3.7 cm KwK 36

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/45 (3.7 cm Kampfwagenkanone 36 L/45) was a German 3.7 cm cannon used primarily as the main armament of earlier variants of the German Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank. It was used during the Second World War.

3.7 cm KwK 36
Panzer III mounted with the 3.7 cm KwK 36
Type	Tank gun
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Produced	1930s
Specifications
Shell	37 × 249 mm. R
Caliber	37 mm (1.45 in)
Carriage	Turret
Traverse	360°
Muzzle velocity	762 m/s (2,500 ft/s)
Effective firing range	300 m (328 yds)
Maximum firing range	5,484 m (5,997 yds)

It was essentially the 3.7 cm Pak 36 modified for use in a rotating enclosed turret.

Ammunition

The 3.7 cm KwK 36 used the 37 x 249 mm. R cartridge. Average penetration performance established against rolled homogeneous steel armor plate laid back at 30° from the vertical.^[1]

PzGr.18 (Armour-piercing)

• Weight of projectile: 0.658 kg (1 lb 7.2 oz)
• Muzzle velocity: 745 m/s (2,440 ft/s)

100 m	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	2000 m
34 mm	29 mm	23 mm	19 mm	--

PzGr.40 (Armour-piercing composite rigid)

• Weight of projectile: 0.368 kg (13.0 oz)
• Muzzle velocity: 1,020 m/s (3,300 ft/s)

100 m	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	2000 m
64 mm	31 mm	--	--	--

PzGr.39 - Armour-piercing

Sprgr.Patr.34 - High-explosive

Calculated penetration (at 90 degrees) using American and British 50% success criteria,
and allowing comparison to performance of other guns.^[2]

Ammunition type	Muzzle velocity	Penetration
		100 m	500 m	1000 m	1500 m	2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Pzgr. APHE	745 m/s	64 mm (2.5 in)	52 mm (2.0 in)	40 mm (1.6 in)	30 mm (1.2 in)	23 mm (0.91 in)
Pzgr. 40 APCR	1,020 m/s	90 mm (3.5 in)	48 mm (1.9 in)	22 mm (0.87 in)	--	--

Revised penetration statistics due to HE burster size, projectile weight, and possible decreases of early war metal quality.^[2]

Ammunition type	Muzzle velocity	Penetration
		100 m	250 m	500 m	750 m	1000 m	1250 m	1500 m	1750 m	2000 m	2500 m	3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Pzgr. APHE	745 m/s	49 mm (1.9 in)	45 mm (1.8 in)	40 mm (1.6 in)	35 mm (1.4 in)	30 mm (1.2 in)	27 mm (1.1 in)	23 mm (0.91 in)	20 mm (0.79 in)	18 mm (0.71 in)	14 mm (0.55 in)	11 mm (0.43 in)

Vehicles mounted on

• Leichttraktor
• Neubaufahrzeug
• Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III versions A until E (de: Ausfertigung A bis E)
• Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. F (the last 100 Ausf. F mounted the 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 gun)
• Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. G (the first 50 Ausf. G)

Notes

1. Ankerstjerne, Christian. "Armor Penetration Table". Panzerworld. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
2. Bird, Lorrin Rexford; Livingston, Robert D. (2001). WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery. Overmatch Press. p. 61.

2. http://www.wehrmacht-history.com/heer/panzer-armaments/3.7-cm-kwk-36.htm Archived 25 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine