5 cm KwK 39
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the main armament of later variants of the German Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank between 1941-1942 during Second World War.[1] This gun proved successful in North Africa against British cruiser tanks and light American M3 Stuart tanks.[2] However, it was not sufficient against Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks. Rottman says, that for this reason it was phased out in favour of shorter 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun[1] that could fire HEAT rounds. Nevertheless, the first gun considered fully effective against these Soviet tanks was 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 mounted on Panzer IV Ausf. F2.
This 5 cm gun was mounted as a defensive armament for recon vehicles like Puma. The towed anti-tank variant of this gun was called 5 cm PaK 38.
Ammunition
- PzGr (Armour Piercing)
- PzGr. 39 (Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap)
- PzGr. 40 (Armour Piercing Composite Rigid)
- PzGr. 40/1 (Armour Piercing Composite Rigid)
- 5 cm Sprgr.Patr.38 (High Explosive)
Vehicles mounted on
- Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd. Kfz. 141/1) Ausf. J to M (serial production).[1] Several earlier models were re-equipped with this gun.
- Sd. Kfz. 234/2 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen "Puma"
Aerial version
BK 5 heavy-caliber autocannon