In the second half of 1943, Germany on the Eastern Front was forced to go over to strategic defense, which, in turn, further exacerbated the problem of the shortage and insufficient effectiveness of infantry anti-tank weapons. During the Second World War, the Germans created and adopted very sophisticated anti-tank guns, which had high armor penetration for their caliber, and it was on them that at first the main burden of the fight against Soviet tanks fell. However, the ever-increasing production of medium and heavy tanks in the USSR, the growth of skill and tactical literacy of tank crews and command led to the fact that in the second half of the war, the Germans were chronically lacking anti-tank guns. In addition, in the event of a breakthrough of tanks directly to the forward positions, the German infantry needed effective anti-tank weapons of the battalion and company level, as well as safe anti-tank weapons that could be used to equip each infantryman. With all the diversity and significant numbers, the anti-tank rifles, magnetic mines, hand and rifle cumulative grenades available in the infantry units were unable to have a noticeable effect on the course of hostilities.
In this regard, in 1942, specialists from the Leipzig company HASAG began developing a disposable rocket launcher known as the Faustpatrone 30. The name of this weapon is formed from two words: it. Faust - "fist" and Patrone - "cartridge", the figure "30" - denotes the nominal firing range. Subsequently, in the Red Army the name "Faustpatron" was assigned to all German rocket-propelled disposable anti-tank grenade launchers.
The grenade launcher, which was actually a lightweight one-time recoilless gun with an over-caliber cumulative grenade, had a simple and somewhat primitive design. This, in turn, was due to the desire to create the cheapest and most technologically advanced weapons suitable for mass production on simple equipment, using non-scarce materials and raw materials. From the very beginning, disposable grenade launchers were considered as a massive anti-tank weapon suitable for individual use by individual servicemen, who were planned to saturate the infantry units as much as possible. At the same time, "Faustpatron" was supposed to become a safer and more effective alternative to hand-held cumulative grenades and magnetic mines. This weapon was as simple as possible to use, it was believed that a five-minute briefing was enough to master it.
The grenade launcher consisted of two main parts, manufactured by cold stamping: an over-caliber cumulative grenade and a hollow pipe open on both sides. The main part of the powder gases when fired at an open barrel was retracted and at the same time a forward-directed reactive force was created, which counterbalances the recoil. In order to make a shot, the barrel was clasped with two hands and held tightly under the armpit. Aiming was carried out using a folding sight along the front edge of the grenade.
After pressing the trigger, the grenade was thrown out of the barrel and the folded spring-loaded blades of the stabilizer opened in the air. The used launch tube was not subject to re-equipment and was thrown away.
From the tail of the grenade, the powder charge was separated by a felt wad. During the assembly process, the flexible feathers of the stabilizer were placed in the launch tube, wound on the mine shank shaft carved from wood. A trigger mechanism and an aiming stand were mounted on the barrel using spot welding. The starting mechanism consisted of: a start button, a retractable stem with a screw, a sleeve with a primer-igniter and a return spring. The percussion mechanism had two positions: on the combat platoon and on the safety.
"Faustpatrona" were delivered assembled to the troops, but just before use it was necessary to load. For this, without removing the safety pin, by turning it counterclockwise, the head of the grenade separated from the stem, which remained in the barrel. A metal glass with a bottom inertial fuse and a detonator was placed in the hull tube. After that, the head of the grenade and the stabilizer were connected in reverse motion. Immediately before the shot, a safety check was removed from the front of the barrel. After that, the shooter raised the aiming bar and cocked the percussion mechanism. Faustpatrone 30 grenade launchers were delivered to the active army in wooden boxes of 4 pieces in an unfinished equipped form, without detonating devices and fuses, supplied separately in cardboard cases.
The total length of the grenade launcher was 985 mm. A charge of black fine-grained powder weighing 54 g was placed in a pipe 33 mm in diameter. In various sources, the mass of Faustpatrone 30 varies from 3, 1 - 3, 3 kg. But all sources are unanimous that the first model of the German disposable rocket launcher was not very successful.
