Favorite WWII Anti-Tank Gun/Weapon to destroy a Tank?

[Emperor_Taiki]

@aequitas:

the effective range for a Pak 38 on a T34 was about 500 meters…

that sounds a little optimistic to me. is there a source for this?

[aequitas-et-veritas]

that sounds a little optimistic to me. is there a source for this?

yes there is!

One was wiki of course because I remembered actually 500 till 800 meters on certain shells/granates but I also read a book and it had hit charts in it as well…

“Die dt. Panzerjägertruppe 1935-1945. Katalog der Waffen, Munition und Fahrzeuge”
-Podzun-Pallas Verlag.de    Germany
and the other source was from ex-soldiers who fought and could confirm certain things for me…

but 500 meters was very accurate considering typ of tank,wind, shell/granate and hit direction,stopped or moving Target.
Russian Tanks shot while they where driving, German Tank commanders stopped their tank, aimed and then took the shot…learned and exercised in numerous drills…later on like '43 the drill was cut down in time ,because so many men where needed and the loss of many really good tank crews because of sometimes stupid decissions made marked the spirit of the Panzer-Elite…If somebody is getting a chance to read a Tiger Fibel will know what I mean!..aiming was kind of art and skill of good guessing in the same time…on the other hand russians did almost everything in big numbers you basically learned while you where put into frontline.Russian soldiers where excellent in disguising and camoflage.
For example they let a whole Platoon of tanks or supply trucks pass by and hide to only hit 'em when they where coming back…pretty smart cuz they know there will be no granate on the front for a while…“Ratsch-bumm”

[Emperor_Taiki]

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3wnpq_hummel-mobile-heavy-artillery-part_shortfilmsthis video mentions,
this video mentions that the Pak 36 and Pak 38 barely worked at point blank range.

are you sure you are not thinking of the Pak 40?

[aequitas-et-veritas]

I’m sure Emperor_Taiki
nice video but I wonder why they called it heavy art. HUMMEL?
here is a data sheet, I translated the important stuff…
The Pak 38 was in duty untill the end of the war in europe…yes I’m aware of the Pak 36 the Landser called it PAK-Panzer Anklopf Kanone wich means like Panzer Knock knock Kannon
because the shells bounced off of almost any russian tank and was not able to penetrate the thick armour of French Soumo ,Russian T34 and KV classes…I agree on Pak 36 was not a considerable weapon to knock out a tank but it remained untill the end of the war as well…

PAK-38 cm Abwehrgeschuetz

Technische Daten  [Bearbeiten]
Gewicht in Feuerstellung: 986 kg
Gewicht in Fahrstellung: 1062 kg
Gesamtlänge: 4,75 m
Breite: 1,83 m
Rohrlänge: 2,975 m (L/60)
Höhe: 1,105 m
Schutzschild: zwei 4 mm starke Panzerplatten im Abstand von 25 mm
Zielmittel: ZF 3 x 8°
Richtbereich des Rohres
in Höhe: -8° bis +27°
in Seite: 65°
Schussweite (max.): 9400 m <this 9400=“” states=“” it=“” could=“” shoot=“” m=“” max.<br=“”>Feuerrate: 12–15 Schuss/min
Lebensdauer eines Rohres: 4000–5000 Schuss
Munition:
Panzergranate 39 <this shell<br=“”>Gewicht: 2,25 kg
v0: 823 m/s
Durchschlag: 78 mm auf 500 m (Auftreffwinkel 30°) <this penetrates=“” 78mm=“” @=“” 500m.<br=“”>Panzergranate 40 (Hartkern)              <this shell =“” <br=“”>Gewicht: 0,850 kg
v0: 1198 m/s
Durchschlag: 120 mm auf 500 m (30°) <this 500=“” states=“” it=“” penetrates=“” 120mm=“” steel=“” @=“” m.<br=“”>Sprenggranate
Gewicht: 1,96 kg
v0: 549 m/s
Stielgranate 42 (Hohlladung) <this is=“” a=“” external=“” granate=“” wich=“” was=“” loaded =“” upfront=“” <br=“”>Gewicht: 13-13,5 kg             
v0: 160 m/s
Durchschlag: 180 mm <penetrates 180=“” mm=“” but=“” only=“” in=“” short=“” distance,=“” cuz=“” of=“” the=“” arc=“” it=“” made<br=“”>Preis: 10.600 RM bei 1800 Arbeitsstunden
Stückzahl: etwa 9568</penetrates></this></this></this></this></this></this>

[Emperor_Taiki]

ok, thx
Germans build good guns

[Upside-down_Turtle]

The Panzershreck is probably the best, but sticky bombs have a special place in my heart.

[ABWorsham4]

How about throwing an anti-tank mine againist the side of an T-34? Does that qualify?

[Upside-down_Turtle]

hmm, i guess it would work.  wouldn’t throwing it under an oncomming tank be more effective?

[ABWorsham4]

I read that during the Battle of the Seelow Heights in 1945 that the Germans had ran low on Anti-tank weapons and resulted to using knocked outed T-34/85 turrents and anti tank mines to beat back a Soviet tank attack.

[ABWorsham4]

@gamerman01:

88’s could shoot tanks, right?  88’s were dominant.

My grandfather spoke to me once about an account he had with a German 88. He was delivering warm grub to the front for the U.S 2nd Inf. in Belgium when a German gun crew targeted his position. He on more than one occasion spoke how the Germans didn’t mind targeting single men with their heavy guns. I do miss our talks.

[Jermofoot]

@ABWorsham:

I read that during the Battle of the Seelow Heights in 1945 that the Germans had ran low on Anti-tank weapons and resulted to using knocked outed T-34/85 turrents and anti tank mines to beat back a Soviet tank attack.

This was actually fairly common throughout the theater.  Of course, they were taking T-34s and restoring them with a Nazi paint job as well.

[tin_snips]

panzerfaust, for handheld

pak43 (on a cruciform mount), for stationary

[aequitas-et-veritas]

water was runnin in my mouth when I saw the pic. of the Pak 43…I had a diffrent picture of it once in a book…that thing is tide!!

[tin_snips]

it was basically the flak 37, but with a sloped front plate and lower mount. awesome gun that was able to penetrate the heaviest of allied armour (same gun as was in the king tiger and jagdpanther)

they also made a pak43/41, which was the same idea except on a wheeled base like the pak40

[Upside-down_Turtle]

My Grandfather in North Africa captured a German tank (single handedly, I think) and painted it US colors.  I’ve only heard it from my dad though.  My Grandfather died around the age of 50, so I never knew him.

Very useful, that German tank.  Very useful it was…

[tin_snips]

do you know what is was?

[Upside-down_Turtle]

…actually, no.  I forget.  I’ll have to ask my dad.

[Upside-down_Turtle]

Grandfather was the head motor Sergant.  Lost all 23 of his tanks in 1 day.  2 Tiger Tanks were hiding, and rose up out of the sand.  Captured both with his men.

[aequitas-et-veritas]

no wonder!..Germans used better oculars to estimate the distance in africa because of the heat blurres from the ground…in africa speed was important…if you could make the enemy before he could make you out the advance was on your side…they used to fire allready from far distance…
your grandpa was awsome by taking out those Tiger Tanks w. his men…must been around spring  in '42 !?..

[Upside-down_Turtle]

The US actually didn’t land until the Fall of 42.  I think this particular battle was in 43.

My Grandpa was American, but he worked with guys from India, Cannada, Poland, Britain, all over the place.  Said, 'These guys could do anything."  They got along very well, and worked very well together.

Seeing those Tigers rise out of the sand scared the crap out of them, though…

would have scared the crap out of me, too…