THE DEADLY PANZERFAUST!

Panzerfaust Anti-Tank Weapon
The Panzerfaust is a hand-held, single-shot, shape-charged anti-tank weapon. They were easily manufactured and designed to be cheap, one-use, throw away weapons to be used with little field training. However, accidents often happened in the field because of ill-trained soldiers and defective manufacture. Due to material shortage during the war, the "disposable" tubes were often collected and returned to the factory for re-arming.

Despite these shortfalls, when used properly the Panzerfaust was a very deadly anti-tank weapon for which the American tanks in Normandy were ill prepared to meet.

Description: The Panzerfaust consisted of a warhead attached to a long tube with a factory-sealed cardboard cap in the rear of the tube. This cap was to protect against dirt and was kept in place even when firing the weapon. Simple instructions were often printed right on the warhead. They often also had warnings in large red lettering printed on the upper rear end of the tube "Achtung! Feuerstrahl! (which means, Beware! Fire Jet!). This was to warn soldiers to avoid the backblast.

Backblast: The Panzerfaust created an explosion of 6 to 10 feet behind the tube when it was fired. This backblast was not only deadly to bystanders, but if fired too close to building, the backblast could also hit the firer of the weapon. Therefore, the weapon could not be used in close quarters, such as inside a bunker. Viewers can see this In the Combat! episode "Hills Are for Heroes," where the German soldiers must come out into the open to fire the authentic Panzerfaust at the American tank. The Panzerfaust also figures prominently in the teaser of the episode "Bridgehead."

Firing the Weapon: To use most variations of the Panzerfaust, a soldier detached the warhead, then inserted the detonation charge and firing percussion cap into the long tube. The soldier then re-mounted the warhead on the shaft. He then locked the sighting lever into the up position and removed the safety plug. The Panzerfaust 100 came ready to fire, without the need to insert the charge and cap. The warhead automatically armed itself during flight (after traveling about 15 feet). Pictured is the detached warhead.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• World
• War
• II

[NeguevXXI]

would have to add that along the tube carrying the words painted in red: "Achtung! Feuerstrahl": (Attention, jet fire), to remind the shooter was a danger that the flash back in the shooting occurred. The insurance manual transmission and shooting was indicated with the word "Sicher": (insured) and the release button "Feuer" (Fire) noted that the switch shareholder system.

[Quemish88]

exactly!

[Americarules4ever]

The Panzerfaust family of weapons was considerably easy to use. Simple usage instructions were often printed onto the warhead.

[Quemish88]

Despite the seemingly easy usage and the fact that simple usage instructions were printed onto each weapon, many accidents happened because of wrong handling of often ill-trained personnel, sometimes also because of material defects of the weapons themselves.

Although officially a single-use throw-away weapon, the used tubes of the all the Panzerfaust weapons were usually collected and returned for rearmament at the factory.

[invasiondomination]

Damn i wonder if they still make them...i need to get one for my crew...substitute for a rocket launcher xD.This is what teh german Gangsta's use today isn't it?

[barqs19]

I just bought an original from a vet, inert of course, but very cool to finally get an original.

[NeguevXXI]

habria que agregar que a lo largo del tubo llevaba pintado en rojo las palabras: "Achtung! Feuerstrahl": (Atención, chorro de fuego), para recordar al tirador el peligro de la llamarada trasera que se producía en el disparo. El seguro manual de transporte y disparo estaba indicado con las palabra "Sicher": (asegurado) y sobre el botón de disparo "Feuer" (fuego) señalaba el interruptor que accionaba el sistema.