7.5 cm KwK 37
The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 was a short-barreled, howitzer-like German 75 mm tank gun used during World War II, primarily as the main armament of the early Panzer IV tank. Slightly modified as StuK 37, it was also mounted in early StuG III assault guns and Sd.Kfz. 251/9 armored personnel carriers.
It was designed as a close-support infantry gun firing a high-explosive shell but was also effective against the tanks it faced early in the war. From March 1942, new variants of the Panzer IV and StuG III had a derivative of the 7.5 cm PaK 40 anti-tank gun, the longer-barreled 7.5 cm KwK 40. When older Panzer IVs were up-gunned, their former KwK 37 guns were reused to arm later Panzer III tanks and other infantry support vehicles. In 1943, depleted stocks and demand for the Panzer III Ausf. N required restarting production of a slightly revised 7.5 cm K 51 L/24 .
Ammunition
The KwK 37 used 75×243 mmR caliber.- Kt. Kw. K. - Canister
- Nbgr. Kw. K. - Smoke
- Gr.38 Hl - High Explosive Anti-Tank
- Gr.38 Hl/A - High Explosive Anti-Tank
- Gr.38 Hl/B - High Explosive Anti-Tank
- Gr.38 Hl/C - High Explosive Anti-Tank
7.5 cm Sprgr.34 - High Explosive
- Projectile weight:
- Explosive weight:
K.Gr.rot.Pz. - Armour-piercing
- Projectile weight:
- Muzzle velocity:
| Range | Penetration | Hit probability |
| 100 | ||
| 100 | ||
| 97 | ||
| 82 |
Pzgr 39. - Armour-piercing
- Projectile weight:
- Muzzle velocity:
| Range | Penetration | Hit probability |
| 100 | ||
| 100 | ||
| 97 | ||
| 82 | ||
| NA |
Penetration comparison
Applications
7.5 cm KwK 37 / 7.5 cm K 37
- Neubaufahrzeug
- Panzer III Ausf. N
- Panzer IV Ausf. A to F1
- StuG III Ausf. A to E
- Sd.Kfz. 233 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen
- Sd.Kfz. 251/9 ''Schützenpanzerwagen''
7.5 cm K 51
- Sd.Kfz. 234/3 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen
- Sd.Kfz. 250/8 Schützenpanzerwagen
- Sd.Kfz. 251/9 ''Schützenpanzerwagen ''