H65350 PANZERFAUST KLEIN 30, "GRETCHEN". (Panzerfaust Klein 30) 

Development of an effective, personal, anti-tank weapon was started, at the request of the Heeres Waffen-amt, (Army Weapons Office), by the HASAG firm of Leipzig in November 1942. Originally HASAG developed the Faustpatrone 1, (Fist Cartridge 1), nicknamed "Gretchen", followed by the "Faustpatrone 2", also referred to as the "Panzerfaust 30", (Armored Fist 30). In July 1943 the Faustpatrone 1 was field tested and the first five thousand Faustpatrone 1's were issued to personnel in the field in August that year. In May 1944 the Faustpatrone 1 was re-designated, Panzerfaust Klein 30. The Panzerfaust 30, had an initial velocity of thirty meters per second and was capable of penetrating roughly one hundred forty millimeters of armor at an effective range of thirty meters. The Panzerfaust Klein 30 consists of a magnetic sheet metal, hollow charged, tapered warhead which is roughly, 7 1/2" long, with a 12 3/4", circumference at its widest point. The warhead has a roughly 6 7/8" long, 1 1/4" diameter, tail piece with spring steel stabilizing fins. The warhead’s tail piece is inserted into a, 31 1/2" long, 1 3/8" diameter, heavy, tooled steel firing tube. The warhead retains about 35% of its original black scripted instructional decal and has an impressed manufacturers code and date that appears to be, "bdn 1944", indicating manufacture by Robert Tümmler Döblen/Sachsen in 1944. The warhead retains about 75% of its original ordnance tan paint with light surface spotting and pitting. The hollow steel firing tube retains about 80% of its original ordnance tan paint with spots of wear to the base metal with light surface spotting. The firing tube also has faint red, black and white stenciled script. The firing tube has a brazed on, hinged, foldable, sheet metal, sight with a cut-out, hour glass shaped aiming port and a cylindrical trigger device with an internal spring and a red firing button. The unique design of the sight and trigger device also acts as a safety as the panzerfaust can not be activated when the sight is in the folded down position. The internal trigger spring and the firing button both still function. The firing tube has no visible manufacturers marks. Nice addition to a late war display. Of Note: Interestingly the main manufacturer of the firing tubes was the Volkswagen-Werke in Fallersleben. Also Of Note: Both the Faustpatrone 1 and the Faustpatrone 2 were found to have insufficient penetrating power so further developments lead to the Panzerfaust 60 in August 1944. By October 1944, 400,000 Panzerfaust 60's were being produced and issued monthly. Have had a few of these over the last 25 years.. this one being the nicest. Very happy to see this come in with the original paint, stenciles and decals intact! Nice.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $ SOLD

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