Post by unknowntales on Oct 18, 2006 20:06:22 GMT -5
Picture Link:
i65.photobucket.com/albums/h203/unknowntales/PraetorianPak40.jpg
Name: Praetorian
Class: Mobile Pak 40 recoilless artillery cannon.
Manufacturer: Developed by Rheinmetall AG in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Range: Indirect = 7678 m (HE shell) Mountain top range 1026 m.
History:
The Pak 40 was originally designed by Krupp to be the standard anti-tank gun for the Wehrmacht, but saddled with a full schedule of projects, Krupp was forced to hand the weapon project over to Rheinmetall AG in 1941. Later in the war, Hitler was being pressured by Mussolini to supply the Italian forces with the same equipment necessary to defend the rugged Italian mountain ranges as the Germans possesed. Reluctently, he agreed. The first shipments of wheeled Pak 40 guns were delivered in late 1944 to Italian mountain units and were quickly dug in. Allied bombers easily dispatched the weapons and the Italians were forced to abandon their posistion, retreating higher up the mountains. A stalemate eventually settled in allowing the American and British forces to gather up reinforcements for a second, more feroucious attack.
Rheinmetall delivered a new version, a recoilless version of the 75 mm anti-tank gun which offered increased range and better accuracy. German units received the first alotment of twenty guns. Movement of the weapons over unforgiving terrain proved difficult and many of the German units were caught in vulnerable positions and destroyed. OKW was informed of the situation and forwarded the report to BMW-Flugmotorenwerke Brandenburg GmbH (BMW-Bramo) which had contracts for airplane engines and other assorted projects.
One of their side contracts was a portable small unit mover that could traverse rough terrain. Representitives of BMW-Bramo met with Hitler on November 23, 1944 and unveiled their design: a spider-like four man vehicle with a weapon mounted on its top. Hitler agreed to the project, but scrapped the seats and upgraded the gun to a Pak 40. The engineers of BMW-Bramo quickly drew up plans to have the vehicle controlled by a wire remote with the operator following close behind. It took only two weeks to mount the weapon, deliver the project, and test its stability. The first tests were an overwhelming success and 115 were ordered.
Twenty three Rh-BMW Pak40’s were deliverd by Focke-Achgelis FA 223 Drache (Dragon) helicopters, six to Italian units and the remaining to Wehrmacht units. The Italians were the first to receive the new guns as poor weather delayed the Focke-Achgelis FA 223 from reaching the German defenders. The Italians aptly named the weapon the “Praetorian” after members of the Praetorian Guard who were among the most skilled and celebrated warriors in Roman history. With effective firing range, increased accuracy, and the ability to move locations within minutes, the “Praetorians” held off the attacking allies and stalemated the Italian front deep into 1945.
i65.photobucket.com/albums/h203/unknowntales/PraetorianPak40.jpg
Name: Praetorian
Class: Mobile Pak 40 recoilless artillery cannon.
Manufacturer: Developed by Rheinmetall AG in Düsseldorf, Germany.
Range: Indirect = 7678 m (HE shell) Mountain top range 1026 m.
History:
The Pak 40 was originally designed by Krupp to be the standard anti-tank gun for the Wehrmacht, but saddled with a full schedule of projects, Krupp was forced to hand the weapon project over to Rheinmetall AG in 1941. Later in the war, Hitler was being pressured by Mussolini to supply the Italian forces with the same equipment necessary to defend the rugged Italian mountain ranges as the Germans possesed. Reluctently, he agreed. The first shipments of wheeled Pak 40 guns were delivered in late 1944 to Italian mountain units and were quickly dug in. Allied bombers easily dispatched the weapons and the Italians were forced to abandon their posistion, retreating higher up the mountains. A stalemate eventually settled in allowing the American and British forces to gather up reinforcements for a second, more feroucious attack.
Rheinmetall delivered a new version, a recoilless version of the 75 mm anti-tank gun which offered increased range and better accuracy. German units received the first alotment of twenty guns. Movement of the weapons over unforgiving terrain proved difficult and many of the German units were caught in vulnerable positions and destroyed. OKW was informed of the situation and forwarded the report to BMW-Flugmotorenwerke Brandenburg GmbH (BMW-Bramo) which had contracts for airplane engines and other assorted projects.
One of their side contracts was a portable small unit mover that could traverse rough terrain. Representitives of BMW-Bramo met with Hitler on November 23, 1944 and unveiled their design: a spider-like four man vehicle with a weapon mounted on its top. Hitler agreed to the project, but scrapped the seats and upgraded the gun to a Pak 40. The engineers of BMW-Bramo quickly drew up plans to have the vehicle controlled by a wire remote with the operator following close behind. It took only two weeks to mount the weapon, deliver the project, and test its stability. The first tests were an overwhelming success and 115 were ordered.
Twenty three Rh-BMW Pak40’s were deliverd by Focke-Achgelis FA 223 Drache (Dragon) helicopters, six to Italian units and the remaining to Wehrmacht units. The Italians were the first to receive the new guns as poor weather delayed the Focke-Achgelis FA 223 from reaching the German defenders. The Italians aptly named the weapon the “Praetorian” after members of the Praetorian Guard who were among the most skilled and celebrated warriors in Roman history. With effective firing range, increased accuracy, and the ability to move locations within minutes, the “Praetorians” held off the attacking allies and stalemated the Italian front deep into 1945.
