Handheld Weapons
K98k Karabiner 98 Kurz Cal/7.92 x 57
The K98k was the last in a long line of Mauser 98 decedents which first came into production in 1898 with the Gewher 98. From 1935 the bolt actioned K98k (k for short) became the primary weapon of the German armed forces with around 14 million being produced by various manufactures until the end of the War.
An example manufactured by Mauser Oberndorf in 1943.
MP40 (Maschinenpistole 40) Cal/9 x 19
The MP40 was a descended from a line of earlier machine pistols namely the M36, M38, M38/40 . The main differences being the MP40 was faster and less expensive to produce using mostly pressed metal parts rather than more expensive milled ones. Often mistakenly called the "Schmeisser" by westerners, but in truth Hugo Schmeisser did not design the weapon but only held manufacturing rights to it's magazine. The Mp40 and it's variants would have normaly been issued to platoon commanders and squad leaders (NCO's).
StG44 (Sturmgewehr 44) Cal/7.92 x 33
First rejected by Hitler in 1942 who didn'nt like it's prototyped design, the Maschinenkarabiner (MKb 42) proved itself as a highly effiicient weapon on the eastern front and was secretly put into production without Hitler being aware of it. Later to be re-named (by Hitler himself ) the Sturmgewehr 44 (Storm Rifle), later designers came up with 2 x curved barrel attachments angled at 30 & 90 degrees to enable panzer crew members to literally hose down the hulls of their vehicles of enemy soldiers without putting their heads outside.
Panzerschreck
The panzerschreck (tank shocker) soon to be renamed Ofenrohr "stove pipe" because of the amout of smoke they generated once fired was a heavier and much more powerful weapon than the panzerfaust that had a penetrating power of 200mm (20cm). Unlike the panzerfaust the weapon was re-useable and required a loader who loaded the weapon from the rear, a noticable feature of the panzershreck was it's large blast shield and it's small aiming window.
Panzerfaust
The Panzerfaust (armoured fist) was an inexpensive disposable anti-tank weapon that first appeared in 1943 with the introduction of the Panzerfaust 30Klein, within a few weeks of it's arrival a newer Panzerfaust30 appeared with more penetrating power. Being very easy to operate the panzerfaust soon became popular with improved designs appearing in 1944-5 with more power, range and better sights.
MG42 (Maschinengewehr 42) Cal/7.92 x 5
Designed to cut production times and costs of the MG34, the MG42 made it's debut onto the battlefield in 1942. Fed by either a drum or belt the weapon had a sustained firing rate of 1200 rounds per minute and due to it's high rate of fire the weapon soon became known as Hitler's Buzzsaw because of it's "ripping cloth" sound when fired.
Walther P.38 Cal/9 x 19
Designed as a service pistol in 1938 and finally being mass producted for the Wehrmacht in 1940, the P.38 was a much more reliable weapon than its predicesser the P.08 Lugar.
An unissued example manufactured by Walther in January 1944
P.O8 Luger Cal/9 x 19
The Luger P08 was the most famous and easily recognizable Wehrmacht pistol since it came into production in August 1908 with around 412,898 being produced. The P.08 remained in service until the end of WW II but production had ceased in late 1942 due to its complicated and costly production procedure and despite it’s reputation was an unreliable and impractical weapon.
MG34 (Maschinengewehr 34) Ca/7.92 x 57
Accepcted for service in 1934 and first issued in 1935 the MG34 was primary an infantry support weapon that was fed with a 50 round basket drum or a 75 round "double" drum, the weapon could also be belt fed by the operators N0.2 and it proved much more efficient in this configuration but was also more temperamental.
G43 ( Gewehr 43/Karabiner 43) Cal/7.92 x 57
Introduced to improve the German infantrymans rate of fire and combat efficiency on the Eastern front the Walther G43 was a more reliable decendent from the eariler Mauser designed Gewehr 41 but still had it's own teeting problems. Re-named Karabiner 43 this was Germany's attempt to catch up with the Red Army's infantrymen who carried semi-automatic weapons from 1941.
Stick Grenade (Stielhandgranate 24
A successor from WW1 stick grenades the M24 was activated by unscrewing the bottom of the handle and pulling a porcelain ball which activated the fuse leaving the user 4 or 5 seconds to through it. Different types of stick grenades existed including the Stielhandgranate 43 that had a solid handle and it's fuse was activated at its head, others were fragmentation (Splitterrringe) grenades and smoke grenades. Smaller German hand held grenades also existed such as the M39 "egg" grenades. Because of their unusual design stick grenades were widely called "potato mashers" by westerners.
Tellermine
Teller mines were high explosive anti-tank mines cased in a circler metal container with a carrying handle. Different models existed including the 35, 42, (pictured above) 43, and the 35 (s). These devices could be activated by pressure plate or by a friction pull igniter for demolition purposes.
Hafthohlladung 3
With a penetrating power of 140mm the Hafthohlladung 3 was a "hollow charge" magnetic anti-tank mine sometines called a Panzer Knacker or (Armour Breaker).The weapon had 3 powerful magnets at the base for attaching to enemy armoured vehicles and was activated by pulling the igniter at the other end. German defence against such weaopns in use by the Allies was to put a "Zimmerit" cement like coating to the outside of their armoured vehicles to prevent magmetic mines from sticking.
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