10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 42

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10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 42
Rear view of the LG 42
Type	recoilless gun
Place of origin	Nazi Germany
Service history
In service	1942-1945
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall
Produced	1942-1944
Variants	LG 42-1, LG 42-2
Specifications
Weight	540 kg (LG 42-1), 552 kg (LG 42-2)
Length	1.836 m
Barrel length	1.374 m

Caliber	105 mm
Breech	horizontal sliding block
Elevation	-15° to +42° 30'
Traverse	360° below 20° elevation 71° 15' above 20° elevation
Muzzle velocity	195 m/s or 335 m/s
Effective range	3,400 m (3,718 yds) with Kleine Ladung
Maximum range	7950 m (8695 yds) with Grosse Ladung

The development history of the LG 42 isn't clear, but it seems obvious that the success of the company's 7.5 cm LG 40 during the Battle of Crete in 1941 spurred the Germans to continue development of recoilless guns in larger calibers. Krupp seems to have gotten its 10.5 cm LG 40 into service first, but the Rheinmetall LG 42 was apparently manufactured in larger quantities.

[edit] Design Issues

The LG 42 was basically an enlarged and improved version of the 7.5 cm LG 40. It incorporated torque vanes in the the jet nozzle to counteract the torque forces imparted by the round engaging the rifling and any clogged or eroded nozzles. It also used the improved priming mechanism developed after the problems with the smaller weapon became apparent. Like all the German 10.5 cm recoilless rifles it shared shells with the 10.5 cm leFH 18 (light Field Howitzer). The LG 42-1 version was built using light alloys in parts of the carriage, but the LG 42-2 replaced these with ordinary steel as light alloys became too valuable later in the war. Both versions could be broken down into 4 loads for parachute operations.

[edit] Operational Use

Both 105 mm recoilless guns, unlike the 75 mm LG 40, equipped independent artillery batteries and battalions. These include Batteries 423-426, 429, 433, and 443, most of which were later incorporated into Leichtgeschütze-Abt. (Light Gun Battalion) 423 and 424. These units served in both the Arctic under 20th Mountain Army and in central Russia under Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center).^[1]

[edit] References

^ Heeres Independent Artillery Units

Englemann, Joachim and Scheibert, Horst. Deutsche Artillerie 1934-1945: Eine Dokumentation in Text, Skizzen und Bildern: Ausrüstung, Gliderung, Ausbildung, Führung, Einsatz. Limburg/Lahn, Germany: C. A. Starke, 1974
Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X

German artillery of World War II

Tank & anti-tank guns