Editing Panzerfaust (section)

=== {{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&nbsp;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.