Germany 5.0cm PaK 37 L/42 5.0cm Panzerabwehrkanone 37 L/42 (translates as Anti Tank Gun)

Showing the details of the shells used(where known)   Tweet Weapon Details 5.0cm PaK 37 L/42 5.0cm Panzerabwehrkanone 37 L/42 (translates as Anti Tank Gun) History Mounted on a PaK.35/36 chassis, the PaK.37 used a 37mm. barrel bored out to 50mm. but retaining the same breech block. It was intended to fulfil the role of a light infantry gun, seen in other European armies (Austrian 47mm. L.39 Bohler, Dutch 47mm. L.39 Siderius, Belgian 47mm. L.33 FN), but offered not much more AT performance over the 37mm. PaK.35/36 plus the 75mm. Ig.18 (and later 75mm. Ig.40) gave superior HE direct firepower. A total of 2,600 PaK.37 guns were produced from 1937 to 1940, after which all 50mm. L.42 gun barrels were earmarked for the Pz.III. KwK.38 up gunning programme. The PaK.37 served in Poland, France & Russia. By 1942, surviving PaK.37 guns were used only for 3rd line rear area & depot defence, or training. By the end of 1942, the PaK.37 was withdrawn from combat service & gun barrels were stripped out for field workshop repairs of Pz.III. tanks. Many thanks to Andrew Reid for supplying these details Manufactured 1937 - 1940 Calibre 50mm Length L/42   5.0cm PzGr. 39 l/42 (AP Armor Piercing) 50mm 2.06Kg 600M/Sec Quoted Penetration 69mm @ 100mtr/0° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.17 0.35 0.72 1.59 2.63 3.92 5.56 7.7 Penetration(mm@30°) 59 54 48 40 33 27 21 16 Penetration(mm@0°) 69 63 56 47 39 32 25 19 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 85 41 22 3 2 PzGr.40 APCR l/42 (AP40 Armour Piercing Tungsten Cored) 50mm 0.93Kg 1050M/Sec Quoted Penetration 115mm @ 100mtr/0° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.1 0.2 0.43 0.98 1.72 2.75 4.29 6.87 Penetration(mm@30°) 90 81 71 57 45 33 24 16 Penetration(mm@0°) 104 94 82 66 52 39 28 19 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 98 77 39 15 3 5.0cm K.GrPz (APHE Armor Piercing High Explosive) 50mm 2.06Kg 500M/Sec Quoted Penetration 55mm @ 100mtr/0° Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.2 0.42 0.87 1.91 3.16 4.71 6.67 9.24 Penetration(mm@30°) 49 45 40 33 27 22 18 13 Penetration(mm@0°) 57 52 47 39 32 26 21 16 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 69 25 8 3 1 5cm Sprgr Patr (HE High Explosive) 50mm 1.78Kg 550M/Sec 0.165Kg explosive Maximum Range not shown as gun elevation is limited Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.19 0.38 0.79 1.73 2.87 4.28 6.06 8.39 Direct Fire Range(Mtr) 100 200 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 Flight Time(Secs) 0.19 0.38 0.79 1.73 2.87 4.28 6.06 8.39 Hit Probability(%) 98 98 98 77 34 15 3 2 Blast/Fragmentation Effects Burst radius Infantry in open 99% kill 2 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 66% kill 4 mtr Burst radius Infantry in open 33% kill 11 mtr  Armour Penetration inc roof at 1 mtr 0 mm An explosion within 2 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 99% casualties - lethal. An explosion within 4 mtr of infantry in the open will cause > 66% casualties and could damage some AFV's. An explosion within 11 mtr of infantry in the open will cause 33% casualties. The blast effect of this shell exploding within 1 mtr of an armoured vehicle will not cause any significant armour damage.

Hit probability is based on a static 2 x 2.4 metre panel at 0 degrees(vertical) at the range specified.

The data that has been used to create these records has come from Wikipedia, The Lone Sentry, The Bundes Archive and numerous books and websites that have provided the detailed information that has not been available anywhere else. The information we use to calculate the penetration tables, flight times and the hit probability comes from the Gun Calibre, the Shell Mass(Kg) and the muzzle velocity, plus range reductions to allow for gravity and wind resistance. This calculation originally came from a pre-war Krupp calculation which has been modified, and seems to fit the actual test results.

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