT Weapon - Project Cancelled

[Buzzbomb]

I have had this 1/35 Dragon/Revell Borgward IV in the stash for some time, initially to do the Wanze version with the 6 Panzerschrek mounts

Of course, there are now kits of this so where is the fun in a full modification

I dug it out on the weekend, looked at the individual track links and put it back. Then got it out again and wondered.. what else could you do with this.
It was designed as a demo charge transport vehicle. Pack the front container with 500KG of explosive, trundle up to the target, drop the charge and drive back. What could possibly go wrong with that approach ?
There was also a remote control version

Then back to the Wanze idea, but the Panzerschrek had an operational range of around 150-200 metres.. which appears a bit close. Alright in urban area, but what about elsewhere.
So the Germans already had experience with recoilless weapons for their Paratroops so what if they stepped it up a bit. Bigger than the 57mm jobs the US Army had started to use, which could be shoulder fired.. more in line with the 120mm MOBAT/WOMBAT/COBAT weapons the Brits developed postwar.

120mm would have sufficient range and punch to take on most late war tanks. Being recoilless, a light chassis would suffice, so I am going to try and wedge one of these onto the Borgward.
Tactics would still be shoot and scoot like the doctrine was for the Actual RCL weapon.

Initial build of the bog standard Borgward, I figure the charge container could still be carried, but not packed with explosives so used for stowage perhaps.
Built the Recoilless Rifle from aluminium tube and some other bits and bobs. More detailing to go. Working out some tech issues like how to reload, how many reloads, where the RCL will actually go and if all that fails.. turn into an Ambulance or something.



OK, Ok.. I know there are lots of reasons why this may not work, but a small nippy tracked vehicle might be better than a larger vehicle like a 251 Halftrack or Panzer II Chassis

[Old Wombat]

Remember, it's German, so the breech opening system with be exceptionally well-built & smoothly operating, but will be over-engineered & expensive in labour & rare materials.

[Frank3k]

Maybe move the RCL slightly forward so the loader doesn't have to climb out on the rear deck to reload?

[Story]

Neat build.

Recoilless makes a huge dust signature. Tactical prudence would be to fire-and-run.

Rigging your weapon to fire to the rear would imply that the crew would pick hull-down ambush positions and the driver would haul ass as soon as it fired.  Might have to drive through a dust cloud, but the goggles-wearing driver could account for that by picking the spot where he'd floor it too before the shooting started. Make sense?

If the recoilless is mounted on the left hull wall at the end of the crew compartment, with the breach mechanism opening to the right and the end of the breach cone just forward of the crew compartment, that'd minimize the effects of firing.

Offset the weight of the recoilless by fitting ammunition racks (maybe 3 rounds?) on the right side hull wall, half-overhanging the track.  Pair this vehicle with an SDFZ 251 carrying additional 12cm RR rounds.

[GTX_Admin]

I like the idea.  However, given German recoilless guns used ordinary shells, albeit with a different cartridge, you may wish to go with either 105mm or perhaps even 128mm.

If the former, you could simply add a 10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 or 10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 42 (I believe both are available in 1/35 already if you didn't want to scratch build).

A 128mm version might be based on the shells from the 12.8 cm Pak 44.

[finsrin]

Liking this.  Gives flashback to similar builds done in 70s.  Do keep going.

[Jeffry Fontaine]

The recoilless weapon on this vehicle bears a not so passing resemblance to the British Army BAT/WOMBAT which is rather refreshing to see.  Back Blast Area Clear!? 

[Story]

Reminds me of the after-effects of eating bad Clam Chowder.



Protip: drink cool water before resting chin on sink, butt on bowl.

[Story]

LUFT 46 Plot Twist

Meet the Davey Crockett, America's atomic bomb launched from a recoilless on a jeep



Remember these things, for the 3.7cm PAK? Stielgranate 41?


What if the Naaaaaaaaaaaazies made an Atomik Stielhandgranate for this 10.5/12/12.8cm RR? Or even just an oversized Thermobaric warhead?
https://www.standingwellback.com/ww2-thermobarics/
By the summer of 1944, the system had evolved in to Taifun B.  It was mounted as an MLRS system on a number of tracked vehicles (Stuka zu Fuss type vehicles) Interestingly (and very importantly) the interviewee who had taken a detailed part in the development program describes the contents of the Taifun B system as containing a burster charge with a fill of kersoene like liquid with the addition of carbon and aluminium particles. I think that’s a pretty credible thermobaric material, in outline. A second missile system fired after the main charge caused initiation of the dispersed cloud, but eventually the initiation was integral by the summer of 1944.

German testing of experimental fuel-air bomb [1944] colourized
https://preview.redd.it/0nwhb7mgizsz.png?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=05bbc295657ba2739bf41dbe5ad06f518ba1e35a

[finsrin]

Reminds me of the after-effects of eating bad Clam Chowder.



Protip: drink cool water before resting chin on sink, butt on bowl.

Garlic & Onion sandwich comes to mind....

[Buzzbomb]

BBDA clear !!!!
Thanks for the feedback guys.
Having seen the Aussie Army 106mm Gun Buggies fire, they certainly put on a dust storm that is for sure.

I tinkered with this for over an hour today, trying various layouts and options, nothing satisfied me as far as layout and actually usability of the vehicle.

The small size pretty much prohibits the addition of a 3rd crew/Loader without changing the vehicle design by moving the engine forward, which then defeats the entire premise of a mod of an existing vehicle.
Greg's observation about using the existing LG40 or LG42 weapons makes some sense as well if the Borgward was to be used, even then space is a consideration.

Sadly my practical side of putting myself in the places of the crew has led to this very short project being abandoned in this form.

I think the vehicle will go on the backburner, as some other options did present perhaps as a missile platform for the X-7 or RottKapchen AT Missiles, although again the layout is not ideal.
For a RCL rifle platform for a weapon of this size may be better on a Sdkfz 250 or 251 Halftrack perhaps, maybe the Sdkfz 234 platform, would certainly be more practical than the Pak 40.

For an allied version the Universal carrier/M3 Halftrack was used post war, so may fit a 1946 timeline.
Hmm Crusader or Stuart based Ontos like layout ??

[GTX_Admin]

I believe the Borgward IV with the 6 Panzerschrek probably got around the issue by pre-loading the weapons and treating them as single shot weapons.  You can see the details here a bit:



Although only a CGI of a model, I think the below image shows the issue re space well too:



That said, one could possibly still use the idea of a recoilless rifle on a Borgward IV but do it as a Waffenträger ("Weapon carrier") whereby the vehicle is used to carry the heavy recoilless rifle and a quantity of rounds but theat the weapon is still served by dismounted crew.  Thus it would be very much a infantry weapon.

On a similar theme, a Sd.Kfz.2 Kettenkrad could be done in a similar manner with a mounted weapon on the back.