12.8 cm Pak 44
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2016) |
12.8 cm Pak 44 | |
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Type | Anti-tank gun |
Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
Service history | |
In service | 1944—1945 |
Used by | Nazi Germany |
Wars | World War II |
Production history | |
Designer | Krupp |
Designed | 1943 |
Manufacturer | Krupp |
Produced | 1944 |
No. built | 51 |
Variants |
|
Specifications | |
Mass |
|
Breech | semi-automatic horizontal sliding-block |
Recoil | Hydro-pneumatic |
Carriage | cruciform (some were split trail) |
Elevation | −7° 51' to +45° 27' |
Traverse | 360° (some were about 90°, or less) |
Rate of fire |
|
Muzzle velocity | 950 m/s (3,100 ft/s) |
Maximum firing range |
|
Sights | Winkelzielfernrohr 2/1 12.8 cm Pak 80 |
The 12.8 cm Pak 44 (Pak from German
The Pak 44 has short to medium-range performance similar to the 8.8 cm Pak 43, but the 12.8 cm Pak 44 better maintained its anti-tank performance over long to extreme-long ranges – 1,800–2,700 m (2,000–3,000 yd) and beyond - while also doubling as an effective field gun when firing high-explosive shells.
Design history
The choice of a 128 mm
Approximately 50 barrels and breeches were used on existing carriages. The weapon that used the ex-French
Performance
The gun was fed with two-piece ammunition, the projectile and cartridge making up separate pieces. Because of this, the gun could be fired using three different sized propellant charges; a light, medium and heavy charge. The light and medium charges were normally used when the gun was fulfilling the role of an artillery piece, where they would launch the c. 28 kg projectiles to a muzzle velocity of 845 m/s and 880 m/s respectively. The heavy charge was used when the gun was fulfilling its intended role as an anti-tank gun, where it fired a 28.3 kg
The 12.8 cm Pak 44 ended up becoming the standard main armament for the Jagdtiger heavy tank destroyer and a tank gun variant was the planned main armament for many future super-heavy tank designs in development during the last months of World War II, including the fully turreted Panzerkampfwagen Maus and E-100, as the 12,8 cm KwK 44 L/55 main gun.
Variants
- 12.8 cm Kanone 44, Pak 44
- 12.8 cm Kanone 81/1: K 44 mounted on the ex-French 155mm GPF-Tcarriage. 2-wheeled split trail.
- 12.8 cm Kanone 81/2: K 44 mounted on the ex-Russian 152mm howitzer model 1937 carriage. 2-wheeled split trail.
- 12.8 cm Kanone 81/3: K 44 mounted on a Gerät 579 Medium Weapons Carriage. Krupp version. 4-wheeled version where two wheels at one end and two at the other. Firing position allows 360° traverse.
- 12.8 cm Pak 80: Pak 44 mounted on Jagdtiger (Sd.Kfz. 186) tank destroyers.
Designations
As is common at this time, this weapon underwent several name changes. At various times it was known as K 44, Pak 44, Kanone 81, Pak 80 and Pjk 80.
Equipment numbered in the 8x range were temporary items usually issued in small numbers and not regarded as standard issue service weapons. Hence Pak 80 and Pjk 80 were temporary names, as were K81/x.
Had this equipment been accepted into full service, it would have had a Pak 4x designation attached. The only difference between the Pak 44 and the K 44 was the mode of operation—the weapon itself was identical.
References
Citations
- ^ Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two.
Bibliography
- Gander, Terry and Chamberlain, Peter (1979). 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. ISBN 0-385-15090-3.
- ISBN 1-85367-480-X.
- Chamberlain, Peter and Doyle, Hilary (31 October 2004). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WWII. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84509-012-8