Pak 40 anti-tank gun. Wehrmacht artillery. German guns, mortars. History of creation and production

21.09.2019

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 weapon with PaK40 characteristics. 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 into the territory of the 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 the hits of 50-mm shells were dangerous, and the probability of incapacitating the T-34 with one hit of a 50-mm 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 autumn 1941, it became clear to the German military that the disorganization of the Soviet troops had been largely overcome and the number of T-34s on all fronts began to steadily increase. 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 1941, and the first mass-produced guns were delivered to the anti-tank artillery of the 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 was an effective tool against any Allied medium tank that fought, so its production continued until the very end of World War II. Reliable protection against its fire was realized 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 ah 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.
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 the better quality and production technology of German shells compared to Soviet ones. On the other hand, the ZiS-3 was more versatile and had better action against unarmored targets than the PaK40.

Toward the end of the war, the production of 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, estimates of the scale of the combat use of PaK40 in this capacity are very 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)

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 anti-tank guns Wehrmacht. 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 next spring. 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, the General Staff issued an order according to which the new guns were intended exclusively for manning 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 minor 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.

The anti-tank units of the tank divisions had great capabilities. 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 boiled down to the following: the gun must be transported to firing positions by a tractor, rolling manually is only possible over 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.

The ammunition load of the 7.5 cm Pak 40 cannon consisted of unitary cartridges with a caliber armor-piercing projectile, a sub-caliber projectile, fragmentation and cumulative projectiles. Due to the shortage of tungsten, the release 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 title	The weight projectile, kg.	Length projectile, kg	BB weight, kg.	Charge weight, kg.	The weight cartridge, kg.	Length, 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.

Gun armor penetration 7.5 cm Pak 40

projectile	Angle, deg.	Firing range, mu
projectile	Angle, deg.	0	457	915	1372	1829
Armor-piercing mod.39	0	149	135	121	109	98
Armor-piercing mod.39	30	121	106	94	83	73
Sub-caliber arr. 40	0	176	154	133	115	98
Sub-caliber arr. 40	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

Distances of shelling anti-tank guns and tank artillery of Soviet tanks.

	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

Distribution of holes in tank armor. Oryol-Kursaya operation, July-August 1943

Shell caliber, mm	% of holes, from total number holes.
88	25
75	43
50	22
37	5,7
Mines	4,3

The percentage of dead tanks T-34 and KV, depending on the caliber of artillery. Oryol-Kursaya operation, July-August 1943

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 defeats depending on the caliber of the projectile.

	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 funds
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

Combat Damage

the name of the operation	Month	The percentage of failure on combat damage.	Percentage of irretrievable losses.
Kursk-Orlovskaya	July 1943	42	11,6
Kursk-Orlovskaya	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	-
Rogachevskaya	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

14.10.2007 18:34

In 1939, Rheinmetall-Borsig began designing a 75 mm anti-tank gun, called the 75 mm PaK-40. The first 15 guns of the Wehrmacht unit, located on the Eastern Front, received only in February 1942. The main purpose of the gun was to fight tanks and armored vehicles, however, a sufficiently large caliber and the presence of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile in its ammunition load made it possible to use the gun to suppress firing points, destruction various obstacles light type and to destroy the manpower of the enemy. In total, over 23303 were manufactured during the war years. PaK guns-40.

More PaK-40 anti-tank guns were produced than any other Reich guns. The table below shows this.

production of the 75 mm PaK-40 gun:

1942	2114 pieces;
1943	8740 pieces;
1944	11728 pieces;
1945	721 pieces;
Total:	23303 pcs.

In addition to the wheeled carriage of the PaK-40 gun in 1942-1944. installed on several types of chassis:
1. Sd.Kfz.135 "Marder I" on the chassis of the French tank "Laurent". In 1942-1943. 184 self-propelled units were manufactured;
2. Sd.Kfz.131 "Marder II" on the chassis of the T-PA and T-PR tanks. In 1942-1943. 531 self-propelled units were manufactured;
3. Sd.Kfz.139 "Marder III" on the chassis of the tank 38(t). In 1942-1943 418 self-propelled units were manufactured in the "H" variant (engine in the stern) and 381 units in the "M" variant (engine in the front);
4. 39 H(f) on a Hotchkiss chassis. In 1943-1944. 24 self-propelled units were manufactured;
5. On the R.S.M. (f) chassis in 1943-1944. 10 self-propelled units were manufactured;
6. On the chassis tank PzKpfw IV, 164 self-propelled units were manufactured;
7. On the chassis of the caterpillar tractor K50;
8. On the chassis of the semi-tracked medium armored personnel carrier SM 251/22;
9. On the chassis of a wheeled (4x2) armored personnel carrier CM 234/4.

The main parts of the PaK-40 gun are: 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 monobloc barrel is equipped with a highly effective muzzle brake, which absorbs a significant part of the recoil energy. The carriage with sliding beds provides the possibility of firing at elevation angles from -3 ° 30 "to +22 °. The angle of horizontal fire is 58 ° 30". When the gun is rolled by the calculation forces, the trunk part of the gun is installed on the guide wheel. In this case, the gun moves muzzle forward. One person guides the implement using the guide arm.

For transporting the implement using a tractor, it is equipped with pneumatic marchingbrakes, which are controlled from the cab of the tractor. In addition, you can brake using levers located on both sides of the gun carriage. The shield cover is similar in design to the cover of the PaK-38 gun and consists of an upper and lower shield. The upper shield is fixed on the upper machine and consists of two sheets - rear and front. The lower shield is fixed on the lower machine and has a folding part. The shutter of the gun is equipped with semi-automatic, which provides a fairly high rate of fire - 12-14 rounds per minute. The ammunition load of the PaK-40 cannon includes 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 mod. 40;
- cumulative projectile.

For firing at heavily armored targets at short ranges (up to 600 m), cumulative projectiles weighing 4.6 kg were used. At an encounter angle of 60°, these shells pierced 90 mm thick armor, which made it possible to successfully use the PaK-40 cannon to combat a significant part of the armored vehicles of the USSR and its allies.

PaK-40 losses were enormous. Until March 1, 1945, Germany lost 18,096 of these guns. Only in 1944 the losses amounted to:

period - losses:

September 1944	669 pieces;
October 1944	1020 pieces;
November 1944	494 pieces;
December 1944	307 pcs.

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 of the gun PaK-40:

weight in combat position: 1425 kg;

weight in the stowed position: 1500 kg;

caliber: 75 mm;

barrel length: 46 calibers;

starting speed 75 mm PaK-40 cannon projectile:

Conventional armor-piercing: 732 m / s;

Armor-piercing sub-caliber: 933 m / s;

High-explosive fragmentation: 550 m/s;

Cumulative: 450 m/s;

Elevation: -3°30" to 22°;

horizontal firing angle: 58°30";

rate of fire: 12-14 rds / min;

the greatest firing range: up to 8100 m;

effective firing range: up to 1500 m;

armor penetration:

along the normal at ranges of 100 and 1000 m: 98-82 mm.

