Zis 3 against pack 40. Anti-tank guns. Combat experience
"Pak-35/36" is the result of a modification of the "Pak-29" gun, produced in 1935-1936. The new gun had a light two-wheeled carriage with sliding beds, a sprung wheel travel, metal wheels with rubber tires, horizontal wedge horizontal shutter with automatic closing mechanism. The recoil brake is hydraulic, the knurler is spring. The carriage is equipped with wheels with rubber tires. Based on the Pak-35/36, the KwK-36 L/45 tank variant was produced, which was used to arm the early models of the PzKpfw-III tank. "Pak-35/36" was installed on a large number of various (including captured) chassis. The gun ammunition consisted of caliber armor-piercing, sub-caliber armor-piercing, cumulative and fragmentation shells.
Many countries purchased from Germany either the guns themselves or a license for their production, in particular, Turkey, Holland, Japan, Spain, Italy. A total of 16.5 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 37 mm; length - 3.4 m; width - 1.6 m; height - 1.2 m; clearance - 270 mm; barrel length - 1.6 m; weight - 440 kg; calculation - 5 people; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; armor penetration - 25 mm at a distance of 500 m at a meeting angle of 60 °; transportation speed on the highway - up to 50 km / h; the height of the line of fire - 620 mm.
The 42-mm gun of the 1941 model of the Rheinmetall company with a conical bore was put into service in 1941. The gun was used airborne troops. The initial diameter of the barrel is 40.3 mm, the final one is 29 mm. The gun was mounted on a gun carriage from the Pak-35/36 gun. The shield cover consisted of two 10-mm armor plates. A total of 313 guns were made. TTX guns: caliber - 40.3 mm; length - 3.6 m; width - 1.6 m; height - 1.2 m; barrel length - 2.2 m; weight - 642 kg; ammunition - 42 × 406R weighing 336 g; effective firing range - 1000 m, road transport speed - 50 km / h. starting speed armor-piercing projectile was 1265 m / s. At a distance of 500 m, it pierced 72 mm armor at an angle of 30 °, and along the normal - 87 mm armor.
The gun was manufactured by Rheinmetall and put into service in 1940. The gun had upper and lower armored shields. The top shield is double of two steel sheets 4 mm thick each. When moving the Pak-38 manually, a light front end with one guide wheel was connected to the gun. The gun was supplied with unitary shots: armor-piercing shells, sub-caliber and fragmentation. A total of 9.5 thousand guns were manufactured. TTX guns: caliber - 50 mm; length - 4.7 m; width - 1.8 m; height - 1.1 m; barrel length - 3 m; weight - 930 kg; clearance - 320 mm; calculation - 5 people; rate of fire - 14 rounds per minute; initial speed - 550 - 1130 m / s, depending on the type of projectile; maximum range shooting - 9.4 km; projectile weight - 2 kg; armor penetration - 95 mm at a distance of 500 m at a meeting angle of 60 °; transportation speed - up to 35 km / h.
The gun was an overlay of the swinging part of the 75-mm Schneider cannon of the 1897 model on the carriage of the German Pak-38 anti-tank gun. The prerequisite for this was the capture of captured 75-mm divisional guns mod. 1897 in Poland and France. In addition to the main variant, 160 7.5-cm Pak-97/40 guns were fired, representing the imposition of the barrel of a French gun on the carriage of the Pak-40 anti-tank gun. The gun had sliding beds, sprung wheels, metal wheels with rubber tires. The barrel was equipped with a muzzle brake. The guns were provided with cumulative shells that pierced 90 mm armor at a distance of 1000 m at an angle of 90°. The gun was used in Romania and Finland. A total of 3.7 thousand guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 75 mm; length - 4.6 m; width - 1.8 m; height - 1 m; barrel length - 2.7 m; mass in stowed position- 1.2 tons, in combat - 1.1 tons; rate of fire - 14 rounds per minute; calculation - 6 people; the speed of transportation on the highway is 35 km / h.
The development of the PaK-40 began in 1938 by Rheinmetall, however, the gun was adopted only in November 1941, which put an end to the dominance of the T-34 on the battlefield. The gun was supplied to Germany's allies: Hungary, Finland, Romania and Bulgaria. About 2 thousand guns were installed on various types self-propelled chassis under the designation Marder (I-III). A total of 23.3 thousand guns were manufactured. TTX guns: caliber - 75 mm; length - 5.7; width - 2 m; height - 1.25 m; clearance - 320 mm; weight - 1500 kg; barrel length - 3.4 m; armor penetration of a projectile weighing 6.8 kg with an initial speed of 790 m / s - 85 mm at a distance of 1000 m; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; calculation - 8 people; the speed of transportation on the highway is 40 km/h.
"Pak-36 (r)" was a deep modernization of the Soviet 76-mm divisional gun model 1936 (F-22). The gun had sliding beds, sprung wheels, metal wheels with rubber tires. The Pak-36 (r) limber was not completed and moved exclusively on mechanical traction. Most of guns was adapted for installation on anti-tank self-propelled guns Marder-II/III. For these guns, 2.9 million high-explosive fragmentation shells and 1.3 million armor-piercing shells were produced. As a result of the modernization of the gun, the armor penetration of a caliber projectile at a distance of 900 m at a meeting angle of 90 ° reached 108 mm, and a sub-caliber projectile - 130 mm. In total, about 1,300 units were rebuilt. TTX guns: caliber - 76.2 mm; barrel length - 3.8 m; weight - 1.7 tons; rate of fire - 12 rounds per minute; fire line height - 1 m; transportation speed on the highway - up to 30 km / h.
