ANTI-TANK WEAPONS |
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OF THE FINNISH DEFENCE FORCES 1939 - 1945 |
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When the
Winter War began in November 1939 the only effective
Finnish AT gun was Swedish-made 37 mm Bofors m/36
(37 K/36). Finnish AT rifle was not ready for
production because of delays and the licence production
of Bofors AT gun had not yet started. While there were
also too few AT mines a simple combustion bottle (called
"Molotov's Coctail") developed at the end of
1930's became the standard close range "AT weapon"
in Winter War together with various satchel charges. By 1941 Finnish troops had been equipped with effective 20 mm Lahti L-39 AT rifles (called "Elephant Gun"). Light 25 mm (called "Marianne") and 37 mm AT guns had been obtained during Winter War and bought also from Germany later in 1940. Also captured Soviet 45 mm AT guns became more important as war progressed bacause of their better performance over 37 mm guns. In 1942 and 1943 new AT weapons and mines were bought from Germany and by summer 1944 German 75 mm Pak 40 (75 K/40) had became the most important AT gun in Finland despite of its heavy weight. In 1944 new German hollow charge rocket weapons Panzerfaust 30 (F1), Panzerfaust 60 (F2) and Panzerschreck (Ofenröhr) were invaluable close range AT weapons. Also more numerous AT mines were very important in stopping hard Soviet tank attacks. |
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Weapon Designation: . . |
Cal: [mm] |
Number: 39/41/44 [pcs] |
Country of Origin: |
Notes: |
Anti-Tank Rifles (Panssarintorjuntakivääri,
Pst.Kiv.): . |
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Boys Mk.1 . Lahti L-39 |
13,9 (14) 20 |
-/400/(400) . 2/500/1800 |
UK . Fin |
100 donated in January 1940, 100 bought from UK in 1940, 200 bought from Germany in 1940 Semi-automatic |
Anti-Tank Guns (Panssarintorjuntatykki,
K = Cannon): . |
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20 K/40 M 25 K/34 37 Jv.K/14 37 K/36 37 K/40 45 K/32 47 K/35 50 K/38 75 K/97-38 75 K/40 75 K/44 |
20 25 37 37 37 45 47 50 75 75 75 |
20/20/- 50/240/? 14/-/- 48/310/ -/150/200 (25)/60/ -/32/? -/-/27 -/-/46 -/-/190 -/-/1 |
Den Fra Rus Swe, Ger SU Aut Ger Fra/Ger Ger Fin |
Madsen L/60 automatic gun with low AT
carriage "Marianne", 50 bought from France
in 1939, Obuhoff
infantry gun [Jalkaväkikanuuna, Jv.K] 37 mm
pansarvärnskanon m/34, 220 delivered 37 PaK 35/36,
50 bought in spring 1940, 100 War booty
1939-40 and 1941-42 Licence
made Böhler AT cannon, 50 PaK 38, bought in Autumn 1942 75 PaK 97/38, replaced with 75 K/97 in 1943 75 PaK 40,
bought in summer 1943 and 1944, Low Finnish Tampella prototype tested in 1944 |
Close Repulse AT Weapons (Panssarinlähitorjunta-ase): . |
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Polttopullo [Combustion bottle] Hv-kranaatti Panssaripanos
m/42 100 Pshp/F1 88 Rakh/B54 |
- . - - - 88 |
thousands . thousands hundreds 26.280 1.850 |
Fin . Fin Ger Ger Ger |
"Molotov's Coctail", two versions
made during Winter War Industrially manufactured satchel charge Hafthohlladung
3 (hollow charge) Panzerfaust
klein [pikkunyrkki] and Panzerfaust Panzerschreck
(panssarinkauhu), 300 arrived |
Anti-tank Mines (Track Mines) (Hyökkäysvaunumiina
[Hv-miina] / Panssarimiina [Ps-miina], [Telamiina]): . |
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Mine Designation: . . . |
Weight: Total/ Charge [kgs] |
Number: Produced/ Obtained [pcs] |
Country of Origin: |
Notes: |
Hv-miina
m/36 . Hv-miina m/39 Hv-miina m/S-39 Ps-miina m/40
(engl.) Ps-miina m/40
(saks.) Ps-miina m/41 Ps-miina m/42 Ps-miina m/43 Ps-miina m/44 |
5,5/2,8 . 7,0/ 6,5-7,5/ ? ? 10,0/5,0 8,5/5,0 8,3/5,0 8,5/5,0 |
5.000 : ? ? 60.000 150.000 ? ? ? ? |
Fin . Fin Fin UK Ger Fin Ger Ger Fin |
Rounded, 13 cm thick cast iron case, diameter 31 cm, blasting load +350 kg Rounded, 12 cm
thick cast iron case, Rectanqular,
thick wooden box, edge 28 cm, Bought
during Winter War Bought
from Germany in 1940 Improved
rounded model, low light alloy Rounded, steel case, blasting load +340 kg Rounded,
steel plate case, blasting load Improved
rectanqular model, wooden box, |
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Sources:
KAKER3, PARUN1, PALMA1, TALHI, JATHI . : |
© 2001 - 1.6.2003 Harri Anttonen