Panzerabwehrkanone (abbreviated as Pak), changed to Panzerjägerkanone in 1941, is the German term for anti-tank gun. In the English-speaking countries, however, Pak refers to the fifteen variants of Wehrmacht's anti-tank gun produced before or during World War II. Of these fifteen, PAW 600 and sPzB 41 do not bear the Pak designation in their names.
Overview A Pak's weight is within the range of to . The smallest caliber was and the largest was .
Over the six-year course of World War II the armor of the tanks steadily improved, so the size of the projectile had to increase. A larger projectile required a heavier weapon. All of these guns were meant to be towed. The earlier ones were light enough to be moved by hand over short distances, into and out of their firing positions. Some variants were only used on self-propelled guns.
Variants + Pak guns Designation Produced(year) Mass Additional notes 3.7 cm Pak 36 1928 4.7 cm Pak 181(f) 1937 Captured French anti-tank gun (47mm SA mle 1937) 5 cm Pak 38 1937 4.7 cm Pak 38(t) 1939 Exclusively mounted on a tank destroyer 2.8 cm sPzB 41 1941 sPzB meaning , literally "heavy anti-tank rifle" 4.2 cm Pak 41 1941 lightweight squeeze bore gun for airborne units 7.5 cm Pak 97/38 1941 French 75mm gun on the 5cm Pak 38 carriage 7.5 cm Pak 40 1942 7.5 cm Pak 41 1942 squeeze bore 7.62 cm Pak 36(r) 1942 Captured Soviet anti-tank gun, modified to suit the needs of the German Army 7.5 cm PaK 39 1943 only used as armament of Jagdpanzer vehicles 7.5 cm Pak 42 1943 Mounted on the Jagdpanzer IV and the Panther tank, although, on the latter, it is designated 7.5 cm KwK 42 8.8 cm Pak 43 1943 12.8 cm Pak 44 1944 8 cm PAW 600 1945 High-pressure combustion chamber, delivered propellant gas to a light-weight barrel. PAW stands for , literally "anti-tank launcher."
See also Pak 57, a Swiss anti-tank gun 8.8 cm Flak 36, colloquially known as "eighty-eight," it was the dreaded German tank killer of the World War II.
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