Although a 100-mm grenade containing 400 g of explosives (a mixture of TNT and RDX in a ratio of 40/60) with a copper lining of a cumulative recess was capable of penetrating homogeneous armor along the normal to 140 mm, due to the low muzzle velocity (29 m / s), the firing range was not exceeded 50 m. The accuracy was very low. In addition, the pointed warhead, when meeting the frontal armor of the T-34, showed a tendency to ricochet, and the fuse did not always work reliably. Often, when the shaped charge was not in the optimal position relative to the target or when the bottom fuse was triggered, after the explosion, a notch was formed on the armor, without breaking it - in the jargon of Soviet tankers, "witch's kiss". In addition, when fired, due to the force of the flame behind the grenade launcher, a significant danger zone was formed, in connection with which the inscription was applied to the pipe: “Achtung! Feuerstrahl! " (German. Caution! Jet stream! "). But at the same time, the combination in one fairly compact, easy-to-use and cheap weapon of cumulative ammunition and the absence of recoil when fired promised that this maneuverable and light anti-tank weapon could significantly increase the capabilities of the infantry in the fight against tanks. Even taking into account significant design flaws and a very short firing range, with proper use, "Faustpatron" demonstrated higher efficiency than infantry anti-tank weapons, which were previously adopted. The highest results were achieved when flanking fire from various shelters and trenches, as well as during hostilities in populated areas.
It is generally accepted that the combat premiere of "Faustpatron" on the Eastern Front took place in the late autumn of 1943, during the fighting on the territory of eastern Ukraine. Disposable RPGs in increasing volumes entered the troops, where they were met very favorably. According to German statistics, between January and April 1944, German infantry on the Eastern Front destroyed 520 tanks in close combat. At the same time, 264 armored vehicles were destroyed using disposable grenade launchers.
Based on the experience gained during combat use, in the second half of 1943, an improved model of the Panzerfaust 30M (German Tank Fist) was created, with a range of 30 m. In connection with the new designation of disposable anti-tank grenade launchers, adopted at the end of 1943, the "faust cartridges" of the first sample were often called Panzerfaust Klein 30M.
This modification, which weighed more than 5 kg, was equipped with a 149-mm cumulative grenade, which contained 0.8 kg of explosives. Thanks to the increased caliber of the warhead, the armor penetration was increased to 200 mm. To maintain the same firing range, the mass of the powder charge was increased to 100 g, but the initial velocity remained practically unchanged.
The head of the Panzerfaust, in contrast to the Faustpatron, had a different shape. In order to reduce the likelihood of a ricochet, the nose of the 149-mm grenade was made flat.
In general, the new Panzerfaust 30M grenade launcher turned out to be more successful. According to the German Central Statistical Office, starting in August 1943, 2.077 million Faustpatrone 30 and Panzerfaust 30M were produced. But the command of the Wehrmacht was not satisfied with the very small range of an aimed shot. In this regard, in the first half of 1944, tests of a "long-range" model were carried out, which could hit targets at a distance of up to 60 m. In September 1944, the first Panzerfaust 60s were transferred to infantry units on the Eastern Front.
In order to increase the distance of the aimed shot, the caliber of the launch tube was increased to 50 mm, and the mass of the propellant charge was 134 g. Thanks to this, the initial speed of the grenade, borrowed from the Panzerfaust 30M, was increased to 45 m / s - that is, it doubled … On the Panzerfaust 60M of the later series, the folding sight rack is graduated for a distance of up to 80 m.
In addition to this, the trigger mechanism was improved, the push-button trigger was replaced with a lever trigger. To ignite the powder charge, a Zhevelo-type capsule was used, which operated reliably in difficult meteorological conditions. In case of refusal to fire, it was possible to remove the trigger from the combat platoon and put it on the fuse. To do this, the aiming bar had to be lowered to the barrel and the pin inserted back into the cutout. As a result of all the changes, the mass of the Panzerfaust 60M grenade launcher reached 6.25 kg. Of all the German disposable grenade launchers produced in wartime, this modification has become the most numerous.
In the Panzerfaust 100M model, which entered service in October 1944, while maintaining the same warhead, the aimed shot range was increased to 100 m. The caliber of the launch tube was increased to 60 mm, and the mass of the powder charge was increased to 200 g. combat readiness was 9, 4 kg. Such a significant increase in the weight of the grenade launcher was associated not only with the increased diameter of the pipe, due to the use of a more powerful propellant charge, the internal pressure increased during firing, which in turn led to the need to increase the wall thickness. To reduce production costs, the troops organized the collection of used grenade launcher tubes and their re-equipment. The design feature of the Panzerfaust 100M is the presence of two successively placed propelling powder charges with an air gap between them. In this way, until the moment the grenade was ejected from the barrel, a constantly high pressure of the powder gases was maintained, which had an effect on increasing the throwing range of the projectile. Simultaneously with the increase in the range of fire, armor penetration increased to 240 mm. At the final stage of the war, the Panzerfaust 100M was able to defeat all serial medium and heavy tanks.
