Solothurn S18 / 100

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Solothurn S18 / 100
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-189-1250-10, Russia-South, soldier with anti-tank rifle.jpg
general information
Country of operation: see user states
Developer / Manufacturer: Theodor Rakula, Rheinmetall / Solothurn weapons factory
Manufacturer country: Switzerland
Production time: since 1932
Model variants: S18-100
Weapon Category: Anti-tank rifle
Furnishing
Overall length: 1760 mm
Weight: (unloaded) 40 kg
Barrel length : 900 mm
Technical specifications
Caliber : 20 × 105 mm w
Possible magazine fillings : 5 or 10 cartridges
Cadence : 8-10 rounds / min
Fire types: Single fire
Number of trains : 8th
Twist : right
Visor : Curve sight
Closure : Quarter-turn lock
Charging principle: Recoil loader
Lists on the subject
20 mm tank liner Solothurn S18-100

The Solothurn S18-100 is a heavy anti- tank rifle that was developed in Germany before the Second World War.

history

The basis for the development of the S18-100 was the 20 mm automatic cannon developed by Rheinmetall director Heinrich Ehrhardt towards the end of the First World War . This weapon was an air-cooled recoil loader, the breech of which had been developed by Louis Stange . It "is the basis for all ... automatic cannons developed in Germany." These and other design documents were brought to the Netherlands by Rheinmetall in order to withdraw them from the victorious powers.

Towards the end of the 1920s, Fritz Herlach and Theodor Rakula at Rheinmetall further developed this automatic cannon into an anti-tank rifle. In 1929, Rheinmetall took over the majority of the shares in Waffenwerke in Solothurn and then had armaments manufactured there and later in Austria at Steyr, which was not possible in Germany due to the requirements of the Versailles Treaty .

technology

The weapon is a shooting recoil loader, in which the barrel and breech are connected by a sleeve with an interrupted thread. When the shot is fired, the system runs back, the case is rotated and thus releases the breech. This continues to run back, is braked by the recoil spring, pushed forward and reloads a new cartridge from the magazine on the left, the weapon is ready to fire again. In practice, 10-round magazines are said to have only been loaded with cartridges to avoid jamming. The bolt catch held the bolt open after the last cartridge was fired until a new magazine was inserted.

Tensioning was carried out with a geared tensioning lever on the right side of the housing, which reduced the effort. Various muzzle brakes can be fitted to reduce recoil ; In addition, the shoulder rest was padded. The recoil when firing remained enormous, even compared to other ballistic anti-tank rifles. The weapon has a height-adjustable bipod in front of the breech block and a height-adjustable ground spur on the shoulder rest.

The curved sight was adjustable up to a distance of 1500 m and had lead marks for moving targets. If necessary, it could be exchanged for a telescopic sight. The muzzle velocity was 600 m / s.

Further developments

S 18-1000

S 18-1000 (name in Switzerland p. 40 Solo)
Solo 41.jpg
general information
Country of operation: see user states
Developer / Manufacturer: Theodor Rakula, Rheinmetall / Solothurn weapons factory
Manufacturer country: Switzerland
Production time: since 1932
Model variants: S18-1000, S18-1100
Weapon Category: Anti-tank rifle
Furnishing
Overall length: 2160 mm
Weight: (unloaded) 50 kg
Barrel length : 1300 mm
Technical specifications
Caliber : 20 × 138 mm wide
Possible magazine fillings : 5, 10 cartridges
Fire types: Single fire
Number of trains : 8th
Twist : right
Visor : Rifle scope
Closure : Quarter-turn lock
Charging principle: Recoil loader
Lists on the subject

The S18-100 did not meet the expectations placed in it and was further developed to the S18-1000, whereby the basic principle of the construction was retained, but this was greatly changed. The bolt was redesigned, which also made it less sensitive to dirt, the barrel was lengthened by 400 mm and stronger ammunition was used, which increased the muzzle velocity by around 250 m / s to 850 to 900 m / s. It is now tensioned with a crank attached to the right of the lock housing, which pulls the lock backwards via a chain. 3½ turns had to be made for clamping. As a standard, a telescopic sight with a magnification of 2.75 times served as a sight.

The weight made it necessary to transport two soldiers, a light wheel carriage was optionally available. The weapon was fired from mount, they could with two struts are supported to the recoil catch.

commitment

With the increasingly thick armor of combat vehicles, the penetration performance was soon no longer sufficient, and the Solothurn S18-1000 increasingly lost its importance as an anti-tank weapon. Due to its limited effect and its high weight, it was not used much by German troops during World War II.

The fuel can was also used in at least one Swiss Army patrol boat for two years .

S 18-1100

Solothurn S18-1100 on Flab-Carriage (Museum Altes Zeughaus Solothurn)

The S18-1100 model largely corresponds to the S18-1000, but could either fire single or series fire. For the purpose of anti-aircraft defense, it could be mounted on a specially made mount.

User states

S 18-100

  • Hungary (M1936)
  • Netherlands

S 18-1000

  • German Reich (Wehrmacht, in small numbers)
  • Italy
  • Romania
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland (Solo 40, 58 pieces)

literature

  • Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 214-217 .
  • Ian Hogg , John Weeks: Military small arms of the 20th century: a comprehensive illustrated encyclopedia of the world's small-caliber firearms . DBI books, Northfield, Ill. 1985, ISBN 0-910676-87-9 .
  • Ramón Bill: Solothurn weapons factory: Swiss precision in the service of the German arms industry . Ed .: Kantonales Museum Altes Zeughaus Solothurn (=  publication series of the Kantonales Museum Altes Zeughaus Solothurn . Volume 14 ). MAZ, Solothurn 2002.
  • Kurt Sallaz, Peter Riklin: tanks and anti-tank systems . Stocker-Schmid, Dietikon / Zurich 1982.

Individual evidence

  1. 20x105 Swiss Solothurn SH Anti-Tank. In: municion.org. Retrieved June 27, 2018 (Spanish).
  2. ^ A b Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 214 .
  3. a b c d e Günter Wollert, Reiner Lidschun: Infantry weapons yesterday . (1918-1945). In: Illustrated encyclopedia of infantry weapons from around the world . 3. Edition. tape 1 . Brandenburgisches Verlagshaus, Berlin 1998, ISBN 3-89488-036-8 , weapons, p. 215-216 .
  4. according to other information 730 m / s
  5. 20x138. In: municion.org. Retrieved June 27, 2018 (Spanish).
  6. ^ History of the patrol boat URI ( Memento from June 11, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Association IG URI, 1995

Web links

Commons : Solothurn S18  - Collection of images, videos and audio files