A gun with a conical bore (from 75 to 55 mm) was produced in 1941-1943. A feature of the design of the gun was the absence of the upper and lower machines of the usual design. The lower machine gun was a shield, consisting of two parallel armor plates, reinforced to increase rigidity by intermediate bulkheads. A cradle with a ball segment, a course with a suspension mechanism and guidance mechanisms were attached to the shield. The system was transported by mechanical traction. The stroke is equipped with a pneumatic brake controlled by the tractor driver. The wheels are metal with solid rubber tyres. A total of 150 guns were made. TTX guns: caliber - 75 mm; length - 4.3 m; width - 1.9 m; height - 1.8 m; weight in the stowed position - 1.8 tons, in combat - 1.3 tons; clearance - 320 mm; ammunition - 75 × 543R; fire line height - 0.9 m; effective firing range - 2 km; rate of fire - 14 rounds per minute; armor penetration of a projectile weighing 2.6 kg with an initial speed of 1125 m / s - 143 mm at a distance of 1000 m; calculation - 5 people.
The 8H.63 gun was created by Rheinmetall and was produced from December 1944. It was a smooth-bore anti-tank gun with a double chamber. The cannon fired feathered projectiles. A total of 260 guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 81.4 mm; gun length - 5.2 m; width - 1.7 m; height - 1.9 m; barrel length - 3 m; weight - 640 kg; calculation of 6 people; rate of fire - 8 rounds per minute; ammunition weight - 7 kg; projectile weight - 3.7 kg; explosive mass - 2.7 kg; initial speed - 520 m / s; rate of fire - 8 rounds per minute; barrel recoil length - 670 mm; effective firing range - 1.5 km; calculation - 6 people.
The 88-mm Pak-43 anti-tank gun was developed on the basis of the Flak-41 anti-aircraft gun and was put into service in 1943. The Pak-43 gun was placed on a four-axle carriage, which made it possible to fire at armored vehicles in all directions. The carriage carriage had independent suspension for each wheel. When transferred from a marching to a combat gun, it was lowered onto four supports, which gave it stability during firing in any direction and at all elevation angles.
In order to simplify the design and reduce the dimensions of the Pak-43, the gun barrel was mounted on a single-axle carriage, similar in type to the Pak-40 gun. This variant was designated "Pak-43/41". Based on the Pak-43, the KwK-43 tank gun and the StuK-43 gun for self-propelled guns were developed. These guns were armed with heavy tank PzKpfw VI Ausf B "Tiger II" ("Royal Tiger"), tank destroyers "Ferdinand" and "Jagdpanther", self-propelled guns "Nashorn" ("Hornisse"). The gun was equipped with armor-piercing ammunition (projectile weight - 10 kg, muzzle velocity - 810-1000 m / s, armor penetration - 100 mm at a distance of 1000 m at a meeting angle of 90 °), sub-caliber (weight - 7.5 kg, muzzle velocity - 930 -1130 m / s, armor penetration - 140 mm at a distance of 1000 m at a meeting angle of 90 °), cumulative (7.6 kg, initial speed - 600 m / s, armor penetration - 90 mm at a distance of 1000 m at a meeting angle of 90 °) and high-explosive (weight - 7.6 kg, initial speed - 600 m / s) shells. In total, 3.5 thousand guns were made. TTX guns: caliber - 88 mm; rate of fire - 6-10 rounds per minute; barrel length - 6.2 m; weight in the stowed position - 4.9 tons, in combat - 4.4 tons, firing range - 8.1 km.
The 128 mm gun was put into service in 1944 and was manufactured by Krupp. Depending on the purpose and design changes, the gun was known as: "K-44", "Pak-44", "Kanone-81", "Pak-80" and "Pjk-80". The gun was mounted on a special carriage of circular rotation, which provided an angle of maximum elevation of 45 °. The gun had a shield cover. The cannon was armed with self-propelled guns Jagdtiger (Sd.Kfz 186). A total of 51 guns were fired. TTX guns: caliber - 128 mm; weight - 10.1 tons; barrel length - 7 m; projectile weight - 28 kg; initial speed - 935 m / s; maximum firing range - 24 km; rate of fire - 4-5 rounds per minute; clearance - 320 mm, armor penetration - 200 mm at a distance of 1000 m and 148 mm at a distance of 2000 m; calculation - 9 people.
German 75 mm anti-tank gun of the Second World War - had the original name 7.5 cm Pak 40 (from (German Panzerabwehrkanone and Panzerjägerkanone).
The most common and most successful of the Wehrmacht anti-tank guns. This gun was able to successfully fight with all available tanks, both the USSR and the allies. Apart from german army was in service with its allies.
History of creation and production.
Rheinmetall-Borsig began work on the design of the 75-mm anti-tank gun in 1938, when only the 5 cm Pak 38 gun was being tested. Work on the new gun did not seem to be a priority at that time. At first, the developers thought to go the simplest way - to proportionally increase the Pak 38 cannon.
Tests of the new gun, which later received the index 7.5 cm Pak 40, showed the fallacy of this decision. Assemblies made of aluminum, which were used in the Pak 38 carriage, such as tubular beds, jarred from sharply increased loads. It was necessary to completely redesign the gun, but the work was slow because the Wehrmacht did not feel a significant need for a gun more powerful than the 5 cm Pak 38.
The impulse to sharply accelerate work on the 75-mm anti-tank gun marked the beginning of the war with the USSR and the collision with the new thick-armored tanks T-34 and KV-1 and KV-2. The company was instructed to urgently complete the refinement of the Pak 40. In November of the forty-first year, the Krupp 7.5 cm Pak 41 gun and the Rheinmetall-Borsig company were tested at the Hillersleben training ground. Although even before the tests, it was obvious that the 7.5 cm Pak 40 gun most closely matches the realities of production in wartime conditions.
It was also obvious that the appearance in significant quantities in the anti-tank units of the new gun should be expected no earlier than spring. next year. As a temporary measure, tank destroyer units began to equip both captured anti-tank guns and their factory conversions - 7.5 cm Pak 97/38, as well as 7.62 cm Pak 36/39.
Serial production of Pak 40 began in January 1942, the first fifteen guns were sent to the troops the following month. In February General base issued an order according to which the new guns were intended exclusively for manning the army groups "South" and "Center". According to this order, in each motorized, infantry, mountain division, in the anti-tank battalion, one platoon of 37-mm guns was to be replaced by a platoon of 7.5 cm Pak 40, which should have contained only two guns.