Sources:
1. Shirokorad A., "God of War of the Third Reich", AST, Transitbook, 2003
2. Shunkov V., "Wehrmacht", AST, 2003
3. Chris Chant, "Artillery of World War II", 2001

7.5 cm Kw.K.40 / 7.5 cm Stu.K.40- a family of German 75-mm tank (KwK 40) and assault guns (StuK 40), based on the 75-mm PaK 40 (PaK 44 L / 46) field anti-tank gun. Samo PaK gun 40 appeared in the game later than the KwK 40, and in terms of its game characteristics, before patch 1.49, it was a complete copy of the long-barreled version of the KwK 40 L/48 / StuK 40 L/48.

History reference

The most massive tank gun of the Wehrmacht. It was created by the Krupp and Rheinmetall design bureaus on the basis of the 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun, to replace the KwK37. Produced from 1941 to 1945. The gun received an electric ignition device and a semi-automatic wedge gate. The length of the shells and the breech of the gun also had to be reduced, which resulted in a slight drop in muzzle velocity compared to the PaK 40. The gun was produced in several modifications, mainly differing in different barrel lengths and some mechanisms depending on the target vehicle. Guns mounted on tank destroyers received the name StuK40, and on tanks - KwK 40.

By the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, Germany was armed with a small number of PaK 40 anti-tank guns, which was due to the weak armor of enemy tanks. But in battles with the latest Soviet T-34s and heavy KV-1 tanks, most of the other Wehrmacht guns proved to be ineffective. The tank commission headed by Guderian decided to develop a long-barreled gun based on the PaK 40 for mounting on tanks and self-propelled guns. The development of the gun was carried out by two firms: the design bureau Krupp was responsible for the ballistics of the gun, and Rheinmetall was responsible for its design. Since the PaK 40 was a very heavy gun, the development of a light version for mounting on tanks took long time and entailed a slight deterioration in the shooting characteristics of the gun. The recoil distance of the original PaK 40 (~900 mm) and the length of the shells (969 mm) were too long for the cramped tank house. Therefore, the designers had to reduce the recoil distance of the gun (up to ~ 520 mm) and shorten the length of the shells (up to ~ 495 mm), and in order to maintain a comparable amount of propellant explosive, the diameter of the shells had to be increased. At the same time, the gun barrel remained unchanged, the same as on the PaK 40 L/46, with a length of 2470.5 mm. The barrel had progressive rifling in increments of 6° to 9°. The result was the initial version of the KwK 40 L / 43 gun with a 43 caliber (3225 mm) barrel. Reducing the breech of the gun freed up space for additional ammunition, and a shortened charging chamber with a large diameter simplified loading and increased the rate of fire.

Due to the large amount of propellant explosive in the projectiles used, the gun had problems, especially with its first versions. Often, after a shot, the cartridge case got stuck in the breech of the gun, blocking the ability to reload the gun or fire from it. To remove the cartridge case, the crew had to get out of the tank and push the cartridge case out of the gun through the barrel with a ramrod. This took considerable time, and in combat conditions it put the crew in danger. To solve this problem, it was necessary to reduce the amount of explosive in the propellant charge and change the design of the muzzle brake. As a result of this, there was little difference between previously produced shells and guns and their later versions.

By the spring of 1942, the original version was ready for installation on Pz.Kpfw tanks. IV. And already the first use of Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2 showed the undeniable superiority of the new gun over the guns of the enemy, allowing you to destroy enemy tanks at such distances at which the enemy was simply not able to inflict significant damage. With the advent of the enemy guns of larger caliber, this advantage came to naught. Nevertheless, various modifications of the PaK 40 remained quite effective until the very end of the war.

Media

7.5 cm PAK 40 at Canadian Forces Air Force Base Borden in Ontario.

7.5 cm PAK 40 somewhere in Belgium.

75 mm KwK 40 L/43 on a Panzer IV Ausf. F2.

View into the muzzle of the gun

StuG III at Musee des blindes, France.

Illustration Panzer tank IV Ausf. H in section.

Series of muzzle brakes for the KwK 40 / StuK 40 gun

Muzzle brake of the first version. Panzer IV Ausf. F2

Muzzle brake of the second version. Panzer IV Ausf. G L/43

Muzzle brake of the third version. Panzer IV Ausf. G L/48

Muzzle brake of the fourth version. Panzer IV Ausf. H

Muzzle brake of the fifth version. Panzer IV Ausf. H-J

The KwK 40 breech on the Panzer IV Ausf. G

KwK40 L/43 (75mm)

The original version of the German 75 mm KwK 40 cannon with a barrel length of 43 calibers (3225 mm). The gun did an excellent job both with the latest Soviet T-34 tanks, and with heavy KV-1 and KV-2 tanks. From April 1942 to June 1943 it was installed on Panzer IV medium tanks. In the version for Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. The F2 had a single-chamber ball-shaped muzzle brake, while the later versions had a two-chamber muzzle brake.

Gun ballistics provides high precision projectile hits, which allows you to target modules or vulnerabilities in the enemy’s armor. The armor penetration of a chamber shell is sufficient to penetrate the frontal armor of most medium tanks, but may not be enough to penetrate the front projection of the turret of late medium tanks. Entry-level heavy tanks can be dealt with with a sub-caliber projectile. The most effective tactic against armored targets would be to flank and attack the side of the hull or turret. Vertical pointing angles allow you to target enemies from hills and other uneven surfaces, but it will not work to its full potential. Due to the low armor effect of all 75-mm shells, only the chamber PzGr.39 and the sub-caliber PzGr.40 will be really useful. The cumulative Gr.38 HL/B projectile has insufficient armor penetration and poor ballistics, while the high-explosive fragmentation Sprgr.34 will only be effective against unarmored vehicles.

Although the gun slightly surpasses the comparable guns of the USSR and the USA in terms of armor penetration of the main projectile, it is inferior to them in the armor impact of shells. Which may require several hits to destroy the enemy. It follows that in order to successfully destroy the enemy, it is necessary to make the first shot and, if possible, hit the weak spot, destroying or depriving the enemy tank of the ability to shoot back.

History reference

The KwK40 L/43 gun became the most massive tank gun (including other modifications). The gun made it possible to destroy all tanks of that time (1942-1943) at a distance of about 1500 meters. It was installed on new modifications of the Panzer IV tank, which led to its mass character. Since it was an intermediate modification, its production was soon stopped in favor of a long-barreled version. Tanks with this gun participated in the battles until the very end of the war and found well-deserved fame among the Wehrmacht tankers and their allies. But with the advent of more powerful weapons and new armored tanks at the enemy, KwK40 L / 43 could no longer hit the enemy so confidently.

For the first time tanks Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2s with the new 75mm KwK40 L/43 cannon were used by Rommel during Operation Venice in Libya in May 1942 against the British 8th Army. The front-line units received only a few new tanks, and even then with a delay to the start of the operation, which were nicknamed "special" by the soldiers. At the same time, the newest "pilot" Grant tank in the amount of 138 units entered the 8th Army for testing. German intelligence then mistakenly believed that “pilot” was the name of the new British tank. From the August reports of the German Afrika Korps, it became clear that the new "Special" tank easily destroyed any enemy tank from a distance of 1500 meters or more, including the "Pilot". Tests have shown that main problem The guns had a muzzle brake. Due to its design, the shot produced a bright flash of flame and a noticeable puff of smoke, unmasking the position. In subsequent versions of the gun, the design of the muzzle brake was changed.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

High rate of fire

Flaws:

Media

KwK40 L/48 (75mm)

Long-barreled variant of the 75 mm KwK 40 gun with a 48 caliber (3600 mm) barrel length. An increase in the barrel length offset the drop in muzzle velocity compared to the PaK 40, which slightly increased the armor penetration of the shells and the accuracy of fire. This version of the gun became the most widespread and was installed on Panzer IV tanks from March 1943 to April 1945, allowing them to destroy enemy tanks of comparable class at distances of 1000-1500 m, remaining out of reach of enemy guns. But with the advent of more powerful guns from the Allies, this advantage came to naught.

