7.5 cm PaK 97/38

[Clive Mortimore]

Sure looks that way. More HE'ish positions at viewtopic.php?f=70&t=134304&p=1529791&hilit=east+markus#p1529791 Looks like the top shot has both a raised platform and circle section trail pit.

Markus

It could lead to people asking why do the conversion in the first place. The 75mm Mle 97 was a fairly good anti tank gun in its own right.

[Alanmccoubrey]

Clive, part of it was the wish to use their own Pak 40 ammunition I guess and also the poor anti-tank profile of the original carriage being so high.

[Manuferey]

We can add the need to tow the guns with trucks at higher speed that could have been done with the original wooden-spoked wheels of the 75 mm Mle 1897.

Emmanuel

[Clive Mortimore]

Clive, part of it was the wish to use their own Pak 40 ammunition I guess and also the poor anti-tank profile of the original carriage being so high.

Hi Alan

The 7.5.cm Pak 97/38 did not fire the Pak 40 ammunition. It fired French HE shells, Polish AP shells and Greman designed HEAT shells with reissued French cartiridges. (Hogg 1975)
Captured Soviet F22 and F22 USV 76.2mm guns had their chambers modified so they could fire Pak40 ammunition. (Hogg 1975)

We can add the need to tow the guns with trucks at higher speed that could have been done with the original wooden-spoked wheels of the 75 mm Mle 1897.

Emmanuel

Hi Emmanuel

Didn't both the French and the Poles modify the Mle 97 for motor towing?

The main reason for the conversion was to give the PanzerJager units a more powerful anti tank gun than the 3.7cm Pak and the combination of the Pak38 carriage and the Mle 97 barrel was a quick solution. I was being light hearted when I suggested they need not modify the Mle 97 if they were going to used the Pak 97/38 as field artillery. All those photos show is that anti tank guns from all armies could be used in a secondary role as field guns if not required for their primary role.

Clive

[Alanmccoubrey]

Sorry Clive, it was of course the HEAT round that I was thinking of.

[Manuferey]

Hi Emmanuel
Didn't both the French and the Poles modify the Mle 97 for motor towing?
[...]
Clive

Yes, indeed with two different types of pneumatic/rubber tires for the French. But this modernization made the guns very heavy to be rotated by man-power only and thus, less practical for antitank use. A solution for easier handling in AT role was to use steel wheels: e.g. 75 mm "Maroc" type and 75 mm Mle 97/33 with split trail.

Emmanuel

[Sturm78]

Hi all,

Two images from Ebay:

Sturm78

[Clive Mortimore]

I see that German gun fitters were trained to the same standards as I was. If you appear to not be able to fix it, then hit it with something.

[peeved]

Don't force it, get a bigger hammer. [Arthur Bloch]

[jopaerya]

A nice picture from Ebay with the 7.5 cm PaK 97/38

Regards Jos

[Eax-E]

Hello,
Thanks. Does anyone has an idea of the percentage of 75mm captured by the Germans which has been changed in 97/38 ?

EE

[jopaerya]

Hello EE

I don't know if this list is correct , but it was placed on Axis Forum .

Regards Jos

[Clive Mortimore]

Hello EE

I don't know if this list is correct , but it was placed on Axis Forum .

Regards Jos

Hi Jos

No mention of the 60 7.5cm Pak 97/40. If it is correct could that be why a photo of this gun has never surfaced?

Clive

[jopaerya]

Hello Clive

Your assumption is right , but I don't know the source of the 60 x 7.5 cm PaK 97/40
and maybe they counted the 60 guns with the 7.5 cm PaK 97/38 ??

Regards Jos

[Clive Mortimore]

Hello Clive

Your assumption is right , but I don't know the source of the 60 x 7.5 cm PaK 97/40
and maybe they counted the 60 guns with the 7.5 cm PaK 97/38 ??

Regards Jos

Hi Jos

Memory is playing up Wikipedia states 160 Pak97/40s were made http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.5_cm_Pak_97/38#cite_note-sv-3 But a link provide by them http://sturmvogel.orbat.com/GermWeapProd.html does not mention the Pak 97/40 in the production figures

Lexion der Wehrmacht also mentions 160 were built http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waffen/panzerabwehrkanonen.htm
Still no photos