Difference between revisions of "S.Pz.B.41 (28/20 mm)"

From War Thunder Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Updated page template)
(Edits)
 
(3 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 14: Line 14:
 
The 2.8/2 cm s.Pz.B.41 is hindered by the fact that it only has one type of ammunition available in-game, the Pzgr.41 APCR ammunition. However, the squeeze-bore principle does indeed propels the ammunition at an extremely high velocity of 1,400 m/s
 
The 2.8/2 cm s.Pz.B.41 is hindered by the fact that it only has one type of ammunition available in-game, the Pzgr.41 APCR ammunition. However, the squeeze-bore principle does indeed propels the ammunition at an extremely high velocity of 1,400 m/s
  
=== Available shells ===
+
=== Available ammunition ===
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
  
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:{{PAGENAME}}/Ammunition|2.8/2cm Pzgr.41}}
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
|-
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
| 2.8/2cm Pzgr.41 || APCR || 95 || 94 || 66 || 38 || 15 || 8
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| 2.8/2cm Pzgr.41 || APCR || 1,400 || 0.14 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
 
=== Comparison with analogues ===
Line 56: Line 28:
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.''
+
<!-- ''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.'' -->
 +
Because of its high muzzle velocity, low drop, and high penetration, this cannon is best used as a sort of sniper rifle, hiding in cover and picking off enemies at a distance. However, since it can only fire APCR, its penetration greatly suffers against angled armour, and its post penetration damage is limited, so you must aim for modules such as crew and ammunition.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
Line 62: Line 35:
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
*
+
 
 +
* High penetration
 +
* High velocity
 +
* Good rate of fire
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
+
 
 +
* Bad performance against highly angled armor
 +
* Not as much post-penetration damage as others
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 71: Line 49:
 
The concept of a squeeze-bore weapon began in the early 20th century under the proposal of German professor Karl Puff. This materialized into a weapon after World War I by Hermann Gerlich. The design used a conical shell in a barrel that had a narrowing calibre width to "squeeze" the shell to make the most of the propellent energy behind the shell. This resulted in extremely high muzzle velocities, which broke records at the time, but the downside to the design was the high production cost and complexity of producing the barrel design, and the short barrel life due to the stresses involved.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41">Samsonov 2016</ref>
 
The concept of a squeeze-bore weapon began in the early 20th century under the proposal of German professor Karl Puff. This materialized into a weapon after World War I by Hermann Gerlich. The design used a conical shell in a barrel that had a narrowing calibre width to "squeeze" the shell to make the most of the propellent energy behind the shell. This resulted in extremely high muzzle velocities, which broke records at the time, but the downside to the design was the high production cost and complexity of producing the barrel design, and the short barrel life due to the stresses involved.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41">Samsonov 2016</ref>
  
After Gerlich's death in 1934, his designs were picked up by Mauser who continued work on the squeeze-bore weapon. Mauser engineers at Obendorf developed a 28/20 mm weapon in 1939, which was designated the ''Gerät 231'' or ''MK.8202''. This was further developed and trialled in the Summer of 1940 by the Wehrmacht. The weapon was eventually accepted into service in 1941 as the '''2,8 cm schwere Panzerbüchse 41''', or shortened as '''s.Pz.B.41'''.<ref name="LoneSentry_SPzB41">Lone Sentry 2016</ref> Production of the weapon by Mauser ran between 1940-1943 with a total of 2,782 units produced, with a unit price of around 4,500 Reichsmarks each.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41"/>
+
After Gerlich's death in 1934, his designs were picked up by Mauser who continued work on the squeeze-bore weapon. Mauser engineers at Obendorf developed a 28/20 mm weapon in 1939, which was designated the ''Gerät 231'' or ''MK.8202''. This was further developed and trialled in the Summer of 1940 by the Wehrmacht. The weapon was eventually accepted into service in 1941 as the '''2,8 cm schwere Panzerbüchse 41''', or shortened as '''s.Pz.B.41'''.<ref name="LoneSentry_SPzB41">Lone Sentry 2016</ref> Production of the weapon by Mauser ran between 1940-1943 with a total of 2,782 units produced, with a unit price of around 4,500 Reichsmarks each.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41" />
 
[[File:HistoricImage IWM-E-9090 S.Pz.B.41 (28-20 mm).jpg|x250px|thumb|right|A captured s.Pz.B.41 in the hands of an Englishmen during the North African campaign.]]
 