Since the mass of 75-mm guns significantly exceeded the mass of 37-mm, it was also necessary to replace the thrust. To tow the 7.5 cm Pak 40, it was necessary to use only mechanized traction, with a shortage of regular traction, using trophy tractors. That should increase the tactical maneuverability of the guns and somehow smooth out their shortage. Even after the start of mass production of 75-mm guns, they were sorely lacking.
Serial production of Pak 40 was launched in the forty-second, and the first fifteen guns were sent to the troops on next month. The assembly of guns was carried out by several companies at once:
- Ardelt Werke, in the district of Eberswald;
- Gustloff Werke, in the city of Weimar;
- Ostland Werke in Königsberg;
Production proceeded at a very slow pace, if in February the industry delivered fifteen guns, then in March only ten. The planned production plans of 150 guns were achieved only in August 1942.
The appearance of the 7.5 cm Pak 40 in the troops brought a new problem - the lack of ammunition. As noted by the army leadership, on average, one gun had an average of one ammunition load. The situation became even more aggravated when, in April-May, Pak 40s began to enter the troops in more or less significant quantities. Especially to improve the situation, the Ulrich team was created with the broadest powers. And starting from July, the Reich Minister of Armaments F. Todt took up this problem directly. But, despite all efforts, the problem with ammunition was solved only in 1943.
During 1942-43 organizational structure anti-tank companies and platoons armed with 7.5 cm Pak 40 changed more than once, but not significantly. There were two or three guns in a platoon, two or three platoons in a company. The number of tractors and ammunition transporters was also subject to adjustment.
German industry reached its peak in the production of 75-mm anti-tank guns in October 1944. In the future, the release began to fall due to the Allied bombing and territorial losses. During production, the design was made slight changes, concerning mainly the design of the wheels and the muzzle brake. Production 7.5 cm Pak 40
Ammunition production
| Projectile type. | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 |
| High-explosive fragmentation. | 475,2 | 1377,9 | 3147 | 220 |
| Armor-piercing projectiles. | 239,6 | 159,6 | 1721 | 104 |
| Sub-caliber. | 7,7 | 40,6 | - | - |
| Cumulative. | 571,9 | 1197 | - | - |
| Smoke projectiles. | - | 30,4 | 47,1 | 45 |
Organization.
In the states of the infantry divisions of the Wehrmacht, 75-mm anti-tank guns appeared in February 1943. Each was to contain thirty-nine guns. Each tank destroyer company of an infantry regiment has nine guns and twelve guns in a tank destroyer company of a division's anti-tank battalion.
Insufficient level of production and relatively large losses made their adjustments. Throughout 1943, the number of 7.5 cm Pak 40s in the infantry divisions grew, but this was not enough. The tank destroyer companies only had two 75mm cannons, two Pak 38s, and eight 37mm Pak 35/36 beaters each. At the end of the year, only six Pak 38s and Pak 40s were common.
Regular state changes took place over the next year. The number of guns was revised more than once. So, in the infantry regiments, the tank destroyer companies were disbanded, leaving only three guns in the platoon. The division's anti-tank battalion may have had four weapon options:
- a company of nine or twelve 75mm mechanized anti-tank guns, a company of ten assault guns, a company of twenty 20mm anti-aircraft guns or a company of 37mm mechanized anti-tank guns;
- similarly, but with the replacement of assault guns with a company of self-propelled guns "Marder";
- a company of fourteen "Marder", a company of "Shtugov" and a company of anti-aircraft artillery;
- instead of a battalion, there was only a company of twelve 7.5 cm Pak 40s towed, without an anti-aircraft company.
Thus, despite the widespread use of self-propelled artillery, the infantry division still had a limited defensive potential compared to the number of Soviet tanks.
Instead of the forty-eight guns prescribed by the October 1943 state, anti-tank artillery infantry division The Wehrmacht had only 21-35 guns. However, German industry could not give more.
They tried to change the current situation for the better by reinforcing the anti-tank artillery of the regiment with a company armed with Panzerschrecks and Panzerfausts.
Anti-tank units tank divisions had great potential. The division's tank destroyer battalion had a company of ten 7.5 cm Pak 40s and two companies of assault self-propelled guns. In addition, anti-tank guns could attract armored personnel carriers armed with 7.5 cm Kwk 37 - 25 pieces, four 105-mm guns and twelve 88-mm anti-aircraft guns.
Things were worse for the grenadier divisions. There, the tank destroyer battalion consisted of two companies, the first of which had 12 7.5 cm Pak 40s on a mechanized tractor and two companies of 10-14 Marders. To fight the tanks, "Shtugi" from the assault artillery battalion in the amount of 31 - 45 pieces could be involved. Grenadier divisions, formed since the summer of 1944, had their own differences from the above.
Combat experience.
The first army experience in operating the 7.5 cm Pak 40 was as follows: on firing positions the gun must be transported by a tractor, rolling manually is possible only at a distance of ten meters; the accuracy of the gun on moving targets is high.
Of the shortcomings, first of all, they noted that the gun aiming mechanism was sufficiently dirty and dusty. When the gears are clogged, the latter quickly break down. Automatic cartridge case ejection did not always work. The 7.5 cm Pak 40 cannon has a relatively high silhouette, which makes it difficult to camouflage and presents a conspicuous target. The upper shield of the gun, which consisted of two sheets of armor, provided the crew with good protection.
Losses of German anti-tank guns in 1944:
| 09.1944 | 10.1944 | 11.1944 | 12.1944 | |
| 7.5 cm Pack 40 | 669 pcs. | 1020 pcs. | 494 pcs. | 307 pcs. |
With the advent of the 7.5 cm Pak 40, Wehrmacht anti-tank artillery got the opportunity to fight Soviet tanks at almost all distances of a real battle. And if in the case of the IS-2 of the latest releases, the amount of armor nailed by the cannon was insufficient to penetrate the forehead of the tank, the German gunners compensated for this with the tactics of using these guns.
Ammunition.
