From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 SdKfz.141 Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank during the Second World War. There was no towed anti-tank gun equivalent.[1]
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
- Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s
100 m |
500 m |
1000 m |
1500 m
|
55 mm |
46 mm |
36 mm |
28 mm
|
- Weight of projectile: 2.06 kg
- Muzzle velocity: 685 m/s
100 m |
500 m |
1000 m |
1500 m
|
60 mm |
50 mm |
42 mm |
32 mm
|
- Weight of projectile: 0.925 kg
- Muzzle velocity: 1050 m/s
Penetration figures (90 degrees) uses American and British 50% success criteria,
and allowing direct comparison to foreign gun performance.[3]
Gun type |
Ammunition type |
Muzzle velocity (m/s) |
Penetration (mm)
|
100 m
|
500 m
|
1000 m
|
1500 m
|
2000 m
|
5.0 cm KwK 38 L/42
|
Pzgr. 39 APCBC
|
685 m/s (2,250 ft/s)
|
73
|
59
|
45
|
34
|
26
|
5.0 cm KwK 38 L/42
|
Pzgr. 40 APCR
|
1,050 m/s (3,400 ft/s)
|
130
|
94
|
63
|
42
|
28
|
Vehicles mounted on
- Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd. Kfz. 141) - Ausf. F to J (serial production), several earlier models were re-equipped with this gun.[1]
- VK 20 series proposed replacement of the Panzer III and IV[4]
See also
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
References
- ^ a b 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. "Armor Penetration Table". Panzerworld. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
- ^ Bird, Lorrin Rexford; Livingston, Robert D. (2001). WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery. Overmatch Press. p. 61.
- ^ Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary. Germany's Panther Tank. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. p. 11. ISBN 0887408125.
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