Published on
August 29, 2010 in
German.
This equipment, which is primarily a tank-hunter, was created by combining the 4.7 cm Czech antitank gun with the chassis of the Pz. Kpfw. I, Model B tank. Consequently its road performance approximates that of the Model B tank.
The turret arrangement consists of a three-sided welded shield, open at the top and rear, bolted to the superstructure by means of internal flanges. The driver’s seat is on the floor to the left rear of the gear box.
The fitting of the gun to the chassis is crude in many respects and not up to the usual standard of German workmanship or design. The gun is mounted on a steel frame, within the shield, in the front half of the vehicle. It is a single shot, high velocity weapon. The barrel is a one-piece forging fitted with a large and heavy muzzle brake and flash eliminator. The breech mechanism is of the vertical sliding block type. The gun is automatically cocked when the breech is opened. The elevating gear is on the left hand side of the gun and is controlled by an elevating wheel with a folding handle. The traversing gear is behind the elevating hand wheel. Traverse is limited by a spring-loaded stop to 15 deg. left or right. The recoil mechanism, which consists of a spring recuperator and liquid buffer, is housed in a cylindrical casing above the piece.
The gun utilizes the following types of ammunition—(1) A.P. tracer shell, (2) H.E. shell. At 300 yards the A.P. projectile effects a penetration of homogeneous armor of 2.3 ins. at 30 deg. obliquity; 3.0 ins. normal, and at 1000 yards will penetrate 1.8 in. at 30 deg. obliquity; 2.4 ins. normal.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Weight |
|
8.4 tons |
| Length |
|
14 ft., 6 ins. |
| Width |
|
6 ft., 9 ins. |
| Height |
|
7 ft. |
| Ground clearance |
|
11 1/2 ins. |
| Tread centers |
|
5 ft., 8 ins. |
| Ground contact |
|
8 ft. |
| Width of track |
|
11 ins. |
| Pitch of track |
|
3 11/16 ins. |
| Track links |
|
99 |
| Fording depth |
|
2 ft. |
| Theoretical radius of action |
| Roads |
|
87 miles |
| Cross-country |
|
72 miles |
| Speed |
| Roads |
|
26 m.p.h. |
| Cross-country |
|
15 m.p.h. |
| Armor |
| Front plate |
|
15 mm |
| Sides |
|
10 mm |
| Shield |
|
15 mm |
| Armament |
|
4.7 cm. Pak (t) |
| Muzzle velocity (AP) |
|
Wt. 3.6 lb.—2540 f.s.
(HE) 1300 f.s. |
| Effective range |
|
(HE) 1520 yds. |
| Overall length |
|
187.5 ins. |
| Traverse |
|
30° |
| Elevation |
|
12° |
| Depression |
|
8° |
| Ammunition (rds.) |
|
74 |
| Engine |
|
100 h.p. 6-cyl. Maybach Model NL 38 TR |
| Transmission |
|
5 speeds forward, 1 reverse |
| Steering |
|
Clutch brake |
| Crew |
|
3 |
German: p. 4
Published on
July 24, 2010 in
German.
The 4.7 cm Skoda semi-automatic, antitank gun is now apparently obsolescent.
The tube, of monobloc construction, is threaded to take a single baffled muzzle brake and flash hider; the rear is screwed on to the breech ring. The gun recoils on vertical slides riveted to the piece. The breechblock is of the vertical sliding wedge type. The piece is cocked automatically when the breechblock is opened, but provision for cocking by hand is also made.
The recoil mechanism, housed in a cylinder above the piece, consists of a spring recuperator and a buffer cylinder containing water and glycerine.
The top carriage which pivots in traverse on the lower carriage consists of a circular steel base housing machined to hold the trunnion seats for the cradle. The traversing mechanism consists of a handwheel, flexible joint, worm and worm wheel. A grip handle acts as a separate clutch for disengaging the free traverse. The elevating mechanism has a handwheel, beveled gears, flexible joints, shaft, worm and worm wheel.
The carriage has split trails of welded steel construction spread to an angle of about 52° for firing support. In traveling position, they are locked to the axle, and the piece which is rotated through an angle of 180° rests over the trail legs. The wooden-spoked wheels are fitted with steel rims and mechanical brakes which are operated by a hand lever.
The shield is rectangular with a double curve on the top and a cut-away portion for the wheels on either side. It is constructed of a thin 5 mm sheet of armor and has a rectangular sighting aperture on the left-hand side.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Caliber |
|
47 mm (1.85 ins.) |
| Weight (complete) |
|
800 lb. (approx). |
| Length (overall), (travelling position) |
|
162 ins. |
| Length of tube |
|
6.25 ft. |
| Breech mechanism |
|
Vertical sliding wedge; semi-auto. |
| Firing mechanism |
|
Inertia |
| Recoil mechanism |
|
Hydro-spring |
| Rifling |
|
20 lands and grooves; R.H. twist |
| Muzzle velocity |
|
(A.P.) Wt. 3.6 lb.—2540 f/s |
| Elevation |
|
30° |
| Depression |
|
-4° |
| Traverse |
|
45° scaled—360° free |
| Ammunition |
|
H.E.; A.P. (Uncapped) |
| Penetration |
| A.P. shot against homogeneous armor |
| Range |
|
Thickness of armor in inches |
| Yards |
|
30° |
|
Normal |
| 300 |
|
2.3 |
|
3.0 |
| 500 |
|
2.2 |
|
2.8 |
| 700 |
|
2.0 |
|
2.6 |
| 1000 |
|
1.8 |
|
2.4 |
|
German: p. 127
Published on
January 16, 2010 in
Japanese.
The Japanese Type I (1941) 47 mm tank gun is mounted in the Type 97 Improved Medium Tank, replacing the 57 mm tank gun, a weapon of much lower velocity. The 47 mm tank model is very similar to the Type I, 47 mm antitank gun described on page 106. The breech mechanism, however, is of the semi-automatic, vertical sliding block type instead of the horizontal sliding block type. The barrel, 7 feet, 11 1/2 inches long, is of built-up construction. The firing mechanism is of the percussion hammer type, the recoil mechanism is a hydro-spring type.
The piece is free mounted in a mantlet in the turret which permits a total traverse of approximately 15 degrees. Elevation and depression of from 8 to 10 degrees may be obtained. The gun fires high explosive and armor-piercing high explosive ammunition.
Two types of telescopic sights for this gun have been recovered. Although different in size and design, they are both 4 power by 14 degrees.
Firing tests on this gun reveal that A.P.H.E. ammunition at 500 yards will penetrate 2.7 inches of homogeneous armor at normal, and 2.2 inches of homogeneous armor at 30° from normal.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Caliber |
|
47 mm (1.85 ins.) |
| Weight |
|
904 lbs. |
| Length (overall) |
|
9 ft., 7 ins. |
| Length of tube |
|
7 ft., 11 1/2 ins. |
| Length of bore (including chamber) |
|
7 ft., 3/4 in. |
| No. of grooves |
|
16 |
| Width of grooves |
| Depth of grooves |
| Width of lands |
| Muzzle velocity (A.P.H.E. shell) |
|
2,700 f/s |
| Max. range |
| Rate of fire |
| Traverse |
|
15° |
| Elevation |
|
8° to 10° |
| Depression |
|
8° to 10° |
| Length of recoil |
| Ammunition |
|
H.E. and A.P.H.E. |
| Wt. of projectile (H.E.) |
|
3.08 lbs. |
| (A.P.H.E.) |
|
3.37 lbs. |
Japanese: p. 106.1 (August 1, 1945)
