PaK 38 (PanzerAbwehrKanone 38)

History

While the 37mm PaK 35/36 anti-tank gun proved successful in tests in the Spanish Civil War, German authorities knew that the system would soon be replaced by heavier armored tank systems (some of which were already in service at the time). will be out of date. Rheinmetall began work on a 50 mm (2 in; 5 cm) caliber rifled version in 1935, designated the PaK 37. However, German authorities were not satisfied with the gun's action at low speeds and forced Rheinmetall to abandon their product for revisions.

The company installed a new, longer L/60 barrel and brought back the PaK 38 that the Bundeswehr accepted for production. Production began in 1939 and reached the German army in 1940, although it was too late to participate in the German campaign on the Western Front.

Once in service, the PaK 38 operated as part of a dedicated anti-tank platoon, although the anti-tank gun did not begin its first combat operation until 1941 - part of Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union through "Operation Barbarossa".

During the German invasion of Soviet territory, PaK 38 squads received a new projectile - the Panzergranate 40 APCR (or "AP40"). The ammunition is based on captured Czech and Polish ammunition designs that have been returned to German service.

The AP40 used a dense tungsten core for better long-range penetration and proved particularly effective against the Soviet KV-1 heavy tank. When the T-34/76 medium tanks arrived on the Eastern Front, the PaK 38 and its AP40 shell proved to be the only weapons in service at the time capable of penetrating its thick armor.

However, the limited availability of the PaK 38 severely reduced its range on the front lines and forced the Germans to fill gaps in their defenses with old captured French 75mm guns. While the T-34/76 made the excellent 50mm PaK 38 now a liability in some ways, the weapon system remained usable until the end of the war in 1945 - albeit superseded by newer, larger caliber anti-tank guns .

The PaK 38 has a maximum range of nearly 3,000 yards. Caliber 50 x 419mmR, the gun is 10 feet 5.5 inches long, and the barrel is 7 feet 9.7 inches long. The barrel is fitted with a cushioned muzzle brake to dissipate recoil, while the tractor does double duty by providing "legs" to stabilize the gun while firing.

The entire weapon system weighs 2,341 pounds when range is attached and shifts 1,000 pounds when in place. Lateral is limited to 65 degrees, and elevation is from -8 degrees to +27 degrees. Depending on the ammunition used, AP (armor-piercing) rounds have an estimated muzzle velocity as high as 3,870 feet per second, while HE (high-explosive) rounds can have muzzle velocities as low as 1,805 feet per second.

The gun operates semi-automatically, the ammunition feeding system is manually operated by the crew, and the rate of fire is approximately 13 rounds per minute. Attraction is Z. F. 3x8.

The five crew members gathered at the rear of the weapon system, protected only by forward-facing sloping curved armor plates. The panel is set up as two separate components approximately 1" apart and 0.15" thick. This provides forward-facing protection for the crew, but further security must come from man-made fortifications such as earthen structures, tree cover, sandbag walls, etc. in the nearby area. Rubber tire steel wheels enable the PaK 38 to be towed by vehicles traveling at high speeds.

The shovel ends on the rear legs are fitted with small wheels for added maneuvering assistance - although these are often removed. Once the gun is in place, it is held in place with its light alloy tubular split rail. When opened, the legs lock the wagon's torsion bar suspension for shooting.

The PaK 38's weight ensures that it can be towed into action by a tractor, half-track or utility vehicle, and the crew can work together to reposition the gun to a new location nearby. Thanks to its thoughtful design, the PaK 38 provides a rather small, low-profile frontal target for the enemy.

The PaK 38 proved so successful throughout its life that the weapon was designed for use on fighter jets. This particular development introduced an automatic feeding mechanism and was featured in the proposed development of the jet-powered Messerschmitt Me 262 "Schwalbe". The gun was intended as a heavy weapon capable of taking down enemy bombers that were continually destroying German infrastructure and war production facilities. Another proposed development is the use of the same airborne automatic cannon as the ground anti-aircraft gun system. The PaK 38 was also developed as a vehicle main gun armament for tanks, many of which eventually became coastal fortifications along the "Atlantic Wall".

In another battlefield operation, the PaK 38 was installed on the rear of a Panzerjager tracked vehicle to create a temporary self-propelled gun (SPG) system to support infantry operations. In fact, so many of these systems were produced that the British eventually captured enough examples to keep them in their ranks as an emergency measure if needed.

Approximately 9,500 PaK 38 systems were eventually produced before the end of the war, most of which remained in service until the end of the war.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

Depends on the ammunition carrier. Available for AP and HE warheads.

Changes