7.5 cm L.48 Panzerabwehrkanone PaK 39 Anti-Tank Gun of the Wehrmacht

German 75 mm PaK 39 anti-tank gun mounted in a Hetzer tank-hunter

The German PaK 39 looks identical to a 7.5 cm L.46 PaK 40 or 50 mm L.60 PaK 38 except that it does not have a muzzle brake. The PaK 39 has a lower performance than the PaK 40, despite the fact that its barrel is L.2 longer. The difference is in the cartridge. Like most guns, the PaK 39 had a cartridge of the same diameter as the 75 mm shell it fired, whereas the PaK 40 had a larger, bottle-necked cartridge with a bigger and more powerful propellant load. The PaK 39 was easier to manufacture, because a standard breech could be used. Italian Breda 75/46 M.34 and Romanian 75 mm Resita anti-tank guns were similar in design to the PaK 39, neither country had the machine tools to produce the more sophisticated Panzerabwehrkanone PaK 40.

Available Scale Model Kits

StuG III Ausf. F (Sd.Kfz. 142/1) with 7.5 cm KwK 39
Jgd.Pz. 38 (t) Hetzer (Sd.Kfz. 138/2) with 7.5 cm PaK 39
Jgd.Pz. IV L/48 (PaK 39, Sd.Kfz. 162) with 7.5 cm PaK 39

Technical Specifications

Calibre: 75 mm
Barrel Length: L.48
Rate of Fire: 12 shots per minute
Armour Penetration at 0-100 m:
- Panzergranate 39 (A.P.) 144 mm
- Panzergranate 40 (A.P.C.R.) 172 mm

Bibliography

Hogg, Ian: Twentieth-Century Artillery

Historical Employment

German Army, 1943 - May 1945

The German 7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 39 was not made available as a towed anti-tank gun.

Frequently Asked Questions

For further information and updates, please join us on facebook or in the Miniatures Forum.

Return to the Catalog