Panzerschreck#Users

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-710-0371-25, Ukraine, Ausbildung an Panzerabwehrwaffe.jpg rocket used with the Panzerschreck]]

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J27051, Russland, Füsiliere mit "Panzerschreck".jpg division's Panzerfüsilier regiment prepare an ambush in the ruins of a destroyed building on the Eastern Front, 1944.]]

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-264-1623-26, Frankreich, Vorführung Raketenpanzerbüchse.jpg

The Panzerschreck development was initially based on the American "bazooka", captured during the Tunisian campaign, November 1942. The Panzerschreck was larger and heavier than its American counterpart – the Panzerschreck had an 88 mm calibre, compared to the 57 mm calibre of the bazooka – allowing it to penetrate thicker armour, but also required a larger motor, creating more smoke when firing.

Calibre 88 mm was selected as the existing RPzB. Gr. 4312 for 8.8 cm Raketenwerfer 43 was reused for Panzerschreck. Warhead and fuzing was carried over, but the rocket motor's housing needed lengthening from {{convert|490|mm|abbr=on}} to {{convert|650|mm|abbr=on}} to accommodate the longer rocket motor. Raketenwerfer 43 had percussion firing, whereas for the Panzerschreck an electrical priming was selected, forming standard grenade RPzB. Gr. 4322. Rottman, 2014 pp29–30 Other munitions were developed, including drill dummy, practice live rocket with inert warhead and standard grenade with improved contact system.{{cite web |url=http://www.bergflak.com/psammo.html |title=The Panzerschrek Ammunition |author= |date=9 May 2015 |website= www.bergflak.com |access-date=10 September 2015 }}

The earliest production model of the RPzB 54 was {{convert|164|cm|ftin}} long and weighed about {{convert|9.25|kg|lb}} when empty. Unlike the rockets used in American bazookas which extinguished before leaving the tube, the RPzB rockets kept burning for about {{convert|2|m|ft}} after exiting the tube. Users were instructed to wear heavy gloves, a protective poncho and a gas mask without a filter to protect them from the heat of the backblast when the weapon was fired.Fleischer, Wolfgang. Panzerfaust: And Other German Infantry Anti-Tank Weapons. Schiffer Pub Limited, 1994, {{ISBN|9780887406720}}, p. 39 Improvised shields were made to protect the user and in February 1944, the RPzB 54 was fitted with an official blast shield to protect the operator which made the weapon heavier, weighing {{convert|11|kg|lb}} empty. Small numbers of the shortened RPzB 54/1 were later produced. It had an improved rocket, a shorter barrel, and a range increased to about {{convert|180|m|ft}}.

Firing the RPzB generated copious amounts of smoke both in front of and behind the weapon. Because of the weapon's tube and smoke produced, official documentation named the weapon the Ofenrohr ("stove pipe"). This also meant that anti-tank 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 (such as bunkers or houses), filling the room with toxic smoke and revealing the firing location immediately.

Late war German tactical doctrine called for Panzerschreck and/or Panzerfaust teams to set up in staggered trenches no further than {{convert|115|m|ft}} apart. In this way, attacking armor would face anti-tank fire from multiple directions at a distance of no more than {{convert|69|m|ft}}. Anti-tank teams were instructed to aim for the thinner side or rear armor whenever possible.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uvQEpunbddwC&pg=PA45 |pages=45–46 |title=World War II Infantry Tactics (2): Company and Battalion |isbn=9781841766638 |last1=Bull |first1=Stephen |date=5 February 2005 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA }} 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. Another defense was to rig metal mesh and netting around the tank, resembling the German Schürzen auxiliary plates. In practice about 1 meter of air gap were required to substantially reduce the penetrating capability of RPzB, thus skirts and sandbags were ineffective against RPzB and Panzerfaust.{{Cite book|last=Chamberlain|first=Peter|title=Anti-tank weapons|publisher=Arco|year=1974|isbn=0668036079}}

In 1944, Germany provided the Panzerschreck to Finland, which used it to great effect against Soviet armour. The Finnish name for the weapon was Panssarikauhu (literal translation of the German name).

The Italian Social Republic and Hungary also used the Panzerschreck. Several Italian units became known as skilled anti-tank hunters and the Hungarians used the Panzerschreck extensively during Operation Spring Awakening.

Penetration measured against Face-Hardened Armor (FHA), Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA).

File:FinnishTroops Tornio1944 002.jpg]]

• {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
• {{flag|Italian Social Republic|war}}
• {{flagicon|Kingdom of Hungary|1940}} Hungary{{cite book|last1=Tibor|first1=Rada|title=A Magyar Királyi Honvéd Ludovika Akadémia és a Testvérintézetek Összefoglalt Története (1830-1945)|volume=II|date=2001|chapter=Német gyalogsági fegyverek magyar kézben|trans-chapter=German infantry weapons in Hungarian hands|publisher=Gálos Nyomdász Kft.|location=Budapest|isbn=963-85764-3-X|language=hu|page=1114}}
• {{flag|Finland}}Rottman, 2014, pp68–69
• {{flag|Kingdom of Romania|}}{{Cite web | url=http://www.worldwar2.ro/memorii/?language=ro&article=785 |title = WorldWar2.ro - Soldat Traiam Giurgelea - amintiri din Moldova}}
• {{flagicon|Polish Underground State}} Polish Home Army (captured weapons)
• {{flag|Soviet Union|1936}} (captured weapons)

• List of common World War II infantry weapons
• List of World War II firearms of Germany
• PIAT
• Rocket-propelled grenade
• RPG-2
• Shoulder-fired missile

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{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |first1=Gordon L |last1=Rottman |others=illustrated by Johnny Shumate and Alan Gilliland |title=Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck |series=Weapon 36 |date=2014 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1-78200-790-6 }}

{{Commons category}}

• [http://www.inert-ord.net/atrkts/pschrek/ German 88mm "Panzerschrek"]

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Category:Anti-tank rockets

Category:Anti-tank weapons

Category:Weapons of Germany

Category:World War II infantry weapons of Germany

Category:Rocket launchers

Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1943