Chariot cannon

Historic 5 cm KwK in front of Sd.Kfz. 234

The tank gun (short- tank gun ) is a component of armored armament and the name of the firm in turret built cannon . A distinction must be made between individually loaded on-board cannons and on-board machine cannons. In the armored forces of the Bundeswehr today, the term tank cannon is used as a collective term for KwK .

Developed in Germany chariot cannons were added from anti-tank guns (short: PaK ) and anti-aircraft guns (short: Flak , rarely FlaK ) derived and found partially modified as main armament in hunting tanks (mostly here KwK or PJK rare, even PaK ) or assault guns ( short: StuK ) use. Modifications were also used as an on-board cannon (short: BK ).

Chariot guns of the Wehrmacht

The following overview contains a selection of combat vehicle cannons that were used in the special vehicles (Sd.Kfz.) Of the Wehrmacht up to 1945.

See also : special motor vehicle  and list of special motor vehicles of the Wehrmacht

designation	Caliber length	Pipe length (in cm)	Deployment platforms
			Special motor vehicle (Sd.Kfz.)	as PaK	as flak	other
2 cm KwK 30	L / 55	110.0	Sd.Kfz. 121 / PzKpfw II, version old Sd.Kfz. 179 / Bergepanther Sd.Kfz.222 / light armored car (2 cm) Sd.Kfz. 231 / Heavy armored car 6-wheel, 8-wheel Sd.Kfz. 232 / Heavy armored car (Fu) 6-wheel, 8-wheel		2 cm Flak 30	2 cm Flak C / 30 of the Kriegsmarine
2 cm KwK 38			PzKpfw II, Ausf. JL		2-cm-Flak 38 , 2-cm-Flak-Vierling 38 , 2-cm-Berg-Flak 38
3.7 cm KwK 36	L / 45	166.5	PzKpfw III, Ausf. A – G	3.7 cm PaK 36
5 cm KwK 38	L / 42	210.0	PzKpfw III, Ausf. F – J
5 cm KwK 39	L / 60	300.0	PzKpfw III, Ausf. J – M	5 cm PaK 38		On-board cannon BK-5
7.5 cm KwK 37	L / 24	180.0	PzKpfw III, Ausf. N , PzKpfw IV, Ausf. AF
7.5 cm KwK 40	L / 43	322.5	PzKpfw IV, Ausf. F2 / G			7.5 cm piece 40 L / 43
	L / 48	360.0	PzKpfw IV, Ausf. GJ , Jagdpanzer IV	7.5 cm PaK 39 L / 48		7.5 cm piece 40 L / 48
7.5 cm KwK 42	L / 70	525.0	Jagdpanzer IV / 70, Panther , Panther II	7.5 cm PaK 42 (on tank destroyer)		7.5 cm PjK 42
8.8 cm KwK 36	L / 56	492.8	tiger		8.8 cm FlaK 18/36/37
8.8 cm KwK 43	L / 71	624.8	Jagdpanther , Tiger II , Ferdinand	8.8 cm PaK 43		8.8 cm PjK 43/2 L / 71
12.8 cm KwK 44	L / 55	704.0	Jagdtiger Panzer VIII Maus	12.8 cm PaK 44		12.8 cm PjK 44

Individual evidence

1. ↑ tank armament . In: Military Lexicon . 2nd Edition. 1973, p. 286 (L-No .: 5, ES-No .: 6C1, BstNr: 745.303.1).
2. ↑ Panzerkanone - tank gun . In: Bundessprachenamt (Ed.): Military study glossary, English . Part II / Part III, January 2001, p. 284 (German, English).
3. ↑ With the "Version F" only the last 100 pieces received the 5 cm cannon
4. ↑ The first 1540 pieces of the "Version J" still had the short 5 cm KwK 38