German OOB 16: missing 8,8cm Pak 43/41

[DRG]

The difference between the 43/41 and the 17/25 was the British were able to produce the correct carriage faster so they didn't have to make do with the transitional gun as long. Other than that the story is the same.... the gun was ready before the carriage so they had to improvise.

Don

[cbo]

According to Hahn: "Waffen und Geheimwaffen...", a pre-production series of the PaK 43 were delivered in november 1943 (6 guns) but the first guns from series production were issued to the troops in February 1944. Production ran up to wars end in 1945. Production was 2098.

The first PaK 43/41 was built in February 1943 as a prototype, the rest of the guns produced were fitted in the Nashorn Panzerjäger. The first batch of 70 guns were issued to the troops in April 1943, production running out in July 1944 with a total of 1403 made.

German statistics does not appear to discern between the two guns in anything but production, but with 183 guns lost in 1943, 738 lost in 1944 and 128 lost in the first three months of 1945, there was probably plenty left at wars end of both types.

The PaK 43/41 was certainly used in the Ardennes fighting in December 1944/January 1945 as a few weapons still remain in the area.