/Grenade Panzerfaust (an armored (tank) fist) – German grenade single use since the Second World War.

He came to the replacement of hand grenades and used by German troops until the end of the war. One of its modifications (Panzerfaust 150) became the basis for the Soviet analog RPG-2.
Panzerfaust 30 kleine in the context

The image of invincibility of the tank compared with the infantry had faded with the advent of anti-tank rifles and Panzerschreck Ofenrohr, and finally ceased to exist after the appearance in August 1943 anti-tank grenade refillable “bazookas”. This firing rocket-propelled grenades, weapons were developed by designers Leipzig company Hazag. Depending on the version of the “hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenade struck his steel sheet with a thickness of 140 to 200 mm, while garnet never entered service, bazookas – 150 m” could penetrate the steel sheet thickness 280-320 mm.

Development Panzerfaust grenade was launched in 1942 to increase the sample Faustpatrone. As a result, was developed Panzerfaust, which is a steel pipe with a diameter of 5 cm and a length of 1 meter. Located on top sights, and starter. Aiming carried combination of sight and the top edge of the warhead. Inside the tube was placed a charge of gunpowder. Ahead warhead located 15 cm in diameter, weighing 3 kg and containing 0.8 kg of explosives.

On the tube was applied red inscription in German: «Achtung! Feuerstrahl! »(« Caution! Jetstream! “), Warning soldiers not to stand behind using weapons. Burns from the jet at a distance of up to 3 meters have been fatal. According to the instructions behind the firing should be 10 meters of free space. As Faustpatrone, Panzerfaust was disposable and discarded after the shot. The shell could penetrate the steel plate up to 200 mm thick.

In urban conditions of warfare a small distance allowed to use weapons with high (though subsequently exaggerated) performance, which was particularly evident in the battle for Berlin. The resulting weapon to create it in a besieged city, and immediately transfer it to the defenders with low skills.

Many Panzerfaust was sold in Finland as the main anti-tank weapons against the Soviet T-34 and IP-2.
Panzerfaust 100 in the context

Part of the trophy “bazookas” (as the soldiers of allied forces mistakenly called and Panzerfaust and hand grenades) was fitted at the front of the RPG-2.

The very first version of the weapon was Panzerfaust 30 “Gretchen”, developed by Dr. Langvayterom of the company “Hugo Schneider AG”, officially it was called “Panzerfaust 30 small» (kleine). It was a pipe of 762 mm, which were fired from a grenade cumulative weight 1,5 kg and a diameter of 100 mm at a speed of about 30 m / sec. In munitions used cumulative principle Monroe: high-explosive charge inside had a conical recess, covered with copper, the general part of the advance. When such a projectile hit the armor, the charge detonated at some distance from it and the whole force of the explosion rushed forward. The charge of burnt brass cone at its apex, which in turn create the effect of the fine sent a jet of molten metal and hot gas strikes the armor at a speed of about 6000 m / sec. “Panzerfaust 30 (small)” had no sighting devices, and the maximum effect is achieved by firing at ranges of up to 30 meters: the grenade was able to penetrate 140 mm armor sheet at an angle of 30 degrees. The shot was carried out by lifting charge placed inside the pipe,

Replaced kleine Panzerfaust 30 Panzerfaust grenade came in 1930, used since August 1943, distinguished by a warhead of larger diameter and increased armor. The number 30 indicates the nominal maximum range of weapons in meters.

The most common version of the grenade launcher – Panzerfaust 60, whose production began in August 1944. The distance was increased to 60 meters, for which the pipe diameter was increased from 4.4 to 5 cm and weight of the charge is increased to 134 has also been improved mechanism for launching. The result has been

The latest weapon Panzerfaust – Panzerfaust grenade launcher 100, received by the troops in November 1944. Nominal distance increased to 150 meters. The diameter of the pipe was again increased to 6 cm at gunpoint appeared holes with fluorescent markers for 30, 60, 80 and 150 meters.

In addition to the very end of the war was released a limited series Panzerfaust 150. The changes have affected the motor, and the charge was divided into two parts, which increased the velocity of the projectile up to 85 m / s and penetrating ability. The pipe can be reused up to ten times.

Also, to be released in September 1945 was planned Panzerfaust grenade launcher 250, but development has not been completed

In addition, there have been many modifications of Panzerfaust:

One of the projects allowed to use it as an anti-personnel weapons: the kit included a small rocket, Kleinrakete zur Infanteriebekampfung («small rocket to combat infantry), the warhead had a length of 24.5 cm and a diameter of 7.6 cm, was made only a few copies of this design, because it was found that range was the same as that of rifle grenades.

At the end of 1944 in Panzerfaust 150 was used shell (with a larger scatter effect) with a connection with shrapnel rings (Splitterringe), with notches like hand grenades, to increase fragmentation. The sight and the tank and infantry of the Soviet Army, often located on the armor.

Another development was Schrappnellfaust («shrapnel fist”), in contrast to the Panzerfaust was rechargeable, and intended for use against infantry. “Shrapnel fist weighed 8 kg and had a maximum range of 400 meters.

In January 1945, for Panzerfaust has developed a new warhead called Verbesserte Panzerfaust («improved armor fist”). In this modification, the pipe diameter was 160 mm with a variable length of detonation. There is no evidence that the warhead used by the Wehrmacht, no.
 Panzerfaust 30 Klein Panzerfaust 30 Panzerfaust 60 Panzerfaust Panzerfaust 100 150
Caliber grenades, mm 100 150 150 200 105
Length, mm 1160 1300 1300 1290 1350
Barrel length, mm 800
Weight, kg 4.19 5.2 6.8 6.8 6.7
Nachallnaya velocity, m / sec 28 30 45 62 82
Sighting range, m 30 30 60 100 150
Armor penetration, mm 140 200 200 200 280-320