5 cm KwK 38
The 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42) was a German 50 mm calibre cannon used as the main armament of variants of the German Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank during the Second World War. There was no towed anti-tank gun equivalent.[1]
| 5 cm KwK 38 (L/42) | |
|---|---|
 PzKpfw III/H with 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 | |
| Type | Kampfwagenkanone |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Unit cost | 8000 Reichmark |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 400 kg (881.8 lb) |
| Barrel length | 210 cm (83 in) bore (42 calibers) |
| Shell | Fixed ammunition 50 mm × 289 mm (2.0 in × 11.4 in) R |
| Shell weight | 2.07 kg (4.56 lb) armor-piercing (APC-HE) Pzgr. 39 |
| Caliber | 50 mm (1.97 in) |
| Elevation | -10° to +20° |
| Muzzle velocity | 685 m/s (2,250 ft/s) |
Ammunition
Average penetration performance established against rolled homogenous steel armour plate laid back at 30° from the vertical.[2]
- PzGr (Armour Piercing)
- Weight of projectile: 2.06 kg (4.5 lb)
- Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s (2,250 ft/s)
| 100 m (330 ft) | 500 m (1,600 ft) | 1,000 m (3,300 ft) | 1,500 m (4,900 ft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53 mm (2.1 in) | 43 mm (1.7 in) | 32 mm (1.3 in) | 24 mm (0.94 in) |
- PzGr. 39 (Armour-piercing, capped, ballistic cap)
- Weight of projectile: 2.06 kg
- Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s
| 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 mm (2.2 in) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 37 mm (1.5 in) | 28 mm (1.1 in) |
- PzGr. 40 (Armour-piercing, composite, rigid)
- Weight of projectile: 0.925 kg (2.04 lb)
- Muzzle velocity: 1,050 m/s (3,400 ft/s)
| 100 m | 500 m |
|---|---|
| 94 mm (3.7 in) | 55 mm |
| Ammunition type | Muzzle velocity | Penetration | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2,000 m (6,600 ft) | |||||||
| Pzgr. 39 APCBC | 685 m/s | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 59 mm (2.3 in) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 34 mm (1.3 in) | 26 mm (1.0 in) | |||||
| Pzgr. 40 APCR | 1,050 m/s | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 94 mm | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 42 mm (1.7 in) | 28 mm | |||||
Vehicles mounted on
See also
- 5 cm KwK 39 L/60
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- Ordnance QF 2-pounder: British 40mm tank gun
- 45 mm anti-tank gun M1937 (53-K): Soviet tank gun
- 37 mm Gun M3: US tank gun
References
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2008). M3 Medium Tank Vs Panzer III: Kasserine Pass 1943. Osprey Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-84603-261-5.
- Ankerstjerne, Christian (13 August 2014). "5 cm Kw K". Panzerworld. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- Bird, Lorrin Rexford; Livingston, Robert D. (2001). WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery. Overmatch Press. p. 61.
- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary (1995). Germany's Panther Tank. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. pp. 11. ISBN 0887408125.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.