Pak 36 37mm Antitank Gun
The Panzerabwehrkanone (antitank cannon) 36--known to the Germans and their foes alike as simply the Pak 36--began development soon after Hitler came to power and began building up German forces. It was based closely on an earlier design 37mm gun designed during the Weimar period, but the earlier version was designed to be horse-drawn. As the new German Army was moving towards motorizing its forces, the gun was redesigned with different wheels and added tires so it could handle high-speed transport by trucks and halftracks. It entered service in 1934 as the Pak 36.
Like many German weapons of World War II, the Pak 36 was first tested and used in the Spanish Civil War, where it was found to be an excellent antitank gun--it was light, easy to train, provided at least some protection for the crew, and had good penetration of enemy tanks and armored cars. It worked well in Poland in 1939 as well. However, in 1940, Pak 36 crews often found themselves up against heavily armored British Matildas and French Char B1s, which the 37mm shell did little more than scuff the paint. During Operation Barbarossa in 1941, the Pak 36 had much the same effect against Soviet T-34s. The German Army started referring to it as the "door knocker" for its inadequacy, and it was replaced with the higher-velocity and larger 50mm Pak 38 beginning in 1943.
However, the Pak 36 still had use. While it might be ineffective against Allied armor, it could still be used as an infantry support weapon and against lightly armored vehicles. Though production had ceased in 1943, thousands of Pak 36s still remained in service until the end of World War II. Beginning in 1942, improved tungsten-core ammunition and the shaped-charged Stielgranate 41 gave Pak 36 crews a chance against the T-34 and the Sherman, but both required them to get close to their enemy--fine from ambush, but suicidal otherwise.
Before the war, the Pak 36 had been provided to then-ally the Soviet Union, Axis ally Japan, and former ally China. These were modified to become the M1932 45mm antitank gun by the Soviets and the Type 97 37mm gun in Japan, while China used Pak 36s--ironically, against Japanese light tanks, which the 37mm could penetrate. Most were scrapped after the war, but a few soldiered on in parts of the world, and became sought after by collectors.
This Pak 36 is on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum with a few other Axis guns and miscellany. It is former German, though the "panzer yellow" scheme was used everywhere. Very faintly on the right side of the gun shield are 11 kill marks.
Pak 36 37mm Antitank Gun
The Panzerabwehrkanone (antitank cannon) 36--known to the Germans and their foes alike as simply the Pak 36--began development soon after Hitler came to power and began building up German forces. It was based closely on an earlier design 37mm gun designed during the Weimar period, but the earlier version was designed to be horse-drawn. As the new German Army was moving towards motorizing its forces, the gun was redesigned with different wheels and added tires so it could handle high-speed transport by trucks and halftracks. It entered service in 1934 as the Pak 36.
Like many German weapons of World War II, the Pak 36 was first tested and used in the Spanish Civil War, where it was found to be an excellent antitank gun--it was light, easy to train, provided at least some protection for the crew, and had good penetration of enemy tanks and armored cars. It worked well in Poland in 1939 as well. However, in 1940, Pak 36 crews often found themselves up against heavily armored British Matildas and French Char B1s, which the 37mm shell did little more than scuff the paint. During Operation Barbarossa in 1941, the Pak 36 had much the same effect against Soviet T-34s. The German Army started referring to it as the "door knocker" for its inadequacy, and it was replaced with the higher-velocity and larger 50mm Pak 38 beginning in 1943.
However, the Pak 36 still had use. While it might be ineffective against Allied armor, it could still be used as an infantry support weapon and against lightly armored vehicles. Though production had ceased in 1943, thousands of Pak 36s still remained in service until the end of World War II. Beginning in 1942, improved tungsten-core ammunition and the shaped-charged Stielgranate 41 gave Pak 36 crews a chance against the T-34 and the Sherman, but both required them to get close to their enemy--fine from ambush, but suicidal otherwise.
Before the war, the Pak 36 had been provided to then-ally the Soviet Union, Axis ally Japan, and former ally China. These were modified to become the M1932 45mm antitank gun by the Soviets and the Type 97 37mm gun in Japan, while China used Pak 36s--ironically, against Japanese light tanks, which the 37mm could penetrate. Most were scrapped after the war, but a few soldiered on in parts of the world, and became sought after by collectors.
This Pak 36 is on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum with a few other Axis guns and miscellany. It is former German, though the "panzer yellow" scheme was used everywhere. Very faintly on the right side of the gun shield are 11 kill marks.