Length, 
The ammunition load of the 7.5 cm Pak 40 cannon consisted of unitary cartridges with a caliber armor-piercing projectile, sub-caliber projectile, fragmentation and cumulative shells. Due to the shortage of tungsten, the production of sub-caliber shells was discontinued in 1944, as well as cumulative ones. The latter, due to the small number of explosives, were considered insufficiently effective in terms of armored action, in addition, they used scarce hexogen. Ammunition 7.5 cm Pak 40
projectile type
Germanic
titleThe weight
projectile, kg.Length
projectile, kgBB weight, kg.
Charge weight, kg.
The weight
cartridge, kg.
cartridge, mm.High-explosive fragmentation mod. 34
7.5 cm Spgr. 34
5,75
345
0,68
0,78
9,1
1005
Armor-piercing tracer mod. 39
7.5 cm Pzgr. 39
6.8
282
0.02
2.75
11.9
969
Armor-piercing tracer sub-caliber mod. 40
7.5 cm Pzgr. 40
4,15
241
-
2,7
8,8
931
Armor-piercing tracer sub-caliber model 40 (W)
7.5 cm Pzgr. 40(W)
4,1
241
-
2.7
8,8
931
Cumulative sample 38 Hl/A
7,5 cm Gr 38 Hl/A
4,4
284
0,4
0,49
7,5
964
Cumulative sample 38 Hl/B
7,5 cm Gr 38 Hl/B
4,57
307
0,508
0,49
7,81
970
smoke
7.5 cm Nbgr. 40
6.2
307
0.508
0,850
9,0
1005
Ballistic data and armor penetration.
| projectile | Angle, deg. | Firing range, mu | |||||
| 0 | 457 | 915 | 1372 | 1829 | |||
| Armor-piercing mod.39 | 0 | 149 | 135 | 121 | 109 | 98 | |
| 30 | 121 | 106 | 94 | 83 | 73 | ||
| Sub-caliber arr. 40 | 0 | 176 | 154 | 133 | 115 | 98 | |
| 30 | 137 | 115 | 96 | 80 | 66 | ||
TTX guns
Armor penetration according to German data.
Comparison of the geometric dimensions of shots from the BS Pz.Gr 39 guns 7.5 cm Pak 40, Kwk 40 and Kwk 42.
Armor-piercing shells Pz.Gr 40(W), Pz.Gr 40, Pz.Gr 39
| Number of destroyed tanks and self-propelled guns, % | ||
| 7.5cm | 8.8cm | |
| 100-200 | 10 | 4 |
| 200-400 | 26,1 | 14 |
| 400-600 | 33,5 | 18 |
| 600-800 | 14,5 | 31,2 |
| 800-1000 | 7 | 13,5 |
| 1000-1200 | 4,5 | 8,5 |
| 1200-1400 | 3,6 | 7,6 |
| 1400-1600 | 0,4 | 2 |
| 1600-1800 | 0,4 | 0,7 |
| 1800-2000 | - | 0,5 |
| 100 | 100 | |
| Shell caliber, mm | % of holes, from total number holes. |
| 88 | 25 |
| 75 | 43 |
| 50 | 22 |
| 37 | 5,7 |
| Mines | 4,3 |
| Projectile caliber, mm | % of dead tanks from the total number of dead. |
| 88 | 35,2 |
| 75 | 46,2 |
| 50 | 12,8 |
| 37 | 5,0 |
| Mines | 0,8 |
| The percentage of lesions depending on the number of lesions. | |||||||
| 88 mm | 75 mm | 50 mm | 37 mm | From min. | Cumulative and sub-caliber shells |
Other cumulative facilities |
|
| Oryol-Kursk | 25 | 43 | 22 | 5,7 | 4,3 | - | - |
| Sevskaya | - | 74 | - | - | - | 26 | |
| Rogachevskaya | - | 40 | - | - | - | 20 | 40 |
| Summer | |||||||
| 1st period | 22 | 72 | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| 2nd period (Narva) | 40 | 50 | - | - | - | 1 | 9 |
| the name of the operation | Month | The percentage of failure on combat damage. | Percentage of irretrievable losses. |
| Kursk-Orlovskaya | July 1943 | 42 | 11,6 |
| August 1943 | 61 | 17,7 | |
| Sevskaya | September 1943 | 40,5 | 11,4 |
| Retsitskaya | November 1943 | 54 | 14 |
| Mozyrskaya | December 1943 | 37,2 | 13,7 |
| Rogachevskaya | January 1943 | 19,5 | - |
| February 1943 | 32 | - | |
| Summer 1944 | 1st period | ||
| June 1944 | 17 | 23 | |
| July 1944 | 16,3 | 9,7 | |
| August 1944 | 13,6 | 7,1 | |
| 2nd period (Narva) | |||
| September 1944 | 22 | 3,5 | |
| October 1944 | 22,1 | 7,4 | |
History of creation
The development of the PaK40 began in 1938 according to the terms of reference issued by two firms, Krupp and Rheinmetall. The pace of creation was initially low, only in 1940 were prototypes of guns presented, of which the Rheinmetall gun was recognized as the best. Compared to the 37-mm anti-tank gun already adopted by the Wehrmacht. PaK40 turned out to be heavy and not so mobile, requiring a specialized artillery tractor for transportation, especially on soils with weak bearing capacity. She did not fit into the concept of "blitzkrieg" and therefore the order for mass production did not follow in 1940. On the other hand, the battles in France with the Allied S-35, B-1Bis and Matilda tanks, which had anti-projectile armor, demonstrated the need for a gun with the characteristics of PaK40. However, in the subsequent campaigns of the Wehrmacht in Yugoslavia and Crete, the purposes for which the PaK40 might be needed, there was no question of organizing it. serial production has been postponed to the future.
The situation changed after the invasion of Nazi Germany on the territory Soviet Union. The Wehrmacht's 37mm guns were more than successful against the lightly armored Soviet BT and T-26 tanks, but were virtually useless against the new T-34s and KVs. The introduction of the 50-mm PaK38 anti-tank gun somewhat improved the Wehrmacht's ability to fight new Soviet tanks, but this gun also had significant drawbacks. The most important of them are:
Only a 50-mm sub-caliber projectile could confidently penetrate the armor of a T-34 or KV, and according to reports from TsNII-48, the armor action of the ceramic-metal core of this projectile was weak (it crumbled into sand and sometimes a regular tanker jacket was enough to protect against this sand) . According to the statistics of defeats of the T-34 tank in late 1941 - early 1942. 50% of hits of 50mm shells were dangerous, and the probability of incapacitating the T-34 with one hit of a 50mm shell was even lower.