In the game, the weapon is present on:

For all 3774 pcs. Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H
For all 1758 pcs. Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J
For all 105 pcs. Panzerbefehlswagen IV converted from Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J (17 units) and restored Panzer IVs (88 units)
For captured tanks Panzerkampfwagen KV-1В 756(r)

The ballistics of the gun ensures high accuracy of projectile hits, which allows you to target modules or vulnerabilities in the enemy’s armor. The armor penetration of a chamber shell is sufficient to penetrate the frontal armor of most medium tanks, but may not be enough to penetrate the front projection of the turret of late medium tanks. Entry-level heavy tanks can be dealt with with a sub-caliber projectile. The most effective tactic against armored targets would be to fly from the flag and attack the side of the tank or turret. Good elevation angles allow you to attack enemies from hills and other uneven surfaces. Due to the low armor effect of all 75-mm shells, only the chamber PzGr.39 and the sub-caliber PzGr.40 will be really useful. The HEAT projectile Gr.38 HL/B has insufficient armor penetration and ballistics, and the high-explosive fragmentation Sprgr. 34 will only be useful against unarmored vehicles.

Although the gun slightly surpasses the comparable guns of the USSR and the USA in terms of armor penetration of the main projectile, it is inferior to them in the armor impact of shells. Which may require several hits to destroy the enemy. It follows that in order to successfully destroy the enemy, you need to make the first shot and, if possible, hit the weak spot, destroying the enemy tank or depriving him of the ability to shoot.

History reference

The KwK40 L/48 gun (including all modifications) became the Wehrmacht's most massive tank gun. The gun made it possible to destroy all tanks of that time (1942-1943) at a distance of about 1500 meters. It was installed on the latest modifications of the Panzer IV tank, which led to its mass character. Tanks with this gun participated in the battles until the very end of the war and found well-deserved fame among the Wehrmacht tankers and their allies. But with the advent of more powerful guns and new armored tanks from the enemy, the KwK40 L / 48 could no longer hit the enemy so confidently. After the war, the surviving tanks with this gun were in service with the USSR until the end of 1949. And in 1967, several tanks took part in the Six Day War.

Advantages and disadvantages

The gun is well suited to destroy most medium and some heavy tanks at a distance of up to 1000 m. Although it can hit a target at a distance of 1500 m, due to the low armor penetration of shells at such a distance, it will not be able to penetrate the armor of most tanks.

Advantages:

High rate of fire
Ability to hit medium tanks at a distance of 1000 m
Comfortable elevation angles

Flaws:

Weak armor action of shells
Low armor penetration makes it easy to destroy heavy tanks at medium and long distances

Media

75 mm KwK 40 L/48 on a Panzer IV Ausf. H

75 mm KwK 40 L/48 on a Panzer IV Ausf. J

75 mm KwK 40 L/48 on a Panzerbefehlswagen IV

75 mm KwK 40 L/48 on Pz.Kpfw. KV-1B 756(r)

Syrian Panzer IV Ausf. J captured Israeli army during the Six Day War in 1967.

Syrian Panzer IV Ausf. G captured by the Israeli army during the Six Day War in 1967

Panzer IV F2 at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds Ordnance Museum.

Panzer IV at the California Museum.

Panzer IV at Musee des blindes, France.

75 mm KwK 40 L/48, view into the loading chamber

75 mm KwK 40 L/48, breech

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G LAH Division Kharkov 1943

PzKpfw IV Ausf G. Apr - May 1943 production. Dragon 1/35.

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J Last Production

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H with side screens and zimmerite coating. USSR, July 1944.

Panzer IV J Eastern Front

Pz IV J with mesh screens

A downed Ausf J in Syria

Syrian Pz IV J in Latrun

Finnish Pz IV J

X-ray Pz IV J

Pz.Kpfw. KV-1B 756(r) with 7.5 cm KwK40 gun

StuK40 L/43 (75mm)

The original version of the German assault 75 mm StuK 40 gun with a barrel length of 43 calibers (3225 mm). The StuK 37 L/24 assault gun proved to be excellent both against enemy infantry and against the new Soviet T-34 tanks. But the troops needed a weapon capable of dealing with enemy tanks at a long distance. Despite the fact that Krupp had already developed and tested a prototype of the 7.5 cm Kanone L / 40 gun, in November 1941 the command ordered all work to be curtailed. Adolf Hitler demanded that assault tanks be equipped with a long-barreled 75-mm gun with a high muzzle velocity, capable of fighting heavy KV tanks at long distances. Based on his requirements, the command ordered the development of such a weapon from Rheinmetall, which produced field anti-tank gun PaK 40, which has already proven itself in the field. Since the PaK 40 was a very heavy gun, the development of a lighter version for mounting on assault tanks took a long time and resulted in a slight deterioration in the shooting characteristics of the gun. The recoil distance of the original PaK 40 (~900 mm) and the length of the projectiles (969 mm) were too long for the cramped cabin. Therefore, the designers had to reduce the recoil distance of the gun and shorten the length of the shells. At the same time, the gun barrel remained unchanged, the same as on the PaK 40 L/46, with a length of 2470.5 mm. The barrel had progressive rifling in increments of 6° to 9°. The result was a StuK 40 L / 43 gun, 43 calibers long (3225 mm). Reducing the breech of the gun freed up space for additional ammunition, and a shortened charging chamber with a large diameter simplified loading and increased the rate of fire. The gun received an electric ignition device, a semi-automatic wedge gate and a cylindrical two-chamber muzzle brake, damping up to 58% of the recoil. The gun was mounted on a solid frame along with guidance devices. Which provided vertical pointing angles of -6° ~ +20° and horizontal -12° ~ +12°. The gun coped well with both the latest Soviet T-34 tanks and heavy KV-1 and KV-2 tanks. The first three guns were ready in February of 1942, although mass production began in April. And the first units to receive Stug III F assault tanks with a new gun were the Great Germany division and the 1st tank division SS Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.

In the game, the weapon is present on:

On the initial modification of the StuG III F from March to June 1942

The ballistics of the gun ensures high accuracy of projectile hits, which allows you to target modules or vulnerabilities in the enemy’s armor. The armor penetration of a chamber round is sufficient to penetrate the frontal armor of most medium tanks, but may not be enough to penetrate the frontal projection of the turret of late medium tanks. Entry-level heavy tanks can be dealt with with a sub-caliber projectile. The most effective tactic against armored targets would be to flank and attack the side of the hull or turret. Vertical aiming angles allow you to target enemies from uneven surfaces, but not from steep hills. Due to the low armor effect of all 75-mm shells, only the chamber PzGr.39 and the sub-caliber PzGr.40 will be really useful. The Gr.38 HL/B HEAT projectile has insufficient armor penetration and poor ballistics, while the Sprgr.34 high-explosive fragmentation projectile will only be useful against open-cut vehicles.

For a more detailed guide to combat, read the article on the relevant technique.

