7.5cm Leichtgeschutz 40 (LG 40)

The 7.5cm Leichtgeschutz 40 recoilless weapon was developed for use by lightly armed airborne elements of the German military.

Detailing the development and operational history of the 7.5cm Leichtgeschutz 40 (LG 40) Recoilless Rifle.  Entry last updated on 5/22/2018; Authored by Staff Writer; Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com

One of the greatest challenges facing warplanners since the advent of the air-dropped warrior - popularly known as the "paratrooper" - was in equipping these soldiers with weaponry beyond their personal standard issue implements. World War 2 spurred development of such systems and these went on to include all manner of solutions such as air-droppable light tanks and artillery. Beginning in 1937, two years before the German invasion of Poland, Rheinmetall began work (edging out rival Krupp) on a recoilless gun design for the German military - specifically its Luftwaffe paratroopers who would be charged with airdropping behind enemy lines, capturing and, most importantly, securing strategic positions ahead of the main operating land force. Targets could include airfields, bridges or key chokepoints that would be well-defended and surprise was the ultimate advantage. The recoilless gun design was adopted by the German military in 1940 and initially assigned the designation of LG1 ("7.5cm Leichtgeschutz 1") though this was quickly given up for the more traditional "LG40" designation to indicate its initial year of existence (1940). The "LG" in the designation was formed from the word "Leichtgeschutz" which translated applicably to "Lightweight Gun". Full-scale production began in 1941.

Recoilless weapon systems allowed for a large-caliber projectile to be launched from a tubular barrel assembly without the need for a complex and heavy recoil system to manage the violent counter-force of the action. This decreased manufacturing time, lightened overall weight and provided a relatively devastating weapon for troops that were traditionally lightly armed by nature. Recoilless weapons would eventually come in two flavors - their barrels either "rifled" with grooves used in rotation of the projectile (for accuracy and extended ranges) and "smoothbore" (the barrel internal lining left smooth, offering no rotation to the projectile while expediting production and lengthening service life of the assembly) - and each was specifically designated as either a "recoilless rifle" or "recoilless gun" respectively. However, the generic term "recoilless rifle" has gone on to designate both types in contemporary documents despite the technicality.

The recoilless rifle/gun was a weapon that could be used in a dual-purpose (DP) role - either as a dedicated artillery-projecting system or as an anti-tank measure depending on the battlefield requirement (and projectile being utilized). The recoilless feature of such weapons allowed for a relatively lightweight design - usually requiring just a crew of two - that could be transported by hand across uneven terrain as needed. However, the recoilless nature of such weapons often restricted engagement ranges and penetration was retarded by a lower launching velocity. As such, they were not a whole battlefield solution though, considering the limitations of the airborne trooper's inventory, they proved a reliable and effective weapon projector nonetheless.

Recoilless rifles did away with their inherently violent recoil forces of the launching munition by providing a complete pre-fabricated single-piece projectile/propellant solution with the exiting propellants forced through the rear of the launch tube (as opposed to it exiting through the muzzle end of the barrel as in a conventional gun). The action therefore consisted of a forward force - the exiting shell - and a rearward countering force - the ejecting cartridge case through the butt of the gun. In this fashion, the recoil force was "controlled". This is not to say that the recoilless weapon did not inherit some form of recoil blast in itself - for it did - though most of the pressures were alleviated through the recoilless action. The overall action relied on a well-vented gas system and, thusly, maintenance of such weapons became exceedingly high over time (when compared to conventional rifled artillery weapons) to prevent fouling of the main action.