10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15

Infobox Weapon
name=10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15


caption=
origin=Germany
type=medium trench mortar
is_ranged=
is_bladed=
is_explosive=
is_artillery=yes
is_vehicle=
is_UK=
service=1915-1918
used_by=flag|Austria-Hungary
wars=World War I
designer=Ehrhardt & Sehmer
design_date=1914-5
manufacturer=Ehrhardt & Sehmer
production_date=1915-6
number=
variants=
weight=convert|126|kg|lb
length=
part_length=
width=
height=
crew=
cartridge=
caliber=105 mm
action=
rate=
velocity=
range=
max_range=convert|500|m|yd
feed=
sights=
breech=
recoil=
carriage=
elevation=
traverse=0°
blade_type=
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sheath_type=
head_type=
haft_type=
diameter=
filling=
filling_weight=
detonation=
yield=
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primary_armament=
secondary_armament=
engine=
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speed=The 10.5 cm Luftminenwerfer M 15 (Pneumatic Trench Mortar) was a medium mortar used by Austria-Hungary in World War I. It was developed by the German firm of Ehrhardt & Sehmer. It was a rigid-recoil, muzzle-loading mortar on a fixed base that used compressed air to propel the mortar bomb to the target. Each cylinder of compressed air lasted for fifteen shots. Their great advantage was that they had no firing signature, unlike conventional mortars with their smoke and flash.

A batch of 25 mortars, 250 cylinders of compressed air and 10,000 complete (with fuzes) bombs was ordered on 31 July 1915 for combat evaluation, but the company proved to be unable to deliver the mortar bombs. They had to be manufactured by the Army itself. A slightly improved model was offered by Ehrhardt & Sehmer at the end of March 1916, but it was rejected because of the lack of effectiveness of the ammunition, difficulty in procuring said ammunition and its poor range.

Ten trench mortar platoons, each with two weapons, were formed and deployed in February 1916, mainly to the Russian theater.

References

* Ortner, M. Christian. "The Austro-Hungarian Artillery From 1867 to 1918: Technology, Organization, and Tactics". Vienna, Verlag Militaria, 2007 ISBN 978-3-902526-13-7