ANTI-TANK WEAPONS

OF THE FINNISH DEFENCE FORCES 1939 - 1945

.

The low profile of the 37 mm Bofors K/36 AT gun is seen on this photo taken during the spring battles in May 1942 near Louhi. This gun belongs probably to [AT] Gun Company of Infantry Regiment 14 or temporary Division J.
(Photo: Harri Anttonen)

.

.

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.):
.
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):
.
20 K/40 M

25 K/34
25 K/37

37 Jv.K/14
37 Jv.K/15

37 K/36
.
.
.

37 K/40
.

45 K/32
45 K/37
45 K/38
45 K/38-41

47 K/35
47 K/39

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/
300

.
.

-/150/200
.

(25)/60/
250

.
.

-/32/?
.

-/-/27

-/-/46

-/-/190
.

-/-/1

Den

Fra
  

Rus
  

Swe,
Fin,
Pol

 

Ger
.

SU
.
.
.

Aut
Ita

Ger

Fra/Ger

Ger
.

Fin

Madsen L/60 automatic gun with low AT carriage

"Marianne", 50 bought from France in 1939,
200 bought from Germany in 1940

Obuhoff infantry gun [Jalkaväkikanuuna, Jv.K]
Rosenberg infantry gun

37 mm pansarvärnskanon m/34, 220 delivered
by the end of Winter War by Bofors, VTT and
Tampella, Polish wz.36 models bought from

Germany in 1940

37 PaK 35/36, 50 bought in spring 1940, 100
bought in 1940 and 50 in 1941 from Germany

War booty 1939-40 and 1941-42
.
.
War booty 1941-42

Licence made Böhler AT cannon,
bought in 1940

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,
210 delivered by the end of Continuation War

Low Finnish Tampella prototype tested in 1944

Close Repulse AT Weapons (Panssarinlähitorjunta-ase):
.
Polttopullo
[Combustion bottle]

Hv-kranaatti
2, 3 and 4 kgs
[AT satchel charge]

Panssaripanos m/42
[Armour charge]

100 Pshp/F1
142 Pshp/F2
.

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
[kasapanos] or strike hand grenade
.

Hafthohlladung 3 (hollow charge)
.

Panzerfaust klein [pikkunyrkki] and Panzerfaust
gross [isonyrkki], first batch of 1.700 weapons
arrived on 11.4.44, more during summer 1944

Panzerschreck (panssarinkauhu), 300 arrived
on 11.4.44 with 3.000 both summer and arctic
rockets, more during summer 1944 with over
15.000 rockets

Anti-tank Mines (Track Mines) (Hyökkäysvaunumiina [Hv-miina] / Panssarimiina [Ps-miina], [Telamiina]):
.
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.)
[British]

Ps-miina m/40 (saks.)
[German]

Ps-miina m/41
.

Ps-miina m/42

Ps-miina m/43
.

Ps-miina m/44
.
.

5,5/2,8
.

7,0/
3,2-3,5
.

6,5-7,5/
3,0-3,8

?
.

?
.

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,
diameter 23 cm, blasting load +350 kg,
additional charge 2,5 kg

Rectanqular, thick wooden box, edge 28 cm,
blasting load +350 kg

Bought during Winter War
.

Bought from Germany in 1940
.

Improved rounded model, low light alloy
metal case, blasting load +100...190 kg

Rounded, steel case, blasting load +340 kg

Rounded, steel plate case, blasting load
+340 kg

Improved rectanqular model, wooden box,
blasting load +100...190 kg

.

Sources: KAKER3, PARUN1, PALMA1, TALHI, JATHI
.
:

© 2001 - 1.6.2003 Harri Anttonen

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