History reference

The StuK 40 L/43 gun (including other modifications) became the Wehrmacht's most massive assault tank gun. The gun made it possible to destroy all tanks of that time (1942-1943) at a distance of about 1500 meters. It was installed on new modifications of the StuG III F assault tank. Since it was an intermediate modification, its production was soon stopped in favor of the long-barreled version. Tanks with this gun participated in the battles until the very end of the war and found well-deserved fame among the Wehrmacht tankers and their allies. But with the advent of more powerful guns and new armored tanks from the enemy, the StuK 40 L / 43 could no longer hit the enemy so confidently.

The first units to receive Stug III F assault tanks with the new gun in early 1942 were the Grossdeutschland division and the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Soon they took part in the summer offensive German troops. And although the gun made it possible to easily destroy any enemy tank from a distance of 1000 meters or more, the limited aiming angles did not allow effective offensive operations. At the same time, vehicles with this gun proved to be excellent in defense, and in fact moved from the class of assault guns to tank destroyers.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:

High rate of fire
Ability to hit medium tanks at a distance of 1000 m

Flaws:

Weak armor action of shells
Low armor penetration makes it difficult to destroy heavy tanks at medium and long distances
Insufficient pointing angles

Media

StuK40 L/48 (75mm)

Long-barreled version of the 75 mm StuK 40 assault gun with a 48 caliber (3600 mm) barrel. An increase in the barrel length offset the drop in muzzle velocity compared to the PaK 40, which slightly increased the armor penetration of the shells and the accuracy of fire. This version of the gun became the most widespread and was installed on StuG III assault tanks from June 1942 to April 1945, allowing them to destroy enemy tanks at distances of 1000-1500 m, remaining out of reach of enemy guns. But with the advent of more powerful guns from the Allies, this advantage came to naught.

In the game, the weapon is present on:

The ballistics of the gun ensures high accuracy of projectile hits, which allows you to target modules or vulnerabilities in the enemy’s armor. The armor penetration of a chamber round is sufficient to penetrate the frontal armor of most medium tanks, but may not be enough to penetrate the frontal projection of the turret of late medium tanks. Entry-level heavy tanks can be dealt with with a sub-caliber projectile. The most effective tactic against armored targets would be to flank and attack the side of the hull or turret. Vertical aiming angles allow you to target enemies on uneven surfaces, but not from hills. Due to the low armor effect of all 75-mm shells, only the chamber PzGr.39 and the sub-caliber PzGr.40 will be really useful. The Gr.38 HL/B HEAT projectile has insufficient armor penetration and poor ballistics, while the Sprgr.34 high-explosive fragmentation projectile will only be useful against open-cut vehicles.

Although the gun slightly surpasses the comparable guns of the USSR and the USA in terms of armor penetration of the main projectile, it is inferior to them in the armor impact of shells. Which may require several hits to destroy the enemy. It follows from this that in order to successfully destroy the enemy, you need to make the first shot and, if possible, hit the weak spot, destroying the enemy tank or depriving him of the ability to shoot back.

For a more detailed guide to combat, read the article on the relevant technique.

History reference

The StuK L/48 gun became the most massive assault tank gun (including all modifications). The gun made it possible to destroy all tanks of that time (1942-1943) at a distance of about 1500 meters. It was installed on new modifications of the StuG III assault tank. Tanks with this gun participated in the battles until the very end of the war and found well-deserved fame among the Wehrmacht tankers and their allies. But with the advent of more powerful guns and new armored tanks from the enemy, the StuK L / 48 could no longer hit the enemy so confidently.

By the beginning of Operation Citadel, more than 700 StuG long-barreled assault guns were in service. And although the operation failed, StuG III proved to be very successful. So, according to the countdown of the 11th Assault Gun Division for August 1943, they managed to destroy 423 enemy tanks, irretrievably losing only 18 assault guns. The September command report stated that the gun could easily hit any Soviet tank below the tiger class. It was noted that Soviet tanks often panicked when fighting German assault tank destroyers. And from the orders intercepted by intelligence, it followed that Soviet tankers were forbidden to engage in battle with German assault guns.

The production of guns and tanks continued until the very end of the war. And in 1967, several assault tanks took part in the Six Day War.

Advantages and disadvantages

The gun is well suited for hitting most medium and some heavy tanks at a distance of up to 1000 m. Although it can hit a target at a distance of 1500 m, due to the low armor penetration of shells at such a distance, it will not be able to penetrate the armor of most tanks.

Advantages:

High rate of fire
Ability to hit medium tanks at a distance of 1000 m

Flaws:

Weak armor action of shells
Low armor penetration makes it difficult to destroy heavy tanks at medium and long distances
Insufficient pointing angles

Media

75 mm StuK 40 L/48 on StuG III Ausf. G

Syrian StuG III Ausf. G captured by the Israeli army during the 1967 Six Day War.

StuG III Ausf. G at Musee des blindes, France.

StuG III in the Museum of Finland.

StuG III Ausf. G and ammo

scale model StuK 40 L/48, without barrel.

StuG III Ausf. G

StuG III Ausf. G Breech

StuG III Ausf. G Scale model

Available projectiles

The KwK 40 / StuK 40 gun from PaK 40 inherited a whole family of 75 mm ammunition. While the shells remained unchanged, the cartridge case had to be reduced in length and increased in diameter. As a result, the amount of propellant charge in the cartridge case became less than in PaK 40, which led to a slight deterioration in ballistics and armor penetration of shells for the new gun. And due to the fact that there was still quite a lot of propellant charge in the sleeve, after the shot, the sleeve sometimes got stuck in the breech of the gun, jamming it. This forced the crew to leave the car and push the cartridge case manually through the gun barrel with a ramrod. This problem was solved by reducing the explosive in the propellant charge and changing the muzzle brake. Therefore, shells produced in different time have different characteristics.

The armor-piercing projectile had a thick steel body, inside which was placed an explosive charge, a bottom fuse and a tracer. He could penetrate armor plates of considerable thickness and hit the internal elements of the tank with an explosion.

The sub-caliber projectile was made of solid metals(usually made of tungsten carbide or hard steels) armor-piercing core, which was fixed on a pallet in the projectile body. Such a projectile was lighter than a conventional armor-piercing projectile and had a higher muzzle velocity. Due to this, its armor-piercing ability was also higher, since only one core pierced the armor.

A cumulative projectile could penetrate armor due to the fact that waves of gases formed during the explosion were concentrated at the point where the projectile met the armor. Its armor-piercing ability did not depend on the firing range, however, its damaging effect inside the tank was smaller than other anti-tank shells. To prevent the body of the projectile from being destroyed before the explosive charge worked, it was necessary to reduce the speed of the projectile at the moment it hit the surface of the armor. In addition, the penetrating power of the HEAT projectile dropped significantly due to the rotation of the projectile in flight, to reduce which it was necessary to reduce the muzzle velocity of the projectile. As a result, the firing range of HEAT projectiles did not exceed 1500-2000 m. To prevent the body of the projectile from being destroyed before the explosive charge worked, it was necessary to reduce the speed of the projectile at the moment it hit the surface of the armor. In addition, the penetrating power of the HEAT projectile dropped significantly due to the rotation of the projectile in flight, to reduce which it was necessary to reduce the muzzle velocity of the projectile. As a result, the firing range of cumulative projectiles did not exceed 1500-2000 m.