[[File:HistoricImage IWM-E-9090 S.Pz.B.41 (28-20 mm).jpg|x250px|thumb|right|A captured s.Pz.B.41 in the hands of an Englishmen during the North African campaign.]]
  
The s.Pz.B.41's benefit was maintaining a high-velocity penetrating shell at a lighter weight than the [[PaK L/45 (37 mm)|37 mm PaK 36]], with the s.Pz.B.41 weighing 223 kg (~492 lb.) altogether,<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41"/> while the PaK 36 weighed roughly 400 kg (~880 lb.).<ref name="WarDept_PaK36">War Department 1943, pg.113-114</ref> The s.Pz.B.41 could also be disassembled and carried in a crew of five, further enhancing the weapon's mobility.
+
The s.Pz.B.41's benefit was maintaining a high-velocity penetrating shell at a lighter weight than the [[PaK L/45 (37 mm)|37 mm PaK 36]], with the s.Pz.B.41 weighing 223 kg (~492 lb.) altogether,<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41" /> while the PaK 36 weighed roughly 400 kg (~880 lb.).<ref name="WarDept_PaK36">War Department 1943, pg.113-114</ref> The s.Pz.B.41 could also be disassembled and carried in a crew of five, further enhancing the weapon's mobility.
  
The weapon proved useful in the Eastern Front as a weapon against the Soviet's new T-34 and KV-1 tank. Several were also sent to the North African theatre.<ref name="Zaloga2005">Zaloga 2005, pg.6-7</ref> However, the increasing armour on tanks eventually made the s.Pz.B.41 obsolete as a front-line anti-tank weapon by 1943. The s.Pz.B.41's armour-piercing shell being built from tungsten also complicated the weapon's longevity as the material became scarce in Germany.<ref name="LoneSentry_SPzB41"/> However, the weapon remained as a anti-materiel weapon against infantry fortifications and thin-skinned or lightly armoured vehicles.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41"/>
+
The weapon proved useful in the Eastern Front as a weapon against the Soviet's new T-34 and KV-1 tank. Several were also sent to the North African theatre.<ref name="Zaloga2005">Zaloga 2005, pg.6-7</ref> However, the increasing armour on tanks eventually made the s.Pz.B.41 obsolete as a front-line anti-tank weapon by 1943. The s.Pz.B.41's armour-piercing shell being built from tungsten also complicated the weapon's longevity as the material became scarce in Germany.<ref name="LoneSentry_SPzB41" /> However, the weapon remained as a anti-materiel weapon against infantry fortifications and thin-skinned or lightly armoured vehicles.<ref name="TankArchives_SPzB41" />
  
Captured samples of the s.Pz.B.41 by the Allies revived interest in development of tapered-bore designs on the American [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm cannon]] and the British [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|2-pounder cannon]], with the overall goal of improving armour penetration on the same lightweight platforms. However, the design issues of short barrel life and complexity in manufacturing were never overcame, and so none of the experimental designs were accepted into US service.<ref name="Zaloga2005"/>
+
Captured samples of the s.Pz.B.41 by the Allies revived interest in development of tapered-bore designs on the American [[M3 (37 mm)|37 mm cannon]] and the British [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|2-pounder cannon]], with the overall goal of improving armour penetration on the same lightweight platforms. However, the design issues of short barrel life and complexity in manufacturing were never overcame, and so none of the experimental designs were accepted into US service.<ref name="Zaloga2005" />
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
Line 85: Line 63:
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 +
 
* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
 
* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
 
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''
Line 92: Line 71:
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
 
* [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2016/08/schwere-panzerbuchse-41.html [Tank Archives<nowiki>]</nowiki> Schwere Panzerbüchse 41] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210525130840/http://www.tankarchives.ca/2016/08/schwere-panzerbuchse-41.html Web Archive])
 
* [http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2016/08/schwere-panzerbuchse-41.html [Tank Archives<nowiki>]</nowiki> Schwere Panzerbüchse 41] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210525130840/http://www.tankarchives.ca/2016/08/schwere-panzerbuchse-41.html Web Archive])
 
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1079 [Military Factory<nowiki>]</nowiki> Mauser 2.8cm schwere Panzerbuchse 41 (sPzB 41)] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210525130825/https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1079 Web Archive])
 