According to the reference data, the initial speed of the Panzerfaust 100M grenade reached 60 m / s. It is difficult to say how much the declared effective range of a shot of 100 m corresponded to reality, but thanks to the increased muzzle velocity, the dispersion of grenades at a range of 50 m was reduced by about 30%. However, there were holes marked at 30, 60, 80 and 150 meters on the folding sight stand.
In the course of work on the Panzerfaust 100M grenade launcher, the modernization potential laid down in the design of the Panzerfaust 30M was completely exhausted, and the creation of new modifications by increasing the diameter of the launch tube and the mass of the propellant charge, while maintaining the same 149-mm feathered grenade, was considered impractical. The designers of the HASAG company have proposed a number of new solutions to increase the range and accuracy of fire when creating the Panzerfaust 150M grenade launcher. A more streamlined grenade received a fragmentation shirt, which made it possible not only to fight armored vehicles, but also to hit the infantry operating in conjunction with tanks. At the same time, the caliber of the grenade was reduced to 106 mm, but thanks to the use of a more advanced shaped charge, the armor penetration was kept at the level of the Panzerfaust 100M. A reclining front sight was installed on the cylindrical part of the grenade, which significantly improved the aiming conditions. In the new grenade, the warhead, stabilizer and bottom fuse are made one-piece. This simplified the production technology and provided a more durable fixation of the warhead, and also made it possible to safely discharge the weapon if there was no need to fire a shot. The thickening of the walls of the launch tube allowed for the possibility of multiple reloading. Reducing the caliber of the grenade from 149 to 106 mm made it possible to reduce the mass of the grenade launcher to 6.5 kg.
Compared to earlier models, the Panzerfaust 150M grenade launcher certainly became a significant step forward and this weapon could significantly increase the anti-tank capabilities of the German infantry. In March 1945, an installation batch of 500 anti-tank grenade launchers was produced. It was planned that the monthly release of the new modification at the HASAG plant in Leipzig will reach 100 thousand pieces. However, the hopes of the German command for this turned out to be unrealizable. In mid-April 1945, American troops captured Leipzig, and the Panzerfaust 150M was unable to significantly influence the course of hostilities.
The Panzerfaust 250M with a launch range of 250 m was supposed to have even higher characteristics. The increase in the initial speed of the grenade was achieved due to the use of a longer launch tube and a greater mass of expelling charge. To reduce the mass of the grenade launcher, it was planned to use a removable induction electric starting system in the pistol grip, although this decision was controversial due to the high probability of failure in high humidity conditions. For greater ease of aiming, a frame shoulder support appeared on the grenade launcher. However, before the surrender of Germany, it was not possible to launch this sample into mass production. Also among the unrealized was the Grosse Panzerfaust project with a launch tube from a Panzerfaust 250M and a new cumulative grenade with 400 mm armor penetration.
In the final period of the war, German disposable grenade launchers became widespread. As of March 1, 1945, the troops had 3.018 million Panzerfausts of various modifications. In total, in the period from August 1943 to March 1945, 9, 21 million disposable grenade launchers were produced. With the establishment of mass production, it was possible to achieve a low cost price. In 1944, no more than 8 man-hours were spent on the creation of one Panzerfaust, and costs in monetary terms ranged from 25 to 30 marks, depending on the modification.
However, disposable grenade launchers did not immediately gain recognition as the main individual anti-tank infantry weapon. This was due to the low efficiency and numerous flaws of the first "Faustpatrons", and with the fact that until the middle of 1944, hostilities were mainly conducted outside settlements. Grenade launchers with an effective firing range of several tens of meters could not fully realize their potential in the field. They proved to be effective in setting up anti-tank ambushes at bridges, roadsides, in settlements, as well as in creating anti-tank defense units in fortified areas.
In addition to the regular units of the Wehrmacht and the SS, the Volkssturm detachments, which were hastily formed from teenagers and the elderly, were massively armed with grenade launchers. After a short training, yesterday's schoolchildren and old men went into battle. To practice the techniques of handling the grenade launcher, a training version with an imitation propellant charge and a wooden model of a grenade was created on the basis of the Panzerfaust 60.