High-explosive fragmentation projectile equipped with a head fuse of instant and inertial action with a deceleration setting. Used to engage infantry and lightly armored targets.

The smoke projectile was filled with a smoke-forming composition and supplied with an impact fuse. The smoke cloud was small, about 30 m in diameter, and lasted about 30 seconds. These shells were very rarely used by tanks.

Ammunition for KwK 40 / StuK 40

75mm PzGr. 39 for KwK 40 / StuK 40

75mm Pz.Gr. 39 Armor-piercing chamber shell

75mm Pz.Gr. 40 Sub-caliber projectile

75mm Pz.Gr. 40W Armor-piercing projectile

75mm Spr.Gr. 34 High-explosive fragmentation projectile

75mm K.gr. rot Pz. Armor-piercing projectile

75mm Gr. 38 HL HEAT projectile

75mm Gr. 38 HL/A HEAT projectile

75mm Gr. 38 HL/B HEAT projectile

75mm Gr. 38 HL/C HEAT projectile

75mm Nb.Gr. smoke projectile

75mm PzGr. 39 in PaK 40 case

Pzgr. 39

German 75-mm armor-piercing tracer chamber projectile with armor-piercing and ballistic tip model 1939 - 7.5 cm. Panzergranate 39. The most common German armor-piercing projectile, was produced in various modifications for guns with a caliber from 20 mm to 128 mm. With the exception of the caliber, the differences were minimal, mainly in the quality of the steel and the number of guide rings. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun (even in guns of the same caliber).

The sleeve with a length of 495 mm contained 2.15 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and diethylene glycol dinitrate, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is made in the form of pressed cylindrical tubes 370 mm and 420 mm long, placed in a rayon bag. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St. and a subversive charge weighing 0.315 kg, initiating the detonation of the main propellant charge.

The projectile consists of a steel body, in the head part of which there is a soft armor-piercing tip covered with a ballistic cap. The armor-piercing tip is attached to the head of the projectile by soldering with fusible solder. In the lower part of the projectile there was a chamber with 0.017 kg of explosive (phlegmatized RDX) and a Bdz 5103* detonator combined with a tracer. The projectile received rotation due to the friction of the copper guide ring on the rifled barrel of the gun. When fired, a tracer ignited, allowing you to track the flight of the projectile. The ballistic cap provided a high speed of the projectile over a long distance. The soft armor-piercing tip took over kinetic energy collision of the projectile with the armor, thereby protecting it from destruction and breaking the integrity of the armor, making it easier for the main projectile. At high angles of attack, the armor-piercing tip also ensured the normalization of the projectile. The sharp-headed steel projectile, crushing the soft armor-piercing tip, crashed into the weakened armor and pierced it, forming a cloud of armor fragments. Cocked upon impact, the bottom detonator with gas-dynamic deceleration undermined the explosive charge when the projectile had already penetrated the armor and flew some distance from it.

There was a training version of the PzGr. 39 Ub.

Verdict
The main armor-piercing projectile. High muzzle velocity provides good ballistics and armor penetration of the projectile. The amount of explosive, although small, allows you to inflict additional damage to the crew and flammable modules. With the help of a tracer, you can track the trajectory of the projectile and more accurately adjust the sight, but the enemy will also know from which side they are firing at him. In patch 1.47, the range of fragments during the explosion of the chamber was increased by almost 2 times, which slightly increased the armor effect of the projectile, increasing the area of destruction.

Advantages

Good armor penetration and ballistics
The presence of a chamber with explosive

Flaws

Moderate armor action

Spr Gr. 34

German 75-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile model 1934 - 7.5 cm. Sprenggranate 34. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun. The 5.74 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile and has an exit hole in the front of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 23 instantaneous or delayed fuse with a deceleration of 0.15 seconds is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.68 kg of ammotol 40/60 (or TNT) and a red phosphorus smoke bomb.

The sleeve with a length of 495 mm contained 0.78 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is placed in a bag of rayon. In the center of the bag was a long cylindrical tube of compressed diethylene glycol dinitrate, reaching to the base of the projectile. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St.

There was a training version of the Sprgr. 34 Ub.

Verdict
The only use of a high-explosive fragmentation projectile is firing at unarmored vehicles or at the crew in an open wheelhouse. Despite 700 g of explosive, the explosion radius barely exceeds half a meter, and not so numerous fragments cannot penetrate even thin armor.

Advantages:

Good at destroying unprotected crew
High chance to start a fire

Flaws:

Disgusting armor penetration
Small explosion radius
Short range

Gr. 38 Hl/B

German 75 mm HEAT tracer M1938, modification B - 7.5 cm. Granate Hohlladung 38/B. A common German cumulative projectile, produced in various modifications for 75 mm guns. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun.

The sleeve with a length of 495 mm contained 0.43 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is placed in a bag of rayon. In the center of the bag was a long cylindrical tube of compressed diethylene glycol dinitrate, reaching to the base of the projectile. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St.

The 4.57 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 38 instantaneous fuse is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile head itself is made of brittle cast iron and is screwed into the steel body of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.5 kg of Phlegmatized RDX packaged around a central aluminum tube. The top of the explosive charge has a cup-shaped notch, and most of the projectile head is hollow. A perforated aluminum disk was installed at the boundary between the charge and the cavity in the head of the projectile. When a projectile collided with an obstacle, the fuse was triggered, it initiated the explosive charge detonator at the rear of the projectile. During the detonation of the explosive, a compacted gas-dynamic jet was created, which entered the armor through the head of the projectile that collapsed from the impact. The huge pressure of the gas jet greatly exceeds the yield strength of the armor metal, which is why the armor behaves like a liquid and the jet pierces it without any problems. The main striking elements are a hot gas jet and red-hot fragments ("drops") of armor.

Verdict
Like all early HEAT rounds, Gr. Hl. 38/B has a low initial flight speed and therefore poor ballistics. The Kl.A.Z 38 instantaneous fuze triggers prematurely when hitting protective screens, trees or fences. The cumulative jet is inferior in terms of armor penetration to an armor-piercing projectile, but has a huge chance of causing a fire or detonation of the module. The presence of a large amount of explosive allows the projectile to be used not only as a cumulative, but also as a high-explosive, albeit with less effect. In polygon conditions, the projectile pierced a 75-mm armor plate at an angle of 30 ° from the normal. The armor penetration of the projectile in the game is slightly lower compared to the German tests - this is essential for hitting heavily armored tanks (such as the KV, T-44 or the T-34-85 turret). The armor effect of a HEAT shell is actually higher than in the game, but it strongly depends on the thickness of the armor that has been pierced. The penetrating power of the cumulative jet drops significantly when flying in the air and drops catastrophically when a projectile is detonated on the screen - up to 5 ~ 10 mm in the main armor behind the screen.

Advantages:

High chance to cause a fire or explosion of the module
Ability to use as a high-explosive projectile

Flaws:

Bad ballistics
Reduced armor penetration
Detonation against any obstacle
Extremely weak armor effect
Cannot penetrate armor behind the screen

Pzgr. 40

German 75-mm armor-piercing tracer projectile with a ballistic tip, model 1940 - 7.5 cm. Panzergranate 40. A common German armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge.

The sleeve with a length of 495 mm contained 2.18 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is made in the form of pressed cylindrical tubes 370 mm and 420 mm long, placed in a rayon bag. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St. and a subversive charge weighing 0.315 kg, initiating the detonation of the main propellant charge.

