7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18

7.5-cm-leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18
Type	Infantry gun
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	1932–1945
Used by	Nazi Germany
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	Rheinmetall
Designed	1927
Manufacturer	Rheinmetall
Produced	1932–1945
No. built	~ 12,000
Specifications
Mass	Travel: 1,560 kg (3,439 lb) Combat: 400 kg (882 lb)
Barrel length	88 cm (3 ft) L/11.2
Crew	5
Shell	75 x 89mm R Fixed QF
Shell weight	6 kg (13 lb 4 oz)
Caliber	75 mm (3.0 in)
Breech	Top break
Recoil	Hydro-pneumatic
Carriage	Box trail
Elevation	-10° to 73°
Traverse	12°
Rate of fire	8-12 rpm
Muzzle velocity	210 m/s (690 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	3,550 m (3,880 yd)

The 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 (7.5 cm le.IG 18) was an infantry support gun of the German Wehrmacht used during World War II.

History

Development of the gun began in 1927, by Rheinmetall. The crew was protected by an armoured shield. There was a mountain gun variant, the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18. For transport, the mountain variant could be broken down into six to ten packs, the heaviest weighing 74.9 kg. These were typically assigned at two to each mountain battalion. Six 7.5 cm le.IG 18F were manufactured in 1939. These were airborne guns, capable of being broken down into four 140 kg loads. The airborne variant had smaller wheels and no shield. There was also an infantry support gun, known as the 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz L/13 and designed as a replacement for the le.IG 18, which could be broken into four to six loads. However, though prototypes were tested, the German army felt that it did not improve on the existing design sufficiently to merit introduction and the army stayed with the earlier gun.

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  The gun's breech
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  Rear of 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18

Data of the 7.5 cm le.IG 18 and 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18

• Calibre: 75 mm (2.95 in)
• Elevation: -10° to 73°
• Muzzle Velocity (w/HE shell): 210 m/s (689 ft/s)
• Range: 3,550 m (3,882 yd)
• Traverse: 12°
• Weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
• Weight of the 7.5 cm le.GebIG 18: 440 kg (970 lb)
• Weight of HE Shell: 6 kg (13.22 lb)
• Weight of HC Shell: 3 kg (6.6 lb)

Data of the 7.5 cm IG L/13

• Calibre: 75 mm (2.95 in)
• Elevation: -5° to 43°
• Muzzle Velocity: 305 m/s (1,000 ft/s)
• Range: 5,100 m (5,577 yd)
• Traverse: 50°
• Weight: 375 kg (827 lb)
• Weight of Shell: 6.35 kg (14 lb)

See also

• 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz 37
• 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz 42
• Artillery
• List of artillery

References

• Hogg, Ian V. German Artillery of World War Two. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997 ISBN 1-85367-480-X

External links

Forgotten Weapons - Germany's New Light Howitzer: the 7.5cm le.IG 18 on YouTube

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 7.5 cm leIG 18.

This page was last edited on 14 March 2024, at 22:09