4.2 cm Pak 41

4.2 cm Pak 41
Type	Anti-tank gun
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
Used by	Germany
Production history
Produced	1941—1942
No. built	313
Specifications
Mass	642 kilograms (1,415 lb)
Length	235 centimetres (93 in)
Barrel length	2,114 millimetres (83.2 in) L/52
Shell	42 × 406 mm. R
Caliber	4.06 centimetres (1.60 in)
Breech	horizontal sliding block
Carriage	split trail
Elevation	-8° to +25°
Traverse	60°
Muzzle velocity	1,265 m/s (4,150 ft/s)
Effective firing range	1,000 metres (1,100 yd)

The 4.2 cm Pak 41 was a light anti-tank gun issued to German airborne units in World War II. This gun was externally similar to the PaK 36, and used a modified version of the latter's carriage, but used the Gerlich squeeze-bore principle to boost its velocity, and hence armor-piercing ability. The bore had a diameter of 4.06 centimetres (1.60 in) at the chamber, but tapered down to 2.94 centimetres (1.16 in) at the muzzle.

Specifications

• Projectile weight: AP 0.336 kg (12 ounces)
• Armour penetration: 72 mm (2.835 in) at 455 m (500 yards)

See also

2.8 cm sPzB 41

References

• Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter. Weapons of the Third Reich: An Encyclopedic Survey of All Small Arms, Artillery and Special Weapons of the German Land Forces 1939-1945. New York: Doubleday, 1979 ISBN 0-385-15090-3
• Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X