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Panzerfaust
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== Development == === {{lang|de|Faustpatrone (Klein)}} === [[File:Panzerfaust 1.JPG|thumb|{{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} 30 (top) and {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 60 (bottom)]] [[File:Panzerfaust 2.jpg|thumb|Sectional view of {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} 30 (top) and {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 60 (bottom) warheads<ref>{{cite web |url=http://homepage.eircom.net/~nightingale/graphics/pzf100cut.gif |title=Panzerfaust 100, courtesy of V. Potapov}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reocities.com/Augusta/8172/panzerfaust14.htm |title=Reocities, Panzerfaust WW II German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons Page 2: Faustpatrone & Panzerfaust, M.Hofbauer}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/8172/panzerfaust2.htm |title=Panzerfaust WW II German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons Page 2: Faustpatrone & Panzerfaust, M. Hofbauer |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050209093245/http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/8172/panzerfaust2.htm |archive-date=February 9, 2005 }}</ref>]] The {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} ({{lit.}} "fist cartridge") was the initial development of what eventually became the {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}}-family. The {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}}-design was much smaller than the later {{lang|de|Panzerfäuste}}-designs. Development of the {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} started in the summer of 1942 at the German company [[Hugo Schneider AG]] (HASAG) with the development of a smaller prototype called {{lang|de|Gretchen}} ("little Greta") by a team headed by Doctor Heinrich Langweiler in [[Leipzig]]. The basic concept was that of a [[recoilless gun]]; in the {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} and the {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}}, a propellent charge pushed the warhead out the front of the tube while the blast also exited the rear of the tube, balancing forces, and therefore there was no recoil force for the operator. The following weapon, the {{lang|de|Faustpatrone Klein}}, 30 m ("fist-cartridge small") weighed {{convert|3.2|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and a total length of {{convert|98.5|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}}; its projectile had a length of {{convert|36|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}}. The {{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} diameter of warhead was a [[shaped charge]] of {{convert|400|g|abbr=on}} of a 50:50 mix of [[trinitrotoluene|TNT]] and tri-[[hexogen]]. The [[propellant]] was of {{convert|54|g|oz gr|abbr=on}} of [[black powder]], the metal launch tube had a length of {{convert|80|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} and a diameter of {{convert|3.3|cm|in|abbr=on}} (early models reportedly {{convert|2.8|cm|in|abbr=on}}). Fitted to the warhead was a wooden shaft with folded stabilizing [[fin]]s (made of {{convert|0.25|mm|in|abbr=on}} thick spring metal). These bent blades straightened into position by themselves as soon as they left the launch tube. The warhead was accelerated to a speed of {{convert|28|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}, had a range of about {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}} and an [[armor|armour]] penetration of up to {{convert|140|mm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} of plain steel. Soon a crude aiming device similar to the one used by the {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} was added to the design; it was fixed at a range of {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Several designations of this weapon were in use, amongst which {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}} 1 or {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 30 {{lang|de|klein}}; however, it was common to refer to this weapon simply as the {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}}. Of the earlier model, 20,000 were ordered and the first 500 {{lang|de|Faustpatronen}} were delivered by the manufacturer, HASAG, Werk Schlieben, in August 1943. === {{lang|de|Panzerfaust (Gross)}} === [[File:Panzerfaust.jpg|right|thumb|{{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 60 (left) with {{lang|de|[[Panzerschreck]]}} rocket (right)]] [[File:Panzerfaust helsinki.jpg|thumb|right|Four {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 30s in their original shipping crate, on display at the [[Military Museum of Finland|Helsinki Military Museum]].]] Development began in 1942 on a larger version of the {{lang|de|Faustpatrone}}. The resulting weapon was the {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} 30, also known as {{lang|de|Panzerfaust Gross}} ({{lit.}} "tank-fist big") and the like, with a total weight of {{convert|5.1|kg|lb|1}} and total length of {{convert|104.5|cm|ft|1}}. The launch tube was made of low-grade [[steel]] {{convert|44|mm|in|1}} in diameter, containing a {{convert|95|g|oz|1|adj=on}} charge of black powder propellant. Along the side of the tube were a simple folding rear sight and a trigger. The edge of the warhead was used as the front sight. The oversize warhead ({{convert|140|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} in diameter) was fitted into the front of the tube by an attached wooden tail stem with metal stabilizing fins.<ref name="Rottman 2014">{{Cite book |last=Rottman |first=Gordon L. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/883567497 |title=Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck. |date=2014 |publisher=Osprey Publishing Ltd |others=Johnny Shumate, Alan Gililiand |isbn=978-1-78200-790-6 |location=Oxford |oclc=883567497}}</ref> The warhead weighed {{convert|2.9|kg|lb|1}} and contained {{convert|0.8|kg|lb|1}} of a 50:50 mixture of TNT and hexogen explosives, and had armour penetration of {{convert|200|mm|in|1}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=Handbook on German Military Forces|year=1945|publisher=United States War Department|location=Washington D.C.|page=VII-II|url=http://downloads.sturmpanzer.com/FMS/NARA_TM_E30_451_1945.03.pdf}}</ref> The {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} often had warnings written in large red letters on the upper rear end of the tube, the words usually being "{{lang|de|Achtung. Feuerstrahl.}}" ("Beware. Fire jet."). This was to warn soldiers to avoid the [[backblast area|backblast]]. After firing, the tube was discarded, making the {{lang|de|Panzerfaust}} the first disposable anti-tank weapon. The weapon, when correctly fired from the crook of the arm, could penetrate the armour of any [[armoured fighting vehicle]] of the period.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bishop |first=Chris |date=January 1998 |title=The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II |publisher=[[Orbis Publishing]] |location=New York |isbn=978-0-7607-1022-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YfJLPwAACAAJ }}</ref>
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