The design of the KwK 40 was adapted from the similar towed anti-tank gun, the 7.5 cm Pak 40. It replaced the short-barrel 7.5 cm KwK 37 a 24-calibre long close-support gun, providing a huge improvement in firepower for mid-war tank designs. It came in two versions, with L/43 and L/48barrel lengths, the former used during 1942 and early 1943, and the latter after that point. Along with the Pak 40, the KwK 40/StuK 40 was the most numerous anti-tank gun of the German army, and remained an effective weapon until the war's end.
When mounted on a casemate-armored assault gun-designated vehicle (Sturmpanzer) instead of a turreted tank, the weapon was called Sturmkanone 40 (StuK 40). Both the KwK 40 and StuK 40 were developed from the towed 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun. The length of the ammunition used was shortened to allow for easier storage of said ammunition in vehicles the KwK 40 and StuK 40 would be mounted on.
The KwK 40 L/43 was mounted on the Panzer IV from April 1942 until June 1943. All 225 vehicles of the Panzer IV F2 mounted the L/43 with a ball shaped muzzle brake. About a 1,000 out of the 1,687 vehicles of the Panzer IV Ausf. G mounted the L/43 with a double baffle muzzle brake. The StuG III with the L/43 gun was designated as Ausf. F. of which only 120 were equipped with the L/43 (the remaining 246 having the longer L/48 version). All StuG III production runs through Ausf. F/8 to G mounted the longer L/48. The 780 original Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyers mounted the Pak 39 variant of the L/48 gun, the later Panzer IV/70 mounted the even longer Panther-derived StuK 42 L/70.
The L/48 was 334 mm (13.1 inches) longer and slightly more powerful than the L/43. L/48 became the standard gun from June 1942 until the end of World War II. The gun was fitted with an electric firing mechanism and the breech operated semi-automatically. Only one-piece ammunition was used.
Following number of vehicles mounted L/48 version from June 1942-April 1945
Approximately 6,000 vehicles of Ausf. G, H, J out of 8,800 Panzer IV
7,720 vehicles of StuG III Ausf. G + 246 of Ausf.F + 250 vehicles of StuG III Ausf. F/8
As with the 7.5 cm Pak 40, the muzzle brake of the KwK 40 and StuK 40 went through a series of design changes. Five types of muzzle brakes were used, gradually increasing the area of exposure to the blast. The designs progressed from tubular type double baffle muzzle brakes to single baffle ball shape muzzle brakes, which proved to be insufficient in reducing recoil, followed by a double flange type from May 1943. The front flange and rear disk type was used from March 1944, followed finally by the double disc type.
^"7,5 cm Kw K 40 (L/48)". Panzer World. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
^"German Explosive Ordnance" (PDF). Departments of the Army and the Air Force. 16 March 1953. pp. 397–402. (PDF) from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
^Sturmgeschutz & Its Variants, Walter J. Spielberger, P67, ISBN0-88740-398-0
^Bird, Lorrin Rexford; Livingston, Robert D. (2001). WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery. Overmatch Press. p. 61.
External links
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January 23, 2023
kampfwagenkanone, german, second, world, vehicle, mounted, used, primary, armament, german, panzer, model, onwards, medium, tank, sturmgeschütz, model, onwards, sturmgeschütz, tank, destroyers, assault, guns, panzer, ausf, htypekampfwagenkanoneplace, originger. The 7 5 cm KwK 40 7 5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 40 was a German 75 mm Second World War era vehicle mounted gun used as the primary armament of the German Panzer IV F2 model onwards medium tank and the Sturmgeschutz III F model onwards and Sturmgeschutz IV tank destroyers assault guns 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 on a Panzer IV ausf HTypeKampfwagenkanonePlace of originGermanyService historyUsed by Nazi GermanyWarsWorld War IIProduction historyDesignerRheinmetall Borsig AGManufacturerRheinmetall Borsig AGUnit cost13500 RMProduced1942 45SpecificationsMass750 kg 1 653 5 lb Barrel length361 5 cm 142 3 in bore 48 calibers ShellFixed QF 75 495mm RCaliber75 mm 2 95 in Elevation 10 to 20 Rate of fire10 15 round per minuteMuzzle velocity750 m s 2 500 ft s Maximum firing range7 700 m 25 262 ft The design of the KwK 40 was adapted from the similar towed anti tank gun the 7 5 cm Pak 40 It replaced the short barrel 7 5 cm KwK 37 a 24 calibre long close support gun providing a huge improvement in firepower for mid war tank designs It came in two versions with L 43 and L 48 barrel lengths the former used during 1942 and early 1943 and the latter after that point Along with the Pak 40 the KwK 40 StuK 40 was the most numerous anti tank gun of the German army and remained an effective weapon until the war s end Contents 1 History 2 Ammunition 3 Penetration comparison 4 Usage of KwK or Pak StuK variant 4 1 L 43 4 2 L 48 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditWhen mounted on a casemate armored assault gun designated vehicle Sturmpanzer instead of a turreted tank the weapon was called Sturmkanone 40 StuK 40 Both the KwK 40 and StuK 40 were developed from the towed 7 5 cm Pak 40 anti tank gun The length of the ammunition used was shortened to allow for easier storage of said ammunition in vehicles the KwK 40 and StuK 40 would be mounted on The KwK 40 L 43 was mounted on the Panzer IV from April 1942 until June 1943 All 225 vehicles of the Panzer IV F2 mounted the L 43 with a ball shaped muzzle brake About a 1 000 out of the 1 687 vehicles of the Panzer IV Ausf G mounted the L 43 with a double baffle muzzle brake The StuG III with the L 43 gun was designated as Ausf F of which only 120 were equipped with the L 43 the remaining 246 having the longer L 48 version All StuG III production runs through Ausf F 8 to G mounted the longer L 48 The 780 original Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyers mounted the Pak 39 variant of the L 48 gun the later Panzer IV 70 mounted the even longer Panther derived StuK 42 L 70 The L 48 was 334 mm 13 1 inches longer and slightly more powerful than the L 43 L 48 became the standard gun from June 1942 until the end of World War II The gun was fitted with an electric firing mechanism and the breech operated semi automatically Only one piece ammunition was used Following number of vehicles mounted L 48 version from June 1942 April 1945 Approximately 6 000 vehicles of Ausf G H J out of 8 800 Panzer IV 7 720 vehicles of StuG III Ausf G 246 of Ausf F 250 vehicles of StuG III Ausf F 8 All 1 139 vehicles of StuG IV 780 Jagdpanzer IVAs with the 7 5 cm Pak 40 the muzzle brake of the KwK 40 and StuK 40 went through a series of design changes Five types of muzzle brakes were used gradually increasing the area of exposure to the blast The designs progressed from tubular type double baffle muzzle brakes to single baffle ball shape muzzle brakes which proved to be insufficient in reducing recoil followed by a double flange type from May 1943 The front flange and rear disk type was used from March 1944 followed finally by the double disc type Ammunition Edit Gun maintenance on a Sturmgeschutz III Ammunition is loaded on a Sturmgeschutz IV in 1944 KwK 40 used shell 75 495 mm R 1 2 3 Pzgr Patr 39 KwK 40 Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap APCBC High Explosive round Muzzle velocity 750 m s 2 500 ft s Projectile Panzergranate 39 Pzgr 39 Projectile weight 6 8 kg 15 lb Explosive filler 18 g 0 63 oz of RDX wax Fuze BdZ 5103 or BdZ 5103 base fuze Round weight 11 52 kg 25 4 lb Cartridge case height 495 mm 19 5 in Propelling charge 2 41 kg 5 3 lb of Digl R P G1 Primer electric model C 22 or C 22 St Pzgr Patr 40 KwK 40 Armour Piercing Composite Rigid Muzzle velocity 930 m s 3 100 ft s Projectile Panzergranate 40 Projectile weight 4 1 kg 9 0 lb Explosive filler