The most effective anti-tank guns of the final stage of World War II were distinguished by their large size and corresponding mass, which made it difficult to operate them, in particular, to move around the battlefield. In 1943, the German command ordered the development of new guns, which were supposed to differ in weight and size while maintaining combat qualities. One of the options for solving this problem was the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 cannon.
Perhaps the best German anti-tank gun in Nazi Germany was the 75-mm towed gun 7, 5 cm PAK 40. Its shells, depending on the range, could hit all existing enemy tanks. However, such a weapon had certain drawbacks. A cannon with a length of more than 5 m and a mass of about 1.5 tons needed a tractor, which sharply reduced its mobility on the battlefield. In addition, it was distinguished by a relatively high cost. Thus, the army had every reason to demand a cheaper, compact and light gun with a high combat potential.
Cannon 7, 5 cm PAK 50
Work on the creation of new anti-tank guns, distinguished by acceptable combat qualities and reduced weight, began in 1943. It was proposed to solve the assigned tasks in different ways. For example, the Rheinmetall-Borsig company proposed to build a new weapon based on the principle of low pressure in the bore. Such ideas were soon implemented in the PAW 600 project, which reached mass production. A little later, an alternative version of the anti-tank gun was proposed, which did not use any unusual ideas.
The project of a promising gun received the official designation 7, 5 cm Panzerabwherkanone 50 - "75-mm anti-tank gun model 50". Other names of the project are unknown.
The 7, 5 cm PAK 50 project was based on an interesting idea based on existing developments and allowing the best use of existing opportunities. The ammunition of the PAK 40 serial cannon included shots of various types, including a cumulative projectile 7, 5 cm Panzergranate 38 HL / B or Pz. Gr. 38 HL / C. This product, which weighed 4.57 kg, had an initial speed of 450 m / s and penetrated up to 100 mm of homogeneous armor over the entire range of ranges at a meeting angle of 30 °.
However, within a certain range, the Pz. Gr. 38 HL / C was noticeably inferior in terms of armor penetration to other projectiles of a similar purpose, which used the kinetic principle of destruction. Because of this, the gunners mainly used armor-piercing shells of the Pz. Gr 39 or Pz. Gr. types. 40. The cumulative projectile, in turn, could not fully show its potential.
Right view
This ammunition was proposed to be used in a new gun project. Unlike sub-caliber projectiles, the cumulative one did not impose special requirements on the length of the barrel and the pressure in its channel. This made it possible to shorten the barrel, as well as use less thick walls. A gun with similar design features, as expected, lost the ability to effectively use shots with a sub-caliber projectile, but even without them it could show acceptable characteristics.
According to known data, the PAK 50 gun was proposed to be built on the basis of ready-made components borrowed from certain serial systems. In the future, this was supposed to simplify the serial production and operation of such systems. The wheeled carriage was borrowed from the 5 cm PAK 38 anti-tank gun. In 1943, this weapon was removed from production due to obsolescence, and in the foreseeable future, a significant number of released carriages could be at the disposal of the industry. The barrel and bolt for alteration also had to be borrowed from one of the serial guns.
To ensure the desired characteristics, the authors of the project used a 75 mm rifled barrel, the length of which was reduced to 30 calibers (2250 mm). The shortened barrel was equipped with a developed three-chamber muzzle brake of the active-reactive type. The brake was distinguished by its large size and the presence of three large chambers at once. This design was associated with reduced pressure in the barrel bore: the outflowing gases had less energy and an appropriate brake was required to transfer it to the gun. The breech of the gun was equipped with a horizontal wedge breech. The loading of ammunition, as in the case of other German guns, was carried out from the rear to the right. Apparently, a semi-automatic system was retained, independently throwing out an empty cartridge case.
Traveling position of the gun
The barrel was mounted on movable supports connected to hydropneumatic recoil devices. The cylinders of the latter were inside a light armored casing, placed under the barrel and serving as a guide. The swinging artillery unit was equipped with manual vertical guidance. The latter made it possible to raise the barrel at angles from -8 ° to + 27 °. The horizontal guidance drive provided guidance within a sector with a width of 65 °.
The carriage had a fairly simple design. The support devices of the gun were fixed on a transverse tubular beam. It also had unsprung wheels and tubular beds with openers. A characteristic feature of the PAK 38 gun carriage was the extensive use of lightweight aluminum parts. Due to the expected increase in loads in the new project, they were replaced with steel ones. From the point of view of running and some operational characteristics, the new 7, 5 cm PAK 50 gun was not supposed to differ from the serial 5 cm PAK 38.
The shield cover was also borrowed without changes. On the fixed part of the carriage, a large-width flap with a large cutout in the upper part was fixed. A swinging rectangular flap was attached to it from below. On the movable part of the gun carriage, it was proposed to install a large curved shield, the side parts of which were bent back. To improve the main characteristics, the shield consisted of two parts, spaced at some distance.