The significance of the Panzerfausts increased sharply in the summer of 1944, when the Soviet army entered the territory of densely built-up Eastern Europe. In the conditions of settlements turned into fortresses, the possibilities for maneuvering tanks were very cramped, and when armored vehicles were moving along narrow streets, the small range of an aimed shot no longer played a special role. Under these conditions, the armored divisions of the Red Army at times suffered very serious losses. For example, in April 1945, in the battles on the outskirts of Berlin, "faustics" damaged and burned from 11, 3 to 30% of all tanks disabled, and in the course of street battles in the city itself up to 45 - 50%.
Here is what Marshal I. S. Konev:
“… The Germans were preparing Berlin for a tough and solid defense, which was designed for a long time. The defense was built on a system of strong fire, nodes of resistance and strongholds. The closer to the center of Berlin, the denser the defense became. Massive stone buildings with thick walls adapted to the long siege. Several buildings fortified in this way formed a knot of resistance. To cover the flanks, strong barricades up to 4 meters thick were erected, which were also powerful anti-tank obstacles … Corner buildings from which directional and flank fire could be fired were strengthened especially carefully … In addition, the German defense centers were saturated with a huge number of faust cartridges, which became formidable anti-tank weapons … During the battle for Berlin, the Nazis destroyed and knocked out more than 800 of our self-propelled guns and tanks. At the same time, the main part of the losses fell on battles in the city …
The Soviet response was to improve the interaction of the infantry with the tanks, the arrows had to move at a distance of 100-150 m from the tanks and cover them with fire from automatic weapons.
In addition, to reduce the effect of the cumulative jet, screens of thin metal sheets or fine steel mesh are welded on top of the main armor of tanks. In most cases, such improvised means protected tank armor from penetration when a shaped charge was triggered.
In addition to disposable "close combat" anti-tank grenade launchers in Germany, reusable hand-held and heavy-duty RPGs designed for company and battalion level were developed and adopted. In 1943, after getting acquainted with the American grenade launcher 2, 36-inch Anti-Tank Rocket launcher M1, better known as Bazooka ("Bazooka"), HASAG specialists quickly created their own analogue - the 88-mm RPzB. 43 (German: Raketen Panzerbuchse 43 - rocket tank rifle of the 1943 model), which was named Ofenrohr in the army, which means "Chimney".
Taking into account the constant increase in the thickness of the armor of tanks, the German designers in comparison with the 60-mm "Bazooka" increased the caliber to 88-mm. What turned out to be very far-sighted, the 88, 9-mm RPG M20 was subsequently developed in the United States. However, the increase in caliber and armor penetration inevitably affected the mass of the weapon. A grenade launcher with a length of 1640 mm weighed 9, 25 kg. It was fired with RPzB. Gr. 4322 (German Raketenpanzerbuchsen-Granat - Rocket-propelled anti-tank grenade), capable of penetrating a sheet of armor steel up to 200 mm thick. Stabilization of the grenade on the trajectory was carried out using an annular stabilizer. The projectile was loaded from the tail of the pipe, where there was a protective wire ring. The starting charge was ignited using an induction trigger device. An electric igniter-igniter was attached inside the nozzle of the combustion chamber of the grenade with the help of varnish. After loading a rocket-propelled grenade into the barrel, it was connected with an electric igniter wire with a terminal on the barrel. As a propellant charge in RPzB. Gr. 4322, diglycol smokeless powder was used. Since the rate of combustion of jet fuel strongly depended on its temperature, there were "winter" and "summer" grenades. It was allowed to fire the "summer" version of the grenade in winter, but this, due to the decrease in the initial speed, led to a large dispersion and a drop in the effective range of the shot. The guaranteed cocking of the grenade fuse took place at a distance of at least 30 m. Aiming during firing was carried out using the simplest devices - an aiming bar with holes and a rear sight. The resource of the barrel of the grenade launcher was limited to 300 shots. However, the main part of the 88-mm German RPGs at the front did not live so much and did not have time to develop even a third of their resource.
The ammunition weighing 3, 3 kg contained a shaped charge weighing 662 g. The initial velocity of the projectile was 105-110 m / s, which ensured a maximum firing range of 700 m. However, the maximum sighting range did not exceed 400 m, while the effective firing range at the moving tank was no more than 150 m. Since after the grenade left the barrel, the jet engine continued to work, to protect the gunner from the jet stream, he was forced to cover all parts of the body with tight uniforms, put on a protective mask from a gas mask without a filter and use gloves.
