The 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 (7.5 cm le.IG 18) was an
infantry support gun
Infantry support guns or battalion guns are artillery weapons designed and used to increase the firepower of the infantry units they are intrinsic to, offering immediate tactical response to the needs of the unit's commanding officer. They typicall ...
of the German
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
used during World War II.
History
Development of the gun began in 1927, by
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. Its shares are traded on the Frankfurt stock exchange.
History
Rheinmetall was founded in 1889. Banker and investor Lorenz Zuckermandel
L ...
. The crew was protected by an
armour
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or fr ...
ed
shield
A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...
. There was a
mountain gun
Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are generally capable of being taken apart to make smaller loads for transport by horses, humans, mules, tractor ...
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
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
. Six 7.5 cm le.IG 18F were
manufactured
Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation. It is the essence of secondary sector of the economy. The term may refer to a rang ...
in 1939. These were
airborne gun
Airborne guns are airborne artillery pieces, designed for use by paratroopers. They are generally specific or specialised types of infantry support guns, being in the traditional sense capable of being broken down into smaller loads for transport ...
s, 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.
File:Baltikum 1942 -leichten Infanteriegeschützes 7,5cm lelG 18- by-RaBoe.jpg
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B22222, Russland, Kampf um Stalingrad, Infanterie.jpg
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-219-0594-34, Russland-Mitte-Süd, leichtes Infanteriegeschütz.jpg
File:Breech of 7.5-cm infantry howitzer.jpg, The gun's breech
File:Leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18 im MHM Dresden-2.jpg, Rear of 7.5 cm leichtes Infanteriegeschütz 18
Statistics 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)
Statistics 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
The 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz 37 (7.5 cm IG 37) was an infantry support gun, used by Germany during World War II. The guns were originally designated 7.5 cm PaK 37. The IG 37s were manufactured from carriages of 3.7 cm Pak 36s (an ...
*
7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz 42
The 7.5 cm Infanteriegeschütz 42 (7.5 cm IG 42) was an infantry support gun, used by Germany, during World War II. The requirement for this weapon came out of combat experience in 1940 when the existing IG 18 was felt to be outdated.
...
*
Artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
*
List of artillery
Artillery has been one of primary weapons of war since before the Napoleonic Era. Several countries have developed and built artillery systems, while artillery itself has been continually improved and redesigned to meet the evolving needs of the b ...
References
* Hogg, Ian V. ''German Artillery of World War Two''. 2nd corrected edition. Mechanicsville, PA: Stackpole Books, 1997
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:7.5 Cm Leichtes Infanteriegeschutz 18
World War II artillery of Germany
World War II field artillery
Infantry guns
75 mm artillery
Military equipment introduced in the 1930s