12.8 cm PaK 44
Encyclopedia
The 12.8 cm Pak 44, was a German
heavy anti-tank gun used during World War II
. It was designed as a result of experiences on the Eastern front in 1943. The German army had encountered the Russian 122 mm guns and had issued a requirement for a similar weapon. Development initially concentrated on a field gun known as the Kanone K 44. However once heavier Russian armour such as the IS-2 started to appear the design requirements were altered to include an anti-armour role. Contrary to some claims this design had nothing in common with the 128 mm FlaK gun.
The choice of 128 mm was made because of the availability of tooling due to the use of this caliber on naval weapons, design contracts being awarded to Rheinmetall Borsig
and Krupp
, the first prototype guns were delivered for testing in late 1944. After initial tests the Rheinmetall design was dropped and development continued with the Krupp design. However the service tests showed that a towed anti-tank gun weighing nearly 11 tonnes was impractical so the towed design was terminated.
Approximately 50 barrels and breeches were used on existing carriages. The weapon that used the ex-French GPF-T
carriage was known as the K 81/1 while the K 81/2 used the ex-Russian carriage. Both of these designs were rushed, and were too heavy, making them cumbersome to deploy. In 1943 the design was started for a gun to mount on the Jagdtiger
(Sd.Kfz. 186) and the Maus
super-heavy tank was started using the Pak 44 as its starting point. This weapon of which approximately 100 were made was known both as the Pak 44 and Pak 80 / Panzerjägerkanone Pjk 80. Performance was identical to the initial design.
The gun was fed with two-piece ammunition, the projectile and cartridge making up separate pieces. Because of this the gun could be fired using three different sized propellant charges, a light, medium and heavy charge. The light and medium charges were normally used when the gun was fulfilling the role of an artillery piece, where they would launch the ~28 kg projectiles to a muzzle velocity of 845 m/s and 880 m/s respectively. Finally the heavy charge was used when the gun was fulfilling its intended role as an anti-tank gun, where it fired a 28.3 kg APCBC-HE projectile (PzGr.43) at a muzzle velocity of 935 m/s. With the heavy charge, and using the PzGr.43 projectile, the PaK44 was capable of penetrating just over 200 millimetres (7.9 in) of 30 degree sloped armor at 1000 meters, and 148 millimetres (5.8 in) at 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd) range. But although its short-range performance was similar to the 8.8 cm PaK 43
, the 12.8cm PaK 44 better maintained its performance over longer ranges.
The 12.8cm PaK44 ended up becoming the standard main armament for the Jagdtiger
heavy tank destroyer, as well as being the planned main armament for most of the future heavy tank designs in development during the dying months of World War II, including the Maus
and E-100
.
As is common at this time this weapon underwent several name changes. At various times it was known as K44, Pak 44, Kanone 81 , Pak 80 & Pjk 80.
The equipment numbered in the 8x range were temporary equipment issued usually in small numbers and not regarded as standard issue service weapons. Hence Pak 80 and Pjk 80 were temporary names as were K81/x.
Had this equipment been accepted into full service it would have had a Pak 4x designation attached. The only difference between the Pak 44 and the K 44 was mode of operation—the weapon itself was identical.
There is some disagreement about the Pak 80 and Pjk 80 designations with German and English sources disagreeing which is correct.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
heavy anti-tank gun used during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was designed as a result of experiences on the Eastern front in 1943. The German army had encountered the Russian 122 mm guns and had issued a requirement for a similar weapon. Development initially concentrated on a field gun known as the Kanone K 44. However once heavier Russian armour such as the IS-2 started to appear the design requirements were altered to include an anti-armour role. Contrary to some claims this design had nothing in common with the 128 mm FlaK gun.
12.8 cm FlaK 40
The 12.8 cm FlaK 40, was a German World War II anti-aircraft gun built as the successor to the 88 mm gun. Although it was not produced in great numbers, it was one of the most effective heavy AA guns of its era....
The choice of 128 mm was made because of the availability of tooling due to the use of this caliber on naval weapons, design contracts being awarded to Rheinmetall Borsig
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...
and Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
, the first prototype guns were delivered for testing in late 1944. After initial tests the Rheinmetall design was dropped and development continued with the Krupp design. However the service tests showed that a towed anti-tank gun weighing nearly 11 tonnes was impractical so the towed design was terminated.
