• Source: 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 Panzer III medium tank during the Second World War. The towed anti-tank gun equivalent was the PaK.37 of which 2,600 were produced from 1937 until 1940.




History



The Panzer III was intended to fight other tanks; in the initial design stage a 50-millimetre (1.97 in) gun was specified. However, the infantry at the time were being equipped with the 37 mm (1.46 in) 3.7 cm PaK 36, and it was thought that, in the interest of standardization, the tanks should carry the same armament. As a compromise, the turret ring was made large enough to accommodate a 50 mm (1.97 in) gun should a future upgrade be required. This single decision later assured the Panzer III a prolonged life in the German Army.
The early Panzer III Ausf. A to early Ausf. G were equipped with a 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/45, which proved adequate during the campaigns of 1939 and 1940. In response to increasingly better armed and armored opponents, the later Panzer III Ausf. F to Ausf. J were upgraded with the 5 cm KwK 38 L/42. And the later Panzer III Ausf. J¹ to M went with the longer 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun.




Ammunition


Average penetration performance established against rolled homogenous steel armour plate laid back at 30° from the vertical.

PzGr (Armour Piercing)
Weight of projectile: 2.06 kg (4.5 lb)
Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s (2,250 ft/s)

PzGr. 39 (Armour-piercing, capped, ballistic cap)
Weight of projectile: 2.06 kg
Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s

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)




Vehicles mounted on


Panzer III (Sd. Kfz. 141) - Ausf. F to J (serial production), several earlier models were re-equipped with this gun.
VK 20 series proposed replacement of the Panzer III and IV




See also


5 cm KwK 39




= Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

=
Ordnance QF 2-pounder: British 40mm tank and anti-tank gun
45 mm anti-tank gun M1932 (19-K): Soviet tank gun
37 mm gun M3: US tank gun




References






= Citations

=




= Bibliography

=
Perrett, Bryan (1999). Panzerkampfwagen III: Medium Tank 1936–44. New Vanguard 27. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-845-3.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• 5 cm KwK 39
• 7,5 cm KwK 37
• 7,5 cm KwK 40
• 7,5 cm Pak 39
• Panzergranate 40
• 7,5 cm Pak 40
• Hetzer
• Panzer III
• Daftar meriam tank
• Daftar kendaraan dengan sebutan Sd.Kfz.
• 5 cm KwK 38
• 5 cm KwK 39
• 7.5 cm KwK 40
• 2 cm KwK 30
• 5 cm Pak 38
• 3.7 cm KwK 36
• 7.5 cm KwK 37
• 7.5 cm Pak 40
• Panzer III
• 2 cm Flak 30, Flak 38 and Flakvierling 38