Product Detail

Tamiya 35047 1/35 Scale German Pak 40 75Mm Anti Tank Gun

The 7.5 cm Pak 40 (7.5 cm Panzerabwehrkanone 40) was a German anti-tank gun developed by Krupp and Rheinmetall between 1939-1941 during the Second World War. The research was accelerated after the German armoured units encountered the KW-1 and T-34 tanks during Operation Barbarossa. The Pak 40 cannon became the primary anti-tank gun for the German army due to its high performance parameters, engaging in firefight with any Soviet and Allied tanks until the IS-2, M26 Pershing, and Centurion were introduced. Over 29,000 of these guns were produced from 1941-1945, including those installed on tank destroyers. The Pak 40's main drawback was its weight, requiring an artillery tractor for transport. Its wide range of ammunition enabled it to function as a field cannon with projectile weights ranging from 4.1 kg to 6.8 kg. The Pak 40 was also utilized by several countries after the war, including Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Romania, and Hungary.The German army's reliance on artillery during World War II was rooted in their experience during World War I. However, the limitations imposed by the Versailles Treaty hindered the development of heavy artillery in Germany during the 1920s. The Nazis' rise to power in 1933 ushered in a period of unrestricted armaments, and many gun models previously developed went into wide production. The German army placed great importance on the role of artillery, particularly heavy artillery, on the battlefield. At the start of World War II, the German infantry division had 20 75mm light infantry guns, 6 150mm heavy guns, 36 105mm light howitzers, and 12 150mm heavy howitzers. The German tactic of using artillery emphasized accuracy over speed, which slowed down their ability to enter the action.