Field Testing a 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 1941

[ClintHardware]

Thought this may be of some interest. Found this field test as Section 3 within the Int Summ below. Original is in 7th Armd Bde's War Diary. It appears that the sight may have been damaged and perhaps also the mounting of the gun within the panzer. Plate thicknesses in mm are my additional text.

7th ARMD BDE INT SUMM NO. 7 (dated 7th July 1941)
3. Some tests have been made with a 7.5 cm. gun mounted on a German Mk.IV tank.

The gun was smooth in action but platform while stationary not completely immovable.

(1) Maximum Range.
All types of ammunition well above 6000 yds, probably about 9000 yds.

(2) Test at 50 yds.
Target was two thickness of 5/8” British Cruiser Side Turret Armour resting loosely against a detached turret from a Cruiser Tank (15.875 mm. each plate and 31.75 mm. in total).

(a) HE Instantaneous, dented 5/8” armour and split plate 8” [on the ] side of point of contact.

(b) A.P. Complete penetration and fragments found inside turret.

(c) H.E. fuse set at delay of .15 seconds, 2 thicknesses of 5/8” (31.75 mm. total) plate completely shattered. Effect of delay fuse both for A.P. and H.E. surprising-good. Fragmentation average for both H.E. and A.P.

(3) Test at 1500 yds.
Same target. No hits but no effect H.E. burst 3ft away.

(4) Test at 6000 yds.
Impossible to lay accurately from stationary tank on target size of AFV at this range. Gun was fired with defective sights and connections (sic) (corrections) were made by outside observation.