| 4.2 cm Pak 41 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Anti-tank gun |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Germany |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1941—1942 |
| Number built | 313 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 642 kg (1,000 lb) |
| Length | 235 cm (7 ft 9 in) |
| Barrel length | 211.4 cm (6 ft 11 in) L/52 |
|
|
|
| Shell | 42 × 406 mm. R |
| Caliber | 28-42 mm (1.1-1.6 in) |
| Breech | horizontal sliding block |
| Carriage | split trail |
| Elevation | -8° to +25° |
| Traverse | 60° |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,265 m/s (4,150 ft/s) |
| Effective range | 1,000 m (1,000 yd) |
The 4.2 cm Pak 41 was a light anti-tank gun issued to German airborne units in World War II. This gun was externally similar to the 3.7 cm Pak 36, and used a modified version of the latter's carriage, but used the squeeze bore principle (in German called Gerlich after Hermann Gerlich who developed the principle in the 1920s, reportedly for a hunting rifle) to boost its velocity, and hence armor-piercing ability. The bore had a diameter of 42 mm at the chamber, but tapered down to 28 mm at the muzzle.