1:35 German 37mm Anti-tank Gun PAK 35/36 Kit
Item #35035

DESCRIPTION
History of the Anti-tank Gun PAK 35/36

It was in 1934 that the German Army ordered Rheinmettal A G to
develop a new 3.7cm anti-tank gun. Rheinmettal ranked beside
Krupp as the biggest gun maker of Germany and already
manufactured the first 3.7cm anti-tank rapid firer in 1918. In
1935, Rheinmettal finished designing the new anti-tank gun. The
overall weight was 450kg. Having two rubber-tired wheels, torsion
bar suspension system and two rear trail legs, the gun could be
easily moved by only a few men. A gun shield of 4mm thickness was
fixed for the protection of the gun crew. The gunner was on the
left side of the gun and could traverse it by 60 degrees both
ways, elevate by 25 degrees and depress by 8 degrees. The loader
was on the right side of the horizontal sliding breech block and
the gun could make continuous fire at a rate of 15 rounds per
minute. The 3.7cm gun which was 45 calibres long had a muzzle
velocity of 762 meters per second (when firing and
armour-piercing projectile) and penetrated a 48mm armour plate
standing erect at a distance of 457 meters. The 3.7cm anti-tank
gun was immediately accepted by the German Army and officially
designated Anti-tank Gun Model 35/36 (PAK 35/36). In 1936, the
Germans began to deliver the gun to the anti-tank gun company of
each division as its standard equipment. It is reported that the
excellent design of the then typical anti-tank gun exerted a
great influence on the progress of anti-tank guns in the Soviet
Union, United States, and Japan.