Prior references to the German 28-mm AT Gun (M 41) will be found
in Tactical and Technical Trends
No. 5 p. 14,
No. 26 p. 7. The 28/20-mm AT gun
Model 41, s.Pz.B.* 41, has now been produced in a lighter
mounting for airborne use. The carriage of the new model is made of light tubular
metal and it is equipped with small pneumatic wheels. The weight of the barrel and
the cradle is the same in both models, but the total weight of the airborne version
is only 260 pounds as compared with 501 pounds for the older version. Other
features of interest are:
(a) A weakening at the junction of the body and trail leg (at which point
there was a fracture on a mounting examined).
(b) The sleigh and cradle complete with trunnion band are aluminum alloy casting (probably duralumin).
(c) The gun has free elevation and traverse.
(d) To absorb the kick due to breech preponderance on recoil, an elevation shock absorber is
mounted between the cradle and the saddle.
(e) The two wheels have about half the diameter of those on the heavier
field mounting. They are mounted on swinging arms clamped by serrated disks. In
the firing position the wheels are swung upwards, leaving the gun to rest on the
tubular framework on the forward end.
*schweres Panzerbüchse - heavy antitank rifle