Panzerschreck was the popular name for the Raketenpanzerbüchse, an 88 mm
calibre reusable anti-tank rocket launcher developed by Nazi Germany in
World War II. Another popular nickname was Ofenrohr.
The Panzerschreck was designed as a lightweight infantry anti-tank weapon.
The weapon was shoulder-launched and fired a fin-stabilized rocket with a
shaped-charge warhead. It was made in smaller numbers than the Panzerfaust,
which was a disposable recoilless rifle firing an anti-tank warhead. It was an
enlarged copy of the American bazooka; however, it also used preexisting German
technology with development of similar weapons beginning before the American
bazooka was encountered. History
The Panzerschreck was developed as a copy from captured bazookas of American
origin. They were either captured in 1942 on the Eastern front from Soviet
forces that had received a shipment of bazookas or they were captured in
Tunisia from American forces in February 1943. The American bazookas also spurred
the development of the Faustpatrone and successor Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade
launchers that each also used a HEAT warhead. The Panzerschreck was larger
and heavier than its American counterpart - the Panzerschreck had an
88 mm calibre, compared to the 60 mm calibre of the bazooka, which meant that
it could penetrate thicker armor, but it also produced more smoke when firing.
Calibre 88 mm was selected as existing RPzB. Gr. 4312 for 8.8 cm Raketenwerfer
43 was reused for Panzerschreck. Warhead and fuzing was carried over but engine
section needed lengthening from 490 mm to 650 mm to accommodate larger rocket
motor. Raketenwerfer 43 had percussion firing, whereas for Panzerschrek an
electrical priming was selected, forming standard grenade RPzB. Gr. 4322. Other
munitions were developed, including drill dummy, practice live rocket with
inert warhead and standard grenade with improved contact system.
The first model was the RPzB 43, which was 164 centimetres long and weighed
about 9.25 kilograms when empty. Operators of the RPzB 43 had to wear a
protective poncho and a gas mask without a filter to protect them from the heat
of the backblast when the weapon was fired. In October 1943, it was succeeded
by the RPzB 54, which was fitted with a blast shield to protect the operator and
was heavier, weighing 11 kilograms empty. This was followed by the RPzB
54/1, which had an improved rocket, a shorter barrel, and a range increased to
about 180 meters. Firing the RPzB generated a lot of smoke
both in front and behind the weapon. Because of the weapon's tube and the
smoke, the German troops nicknamed it the Ofenrohr. This also meant that
Panzerschreck teams were revealed once they fired, making them targets and,
therefore, required them to shift positions after firing. This type of
system also made it problematic to fire the weapon from inside closed spaces,
filling the room with toxic smoke and revealing the firing location
immediately. The Panzerschreck could penetrate 100 mm
of armor using early war rockets, and 160 mm of armor with rockets developed
later in the war, for which the blast shield of the RPzB 54 was necessary.
Late war German tactical doctrine called for Panzerschreck and/or Panzerfaust
teams to set up in staggered trenches no further than 115 metres apart. In this
way, attacking armor would face anti-tank fire from multiple directions
at a distance of no more than 69 metres. Anti-tank teams were instructed to aim
for the thinner side or rear armor whenever possible. Allied armored units
frequently attempted to add improvised protection to their tanks, e.g.
sandbags, spare track units, logs and so on to protect against HEAT rounds. Most
of this makeshift protection had little effect, and overtaxed the vehicle's
engine, transmission, and suspension systems. Another defense was to rig
metal mesh and netting around the tank, resembling the German Schürzen auxiliary
plates. The Panzerschreck's combat success
caused the Bazooka to be completely redesigned at the close of World War II.
A larger, 90 mm model was adopted; hence, the M20 Super Bazooka. Though
bearing a superficial resemblance to the Panzerschreck, the M20 had greater
effective range, penetrating capability, and was nearly 20% lighter than its
former counterpart. In 1944, Germany provided the
Panzerschreck to Finland, who used it to great effect against Soviet armour. The
Finnish name for the weapon was Panssarinkauhu. An all-new Finnish
weapon, the 55 S 55, was developed after the war along the lines of
Panzerschreck. See also
Shoulder-launched missile weapon List of common World War II infantry
weapons References
External links German 88mm "Panzerschrek"
World War II Finnish Manual on Panzerschreck