Rear view in unfolded position
To the left of the breech of the gun was a sight suitable for direct fire and from closed positions. The gunner had to use a pair of flywheels to control the aiming mechanisms. To protect the gunner from the large breech to the right of his place, there was a small shield, borrowed together with the carriage of the 50-mm cannon.
The assembled 7, 5 cm PAK 50 gun turned out to be about one and a half times shorter than the serial PAK 50 gun. In addition, there was a certain weight advantage - its total weight was only 1100 kg. This, to a certain extent, simplified operation: in particular, the calculation could independently roll the gun to a new position without resorting to the help of a tractor.
Due to the shorter barrel (30 calibers versus 46 for PAK 40), the new gun actually lost the ability to effectively use subcaliber and other armor-piercing projectiles of kinetic action. The reduction in the initial velocity of the projectile led to the fact that at a distance of 500 m the cannon could only penetrate 75 mm of armor. At the same time, certain advantages were obtained associated with the use of cumulative Pz. Gr. 38 HL / C and their analogues. Their charge did not require a high initial velocity, and could also provide stable penetration characteristics at all firing distances.
Demonstration of PAK 50 to representatives of the army
A promising 75-mm cannon could send a cumulative projectile to a distance of 1000-1500 m. At the same time, regardless of the range to the target, the projectile could penetrate up to 100 mm of armor. According to some reports, the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 gun could also use high-explosive fragmentation shells previously created for the PAK 40 cannon. When using such ammunition, a certain increase in the firing range was ensured.
At the same time, the new type of gun had a number of disadvantages. First of all, the problem could be considered the impossibility of using "kinetic" ammunition, but the weapon was originally created for other shells. The high power of the propellant charge, previously created for other anti-tank guns, forced the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 cannon to shift noticeably when firing. The presence of a developed muzzle brake and recoil devices partially compensated for the movement of the gun. At the same time, the developed brake created a very large cloud of gases and raised dust, revealing the position of the gunners.
The use of a modified serial gun carriage and other gun assemblies, as well as the use of existing ammunition, made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of serial guns. The operation also had to be accompanied by certain savings.
From the point of view of basic operational and combat characteristics, the new 7, 5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 50 gun turned out to be an interesting addition to the serial PAK 40. It provided similar combat capabilities with greater ease of use and low cost of production. By correctly determining the composition of the batteries, it was possible to increase the potential of the anti-tank defense in a given area.
The weapon is in position. Calculation performed masking
By the middle of 1944, the project of the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 anti-tank gun was brought to the stage of assembling the prototypes required for testing. Soon, new systems were tested and confirmed all the specified characteristics. In the proposed form, the gun was of certain interest to the army, which led to the corresponding decision. By the end of the summer of 1944, the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 gun was put into service. An order was also placed for mass production and delivery of such guns.
According to reports, the serial production of the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 guns continued for several months, until the spring of 1945. During this time, only a few hundred guns were manufactured, intended for supply to infantry and panzergrenadier units. It was assumed that the new weapon will complement the existing systems and provide certain advantages.
There is no exact information on the operation of 75-mm cannons optimized for the use of shaped-charge projectiles. There is information about the use of such weapons on the Eastern and Western Fronts, but the details remain unknown. It can be assumed that such weapons allowed German troops to attack enemy tanks and even show certain results. Nevertheless, the specific indicators of accuracy were supposed to negatively affect both the shooting results. A large muzzle brake, which raised clouds of dust, in turn, was supposed to reduce the survivability of both the gun and its calculation.
The gunners are looking for a target
As can be judged from the known data, the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 anti-tank guns with the Pz. Gr. 38 HL / C did not have a noticeable effect on the course of the battles. The few guns could only supplement existing systems, but they did not have to count on noticeable successes. Thus, short-barreled guns have not left a noticeable mark in history.
During their short service, the 7, 5 cm PAK 50 guns had to regularly suffer losses, which is why by the end of the war their number was noticeably reduced. Already in peacetime, all the remaining guns, apparently, as unnecessary, went to be melted down. Not a single similar item has survived.
In 1943, a program was launched to develop promising anti-tank guns, which were supposed to have combat characteristics at the level of existing models, but at the same time differ from them in greater ease of use. The assigned tasks could be solved in different ways. The 7, 5 cm PAK 50 project provided for the fulfillment of the requirements due to the correct selection of ammunition and the creation of a specialized weapon for it. From a technical point of view, the set goals were achieved, but this did not give the expected results. The project appeared too late, because of which the industry did not have time to deploy full-scale serial production and ensure the rearmament of the troops.