Externally, the projectile looks like a PzGr. 39, but inside it consists of a steel body (serving as a pallet), in the central part of which there is a solid core of tungsten carbide, covered with a ballistic cap. At the bottom of the projectile is a tracer. The projectile received rotation due to the friction of the guide ring on the rifled barrel of the gun. When fired, a tracer ignited, allowing you to track the flight of the projectile. The pallet carried out the centering of the projectile when fired from a cannon and stored kinetic energy for flight. And in combination with a ballistic cap, it provided a high projectile flight speed over a long distance. Upon impact, the steel body of the projectile deformed, releasing a small-caliber hard, pointed tungsten core, which, separated from the pallet, easily pierced the armor.

Verdict
The projectile is not filled with explosives, but due to the high muzzle velocity and small caliber armor-piercing core has excellent ballistics and armor penetration. Ideal for shooting fast moving targets at long range. Weak armor effect may require several hits to destroy the enemy. Like most sub-caliber shells, it has a high cost per unit. In patch 1.49, the muzzle velocity (L/48) was reduced from 990 m/s to 930 m/s and (L/43) from 930 m/s to 919 m/s.

Advantages:

High armor penetration
Excellent ballistics and flight speed
Suitable for hitting heavily armored targets

Flaws:

Weak armor action
High price

Pzgr. 40W

German 75-mm armor-piercing tracer with a ballistic tip, model 1940, modification W - 7.5 cm. Panzergranate 40W. A relatively rare German armor-piercing projectile, produced in a limited batch as a cheap replacement for the expensive and scarce PzGr 40 sub-caliber projectile. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge.

The sleeve with a length of 495 mm contained 2.18 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is made in the form of pressed cylindrical tubes 370 mm and 420 mm long, placed in a rayon bag. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St. and a demolition charge that initiates the detonation of the main propellant charge.

The projectile weighing 4.1 kg consists of a solid steel flat-headed body covered with a ballistic cap. A tracer was screwed into the base of the projectile. The projectile itself was made from blanks for the PzGr. 40 without tungsten core.

Verdict
At its core, it is a solid projectile with a ballistic cap. There is no explosive in it, just as there is no high armor penetration of the Pzgr 40 sub-caliber projectile. Due to the high muzzle velocity, it has good ballistics. It was in service with KwK 40 before patch 1.40.13.0 and is not currently used in the game.

Advantages:

Good ballistics
Increased chance to start a fire

Flaws:

Very weak armor action
Low armor penetration

K. Gr. rot Pz.

German 75 mm armor-piercing tracer chamber round with armor-piercing and ballistic tip. Sometimes referred to as Pz. Gr. 38 rot or 7.5 Gr. Patr. 38 kwk. When the KwK 40 gun had just left the conveyors, there were not enough new Pzgr. 39. Therefore, at first, a large number of K.Gr. rot Pz. for short-barreled gun 7.5 cm KwK 38 L/24. Namely, a cartridge case with a propellant charge was replaced with a cartridge case for KwK 40. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge.

A 495 mm long cartridge case contained, as the main propellant charge, presumably 2.15 kg of smokeless powder - a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and diethylene glycol dinitrate. The propelling charge is made in the form of pressed cylindrical tubes 370 mm and 420 mm long, placed in a rayon bag. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St. and a subversive charge weighing 0.315 kg, initiating the detonation of the main propellant charge.

The projectile consists of a steel body, in the head part of which there is a soft armor-piercing tip covered with a ballistic cap. The armor-piercing tip is attached to the head of the projectile by soldering with fusible solder. In the lower part of the projectile there was a chamber with 0.08 kg of explosive (pressed TNT) and a Bdz detonator combined with a tracer. The projectile received rotation due to the friction of the copper guide ring on the rifled barrel of the gun. When fired, a tracer ignited, allowing you to track the flight of the projectile. The ballistic cap provided a high speed of the projectile over a long distance. The soft armor-piercing tip took on the kinetic energy of the collision of the projectile with the armor, thereby protecting it from destruction and breaking the integrity of the armor, making it easier for the main projectile to work. At high angles of attack, the armor-piercing tip ensured the normalization of the projectile. The sharp-headed steel projectile, crushing the soft armor-piercing tip, crashed into the weakened armor and pierced it, forming a cloud of armor fragments. Cocked upon impact, the bottom detonator with gas-dynamic deceleration undermined the explosive charge when the projectile had already penetrated the armor and flew some distance from it.

Verdict
The shell served as a temporary replacement for the Pzgr. 39.

Advantages:

More explosives compared to Pzgr 39

Flaws:

Higher chance of ricochet and projectile destruction than Pzgr 39
Less armor penetration compared to Pzgr 39

Gr. 38 Hl

German 75 mm HEAT tracer M1938 - 7.5 cm. Granate Hohlladung 38. A common German cumulative projectile, produced in various modifications for 75 mm guns. The projectile was used to a limited extent for firing from this gun. Mostly at the first stages, until mass production of more advanced modifications for this weapon was launched. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun.

The 4.4 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 38 instantaneous fuse is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile head itself is made of brittle cast iron and is screwed into the steel body of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.54 kg of a phlegmatized mixture of RDX and TNT, packaged around a central aluminum tube reaching the fuse. The upper part of the explosive charge has a goblet-shaped notch, and the part of the projectile head is hollow. When a projectile collided with an obstacle, the fuse was triggered, it initiated the explosive charge detonator at the rear of the projectile. When the explosive was detonated, a gas-dynamic jet was created, which entered the armor through the head of the projectile that collapsed from the impact. The huge pressure of the gas jet greatly exceeds the yield strength of the armor metal, which is why the armor behaves like a liquid and the jet pierces it without any problems. The main striking elements are a hot gas jet and fragments (“drops”) of armor.

Verdict
The game is missing.

Gr. 38 Hl/A

German 75 mm HEAT tracer M1938, modification A - 7.5 cm. Granate Hohlladung 38/A

A sleeve 495 mm long contained 0.43 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is placed in a bag of rayon. In the center of the bag was a long cylindrical tube of compressed diethylene glycol dinitrate, reaching to the base of the projectile. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St.

The 4.4 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 38 instantaneous fuse is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile head itself is made of brittle cast iron and is screwed into the steel body of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.4 kg of phlegmatized RDX packaged around a central aluminum tube. Top part the explosive charge has a cone-shaped notch, and most of the projectile head is hollow. During the detonation of the explosive, a compacted gas-dynamic jet was created, which entered the armor through the head of the projectile that collapsed from the impact. The huge pressure of the gas jet greatly exceeds the yield strength of the armor metal, which is why the armor behaves like a liquid and the jet pierces it without any problems. The main striking elements are a hot gas jet and fragments (“drops”) of armor.

Verdict
Missing in the game

Gr. 38 Hl/C

German 75 mm HEAT tracer M1938, modification C - 7.5 cm. Granate Hohlladung 38/C. A common German cumulative projectile, produced in various modifications for 75 mm guns. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun.

A sleeve 495 mm long contained 0.5 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of Nitrocellulose and Nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is placed in a bag of rayon. In the center of the bag was a long cylindrical tube of compressed diethylene glycol dinitrate, reaching to the base of the projectile. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St.

