10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40

10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-567-1503E-34, San Felice, Inspektion von Fallschirmtruppen.jpg 300 Fallschirmjäger firing a 10.5 cm LG 40 at Monte Circeo San Felice, Italy 1943. Nazi Germany Recoilless gun yes 1942–45 Nazi Germany World War II Krupp 1942–44 LG 40-1, LG 40-2 388 kg (855 lbs) 1.902 m ftin on 1 1.38 m ftin on L/13 105×155 mm. R 14.8 kg lboz on (HE) with 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) propellant 105 mm (4.13 in) 335 m/s (1,099 ft/s) 7,950 m (8,695 yds) side opening - 15° to + 40° 30' 80° The 10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40, also called the LG 40, was a German recoilless gun used during World War II. It was manufactured by Krupp. History After the success of Rheinmetall's 7.5 cm LG 40 during the Battle of Crete in 1941, the Germans were spurred to continue development of recoilless guns in larger calibres. Both Krupp and competitor Rheinmetall developed guns in 10.5 cm, but the LG 40 got into service first.The Powerful German Recoilless Gun of WWII - Leichtgeschütz 40 13 June 2023 https://www.warhistoryonline.com/guns/leichtgeschutz-40.html Design Krupp's LG 40 was basically an enlarged and improved version of their unsuccessful competitor to Rheinmetall's 75 mm recoilless gun. It retained the earlier model's side-swinging breech and large pneumatic tires. It incorporated torque vanes in the jet nozzle to counteract the torque forces imparted by the round engaging the rifling and any clogged or eroded nozzles. It also used the improved priming mechanism developed after the problems with the smaller weapon became apparent. Like all the German 10.5 cm recoilless rifles it shared shells with the 10.5 cm leFH 18 (light Field Howitzer). The LG 40-1 version was built using an aluminium/magnesium alloy mounting, but the LG 40-2 replaced it with ordinary steel as light alloys became too valuable later in the war. Both versions could be broken down into 5 loads for parachute operations or they could be air-dropped fully assembled in a special shock-absorbing crate. Operational use Both 105 mm recoilless guns, unlike the 75 mm LG 40, equipped independent artillery batteries and battalions. These include Batteries 423–426, 429, 433, and 443, most of which were later incorporated into Leichtgeschütze-Abt. (Light Gun Battalion) 423 and 424. These units served in both the Arctic under 20th Mountain Army and in central Russia under Army Group Center.http://sturmvogel.orbat.com/artillery.html Heeres Independent Artillery Units 2007-12-16 https://web.archive.org/web/20090321120330/http://www.sturmvogel.orbat.com/artillery.html 2009-03-21 dead Notes References Engelmann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. Deutsche Artillerie 1934-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliederung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz. Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974 Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 1-85367-480-X Category:World War II field artillery Category:World War II artillery of Germany Category:105 mm artillery Category:Recoilless rifles Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1942