When fired, a dangerous zone up to 30 m deep was formed behind the grenade launcher, in which people, combustible materials and ammunition were not supposed to be. Theoretically, a well-coordinated calculation could develop a rate of fire of 6-8 rds / min, but in practice, the gas-dust cloud formed after the shot blocked the view, and in the absence of wind it took 5-10 seconds for it to dissipate.
The calculation of the grenade launcher consisted of two people - the gunner and the loader. On the battlefield "Ofenror" was carried by the gunner on a shoulder strap, the loader, who also played the role of an ammunition carrier, had up to five grenades with him in a special wooden knapsack. In this case, the loader, as a rule, was armed with an assault rifle or a pistol with a machine gun to protect the gunner from enemy infantry.
To transport grenade launchers and ammunition using a motorcycle or light off-road tractor, a special two-wheeled trailer was developed, which housed up to 6 Ofenrohr anti-tank grenade launchers and several wooden grenade closures.
The first batch of 242 88-mm rocket-propelled grenade launchers was sent to the Eastern Front in October 1943 - almost simultaneously with the disposable Faustpatrone 30 grenade launchers. At the same time, it turned out that due to the many times greater effective range of fire and the flight speed of the Ofenrora projectile, it had a significantly higher probability of destruction goals. But at the same time, carrying a rather heavy and long 88-mm pipe on the battlefield was difficult. Changing positions or even changing the direction of the shot was further complicated by the fact that the force of the flame behind the grenade launcher posed a huge danger to its infantry, and the use of the grenade launcher near walls, large obstacles, from confined spaces or in the forest was almost impossible. However, despite a number of shortcomings, the RPG RPzB. 43 successfully passed military tests and received a positive assessment from the personnel who participated in repelling the attacks of armored vehicles. After that, the command of the Wehrmacht demanded to increase the release of rocket-propelled grenade launchers and eliminate the main remarks.
In August 1944, the first batch of RPzB grenade launchers entered the army. 54 Panzerschrek (German: Thunderstorm for tanks). From RPG RPzB. 43, it was distinguished by the presence of a light metal shield measuring 36 x 47 cm, placed between the sight and the front sight. The targeting shield had a transparent window made of refractory mica. Due to the presence of a shield, there was no longer a great risk of being burned by a jet stream during the launch of a grenade, and the gunner no longer needed protective uniforms and a gas mask. A safety clip was installed under the muzzle of the barrel, which did not allow laying the weapon directly on the ground when firing while prone. During the development of a new modification of the grenade launcher, the designers improved the targeting conditions. Changes were made to the design of the sight, making it easier to move the aiming point towards the target movement and determine the range. For this, the aiming bar was equipped with five slots designed for frontal targets moving at speeds up to 15 km / h and 30 km / h. This significantly increased the accuracy of shooting and made it possible to somewhat reduce the dependence of the effectiveness of the application on the level of training and personal experience of the shooter. To make "seasonal" adjustments affecting the flight trajectory of the mine, the position of the front sight could be changed taking into account the temperature from -25 to +20 degrees.
Constructive changes led to the fact that the grenade launcher became much heavier, its mass in a combat position was 11, 25 kg. The range and combat rate of fire of the weapon have not changed.
For shooting from RPzB. 54 originally used cumulative rounds created for the RPzB. 43. In December 1944, a grenade launcher complex as part of RPG RPzB entered service. 54/1 and anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade RPzNGR. 4992. The jet engine of the modernized projectile used a new brand of fast-burning powder, which was produced before the projectile flew out of the barrel. Thanks to this, it was possible to reduce the length of the pipe to 1350 mm, and the mass of the weapon decreased to 9, 5 kg. At the same time, the range of the aimed shot was increased to 200 m. Thanks to the refinement of the shaped charge, the armor penetration when a grenade meets armor at a right angle was 240 mm. Anti-tank grenade launcher of RPzB modification. 54/1 became the most advanced production model of the German 88-mm reusable RPG range. In total, until April 1944, the German industry managed to deliver 25,744 grenade launchers of this modification.