Tungsten was used as the material for the ceramic-metal core, and its stocks in the Third Reich were very limited.
Weak action PaK38 on unarmored targets.
However, while there was still hope for a "blitzkrieg", the Wehrmacht leadership was in no hurry to adopt the PaK40. But by the end of the autumn of 1941, it became clear to the German military that the disorganization of the Soviet troops was largely overcome and the number of T-34s on all fronts began to increase steadily. This made them a very dangerous adversary and the existing means to deal with them were officially recognized as insufficient. As a result, the PaK40 was put into service in November of 1941 and the first mass-produced guns were delivered to the anti-tank artillery Wehrmacht.
In 1942, the gradual re-equipment of all parts of the Wehrmacht anti-tank artillery with PaK40 began, which was finally completed by the beginning of 1943. Reports from the Soviet tank troops At the beginning of 1943, they emphasize that the main caliber of German anti-tank artillery is 75 mm, and the percentage of defeats with smaller calibers is such that it can be ignored. All hits of the 75 mm caliber in the T-34 were considered dangerous. The PaK40 thus ended the dominance of the T-34 on the battlefield.
The gun in 1942-45 It was effective tool against any Allied medium tank that fought, so its production continued until the very end of World War II. Reliable protection from his fire it was possible to realize only in the IS-2 and T-44 tanks (the latter did not take part in hostilities). As for the first, the statistics on irretrievably disabled IS-2s was such that 75 mm caliber accounted for 14% of losses (the rest was 88 mm caliber and cumulative Faustpatrons). During the war, the British did not manage to create a tank with reliable anti-shell armor; in the USA, it was the M26 Pershing, which was resistant to PaK40 fire.
The PaK40 anti-tank gun was supplied to Germany's allies - Hungary, Finland, Romania and Bulgaria. With the transition of the last three in 1944 to the anti-Hitler coalition PaK40 in armed forces of these countries were used against the Germans. These guns were in service with their armies after the end of World War II. Captured PaK40s were also actively used in the Red Army.
Tool production
In total, 23,303 PaK40 towed guns were produced in Nazi Germany and about 2,600 more barrels were mounted on various self-propelled gun carriages (for example, Marder II). It was the most massive weapon produced in the Reich. The cost of one gun was 12,000 Reichsmarks.
Also, guns were installed on some various types chassis:
Sd.Kfz.135 Marder I - in 1942-1943, 184 self-propelled units were manufactured on the basis of the French Lorraine semi-armored tractor.
Sd.Kfz.131 Marder II - in 1942-1943 on the basis of light tank Pz.IIA and Pz.IIF manufactured 531 self-propelled guns.
Sd.Kfz.139 Marder III - in 1942-1943, on the chassis of the Czech tank 38 (t), 418 installations were manufactured in the "H" variant (engine in the stern) and 381 installations in the "M" variant (engine in the front of the chassis).
Combat use
PaK40 was used in the vast majority of cases as an anti-tank gun, firing at its targets with direct fire. In terms of armor-piercing action, the PaK40 was superior to the similar Soviet 76.2-mm ZiS-3 gun, but this was largely due to best quality and technology for the production of German shells in comparison with Soviet ones. On the other hand, the ZiS-3 was more versatile and had better action against unarmored targets than the PaK40.
Near the end of the production war anti-tank guns in Nazi Germany was given one of the highest priorities. As a result, the Wehrmacht began to experience a shortage of howitzers. For at least some of their replacement, PaK40 began to be used for firing from closed positions on the model of the ZiS-3 divisional cannon in the Red Army. This decision had another advantage - in the event of a deep breakthrough and the tanks reaching the positions German artillery PaK40 again became an anti-tank gun. However, scale estimates combat use PaK40 as such is highly controversial.
Tactical and technical characteristics
Caliber, mm: 75
Barrel length, klb: 46
Length with limber, m: 6.20
Length, m: 3.45
Width, m: 2.00
Height, m: 1.25
Weight in combat position, kg: 1425
Horizontal aiming angle: 65°
Maximum elevation angle: +22°
Minimum Declination: 25°
Rate of fire, rounds per minute: 14
Muzzle velocity of the projectile, m/s:
933 (sub-caliber armor-piercing)
792 (caliber armor-piercing)
548 (high-explosive)
Range of a direct shot, m: 900-1300 (depending on the type of projectile)
Maximum firing range, m: 7678 (according to other sources, about 11.5 km)
Projectile weight, kg: from 3.18 to 6.8
Armor penetration (500 m, meeting angle 90°, homogeneous armor of medium hardness, 50% fragments in the armor space), mm:
132 (caliber armor-piercing)
154 (sub-caliber armor-piercing)
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By 1939, rumors about Soviet tanks the next generation reached the German command. And although the new 50-mm Pak 38 had not yet entered the troops, the General Staff understood that a more powerful weapon was needed, and the Rheinmetall-Borcir concern was instructed to develop a project for a new weapon. Given the lack of time, the concern simply scaled the Pak 38 to 75 mm caliber with a barrel length of L / 46. The new 75 mm Pak 40 cannon was ready in 1940, but appeared at the front only at the end of 1941.
Externally, the Pak 40 resembled its predecessor, but in addition to the scaled-up basic dimensions, there were many other differences. Although the design of the gun remained unchanged, given the predicted shortage of light alloys (special light alloys were developed to meet the requirements of the Luftwaffe), the gun was mainly made of steel, due to which it was significantly heavier than the Pak 38. To speed up production, the shield consisted of flat, not curved plates. There were other technologically oriented simplifications, including the elimination of wheels under the coulters to facilitate the maneuver of the gun bed. The result is an excellent gun that can deal with almost any of the existing tanks.
