TM-E 30-451 Handbook on German Military Forces   LoneSentry.com

[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department Technical Manual, TM-E 30-451: Handbook on German Military Forces published in March 1945. — Figures and illustrations are not reproduced, see source details. — As with all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No attempt has been made to update or correct the text. — Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]

CHAPTER VII. WEAPONS

Section IV. ARTILLERY

6. Antitank Artillery

a. 28/20-MM ANTITANK GUN (2.8 cm s. Pz. B. 41). (1) General description. This first Gerlich high velocity tapered-bore antitank gun appeared in 1941. The monobloc tube has a semi-automatic breech with horizontal sliding-wedge block, and is fitted with a muzzle brake. An airborne version exists which consists of an identical tube on a light alloy cradle and two-wheeled tubular mount. This version weighs 260 pounds.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber (initial)   . . . . .   28 mm (1.1 inches).
    (emergent)   . . . . .   20 mm (0.78 inch).
Length of tube   . . . . .   5 feet 7.62 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   501 pounds.
Muzzle velocity   . . . . .   4,600 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   90°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -5° to +45°.

(3) Ammunition. HE and AP (tungsten carbide core) rounds are fired. Projectile weights are: HE, 3.1 ounces; and AP, 4.6 ounces. The AP ammunition will penetrate 53 mm (2.09 inches) at 400 yards, 30 degrees from normal.

b. 37-MM ANTITANK GUN (3.7 cm Pak). (1) General description. Formerly the main German antitank gun, this weapon is still likely to be met. AP 40 ammunition gives the gun a reasonable penetration performance at ranges up to 400 yards. The breechblock is horizontal sliding type, and the shield is 3/16-inch armor plate.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   37 mm (1.45 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   5 feet 5.52 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   970 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,450 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (AP)   . . . . .   2,625 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   60°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -8° to +25°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn; carried in truck; airborne.

(3) Ammunition. HE, AP, and AP 40 projectiles are fired, as well as a hollow-charge stick bomb. Projectile weights are: HE, 1.38 pounds; AP, 1.5 pounds; and AP 40, 12.5 ounces. The stick bomb, 6.25 inches in diameter, weighs 18.75 pounds. Penetration of homogeneous armor at 400 yards, 30 degrees from normal, firing AP 40 ammunition is 49 mm (1.93 inches). The stick bomb will penetrate about 6 inches of homogeneous plate. The range at which a moving target may be hit does not exceed 150 yards.

c. 42/28-MM ANTITANK GUN (4.2 cm le. Pak 41). (1) General description. The 4.2 cm le. Pak 41 is the second of the tapered-bore anti-tank gun series. The monobloc tube is long with obvious external as well as internal taper, and has no muzzle brake. The horizontal sliding breech-block is hand-operated. The mount is identical with that of the 3.7 cm Pak, but with a double upper shield. A second shield, 3/16-inch thick, is riveted to the standard shield, with an intervening space of approximately 1 5/8 inches.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber (initial)   . . . . .   42 mm (1.65 inches).
    (emergent)   . . . . .   28 mm (1.1 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   7 feet 4.5 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   990 pounds.
Muzzle velocity   . . . . .   4,100 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   44°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -8° to +32°.
Method of traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. HE and AP (tungsten carbide core) rounds are fired. Projectile weights are: HE, 0.56 pound, and AP, 0,69 pound. At 700 yards this weapon, firing AP ammunition, will penetrate 68 mm (2.88 inches) of armor at 30 degrees from normal.

d. 50-MM ANTITANK GUN (5 cm Pak 38). (1) General description. This gun, introduced in 1941 to replace the 3.7 cm Pak, is mounted on a split-trail carriage of conventional design. The monobloc tube is fitted with a muzzle brake, and the breech mechanism is semiautomatic with a horizontal sliding block. Solid rubber tires are fitted, and the shield consists of two 4-mm armor plates about 1 inch apart.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   50 mm (1.97 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   10 feet, 4.96 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   2,016 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,940 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (AP)   . . . . .   2,740 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   1,800 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   65°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -18° to +27°.
Traction   . . . . .   Half-tracked tractor.

(3) Ammunition. Projectile weights are: AP, 4.56 pounds; AP 40. 2,025 pounds; and HE, 3,94 pounds. Penetration, firing AP ammunition, is 56 mm (2.2 inches) of armor at 1,000 yards at 30 degrees from normal.

e. 75-MM ANTITANK GUN (7.5 cm Pak 40). (1) General description. The 7.5 cm Pak 40 is similar in appearance to the 5 cm Pak 38. The monobloc tube is fitted with a double-baffle muzzle brake, and the breech mechanism is semiautomatic with a horizontal sliding block. The carriage, with tubular split trail, has solid-rubber-tired wheels and torsion bar suspension and may be towed at about 25 miles an hour. The shield consists of two 4-mm armor plates spaced about 1 inch apart.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   75 mm (2.95 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   11 feet 4 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   3,136 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,250 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (APCBC)   . . . . .   2,530 feel per second.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   1,800 feet per second.
Muzzle Velocity (hollow charge)   . . . . .   1,476 feet her second.
Traverse   . . . . .   65°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -5° to +22°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. Weights of projectiles fired from this gun are: HE, 12.54 pounds; APCBC, 15 pounds; AP shot, 9,125 pounds; hollow charge, 9.97 pounds; and smoke 13.7 pounds. With APCBC ammunition, penetration of homogeneous armor is 102 mm (4.02 inches) at 30 degrees from normal, at 1,000 yards.