The 4.8 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 38 instantaneous fuse is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile head itself is made of brittle cast iron and is screwed into the steel body of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.5 kg of Hexogen-TNT alloy packaged around a central solid aluminum tube. The top of the explosive charge has a cup-shaped notch, and most of the projectile head is hollow. A perforated aluminum disk and a cardboard guide nozzle were installed at the boundary between the charge and the cavity in the head of the projectile. During the detonation of the explosive, a compacted gas-dynamic jet was created, which entered the armor through the head of the projectile that collapsed from the impact. The huge pressure of the gas jet greatly exceeds the yield strength of the armor metal, which is why the armor behaves like a liquid and the jet pierces it without any problems. The main striking elements are a hot gas jet and red-hot fragments ("drops") of armor.

Verdict

Flaws:

The KwK 40 is not in service

Nb Gr. 40

German 75 mm smoke round 7.5cm Nebel-granate. In its structure, it almost does not differ from the high-explosive fragmentation projectile Sprgr. 34, except for the filler and additional recess in the base. In the wall of the projectile there was a clogged hole for filling the projectile with a smoke-forming mixture. It was a unitary projectile consisting of a shot and a cartridge case with a propellant charge. Cartridges with a propellant charge differed in length and diameter depending on the design of the breech of the gun. The 6.2 kg projectile is painted dark olive except for the copper guide ring. The chamber occupies almost the entire volume of the projectile and has an exit hole in the front of the projectile. The walls of the projectile at its base are thicker than in the front. One of the modifications of the Kl.A.Z 23 Nb instantaneous or delayed fuse is installed in the head of the projectile. The projectile is stuffed with 0.068 kg of picric acid in a cardboard tube running along the center of the chamber from the top of the projectile to its base. The rest of the space is filled with a smoke-forming mixture.

A sleeve 495 mm long contained 0.8 kg of smokeless powder, a dibasic mixture of nitrocellulose and nitroguanidine, as the main propellant charge. The propelling charge is placed in a bag of rayon. In the center of the bag was a long cylindrical tube of compressed diethylene glycol dinitrate, reaching to the base of the projectile. At the base of the sleeve there was an electric ignition mechanism C / 22 or C / 22 St.

Use in combat

This is the most massive tank gun of the Wehrmacht, which fought until the very end of the war and many years later. It has seen almost every possible enemy it has. In the game, tanks with this gun (including the PaK 40) usually face opponents with a combat rating between 2.0 and 6.0. In this range there is a huge number of armored vehicles of various classes and designs. There is no reasonable way to describe the tactics of combat on each machine against all enemies, so the section will be limited to general guidelines. And for a detailed guide, refer to the corresponding section of the article about the technique using this tool.

Choice of ammunition

There are 4 types of ammunition available for the gun: armor-piercing chamber, high-explosive fragmentation, fragmentation-cumulative and sub-caliber. You definitely should not take a full ammunition load, since if an ammo rack is hit, it can be detonated with a high probability (up to 95%). Since it is impossible to remove an already loaded projectile from the gun, you should not take all 4 types of projectiles - you will quickly use up ammunition by firing "unsuitable" projectiles. It is recommended to take only 2 types of shells - Pzgr. 39 and Pzgr. 40. The first is filled with explosives and is able to deal with lightly armored vehicles, and the second has a huge armor penetration and will allow you to deal with heavily armored vehicles. High-explosive fragmentation projectile Sprgr. 34 is practically useless, since it cannot penetrate the armored shields of light vehicles that pose a danger to you. A machine gun will better cope with this task, or if you don’t have one, then the usual armor-piercing-chamber projectile Pzgr. 39. High-explosive fragmentation impact of the Gr. HL 38/B is slightly weaker than Sprgr. 34, so it works even worse against light vehicles. The cumulative jet, although it has a high chance of setting fire to / blowing up a gas tank / ammo rack, is still inferior to the same effect from the explosion of the Pzgr chamber. 39, and insufficient armor penetration and armor effect do not make the projectile so effective.

Combat tactics

Equipment with this gun has weak armor, and the gun itself has good ballistics at a distance of 1000-1500 meters. The projectiles don't have much armor effect, so don't expect to destroy the target with one shot and be prepared to land another one or retreat to cover.

If you knocked out the barrel, use the mount to fight the enemy.

Your main friend is distance. At a distance it's easier for you to hit most enemies than them you.
The gun elevation angles on tanks allow you to shoot behind hills.
Take cover behind a hill and use your binoculars to safely reconnoiter surrounding area and "jump out" of the ambush, finding the enemy.
Staying in cover behind the hill, use the binoculars for aiming and "mounted" shooting.
The most vulnerable enemy module is the ammo rack, try to hit it.
Shooting at the side of the enemy's turret will allow you to hit several key modules at once - the crew, ammunition rack, breech and turret drive system.
For shooting at fast-moving targets, it is best to use Pzgr 40 sub-caliber shells with high speed, but armor-piercing chamber Pzgr 39 can also be used.
The engine of most enemies can be destroyed with a single Pzgr 39 hit.
If you have a heavily armored tank in front of you, whose armor you cannot penetrate, then try to destroy its barrel - this will give you time to change position or allow you to hit it in a weak spot. To destroy the enemy's barrel, three Pzgr 39 shells are fired.
When fighting against high-level vehicles, try to flank them, as such vehicles can destroy you from a long distance.
Your rate of fire is faster than most enemies, but your projectiles are weaker.
Win.
The Pzgr 39 can be used against most targets, and the Pzgr 40 against the most heavily armored.
Work in a team.

Low level light armored vehicles This includes small-caliber tanks and light anti-aircraft guns. They pose a danger only to close range (<500 метров). В то же время, вы можете поразить их с любой дистанции. Стоит опасаться фланговых атак такой техники.

Light armored vehicles of medium and high level This includes light tanks and self-propelled guns, as well as large-caliber anti-aircraft guns. Of particular danger are high-speed anti-aircraft guns that can penetrate your armor at a distance of up to 1000 m. Try to determine their location by sound and tracers and catch them by surprise or cover them with artillery support.

medium tanks This includes medium tanks of the initial and medium levels with a comparable gun. You are dangerous to each other, but you have a higher rate of fire and more accurate guns. Take advantage of this. If your armor allows, then try to "diamond" at a distance or try to go from the flank.

High Tier Medium Tanks This includes medium tanks that can confidently hit you at a distance of 1000 m. They are extremely dangerous and can destroy you with one shot. Try to shorten the distance and enter from the flag. Another tactic might be a well-laid ambush, but don't expose yourself until the enemy is within safe range.

Self-propelled guns This includes Soviet self-propelled guns: both short-barreled (for example, SU-122) and long-barreled (for example, SU-85). They are deadly even at long distances. The angles of inclination and the thickness of the frontal armor will not allow you to easily hit the fighting compartment of the self-propelled gun. Armor-piercing shells will penetrate your armor even at a distance of 1800 m, and high-explosive high-explosive shells can destroy you even if they hit you next to a tank. Deadly in a head-on collision at close range, but vulnerable to outflanking. It is most effective to hit the side, which almost always leads to the destruction of self-propelled guns with one shot.

