Panzerwurfkörper 42
Panzerwurfkörper 42 | |
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HEAT Anti-tank grenade | |
Place of origin | ![]() |
Service history | |
Used by | Wehrmacht |
Wars | World War II |
Specifications | |
Mass | 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) |
Length | 217 mm (8.56 in) |
Diameter | Stem: 22 mm (.875 in) Grenade: 61 mm (2.4 in)[1] |
Maximum firing range | 69 m (75 yd) |
Warhead weight | 60 g (2.1 oz) |
Detonation mechanism | Graze fuze |
Blast yield | 80 mm (3.1 in) of RHA[2] |
The Panzerwurfkörper 42 was a
Design
The Panzerwurfkörper 42 was an anti-tank grenade that could be fired from the Leuchtpistole 34, Leuchtpistole 42, or Sturmpistole giving German troops a small and lightweight anti-tank weapon for engaging enemy armor from close range which could not be engaged satisfactorily by infantry weapons or artillery without endangering friendly troops.
The Panzerwurfkörper 42's layout was similar to the
When the gun fired the stem and grenade were forced from the barrel. Upon hitting the target the graze fuze in the base of the grenade ignited the explosive filling which collapsed the internal steel cone to create a superplastic high-velocity jet to punch through enemy armor. Since HEAT weapons rely on chemical energy to penetrate enemy armor the low velocity of the grenade did not adversely affect penetration. A downside of the Panzerwurfkörper 42 was its short range of 69 m (75 yd) and could only penetrate 80 mm (3.1 in) of RHA.[2]
References
- ^ a b Carruthers, Bob (ed.), Handbook On German Military Forces - The Illustrated Edition, vol. 3 (Hitler's War Machine)
- ^ a b "Riflle Grenades Gewehrgranate". www.oocities.org. Retrieved 2019-02-11.