f. 75/55-MM ANTITANK GUN (7.5 cm Pak 41). (1) General description. This was the third tapered-bore antitank gun to be introduced, It has a muzzle brake, and a semiautomatic vertical sliding breechblock. A cylindrical cradle, covering the rear half of the tube, is attached to the shield by a spherical universal joint.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber (initial)   . . . . .   75 mm (2.95 inches).
Caliber (initial)   . . . . .   55 mm (2.17 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   13 feet 7.375 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   3,136 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (estimated)   . . . . .   3,936 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   60°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -10° to +18°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. AP and HE projectiles are fired. The AP projectile weighs 5.68 pounds, of which 2.01 pounds is tungsten carbide core. The AP projectile will penetrate 130 mm (5.12 inches) of homogeneous armor plate at 30 degrees from normal at 1,000 yards.

g. 75-MM ANTITANK GUN (7.5 cm Pak 97/38). (1) General description. This weapon, originally introduced in 1942, consists of the well known French 75-mm gun, Model 1897, mounted on the 5 cm Pak 38 carriage, and fitted with a long perforated muzzle brake. The breech mechanism is hand-operated with eccentric screw-type block.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   75 mm (2.95 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   9 feet 8 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   2,624 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   1,788-1,892 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (hollow charge)   . . . . .   1,476 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (AP)   . . . . .   1,870 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   60°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -8° to +25°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. AP, HE and hollow-charge projectiles are fired, AP and HE projectiles weigh 14.8 pounds, and 13.4 pounds respectively.

h. 3-INCH ANTITANK GUN (7.62 cm Pak 36 (r)). (1) General description. The 76.2 cm Pak 36 (r) is a German modified antitank version of the 7.62-cm Russian field gun, 296 (r). The built-up tube is rebored to take a longer cartridge case, and a two-baffle muzzle brake is added. The breech mechanism is semiautomatic with a vertical sliding block.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   76.2 mm (3 inches).
Length of tale   . . . . .   12 feet 9.35 inches.
Weight in action (without shield)   . . . . .   3,564 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (APCBC)   . . . . .   2,430 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   1,805 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,520 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   60°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -5° to +75°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. APCBC, AP 40, and HE projectiles are fired. Projectile weights are: APCBC, 16.72 pounds; AP 40, 9.24 pounds; HE, 12.64 pounds. Penetration, firing APCBC projectiles at 1,000 yards at 30 degrees from normal, is 83 mm (3.27 inches) of homogeneous armor plate.

i. 3-INCH ANTITANK GUN (7.62 cm Pak 39). (1) General description. This 3-inch antitank gun is a modified version of the Russian field gun 7.62 cm F.K. 297 (r). The chamber is bored out, and a 7.62 Pak 36 muzzle brake is fitted. The breech mechanism is semiautomatic with a vertical sliding block. The mount has box-type trails and pneumatic tires.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   76.2 mm (3 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   11 feet 5 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   3,360 pounds.
Muzzle velocity   . . . . .   2,230 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   57°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -6° to +45°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. This gun fires the same ammunition as the 7.62 cm Pak 36 (r), but has somewhat lower performance.

j. 88-MM ANTITANK GUN (8.8 cm Pak 43). (1) General description. The 8.8 cm Pak 43 is an electrically fired, semiautomatic gun on a two-bogie cruciform mount. It may be fired from its wheels if the direction of fire is within 30 degrees of the longitudinal girders, but must be fired with its platform on the ground when used in an artillery role. With platform down, the top of the shield is only 5 feet 6 7/8 inches high. An automatic firing cut-out restricts elevation when firing over the legs to 12 degrees on early mounts and 16 degrees on later mounts. The 8.8 cm Pak 43 is ballistically identical with the 8.8 cm Pak 43/41.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   88 mm (3.45 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   21 feet 7.25 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   8,000 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   2,460 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (APCBC)   . . . . .   3,280 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,705 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   360°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -8° to +40°.
Traction   . . . . .   Tractor.

(3) Ammunition. Weight of projectiles fired from this gun are: HE, 20.68 pounds; APCBC, 22 pounds, and 22.36 pounds; AP 40, 16 pounds; Hollow charge, 16.8 pounds. At 1,500 yards, the APCBC and AP 40 projectiles will penetrate approximately 130 mm (5.12 inches) of homogeneous armor plate at 30 degrees from normal.

k. 88-MM ANTITANK GUN (8.8 cm Pak 43/41). (1) General description. This 88-mm gun, 71 calibers long, is mounted on an orthodox two-wheeled carriage. The legs of the split trail are hinged to a base which also mounts the upper carriage. The wheels, on stub axles, are sprung independently. The gun has a four-point support when firing. A muzzle brake is fitted, and the breech mechanism is semiautomatic with a horizontal sliding block.

(2) Characteristics.

Caliber   . . . . .   99 mm (3.46 inches).
Length of tube   . . . . .   21 feet 7.25 inches.
Weight in action   . . . . .   9,660 pounds.
Muzzle velocity (AP40)   . . . . .   3,705 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (APCBC)   . . . . .   3,280 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (HE)   . . . . .   2,460 feet per second.
Muzzle velocity (hollow charge)   . . . . .   1,968 feet per second.
Traverse   . . . . .   56°.
Elevation   . . . . .   -5° to +38°.
Traction   . . . . .   Motor-drawn.

(3) Ammunition. Projectile weights are: HE, 20.68 pounds; APCBC, 22.36 pounds, and 22 pounds; AP 40, 16 pounds; hollow charge, 16.8 pounds. At 1,500 yards, the APCBC and AP 40 projectiles will penetrate approximately 130 mm (5.12 inches) of homogeneous armor plate at 30 degrees from normal.

  

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