7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18
Encyclopedia
The 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 (7.5 cm le.IG 18) was an infantry support gun
of the German
Wehrmacht
used during World War II.
. The crew was protected by an armour
ed shield
. There was a mountain gun
variant, the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18. For transport, The mountain variant could be broken down into six to ten packs, the heaviest weighing 74.9 kg. The Germans would typically assign two of these to each mountain battalion
. Six 7.5 cm le.IG 18F were manufactured
in 1939. These were airborne gun
s, capable of being broken down into 4x140 kg loads. The airborne variant had smaller wheels and no shield. There was also an infantry support gun, known as the 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz L/13 which was designed as a replacement for the le.IG 18, this gun could be broken into four to six loads. However though prototypes were tested the German army felt that it did not improve on the existing design sufficiently to merit introduction and the army stayed with the earlier gun.
Infantry support gun
Infantry support guns are artillery weapons designed and used to increase fire power of infantry units they are intrinsic to, offering immediate tactical response to the needs of the unit's commanding officer. The designs are typically with short low velocity barrels, and light construction...
of the German
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...
Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
used during World War II.
History
Development of the gun began in 1927, by RheinmetallRheinmetall
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...
. The crew was protected by an armour
Vehicle armour
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, missiles, or shells, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include tanks, aircraft, and ships....
ed shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
. There was a mountain gun
Mountain gun
Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are similar to infantry support guns, and are generally capable of being broken down into smaller loads .Due to their ability to be broken down into smaller...
variant, the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18. For transport, The mountain variant could be broken down into six to ten packs, the heaviest weighing 74.9 kg. The Germans would typically assign two of these to each mountain battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
. Six 7.5 cm le.IG 18F were manufactured
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
in 1939. These were airborne gun
Airborne gun
Airborne guns are airborne artillery pieces, designed for use by paratroopers. They are similar to infantry support guns, and are generally capable of being broken down into smaller loads...
s, capable of being broken down into 4x140 kg loads. The airborne variant had smaller wheels and no shield. There was also an infantry support gun, known as the 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz L/13 which was designed as a replacement for the le.IG 18, this gun could be broken into four to six loads. However though prototypes were tested the German army felt that it did not improve on the existing design sufficiently to merit introduction and the army stayed with the earlier gun.
Statistics of the 7.5 cm le.IG 18 and 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18
- Calibre: 75 mm (2.95 in)
- Elevation: -10° to 73°
- Muzzle Velocity (w/HE shell): 210 m/s (689 ft/s)
- Range: 3,550 m (3,882 yds)
- Traverse: 12°
- Weight: 400 kg (882 lbs)
- Weight of the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18: 440 kg (970 lbs)
- Weight of HE Shell: 6 kg (13.22 lbs)
- Weight of HC Shell: 3 kg (6.6 lbs)
Statistics of the 7.5 cm IG L/13
- Calibre: 75 mm (2.95 in)
- Elevation: -5° to 43°
- Muzzle Velocity: 305 m/s (1,000 ft/s)
- Range: 5,100 m (5,577 yds)
- Traverse: 50°
- Weight: 375 kg (827 lbs)
- Weight of Shell: 6.35 kg (14 lbs)