Medium Heavy Tanks This includes heavy tanks, which you can penetrate without much difficulty with the main projectile (KV-1 and M6A1). These tanks are capable of destroying you from a distance, while their armor will protect you from your projectiles. To defeat heavy tanks, it is better to get close to them at least at an average distance and target weak points in the armor. To defeat enemies at long distances, it would be better to use a sub-caliber projectile. Like any other tanks, they are vulnerable to flank attacks. Your advantage is maneuverability and sometimes rate of fire.

High Tier Heavy Tanks This includes heavy tanks with frontal armor above the Pzgr 39 armor penetration limit (IS and Sherman Jumbo). Extremely dangerous. Part of the tanks can be hit in the weak spots of the armor or on the side. The best way to do this is to ambush and flank. You can also try to immobilize a heavy tank and cover it with artillery. You can also try to knock out his barrel, making it an easy target for other members of your team.

Aviation For experienced pilots, you are not a priority target, but a frag is a frag. Hide from aircraft in the woods and between buildings. Don't move in a large group, especially near heavy tanks. In some cases, you can destroy a low-flying enemy aircraft with a projectile, in particular, an aircraft approaching you. Remember that the rate of fire of the gun is enough for you only for one shot.

tank bots It will not be easy for you to destroy the enemy tank bots, since the KwK 40 shells have a weak armor effect, and the bots do not have an ammo rack. Try to hit the tank crew or use artillery against enemies standing still. If your ammo is low, then ignore the bots.

Artillery and other stationary targets Computer artillery is dangerous for you, but you can destroy it with any projectile. Therefore, use binoculars for reconnaissance of the location of the artillery. Large groups of enemies can be covered with artillery strikes.

Links

Ammunition Artillery of the former German Army
Guderian G. - Tanks Forward (1957)
The study of the penetrating effect of German captured shells on the armor of our tanks and the development of measures to combat them. 3rd Main Directorate, Central Research Institute. - 1942

The appearance of this gun began back in 1938, when the Wehrmacht's Ordnance Department issued a task to design and build a 75-mm anti-tank gun.

Two firms participated in the competition: Rheinmetall-Borsig and Krupp. At the first stage, the Rheinmetall model won, and the Krupp product became the basis for the creation of the 75-mm gun of the 1941 model.

The Rheinmetal prototype was named 7.5 cm Pak. 40 ... and that's where it all stopped. There was no need for an anti-tank gun of such a large caliber. All problems on the battlefield were quite successfully solved by the 37-mm anti-tank gun of the 1936 model.

Pak 40 turned out to be very heavy and not very mobile. To transport the gun, a tractor was required, especially where the roads were not very good, or in muddy conditions. So initially the Pak 40 did not fit into the concept of "blitzkrieg" at all, and therefore there was no order for mass production in 1940.

Yes, the battles in France with the allied S-35, B-1bis and Matilda tanks, which had some anti-ballistic armor, revealed the need for a gun with the characteristics of the Pak 40.

However, the campaign on the Western Front ended quickly, and in the following Wehrmacht campaigns in Yugoslavia and Crete, there were no targets for which the Pak 40 could be needed, and the stake was placed on establishing mass production of the 5 cm Pak gun. 38.

The issue of organizing the serial production of the 75-mm anti-tank gun was put on the back burner.

The situation changed after the German attack on the Soviet Union, when they had to face the new Soviet T-34 and KV tanks.

The adoption of the 50 mm Pak 38 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 the T-34 or KV. According to the statistics of the defeats of the T-34 tank in late 1941 - early 1942, 50% of hits of 50-mm shells were fatal, and the probability of incapacitating a T-34 or KV with one hit of a 50-mm shell was even lower;

Tungsten carbide was used as the material for the cermet core, and tungsten stocks in the Third Reich were very limited;

Poor performance of the Pak 38 against unarmored targets.

Nevertheless, while there was still hope for a "blitzkrieg", the Wehrmacht leadership was in no hurry to adopt the Pak 40. But by the end of autumn 1941, it became clear to the German military that the disorganization of the Soviet troops had been largely overcome, and the number of T-34s on all fronts began to steadily increase. This made them a very dangerous adversary, and the existing means to deal with them were officially recognized as insufficient.

And in November 1941, the Pak 40 was put into service, mass production began.

In 1942, the gradual re-equipment of all parts of the Wehrmacht anti-tank artillery with Pak 40 began, which was finally completed by the beginning of 1943. Reports from the Soviet tank forces in early 1943 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 fatal.

In 1942-1945. the gun was effective against any Allied medium tank that fought, so its production continued until the very end of World War II.

Reliable protection against its fire was realized only in the IS-2 and T-44 tanks (the latter did not take part in hostilities). As for the IS-2, the statistics on irretrievably disabled tanks was such that 75-mm caliber accounted for 14% of losses (the rest was 88-mm caliber and cumulative Faustpatrons).

The Pak 40 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, Pak 40 in the 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. Also captured Pak 40s were actively used in the Red Army.

In total, 23,303 Pak 40 towed guns were produced in 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 Pak 40 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 Pak 40 was superior to the similar Soviet 76.2-mm ZIS-3 gun, this was due to a more powerful powder charge in the Pak 40 shot - 2.7 kg (for the ZIS-3 shot - 1 kg).

However, the Pak 40 had less effective recoil suppression systems, as a result of which, when fired, the coulters “burrowed” into the ground more strongly, as a result of which the ZiS-3 lost a lot in the ability to quickly change position or transfer fire. And sometimes it burrowed in such a way that it was possible to tear out their soil only with the help of a tractor.

This decision seemed to have one more advantage - in the event of a deep breakthrough and the tanks reaching the positions of German artillery, the Pak 40 again became an anti-tank gun. However, estimates of the scale of the combat use of the Pak 40 in this capacity are very controversial. The ZIS-3 was out of competition in terms of versatility and mobility, even though it lost in armor penetration.

At the end of the Second World War, the Pak 40s that were available in large numbers were taken into service in France, where the production of ammunition for them was established. And in 1959, several anti-tank artillery battalions were created as part of the Vietnamese People's Army, armed with captured Pak 40 guns supplied from the USSR.

Tactical and technical characteristics:

Caliber, mm: 75
Weight in combat position, kg: 1425
Horizontal aiming angle: 65°
Maximum elevation angle: +22°
Minimum declination angle: -5°
Rate of fire, rounds per minute: 14

Muzzle velocity of the projectile, m/s:
933 (sub-caliber armor-piercing)
792 (caliber armor-piercing)
550 (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, mm:
135 (caliber armor-piercing)
154 (sub-caliber armor-piercing)

History of creation and production.

Production 7.5 cm Pak 40

Ammunition production

Organization.

Combat experience.

Ammunition.

Ammunition 7.5 cm Pak 40

Ballistic data and armor penetration.

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

History reference

Media

KwK40 L/43 (75mm)

History reference

Advantages and disadvantages

Media

KwK40 L/48 (75mm)

History reference

Advantages and disadvantages

Media

StuK40 L/43 (75mm)

History reference

Advantages and disadvantages

Media

StuK40 L/48 (75mm)

History reference

Advantages and disadvantages

Media

Available projectiles

Pzgr. 39

Spr Gr. 34

Gr. 38 Hl/B

Pzgr. 40

Pzgr. 40W

K. Gr. rot Pz.

Gr. 38 Hl

Gr. 38 Hl/A

Gr. 38 Hl/C

Nb Gr. 40

Use in combat

Choice of ammunition

Combat tactics

see also

Links

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