As in the case of the Panzerfaust, the Ofenror and Panzershrek grenade launchers were produced in very significant volumes, and the cost price in mass production was 70 marks. By the end of 1944, the customer had received 107,450 Ofenrohr and Panzerschreck anti-tank grenade launchers. In March 1945, the Wehrmacht and the SS had 92,728 88-mm RPGs at their disposal, and there were another 47,002 grenade launchers in warehouses. By that time, in some areas there were up to 40 reusable RPGs per 1 km of the front. In total, during the Second World War, the Reich's military industry produced 314,895 88-mm Panzerschreck and Ofenrohr RPGs, as well as 2,218,400 cumulative grenades.
In fairness, it should be said that the Ofenror and Panzershrek, due to their more complicated handling, the need for careful aiming at the target and a longer firing range to obtain satisfactory results in battle, required better preparation of calculations than the disposable Panzerfaust. After the 88-mm grenade launchers were sufficiently mastered by the personnel, they demonstrated good combat effectiveness and became the main anti-tank weapon of the infantry regiments. So, according to the states of mid-1944 in the anti-tank companies of the infantry regiment there were only three anti-tank guns and 36 88-mm RPGs or only one only "Panzershreks" in the amount of 54 pieces.
In 1944, in addition to anti-tank guns, there were 130 Panzerschrecks in service with the anti-tank companies of the infantry division, another 22 grenade launchers were in the operational reserve at the division headquarters. At the end of 1944, the 88-mm RPGs, along with the Panzerfaust, began to form the backbone of the anti-tank defense of infantry divisions. This approach to providing anti-tank defense made it possible to save on the production of anti-tank guns, which were hundreds of times more expensive than grenade launchers. But, given that the range of an aimed shot from the Panzershrek was within 150 m and the grenade launchers had a number of significant drawbacks, they could not become a full replacement for anti-tank guns.
German grenade launchers often demonstrated high performance in street battles, when repelling an attack of tanks on very rugged terrain or in fortified areas: road junctions, in the forest and well-fortified engineering nodes of defense - that is, in places where the mobility of tanks was constrained and there was the possibility of conducting grenade launcher fire calculations from a short distance. Otherwise, due to the need for mutual overlap of the firing sectors and the short range of effective fire, the grenade launchers were “smeared” along the entire defense line.
In addition to serial grenade launchers, a number of samples were developed in Germany, which for one reason or another were not launched into mass production. In order to reduce the mass of the 88-mm RPG, work was carried out to create barrels from light alloys. At the same time, it was possible to achieve encouraging results, but due to the surrender of Germany, this topic was not brought to the end. Shortly before the end of the war, it was considered expedient to create a grenade launcher with a barrel made of pressed multilayer cardboard, which was reinforced by winding steel wire. According to calculations, such a barrel could withstand 50 shots, which, in general, was enough for the conditions prevailing in 1945. But, as in the case of the barrel made of light alloys, this work could not be completed. Almost simultaneously with the RPzB model. 54/1 tests were carried out of the 105-mm RPzB.54 grenade launcher, structurally similar to the latest version of the Panzershrek. However, due to the inconsistency with the armor penetration specified by the project, too large dimensions and weight, this option was rejected. In view of the unsatisfactory accuracy, an over-caliber 105-mm grenade weighing 6.5 kg was rejected, which was supposed to be fired from the RPzB. 54.
The 105mm Hammer (German Hammer) mounted grenade launcher, also known as Panzertod (German Tank Death), looked very promising. The grenade launcher, which can also be classified as a recoilless weapon, was developed by the specialists of the Rheinmetall-Borsig concern in the winter of 1945. The fire was carried out with 3.2 kg cumulative feathered grenades with an initial speed of 450 m / s and armor penetration up to 300 mm.
At the same time, a very high shooting accuracy was obtained during the tests. A number of sources say that at a distance of 450 m, the shells fit into a 1x1 m shield, which is very good even by modern standards.
Due to the fact that the mass of the barrel exceeded 40 kg, the shooting was carried out only from the machine. To facilitate portability, the barrel was disassembled into two parts and separated from the frame. In this case, three people were required to transport weapons without ammunition.
The designers of Rheinmetall-Borsig managed to create a fairly perfect recoilless gun with an optimal combination of armor penetration, firing accuracy, range and maneuverability. However, due to a number of problems associated with the refinement of new weapons and the overload of production capacities with military orders, it was not possible to complete work on a promising model until May 1945.
