What is a "Strumtiger firing a 380mm mortar rocket"?
The Sturmtiger, aka Sturmpanzer VI, aka 'Tiger-Mörser 38cm RW61 auf Sturm(panzer)mörser Tiger', like the Sturmpanzer IV "Brummbär" and Sturminfanteriegeschütz III, was an 'assault tank' -- a conversion of the base tank chassis with a high box superstructure mounting a high-caliber artillery piece, which could be used in the forefront of an assault, unlike the mechanized artillery vehicles like the Wespe, which all suffered from relatively thin armor for the crew compartment, thereby being unsuitable for close-support duties.
The Sturmtiger was armed with a short-barreled 38cm Raketenwerfer 61 L/5.4, breech-loading rocket launcher/mortar. The RW 61 launcher fired short-range (4,600 to 6,000 meters, or 2,850 to 3,720 yards) high-explosive rocket-propelled projectiles. The launcher was fitted with a PaK Zielfernrohr 3 x 8 telescopic sight. Each projec-tile was almost 1.5m (five feet) long and weighed 345 to 351kg (759 to 772 pounds). Two types of ammunition were available: high-explosive Raketen Sprenggranate 4581 (with a 125kg, or 275 pound, explosive charge) and shaped-charge Raketen Hohladungsgranate 4582 for use against fortifications. The shaped-charge round could penetrate up 2.5m (8 feet) of reinforced concrete. The Sturmtiger main armament was originally developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig in Dusseldorf from an anti-submarine depth charge launcher developed for the Kriegsmarine.
The main armament could be traversed by hand 10 degrees to the left and right and elevated from 0 to a maximum of 85 degrees. The launcher produced a recoil force of 30 to 40 tons. Perhaps the most unique feature of the launcher was the way rocket exhaust gasses were vented. These gasses could not be allowed to enter the fighting compartment, and the breech was not strong enough to resist them until the rocket left the barrel, so they were channeled through ventilation shafts around the barrel with numerous exit holes surrounding the muzzle. The result was a spectacular flash when the weapon was fired. Because of this, the Sturmtiger had to move after each shot because its position was revealed to the enemy. The launcher barrel was later fitted with a steel ring as a counterweight to improve elevation and aiming.
Sturmtiger could demolish any building or other target with a single shot, but it could carry only 14 rocket projectiles inside the superstructure. Twelve projectiles were stored in two stowage racks, one more in the launcher and another on the load-ing tray. Most vehicles carried only 13 rounds, without the one on the loading tray. The vehicle was equipped with a hand-operated lifting crane mounted on the right rear of the superstructure. This was used to load projectiles into the vehicle and needed the entire crew of five to operate. The crane could be dismantled and stored when not in use. A two-piece rectangular loading hatch was located in the superstructure roof with guide rails below it and a winch to assist in moving rounds into and out of the storage racks and onto the loading tray. The rear section of the loading hatch was hinged at the rear and incorporated a 90mm NbK 39 Nahverteidigungswaffe, which was a breech-loading grenade launcher for close-in defense. This weapon had a 360-degree traverse and was intended for use in all late-war tanks, replacing externally-mounted smoke dischargers and grenade launchers. The round hatch in the rear wall of the superstructure provided crew entry and exit.
