12.8 cm KwK 44

12.8 cm KwK 44
Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus" with a 12.8 cm KwK 44 L / 55
General Information
Military designation:	12.8 cm KwK 44 L / 55
Manufacturer designation:	Krupp 12.8 cm K 44
Manufacturer country:	German Empire
Developer / Manufacturer:	Friedrich Krupp AG
Development year:	1943
Production time:	1944 to 1945
Number of pieces:	approx. 50 to 100
Model variants:	(Field) cannon, KwK, PjK and PaK
Weapon Category:	cannon
Technical specifications
Pipe length:	6623 mm
Caliber :	128 mm
Caliber length :	L / 55 (2 versions L / 61)
Elevation range:	−7 to +45 degrees
Side straightening area:	14 degrees
Furnishing
Sighting device :	Turret riflescope
Ammunition supply:	manually
Drive:	electric or handwheel
Power supply:	Electrical system
Grenade and cartridge separated:	Rim cartridge

From left to right: HE grenade, cartridge, tank grenade

The 12.8 cm KwK 44 was a combat vehicle cannon ( KwK for short ) of the German Wehrmacht , which was designed with the caliber length L / 55 as a turret cannon for the super-heavy Panzer VIII "Maus" , but also largely identical as a tank hunting cannon (short: PjK ) with the designation 12.8 cm PjK 44 was used as the main armament in the heavy tank destroyer “Jagdtiger” . The weapon system was derived from the Krupp field cannon 12.8-cm-K 44 (also 12.8-cm PaK 44 ), which was one of the most powerful artillery pieces for combating hardened mobile combat vehicles in World War II .

History and commitment

Already at the end of 1942 there was a need for action with regard to the provision of suitable weapon systems in the fight against heavy armored combat vehicles, whereby the operational experience of the armored forces , tank destroyers and assault artillery had to be taken into account. The self-propelled gun L / 61 “Sturer Emil” developed as a prototype , using the tried and tested 12.8 cm Flak 40 as test armament, proved to be expedient.

Ultimately, the decision was made to build the heavy tank destroyer VI “Jagdtiger” with a 12.8 cm cannon. On February 22nd, 1943, the companies Krupp , Artillery Construction Department in Essen and Henschel & Sohn in Kassel were entrusted with the development by the Army High Command. Krupp was awarded the contract to build the Panzerjagd-Kanon (PjK for short), which was derived from the 12.8 cm K 44 L / 55 - also in use under the designation 12.8 cm PaK 44  L / 55 - and Henschel to develop the carrier platform.

For the Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus" - the new super-heavy tank - this high-performance cannon was intended under the name 12.8 cm KwK 44 L / 55, which is usual for tanks. The cannons built into the prototypes, however, still had the designation 12.8 cm PaK 44  L / 55.

Types of ammunition

Instead of the shell-shaped grenade cartridges previously used for KwK / PaK / PjK, the grenade and cartridge were separate for this weapon for reasons of weight . The principle of the rim cartridge was retained. The following types of shell were mainly used.

• PzGr. - Tank shell for 12.8 cm KwK, -PaK and -PjK 44 L / 55
  • Projectile (APC-HE): Impact projectile, armor-piercing, with steel cap and explosive charge (if necessary tracer set)
• PzGr. 43 - 1943 tank shell for 12.8 cm KwK, PaK and PjK 44 L / 55
  • Projectile (APCBC-HE): Impact projectile, armor-piercing, with steel cap, explosive charge and ballistic hood (if necessary tracer set)
• 12.8 cm SpGr. L / 55 - HE grenade, version for 12.8 cm KwK, -PaK and -PjK 44 L / 55
  • Projectile (HE): Highly explosive projectile with an explosive device (with fragmentation effect)

Average penetration force against homogeneous, rolled armored steel plates at an angle of impact of 30 ° to the vertical of the armored vehicle.

Ammunition types and penetration

Type of ammunition (projectile)	Grenade projectile			Propellant charge	Muzzle velocity ( ) ${\displaystyle v_{0}}$	Penetration value after ...
	projectile	Explosive charge	length			500 m	1000 m	2000 m
PzGr.	26.3 kg	550 g (RDX slow)	496.5 mm	15.0 kg	880 m / s	166 mm	143 mm	117 mm
PzGr. 43	28.3 kg				920 m / s	212 mm	200 mm	178 mm
SpGr.	28.0 kg	3.6 kg	623 mm	12.2 kg	750 m / s	-	-	-

Carrier platforms

• Jagdpanzer VI "Jagdtiger" (also heavy tank destroyer or Sd.Kfz. 186)
• Tank: Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus"

Versions 12.8 cm KwK / PjK / PaK 44

• 

  Tank destroyer "Jagdtiger" with PaK (or PjK)

• 

  Tank destroyer "Jagdtiger" with PjK (or PaK)

See also

• List of special vehicles of the Wehrmacht
• List of tracked vehicles of the Wehrmacht

literature

• Walter J. Spielberger: Heavy tank destroyers. 3rd edition, Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-613-01517-X .
• Terry Gander, Peter Chamberlain: Encyclopedia of German Weapons 1939-1945. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart, ISBN 3-613-02481-0 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ According to the bulletin of the tank troops of the inspector general of the tank troops of November 17, 1944 renamed from s. Pz. Jg. VI in Jagdtiger .
2. ↑ Armor Penetration Table. Retrieved February 14, 2020 .