Approximately 50 barrels and breeches were used on existing carriages. The weapon that used the ex-French GPF-T
Canon de 155mm GPF
The Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux mle.1917 was a 155 mm cannon used by the French Army during the first half of the 20th century.-History:The gun was designed during World War I by Colonel L.J.F...
carriage was known as the K 81/1 while the K 81/2 used the ex-Russian carriage. Both of these designs were rushed, and were too heavy, making them cumbersome to deploy. In 1943 the design was started for a gun to mount on the Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger is the common name of a German tank destroyer of World War II. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B. The ordnance inventory designation was Sd. Kfz. 186. It saw service in small numbers from late 1944 to the end of the war on both the Western and Eastern Front...
(Sd.Kfz. 186) and the Maus
Panzer VIII Maus
Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armoured fighting vehicle ever built. Only two hulls and one turret were completed before the testing grounds were captured by the advancing Soviet forces.These two...
super-heavy tank was started using the Pak 44 as its starting point. This weapon of which approximately 100 were made was known both as the Pak 44 and Pak 80 / Panzerjägerkanone Pjk 80. Performance was identical to the initial design.
The gun was fed with two-piece ammunition, the projectile and cartridge making up separate pieces. Because of this the gun could be fired using three different sized propellant charges, a light, medium and heavy charge. The light and medium charges were normally used when the gun was fulfilling the role of an artillery piece, where they would launch the ~28 kg projectiles to a muzzle velocity of 845 m/s and 880 m/s respectively. Finally the heavy charge was used when the gun was fulfilling its intended role as an anti-tank gun, where it fired a 28.3 kg APCBC-HE projectile (PzGr.43) at a muzzle velocity of 935 m/s. With the heavy charge, and using the PzGr.43 projectile, the PaK44 was capable of penetrating just over 200 millimetres (7.9 in) of 30 degree sloped armor at 1000 meters, and 148 millimetres (5.8 in) at 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd) range. But although its short-range performance was similar to the 8.8 cm PaK 43
8.8 cm PaK 43
The Pak 43 was a German 88 mm anti-tank gun developed by Krupp in competition with the Rheinmetall 8.8 cm Flak 41 anti-aircraft gun and used during the Second World War. The Pak 43 was the most powerful anti-tank gun of the Wehrmacht to see service in significant numbers...
, the 12.8cm PaK 44 better maintained its performance over longer ranges.
The 12.8cm PaK44 ended up becoming the standard main armament for the Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger is the common name of a German tank destroyer of World War II. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B. The ordnance inventory designation was Sd. Kfz. 186. It saw service in small numbers from late 1944 to the end of the war on both the Western and Eastern Front...
heavy tank destroyer, as well as being the planned main armament for most of the future heavy tank designs in development during the dying months of World War II, including the Maus
Panzer VIII Maus
Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus was a German World War II super-heavy tank completed in late 1944. It is the heaviest fully enclosed armoured fighting vehicle ever built. Only two hulls and one turret were completed before the testing grounds were captured by the advancing Soviet forces.These two...
and E-100
Panzerkampfwagen E-100
The Panzerkampfwagen E-100 was a German super-heavy tank design developed near the end of World War II.-History:The basic design was ordered by the Waffenamt as a parallel development to the Porsche Maus in June 1943...
.
Variants
- 12.8 cm Kanone 44, Pak 44
- 12.8 cm Kanone 81/1: K 44 mounted on the ex-French 155mm GPF-TCanon de 155mm GPFThe Canon de 155 Grande Puissance Filloux mle.1917 was a 155 mm cannon used by the French Army during the first half of the 20th century.-History:The gun was designed during World War I by Colonel L.J.F...
carriage. - 12.8 cm Kanone 81/2 : K 44 mounted on the ex-Russian 152mm howitzer model 1937 carriage.
- 12.8 cm Kanone 81/3 : K 44 mounted on a Gerat 579 Medium Weapons Carriage.
- 12.8 cm Pak 80 / Pjk 80: Pak 44 mounted on Jagdtiger (Sd.Kfz. 186) tank destroyers.
Designations
The equipment numbered in the 8x range were temporary equipment issued usually in small numbers and not regarded as standard issue service weapons. Hence Pak 80 and Pjk 80 were temporary names as were K81/x.
Had this equipment been accepted into full service it would have had a Pak 4x designation attached. The only difference between the Pak 44 and the K 44 was mode of operation—the weapon itself was identical.
There is some disagreement about the Pak 80 and Pjk 80 designations with German and English sources disagreeing which is correct.
External links
- http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/depth_atgun.html
- LemaireSoft
- Armor penetration table