The Pak 40 was planned to be produced until 1945. It was modified into a tank gun, but the design of the Pak 40 itself remained virtually unchanged.
Based on it, a aircraft gun Bordkanone 7.5. Her bed was adapted for a short 75-mm barrel. Thus, a hybrid anti-tank gun for infantry fire support was created specifically for infantry battalions.
To use the Pak 40 as a light field gun, it was placed on a 105 mm howitzer frame. But by 1945, the Pak 40 itself was used by several artillery formations as field gun 75 mm FK 40.
However, the Pak 40 was the most valuable as an anti-tank gun. She fired a variety of shells: from solid armor-piercing to AP40 with a tungsten core; there were also powerful high-explosive and cumulative shells. At a distance of 2 km, the AR40 projectile pierced an armor plate up to 98 mm thick, and at a distance of 500 m - up to 154 mm.
As the Wehrmacht's standard gun in its class, the Pak 40 replaced the former 37mm and 50mm guns in special anti-tank units of infantry battalions and brigades. This gun used in the ranks of the German military units until the end of World War II. The German anti-tank tactic was to distribute Pak 40s among the troops and close the gaps caused by the shortage of heavier 88mm guns.
ZiS - 3.
History of creation.
Pro-ek-ti-ro-va-nie new-howl push-ki would-lo-for-cha-that V.G. Gra-bi-nym at the end of 1940 after us-pesh-but pro-ve-den-nyh is-py-ta-ny 57-mm pro-ti-vo-tan-ko-how push- ki ZiS-2. Like pain-shin-st-in pro-ti-vo-tan-ko-guns, she would be compact, had a light and durable la-fet, which the other one could not have been used-pol-zo-van when creating di-vi-zi-on-noy push-ki.
At the same time, for the 76,2-mm di-vi-z-on-guns F-22USV, a tech-no-logic barrel with good-ro- shi-mi bal-li-sti-che-ski-mi ha-rak-te-ri-sti-ka-mi. So, in principle, qi-pe, con-st-hand-to-ram was-ta-elk only to-lo-live on the la-fette of the ZiS-2 push-ki 76,2-mm di-vi-trunk zi-on-noy gun F-22USV, supplying it with a muzzle tor-mo-z to reduce the load on the la-fet. Pa-ral-lel-but with the pro-ek-ti-ro-va-ni-em push-ki re-sha-lissed about the tech-no-logia of its pro-from-water-st- va, was carried out from-ra-bot-ka from-go-to-le-tion of many de-ta-lei pouring, stamping and welding. In comparison with the SPM, the labor-to-for-trade-you, when from-to-to-le-nii of one-to-that-th-to-th-tool-diya, decreased by 3 times, and the cost of push-ki was reduced by more than a third.
The experimental sample of the ZiS-3 was completed in June, and in July 1941, he went through the testing.
Initially, at first, the experimental ex-zem-p-lyar la-fe-ta ZiS-3 had a mechanism of variable length from-ka-ta. But is-py-ta-niya you-reveal a bad job of pro-ti-in-from-cat-devices, and it would be re-she-but to do from-kat by -hundred-yang-nym. But then you-clear-no-elk, that when shooting at an angle of 45, it is necessary to de-lay ro-vic me-zh-du hundred-no-on-mi. To solve this problem, the elevation angle was reduced from +45 to +37, and you increased the fire line by 50 mm. 
On July 22, 1941, an experimental sample of the ZiS-3 was shown in Mo-sk-ve mar-sha-lu Ku-li-ku. Ku-lik os-mot-rel push-ku and ka-te-go-ri-che-ski for-pre-til for-launching it into production-out-of-water-st-in. Gra-bin on-beam-chil instructed to return to the factory and give more of those cannons, some of them go to the pro-from-water-st-ve .
Returning to the factory, Gra-bin, in agreement with the di-rek-to-rum for-yes-yelya-nom, took the decision to start -tit in the production of ZiS-3 under your own response. Ra-bo-ta would-la-or-ha-ni-zo-va-on such a way that de-ta-whether ZiS-3 from-go-tav-li-va-lis pa- ral-lel-but with de-ta-la-mi SPM. At the same time, no one, except for the narrow circle of the sacred, knew that a new gun was going into the production from the water. The only-st-ven-naya de-tal, someone-paradise could-la-call-dos-re-nie, - muzzle brake, - from-go-to-la-la into experience -nom tse-he.
As expected, before-a-hundred-vi-te-whether in-en-noy receive-ki from-ka-za-li-pri-no-mother “not-le-gal-nye” push- ki without permission of the GAU, at the head of no-one-to-ro-go in that po-ru was already a gene-not-ra-l-pol-kov-nick ar -til-le-rii N.D. Jacob the lion. They are on-right-vi-whether co-ot-vet-st-vuyu-schee for-request in the GAU, GAU for a long time honey-li-lo with a reply, in the workshops all the new guns of the ZiS-3 were told, and, in the end, de I.F. Te-le-shov gave command-du to take these push-ki.
Ofi-tsi-al-but push-ka would-la pri-nya-ta on the military of the Red Army only on February 12, 1942, when Gra-bin, re-pol-zo-vav-shis successful si-tua-qi-she, pre-sta-vil push-ku I.V. Sta-li-well. Stalin ras-rya-dil-sya about-the-weight-ty of the how-s-s-py-ta-niya push-ki and according to the re-zul-ta-there received co-from-vet- st-vu-shche decision. . At this time, in the front-line units, there were already no less than one thousand ZiS-3 cannons. 
Launching the ZIS-3 into the production of the ZIS-3 called-lil or-ga-ni-zo-vat from-go-to-le-cannons in an exact way -house (for the first time in the world) with a sharp increase in-whether-che-no-eat pro-from-in-di-tel-no-sti. Pri-Volzh-sky plant on May 9, 1945, the ra-por-to-val of the party and the right-vi-tel-st-vu about the launch of the 100,000th ZiS-3 cannon, uve -li-chiv pro-from-water-st-vein power for the years of the war almost 20 times. 