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1079 [Military Factory<nowiki>]</nowiki> Mauser 2.8cm schwere Panzerbuchse 41 (sPzB 41)] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210525130825/https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.php?smallarms_id=1079 Web Archive])
Line 99: Line 79:
  
 
;Bibliography:
 
;Bibliography:
 +
 
* Lone Sentry. "'German Antitank Weapons' from ''Intelligence Bulletin'', November 1944." ''Lone Sentry'', n.d., [http://www.lonesentry.com/german_antitank/index.html Website] Accessed 25 May 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201118073317/http://www.lonesentry.com/german_antitank/index.html Archive]).
 
* Lone Sentry. "'German Antitank Weapons' from ''Intelligence Bulletin'', November 1944." ''Lone Sentry'', n.d., [http://www.lonesentry.com/german_antitank/index.html Website] Accessed 25 May 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201118073317/http://www.lonesentry.com/german_antitank/index.html Archive]).
 
* Military Intelligence Service: War Department, ''German Infantry Weapons''. Washington: United States War Department, 25 May 1943.
 
* Military Intelligence Service: War Department, ''German Infantry Weapons''. Washington: United States War Department, 25 May 1943.

Latest revision as of 17:10, 7 June 2023

The 28/20 mm s.Pz.B.41 on the Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41).

Description

The 2.8/2 cm s.Pz.B.41 (Full designation: schwere Panzerbüchse; English: heavy tank hunting rifle) is a German anti-tank gun that utilizes a squeeze-bore principle for the projectile's kinetic energy. The squeeze-bore principle has a varying barrel diameter from the chamber to the muzzle, which "squeezes" the projectile as it propels through the "bore" in order to obtain a higher muzzle velocity. This results in the strange calibre naming for the weapon, which starts at 28 mm diameter at the chamber that steadily decreases to 20 mm by the muzzle end.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

General info

The 2.8/2 cm s.Pz.B.41 is hindered by the fact that it only has one type of ammunition available in-game, the Pzgr.41 APCR ammunition. However, the squeeze-bore principle does indeed propels the ammunition at an extremely high velocity of 1,400 m/s

Available ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
2.8/2cm Pzgr.41 APCR 90 84 63 44 31 21
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
2.8/2cm Pzgr.41 APCR 1,400 0.12 - - - 66° 70° 72°

Comparison with analogues

The s.Pz.B.41 is a one-of-a-kind squeeze-bore weapon in the game that presents high velocity and penetration for the calibre.

A similar weapon that retains a "lightweight" construction and small-calibre shell is the Italian Fucile Controcarri S Mod.39 anti-tank rifle inside the L3/33 CC.

However, in terms of a weapon that have similar penetration power as the s.Pz.B.41 is the British 40 mm OQF 2-pounder, with the Shot Mk.1 APCBC/T that can penetrate 96 mm at point-blank range at perpendicular armour. The firepower parity at such a difference of calibre is testament on just how much faster the s.Pz.B.41 shell is going due to the squeeze-bore principle.

Usage in battles

Because of its high muzzle velocity, low drop, and high penetration, this cannon is best used as a sort of sniper rifle, hiding in cover and picking off enemies at a distance. However, since it can only fire APCR, its penetration greatly suffers against angled armour, and its post penetration damage is limited, so you must aim for modules such as crew and ammunition.

Pros and cons

Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.

Pros:

  • High penetration
  • High velocity
  • Good rate of fire

Cons:

  • Bad performance against highly angled armor
  • Not as much post-penetration damage as others

History

The concept of a squeeze-bore weapon began in the early 20th century under the proposal of German professor Karl Puff. This materialized into a weapon after World War I by Hermann Gerlich. The design used a conical shell in a barrel that had a narrowing calibre width to "squeeze" the shell to make the most of the propellent energy behind the shell. This resulted in extremely high muzzle velocities, which broke records at the time, but the downside to the design was the high production cost and complexity of producing the barrel design, and the short barrel life due to the stresses involved.[1]

After Gerlich's death in 1934, his designs were picked up by Mauser who continued work on the squeeze-bore weapon. Mauser engineers at Obendorf developed a 28/20 mm weapon in 1939, which was designated the Gerät 231 or MK.8202. This was further developed and trialled in the Summer of 1940 by the Wehrmacht. The weapon was eventually accepted into service in 1941 as the 2,8 cm schwere Panzerbüchse 41, or shortened as s.Pz.B.41.[2] Production of the weapon by Mauser ran between 1940-1943 with a total of 2,782 units produced, with a unit price of around 4,500 Reichsmarks each.[1]

A captured s.Pz.B.41 in the hands of an Englishmen during the North African campaign.