However, recoilless guns were still available in the armed forces of Nazi Germany. In 1940, the Luftwaffe's parachute units received a 75-mm airborne recoilless gun 7, 5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40. But it was fired mainly with high-explosive fragmentation shells, unsuitable for fighting tanks. Although, according to the reference data, there were armor-piercing shells for this gun, due to the relatively low initial speed (370 m / s), the thickness of the penetrated armor did not exceed 25 mm. In 1942, cumulative shells with armor penetration up to 50 mm were adopted for this gun.
The 105-mm recoilless 10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 (LG 40), designed to arm airborne and mountain infantry units, had much greater capabilities. Due to its relatively low weight and the ability to quickly disassemble into individual parts, the LG 40 was suitable for hand carry. Until the middle of 1944, a little more than 500 105 mm recoilless guns were produced.
The gun, convened by Krupp AG and put into service in 1942, weighed 390 kg in combat position and could be rolled by the crew. There was also a lightweight version with wheels of small diameter and without a shield, weighing 280 kg. The main non-recoil ammunition was considered a high-explosive fragmentation projectile, but the ammunition also contained cumulative grenades with an initial speed of 330 m / s and an aiming range of about 500 m. and when 11, 75 kg of grenades hit at a right angle, 120 mm armor could be pierced, which of course is not much for such a caliber. Also, in small quantities, the troops were supplied with 105-mm recoilless 10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 42 from Rheinmetall-Borsig. The gun generally had the same characteristics as the "Krupp" LG 40, but due to the use of light alloys in the construction, it was lighter.
In the second half of 1943, a light infantry anti-tank gun (easel grenade launcher) 8, 8 cm Raketenwerfer 43, firing feathered rockets, entered service. It was developed by WASAG to replace the heavy PTR sPzB 41. Since the weapon strongly resembled a toy cannon, the name Puppchen (German Doll) stuck to it in the army.
Structurally, the grenade launcher consisted of five main parts: a barrel with a breech, a counterweight, a gun carriage and wheels. To protect the crew from shrapnel, a light shield made of armor steel 3 mm thick, with an aiming window, was intended. The barrel was locked by a bolt, in which locking, safety and percussion mechanisms were assembled. The sights were a mechanical sight with a 180-700 notch and an open front sight. The aiming of the grenade launcher at the target was done manually, there were no rotary and lifting mechanisms.
The main condition for the development of an 88-mm jet gun with a smooth barrel was the creation of an anti-tank system, which used non-scarce materials, while maintaining acceptable combat effectiveness and low weight. A Pz. Gr. 4312, based on the RPzB. Gr. 4322 from the Ofenror hand grenade launcher. In this case, the main differences consisted in the shock method of ignition of the powder charge and the greater length of the projectile.
Due to the higher rigidity and stability of the structure, the accuracy and range were higher than those of the 88-mm hand grenade launchers. The projectile flew out of a barrel 1600 mm long with an initial speed of 180 m / s. The effective range of fire on a moving target was 230 m. Combat rate of fire - up to 10 rds / min. The maximum sighting range is 700 m. The mass of the gun is 146 kg. Length - 2.87 m.
Despite its frivolous appearance and simple design, the "Doll" posed a serious danger to medium and heavy tanks at a distance of up to 200 m. The peak of production of "Raketenwerfer-43" was in 1944. In total, 3150 easel grenade launchers were handed over to the customer, and as of March 1, 1945, there were 1649 copies in the parts of the Wehrmacht and the SS troops.
Over the past 2, 5 years of the war in Germany, a large number of various rocket-propelled grenade launchers were designed, while a significant part of them did not reach mass production. But in any case, it should be recognized that the serial German disposable and reusable rocket-propelled grenade launchers were the most effective infantry anti-tank weapons created during the Second World War. The Panzershreks and Panzerfaust, launched in the second half of 1944, had a good balance between cost and efficiency. In the final period of the war, this weapon, with proper use, turned out to be capable of having a significant impact on the course of hostilities, and inflicting tangible losses on the tanks of the Red Army and the allies. In Soviet tank units, such a phenomenon as "fear of the Faustists" was even recorded. Soviet tankers, confidently operating in the operational space, were extremely reluctant to enter road junctions and narrow streets of cities and towns in Western Europe, where there was a high risk of running into an anti-tank ambush and getting a cumulative grenade into the side.