none Fuze none Round weight 8 61 kg 19 0 lb Cartridge case height 495 mm Propelling charge 2 2 kg 4 9 lb of Gu R P 7 7 Primer electric model C 22 or C 22 St Gr Patr 38 HL B KwK 40 High Explosive Anti Tank Muzzle velocity 450 m s 1 500 ft s Projectile Gr 38 HL B Projectile weight 5 kg 11 lb Explosive filler 0 51 kg 1 1 lb of RDX wax Fuze A Z 38 St Round weight 7 36 kg 16 2 lb Cartridge case height 495 mm Propelling charge 0 43 kg 0 95 lb of Gu Bl P AO Primer electric model C 22 or C 22 St Gr Patr 38 HL C KwK 40 High Explosive Anti Tank 7 5 cm Sprgr Patr 34 KwK 40 High Explosive L 48 Muzzle velocity 550 m s 1 800 ft s Projectile Sprgr 34 Projectile weight 5 75 kg 12 7 lb Explosive filler 0 66 kg 1 5 lb of amatol 2760 Kilojoules Fuze kl A Z 23 0 15 umg nose fuze Round weight 8 71 kg 19 2 lb Cartridge case height 495 mm Propelling charge 0 755 kg 1 66 lb of Gu Bl P AO Primer electric model C 22 or C 22 St Penetration comparison EditPenetration in mm armor plate inclined at 30 degrees from vertical 4 Gun type Barrel length Ammunition type Muzzle velocity Penetration100 m 330 ft 500 m 1 600 ft 1 000 m 3 300 ft 1 500 m 4 900 ft 2 000 m 6 600 ft 7 5 cm KwK 37 L 24 1 762 5 mm 69 39 in K Gr Patr rot Pz 385 m s 1 260 ft s 41 mm 1 6 in 39 mm 1 5 in 35 mm 1 4 in 33 mm 1 3 in 30 mm 1 2 in 7 5 cm StuK 40 L 43 3 281 mm 129 2 in Pzgr Ptr 39 740 m s 2 400 ft s 99 mm 3 9 in 91 mm 3 6 in 82 mm 3 2 in 72 mm 2 8 in 63 mm 2 5 in 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 3 615 mm 142 3 in Pzgr Ptr 39 750 m s 2 500 ft s 110 mm 4 3 in 97 mm 3 8 in 86 mm 3 4 in 75 mm 3 0 in 64 mm 2 5 in 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 3 615 mm 142 3 in Pzgr Ptr 40 930 m s 3 100 ft s 143 mm 5 6 in 120 mm 4 7 in 97 mm 77 mm 3 0 in Penetration figures 90 degrees uses American and British 50 success criteria and allowing direct comparison to foreign gun performance 5 Gun type Ammunition type Muzzle velocity Penetration100 m 250 m 820 ft 500 m 750 m 2 460 ft 1000 m 1 250 m 4 100 ft 1500 m 2000 m 2 500 m 8 200 ft 3 000 m 9 800 ft 7 5 cm StuK 40 L 43 APCBC 740 m s 133 mm 5 2 in 128 mm 5 0 in 121 mm 4 8 in 114 mm 4 5 in 107 mm 4 2 in 101 mm 4 0 in 95 mm 3 7 in 85 mm 75 mm 3 0 in 67 mm 2 6 in 7 5 cm StuK 40 L 43 APCR 920 m s 3 000 ft s 173 mm 6 8 in 164 mm 6 5 in 151 mm 5 9 in 139 mm 5 5 in 127 mm 5 0 in 117 mm 4 6 in 108 mm 4 3 in 91 mm 3 6 in 77 mm 65 mm 2 6 in 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 APCBC 750 m s 135 mm 5 3 in 130 mm 5 1 in 123 mm 4 8 in 116 mm 4 6 in 109 mm 4 3 in 103 mm 4 1 in 97 mm 86 mm 3 4 in 76 mm 3 0 in 68 mm 2 7 in 7 5 cm KwK 40 L 48 APCR 930 m s 176 mm 6 9 in 167 mm 6 6 in 154 mm 6 1 in 141 mm 5 6 in 130 mm 119 mm 4 7 in 109 mm 92 mm 3 6 in 78 mm 3 1 in 66 mm 2 6 in Usage of KwK or Pak StuK variant EditL 43 Edit Sd Kfz 161 1 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf F2 G Sd Kfz 142 1 Sturmgeschutz III StuG III Ausf F StuK 40L 48 Edit Sd Kfz 161 2 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf G Late production G s Sd Kfz 161 2 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf H J Sd Kfz 142 1 Sturmgeschutz III StuG III Ausf F 8 and G StuK 40 Sd Kfz 162 Jagdpanzer IV Pak 39 Sd Kfz 167 Sturmgeschutz IV StuG IV StuK 40See also EditOrdnance QF 75 mm F 34 tank gun 75 mm Gun M2 M3 M6 7 5 cm Pak 39References Edit 75 77 Mm Calibre Cartridges 7 5 cm Kw K 40 L 48 Panzer World 18 November 2013 Retrieved 24 May 2019 German Explosive Ordnance PDF Departments of the Army and the Air Force 16 March 1953 pp 397 402 Archived PDF from the original on November 11 2020 Retrieved 17 November 2020 Sturmgeschutz amp Its Variants Walter J Spielberger P67 ISBN 0 88740 398 0 Bird Lorrin Rexford Livingston Robert D 2001 WWII Ballistics Armor and Gunnery Overmatch Press p 61 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 7 5 cm KwK 40 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 7 5 cm KwK 40 amp oldid 1112327380, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
