3.7 cm KwK 36

3.7 cm KwK 36
Panzer III mounted with the 3.7 cm KwK 36
TypeTank gun
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
Used byNazi Germany
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Produced1930s
Specifications
Shell37 × 249 mm. R
Caliber37 mm (1.45 in)
CarriageTurret
Traverse360°
Muzzle velocity762 m/s (2,500 ft/s)
Effective firing range300 m (328 yds)
Maximum firing range5,484 m (5,997 yds)

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/45 (3.7 cm Kampfwagenkanone 36 L/45) was a German 3.7 cm cannon used primarily as the main armament of earlier variants of the German Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank. It was used during the Second World War.

It was essentially the 3.7 cm Pak 36 modified for use in a rotating enclosed turret.

Ammunition

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 used the 37 x 249 mm. R cartridge. Average penetration performance established against rolled homogeneous steel armor plate laid back at 30° from the vertical.[1]

PzGr.18 (Armour-piercing)
  • Weight of projectile: 0.658 kg (1 lb 7.2 oz)
  • Muzzle velocity: 745 m/s (2,440 ft/s)
100 m 500 m 1000 m 1500 m 2000 m
34 mm 29 mm 23 mm 19 mm --
PzGr.40 (Armour-piercing composite rigid)
  • Weight of projectile: 0.368 kg (13.0 oz)
  • Muzzle velocity: 1,020 m/s (3,300 ft/s)
100 m 500 m 1000 m 1500 m 2000 m
64 mm 31 mm -- -- --

PzGr.39 - Armour-piercing

Sprgr.Patr.34 - High-explosive


Calculated penetration (at 90 degrees) using American and British 50% success criteria,
and allowing comparison to performance of other guns.[2]
Ammunition type Muzzle velocity Penetration
100 m 500 m 1000 m 1500 m 2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Pzgr. APHE 745 m/s 64 mm (2.5 in) 52 mm (2.0 in) 40 mm (1.6 in) 30 mm (1.2 in) 23 mm (0.91 in)
Pzgr. 40 APCR 1,020 m/s 90 mm (3.5 in) 48 mm (1.9 in) 22 mm (0.87 in) -- --
Revised penetration statistics due to HE burster size, projectile weight, and possible decreases of early war metal quality.[2]
Ammunition type Muzzle velocity Penetration
100 m 250 m 500 m 750 m 1000 m 1250 m 1500 m 1750 m 2000 m 2500 m 3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Pzgr. APHE 745 m/s 49 mm (1.9 in) 45 mm (1.8 in) 40 mm (1.6 in) 35 mm (1.4 in) 30 mm (1.2 in) 27 mm (1.1 in) 23 mm (0.91 in) 20 mm (0.79 in) 18 mm (0.71 in) 14 mm (0.55 in) 11 mm (0.43 in)

Vehicles mounted on

Notes

  1. ^ Ankerstjerne, Christian. "Armor Penetration Table". Panzerworld. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b Bird, Lorrin Rexford; Livingston, Robert D. (2001). WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery. Overmatch Press. p. 61.

2. http://www.wehrmacht-history.com/heer/panzer-armaments/3.7-cm-kwk-36.htm Archived 25 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine