8.8 cm KwK 36

The 8.8 cm KwK 36 L/56 (German: 8,8 cm Kampfwagenkanone 36 L/56) was an 88 mm electrically fired tank gun used by the German Heer during World War II. This was the primary weapon of the PzKpfw VI Tiger I tank. It was developed and built by Krupp.

Design

It shared the same caliber as the FlaK 36 88 mm gun anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun, but the KwK 36 was not derived from it. There are similarities, but the two must be considered merely parallel designs. The KwK 36 could fire the same ammunition as the FlaK 18 or 36, differing only in primer: percussion for the FlaK, electric for the KwK 36. Also the ballistics were identical and both guns had a 56 caliber barrel. The KwK 36 was built to practically the same design as the 7.5 cm and 5.0 cm guns already used in German tanks, but with the structure scaled up considerably. The breech ring was square in section and 320 millimetres (13 in) on a side. The breech block was of vertical falling wedge type and operated semi-automatically, meaning that after firing the empty cartridge case was automatically ejected, while the breech cocked itself and remained open, ready to receive the next round.

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3.7 cm KwK 36

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/45 (3.7 cm Kampfwagenkanone 36 L/45) was a German 3.7 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German SdKfz.141 Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank. It was used in vehicles that saw action in the Second World War.

It was essentially the 3.7 cm PaK 36 used as a tank gun.

Ammunition

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 used the 37 x 249 mm. R cartridge. Average penetration performance established against rolled homogenous steel armor plate laid back at 30° from the vertical.

Weight of projectile: 0.658 kg (1 lb 7.2 oz)

Muzzle velocity: 745 m/s (2,440 ft/s)

Weight of projectile: 0.368 kg (13.0 oz)

Muzzle velocity: 1,020 m/s (3,300 ft/s)

PzGr.39 - Armour-piercing

Sprgr.Patr.34 - High-explosive