Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 2 (PzF 44 2A1)

History of Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 2 (PzF 44 2A1)

Many Western-leaning nations in post-World War II Europe relied on the U.S.s tried and tested Bazooka line of anti-tank missile launchers to counter the tank threat posed by the regions new enemy, the Soviet Union. However, as the Soviet Union added armor protection to many of its tank designs, U.S. weapons lost much of their anti-tank value on the battlefield, forcing the military to try and eventually adopt several indigenous designs and developments, like West Germany's Kay and Dynamit Nobel PzF 44 2A1 ("Panzerfaust 2") recoilless rocket launcher. This weapon appeared in the early 1960s and remained in service until the 1990s.

It was also known as "Lanze Panzerfaust" ("Light Armor/Panzerfaust") and had the long designation "Panzerfaust 44mm DM2 Ausfuhrung 1 Lance" in the West German Army's inventory.

In a way, the PzF 44 is a rebirth of the effective "Iron Fist" series that began during World War II (1939-1945), when the Germans introduced several hand-held and shoulder-fired anti-tank weapons, mainly with thick Thick Soviet armor. The modern PzF 44 adopts a similar design form to the Soviet RPG-7 series of rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), with integrated optics, pistol grip management and a rocket-shaped projectile protruding from the muzzle end.

A vertical fore grip has been added in front of the main grip for additional hand support. Like the RPG-7, the PzF 44 is designed to be shoulder-fired, with the launcher being reusable, unlike the rival American M72 LAW, which is a single-shot, one-shot design.

Compared to competing designs at the time, the PzF 44 had inherently greater range penetration (up to 370mm of armor thickness) and could engage moving targets up to 300m away. It uses a 3.3-pound fin-stabilized penetrating round with a caliber of 67 mm and a maximum range of 400 meters.

The muzzle velocity is 690 feet per second, and aiming is achieved by a telescope assembly mounted above the launch tube and offset to the left.

The weapon is carried out using a drive rod inserted into the front of the launcher. The rocket is then pressed against this charge, joining the two pieces together. The rocket is then fully inserted into the muzzle until its 44mm body is encased in the tube and the 67mm head is exposed.

The recoilless part of the PzF 44 is achieved by firing a large iron charge from the rear of the gun as the rocket leaves the muzzle. This creates an "anti-mass effect" that helps improve accuracy and allows firing within the confines of buildings.

The back blast is up to two meters for anyone near the back of the gun - so some caution is still required.

In addition to being used as an anti-tank solution, PzF 44 can also be used to blast holes in concrete walls. Beginning in 1992, the weapon was eventually replaced by the more modern Dynamit Nobel Panzerfaust 3 series.

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