The s.Pz.B.41's benefit was maintaining a high-velocity penetrating shell at a lighter weight than the 37 mm PaK 36, with the s.Pz.B.41 weighing 223 kg (~492 lb.) altogether,[1] while the PaK 36 weighed roughly 400 kg (~880 lb.).[3] The s.Pz.B.41 could also be disassembled and carried in a crew of five, further enhancing the weapon's mobility.

The weapon proved useful in the Eastern Front as a weapon against the Soviet's new T-34 and KV-1 tank. Several were also sent to the North African theatre.[4] However, the increasing armour on tanks eventually made the s.Pz.B.41 obsolete as a front-line anti-tank weapon by 1943. The s.Pz.B.41's armour-piercing shell being built from tungsten also complicated the weapon's longevity as the material became scarce in Germany.[2] However, the weapon remained as a anti-materiel weapon against infantry fortifications and thin-skinned or lightly armoured vehicles.[1]

Captured samples of the s.Pz.B.41 by the Allies revived interest in development of tapered-bore designs on the American 37 mm cannon and the British 2-pounder cannon, with the overall goal of improving armour penetration on the same lightweight platforms. However, the design issues of short barrel life and complexity in manufacturing were never overcame, and so none of the experimental designs were accepted into US service.[4]

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
  • references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

References
  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Samsonov 2016
  2. 2.0 2.1 Lone Sentry 2016
  3. War Department 1943, pg.113-114
  4. 4.0 4.1 Zaloga 2005, pg.6-7
Bibliography
  • Lone Sentry. "'German Antitank Weapons' from Intelligence Bulletin, November 1944." Lone Sentry, n.d., Website Accessed 25 May 2021 (Archive).
  • Military Intelligence Service: War Department, German Infantry Weapons. Washington: United States War Department, 25 May 1943.
  • Samsonov, Peter. "Schwere Panzerbüchse 41." Tank Archives, Blogger, 20 Aug. 2016, Website. Accessed 25 May 2021 (Archive).
  • Zaloga, Steven J. US Anti-tank Artillery 1941-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2005.


Germany tank cannons
20 mm  KwK30 · KwK38 · Rh202
28/20 mm  s.Pz.B.41
30 mm  MK 30-2/ABM
37 mm  KwK34(t) · KwK36 · KwK38(t) · PaK L/45
47 mm  Pak.(t)(Sf.)
50 mm  KwK39 · KwK L/42 · PaK38
57 mm  Bofors L/70 Mk.1
75 mm  K51 L/24 · KwK37 · KwK40 L43 · KwK40 L48 · KwK42 · KwK44 · KwK44 L/36.5 · PaK39 L48 · PaK40/3 L46 · PaK42 · StuK37 · StuK40 L43 · StuK40 L48
76 mm  PaK36 (r)
88 mm  Flak.37 · Flak 41 · KwK36 · KwK43 · PaK43
90 mm  BK90
105 mm  CN105-57 · Cockerill HP · FMK.4 Modelo 1L · K.18 · KwK L/68 · L7A3 · PzK M57 · StuH42
120 mm  Rh120 L/44 · Rh120 L/55 · Rh120 L/55 A1
128 mm  K.40 · KwK44 · PaK44
150 mm  s.I.G.33 · Stu.H 43 L/12
380 mm  RW61
  Foreign:
30 mm  Bushmaster 2 Mk.44 (USA) · HSS 831L (Britain)
57 mm  6pdr OQF Mk.V (Britain)
73 mm  2A28 (USSR)
75 mm  M3 (USA)
76 mm  F-32 (USSR) · F-34 (USSR) · M32 (USA)
90 mm  M36 (USA) · M41 (USA)
105 mm  GT-3 (South Africa)
125 mm  2A46 (USSR)
152 mm  M-10T (USSR) · XM150E5 (USA)
155 mm  M126 (USA)