In the military, in a stu-pa-lo, there are three different types of 76-mm guns, model 1942 (ZiS-3):
- Push-ka with kle-pa-ny-mi (ko-rob-cha-you-mi) or circle-ly-mi hundred-ni-na-mi and for-tvo-rum from 57 mm pro-ti-vo -tan-ko-howl push-ki, with a button-lower-descent-com (button-ka would-la-ra-lo-same-na in ma-ho-vi-ke in-mouth-but -go me-ha-niz-ma).
- Push-ka with an up-ro-o-o-o-o-o-o-rum and a lever trigger. Elevation angle +27.
- Push-ka of the second type-pa, but with an elevation angle of +37.
In addition to that, in connection with the increase in the angle of elevation from +27 to +37, go-to-le-nia (for 1944) had the following from-li-chia from the guns indicated in the first two paragraphs:
- ud-li-nen sector rise-em-no-go me-ha-niz-ma;
- from-me-not-on the length-on-from-ka-ta: the normal length-on from-ka-ta was 900-1060 mm, became-la - 680-750 mm;
- increase-whether-but at-initial pressure in on-kat-ni-ke;
- increased the volume of liquid in the tor-mo-ze from-ka-ta by 0.4 l.
In the last time, she was in the military of the Soviet Army and the armies of many other countries of the world.
There were you-more-but more than 100 thousand guns.
Divisional gun ZiS-z model 1942. on the square of the Czech city of Trebon. 
Calculation of the Soviet 76.2mm gun ZiS-3 on an army truck, Dodge, Polish-German border, Vritsen. 
ZiS-3 is firing at the enemy. Autumn 1942 Stalingrad. 
ZiS-3 in position.
In for-meth-n-wh-wh-st-wahs, these guns appeared in the troops in 1942, in a degree-pen-but you-crushing your pre -she-st-ven-ni-kov - di-vi-z-on-ny guns model 1902/30, model 1936 (F-22) and model 1939 (F- 22USV). In 1943, this weapon became the main one in di-vi-zi-on-noy cannon art-til-le-rii, as well as in is-tra -bi-tel-no-pro-ti-in-tan-ko-y half-kah, having 76-mm cannons according to the staff. In the Kursk battle ZiS-3, along with the 45-mm pro-ti-vo-tan-ko-you-mi push-ka-mi and 122-mm gau-bi-tsa-mi M -30 comp-stav-la-la os-no-vu so-vet ar-til-le-rii. Then, at the same time, the non-dos-that-accuracy of the bro-not-fight-but-go action of the guns against the new German tanks and self-propelled guns, in a certain degree of step-pe-ni softened-chen-naya introduced-de-ni-em in the combat set of under-ka-li-ber-nyh, and from the end of 1944 -yes - and ku-mu-la-tiv-nyh dreams-rows. In the future, until the end of the ZiS-3 war, firmly but keep the status of the main di-vi-zi-on-noy gun, and with 1944, yes, for the reason of not reducing the pace of launching 45-mm cannons and lack of 57-mm ZiS-2 cannons, this is a weapon de facto, it became the basis of the pro-ti-vo-tan-ko-howl push of the Red Army. So, ZiS-3 active-but-me-were so-vet-ski-mi how-ska-mi in the course of the war with Japan-no-her. 
After the end of the Second World War, part of the cannons would be re-la-re-yes-on the so-uz-no-kam of the USSR, for some hour pe-re-pro-yes-va-whether they are in the countries of the third world. Accordingly, a number of sources, toch-no-kov, some-some Af-ri-Kan-sky and Asian-At-sky countries still have this weapon on vo-ru-same-nii-their army. Remaining in the USSR, part of the guns would have been an hour-tich-but warehouse-di-ro-va-na, and an hour-tich-but uti-li-zi-ro-va-na on me -tall. 
Basic new tasks-da-chi, re-shae-my shot-fight from a push-ki:
- Destruction of the same living force against-no-no.
- Destroying the same fire means of ne-ho-you and giving ar-till-le-rii against-no-ka.
- Destruction of the same tanks and other mo-to-me-ha-ni-zi-ro-van-nyh means against-no-ka.
- Raz-ru-she-nie pro-loch-nyh for-gra-zh-de-ny (if it’s not possible to use the use of how-bits and mi-but -metov).
- Raz-ru-she-nie uk-ry-tiy easy type-pa and am-bra-zur bunker and bunker.
The greatest range of shooting would be a long-range combat wasp-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-noy gr-on-that OF-350 is equal to 13290 m. mo-th you-shot-la when shooting-be-long-range-battle-noy wasp-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-noy gra-on-that and bro-not-battle-ny dream-near-house 820 m (when you-with those goals-whether 2 m).
The speed-ro-shooting-ness of the push-ki dos-ti-ga-et 25 shots in mi-well-tu.
The weight of the gun in combat is 1150 kg.
On-tre-ni-ro-van-nym races-tho-re-waters push-ki from in-move-no-go-to-the-same-tion in combat and reverse-but about -from-in-dit-Xia in 30-40 seconds.
You can push-ku but re-re-vo-zit me-ha-no-che-sky and horse-noy (six-ter-coy lo-sha-day) tya-goy. Pe-re-vo-zit push-ku once-re-sha-et-sya with speed: along the highway - up to 50 km / h, along the pro-se-local roads - up to 30 km / h, without-to-ro-zhu - up to 10 km / h. 
For shooting, would push-ki p-me-nya-yut-sya uni-tar-nye pa-tro-ns with os-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-ny-mi, os-ko-loch-ny -mi, bro-not-fight-but-t-ras-si-ruyu-schi-mi, under-ka-li-ber-ny-mi, ku-mu-la-tiv-ny-mi, for-zhi -ga-tel-ny-mi, os-ko-loch-no-hi-mi-che-ski-mi, car-tech-ny-mi and shrap-nel-ny-mi sleep-rya-da-mi.
Os-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-steel grena-na-ta (OF-350) and os-ko-loch-long-range-but-fighting grena-na-ta-sta-li- one hundred chu-gu-na (O-350A) pre-na-know-cha-yut-sya for-ra-zhe-niya living si-ly, ma-te-ri-al-noy hour- ty ar-til-le-rii and fire means of ne-ho-you are against-no-no, as well as for the destruction of light on-left co- weapons. Os-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-naya and os-ko-loch-naya gra-on-you are one-on-to-you according to the device-swarm-st-vu and from-li-cha-yut- sya one from the other only ma-te-ria-scrap, from someone-ro-go from-go-tov-le-na kor-pu-sa. Os-ko-loch-no-fu-gas-naya gr-na-ta co-bi-ra-et-sya with the KTM-1-U or KTMZ-1-U explosion. Os-ko-loch-naya gr-na-ta co-bi-ra-et-sya with the explosion-va-te-lem KTM-1-U.
The KTM-1-U exploder has two UV-ta-nov-ki:
- without a cap-pack-ka - instant-venous (os-ko-loch-noe) action;
- with a count-patch-com - iner-chi-on-noe (fu-gas-noe) action.
Ra-di-us in-ra-zhe-niya os-kol-ka-mi composes-la-et 15-20 m.
Bro-not-fight-but-t-ras-si-rue-sleeping-row-dy (BR-350A, BR-354 and BR-350B) pre-na-know-cha-yut-sya for shooting on tanks, bro-not-ma-shi-us, am-bra-zu-ram bunkers and other targets covered with armor. The range of the direct you shot when shooting at tanks was about 820 m.
Bro-don't-fight-but-t-ras-si-ruyu-schee sleep-series BR-350B from-whether-cha-et-sya from bro-not-fight-but-t-ras-si-ruyu-shche -th dream-row-yes BR-350A head-of-the-stu-core-pu-sa and on-li-chi-em on the cor-pu-se of two sub-re-call-lo-ka-li- for something-ditch for pre-dot-bra-shche-niya races-to-la sleep-row-yes when hitting armor-nu. Armored-non-fighting sleep-rows of skom-plek-to-va-ny: target-but-core-pus-nye - with an MD-8 explosion, and with a screw-in bottom - with an explosion-va-te-lem MD-7.
Under-ka-li-ber-ny bro-not-fight-but-t-ras-si-ruyu-schee-sleep-series (BR-354P) heavy tank-kam and sa-mo-walk-nym oru-di-yam direct on-water-coy at a distance of up to 500 m.
Dy-my-howl-sleep-row (D-350) pre-na-know-cha-et-sya for os-le-p-le-niya on-ob-da-tel-nyh and command-nyh punks -tov and fire-not-out in-zi-tion ba-ta-ray, from-del-guns, fire-not-out to-check and live-howl si-ly against-tiv-no-ka .
In addition to that, this dream-row is used for the purpose-le-indication-for-tion, signal-on-li-for-tion and arrow-ki, and so- the same for providing tank attacks. 
German anti-tank gun RaK-40.
History of creation.
The development of the gun was started by Rheinmetall-Borsig in 1939. Already in the spring of 1942, the first guns of this type appeared on the Eastern Front. The main purpose of the gun was to fight tanks and armored vehicles, however, a fairly large caliber and the presence in its ammunition high-explosive projectile allowed the use of a cannon to suppress firing points, destroy various light-type obstacles and to destroy enemy manpower. In total, more than 25,000 Pak 40 guns were manufactured during the war years. 
In addition to the wheeled carriage, the gun was mounted on self-propelled artillery mounts Marder II and III, Jagdpanzer IV and RSO.
Main parts Pak guns 40 were: a barrel with a bolt, a cradle with recoil devices, an upper machine, lifting, turning and balancing mechanisms, a lower machine with chassis, shield cover and sights.
The monoblock barrel was equipped with a highly effective muzzle brake, which absorbs a significant part of the recoil energy. 
A carriage with sliding beds provided the possibility of firing at elevation angles from -3 ° 30 "to + 22 °. The angle of horizontal fire was 58 ° 30".
When the gun was rolled by the calculation forces, the trunk part of the gun was mounted on the guide wheel. In this case, the gun moved muzzle forward. One person guided the gun with a guide lever. To transport the gun using a tractor, it was equipped with pneumatic marching brakes, which were controlled from the cab of the tractor. In addition, it was possible to slow down with levers located on both sides of the gun carriage. 
The shield cover was similar in design to the cover of the RaK-38 gun and consisted of upper and lower shields. The upper shield was fixed on the upper machine and consisted of two sheets: rear and front. The lower shield was fixed on the lower machine and had a folding part.
The shutter of the gun was equipped with semi-automatic, which ensured a fairly high rate of fire of 12 - 14 rounds per minute. 
The ammunition load of the Pak 40 gun included cartridge-loading shots with the following types of projectiles:
- high-explosive fragmentation grenade;
- armor-piercing tracer projectile mod. 39;
- armor-piercing tracer sub-caliber projectile: arr. 40;
- cumulative projectile. 
For firing at heavily armored targets at short distances (up to 600 m), cumulative projectiles weighing 4.6 kg were used. At an angle of 60°, these shells penetrated 90 mm thick armor, which made it possible to successfully use the Pak 40 cannon to deal with a significant part of armored vehicles USSR and its allies. The gun was produced until the end of the Second World War. Its carriage was also used to create a modernized 105-mm light field howitzer mod. 18/40 and 75 mm Pak 97/40 anti-tank gun, which was an overlay of the barrel of a 75 mm French gun mod. 1897 on the gun carriage Pak 40. 
Tactical and technical characteristics
75 mm PaK 40 guns
- conventional armor-piercing projectile
- armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile
- cumulative projectile
- high-explosive fragmentation projectile-
792 m/s
933 m/s
450 m/s
550 m/s Barrel length: 46 calibers Maximum elevation angle: 22° Declination angle:-3°30" Horizontal firing angle: 58°30" Weight in combat position:
Weight in stowed position: 1425kg
1500 kg Rate of fire: 12-14 rounds/min. Maximum firing range:
Effective firing range:
8100 m
1500 m Armor penetration by an armor-piercing tracer projectile:
at a distance of 100 m
at a distance of 1000 m -
-
98 mm
82 mm