7.5 cm light Infantry Support Gun 18 (le.IG 18)
The 7.5 cm leichte Infanteriegeschütz 18, developed in 1927, replaced the mortars in the 13th (Minenwerfer) Kompanie of the Reichswehr Infantry Regiment from 1932 onwards. The metal model above, of unknown origin, is a 7.5 cm le.IG 18 in 1:56 scale with rubber-tired metal disc wheels for motor transport.
The obfuscated designation 18 was to create the impression that the le.IG 18 had already been developed in the last year of the Great War, 1918, and was therefore not in conflict with the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited Germany from developing new weapons.
Available Scale Model Kits
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:16 Verlinden 2831
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:25 Elastolin
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:35 ESCI 6306
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:35 Tamiya 6501
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:35 Verlinden 1163
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:56 Warlord Games WGB-LHR-07
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:72 Ace 72224
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:72 Attack 72306
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 Caesar Miniatures 7201
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 First To Fight 046
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 HäT 8163
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 Italeri 6400
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 Pegasus 7510
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:72 Zvezda 6156
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 20 mm Hinchliffe 20/24
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 20 mm RAFM
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18, 1:87 Preiser 16581
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 15 mm Battlefront Miniatures GE560
- 7.5 cm le.IG 18 with Crew, 1:300 Heroics & Ros G066
Technical Specifications
- Designation: 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 (le.IG 18)
- Calibre: 75 mm
- Caliber Length: 885 mm (L.11,8)
- Elevation: -10° to +75°
- Traverse: 12°
- Weight: 400 kg
- Rate of Fire: 8 to 12 rounds per minute
- Range: 500 to 3.500 m
- Armour Penetration at 0-100 m:
- 75 mm, using H.C. (Igr. 38)
- 90 mm, using H.C. (Igr. 38 Hl/A)
- 96 mm, using H.C. (Igr. 38 Hl/B)
- 128 mm, using H.C. (Igr. 38 Hl/C)
- Crew: Gun Commander (Unteroffizier), Gunner, Loader, three Ammunition Numbers
- Development: 1927
- Production: 1932 to 1945 (ca. 12.000 Units)
Historical Employment
- German Reichswehr and Wehrmacht, 1932–1945
Prime Movers for the le.IG 18
- Protze, four-horse Limber
- Sd.Kfz. 69, Krupp-Protze
- Sd.Kfz. 10, le. Zgkw. 1 t
- Sd.Kfz. 251/4, le.I.G.-Wagen, Munitions-Panzerwagen
- Sd.Kfz. 2 – Kleines Kettenkraftrad (kl.K.Krad)
- m.E.PKW, Auto Union, Opel
- Truck 1.5 t
Bibliography
- Hogg, Ian: Twentieth-Century Artillery
With the introduction of light infantry support guns, the 13th (Minenwerfer) Kompanie of the Infantry Regiment was reorganized as an Infantry Gun Company (IG-Kp.) with 6 light and 2 heavy infantry support guns. Two guns formed an IG platoon under a lieutenant or Feldwebel senior NCO as platoon leader.