2 cm KwK 30
The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 (2 cm Kampfwagenkanone 30 L/55) was a German 2 cm cannon used as the main armament of the German Sd.Kfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II light tank and various reconnaissance vehicles. It was used during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. It was produced by Mauser and Rheinmetall-Borsig from 1935.
| 2 cm KwK 30 | |
|---|---|
2 cm KwK 30 | |
| Type | Tank gun |
| Place of origin | Nazi Germany |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1935-1945 |
| Used by | Nazi Germany |
| Wars | World War II |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Mauser Rheinmetall-Borsig |
| Unit cost | 4,000 RM |
| Specifications | |
| Shell | 20×138mmB |
| Caliber | 2 cm |
| Breech | recoil operated bolt |
| Carriage | turret |
| Elevation | -9½° to +20° |
| Traverse | 360° |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,050 m/s with PzGr.40 |
| Sights | TZF4 TZF4/36 TZF3a TZF6 |
The KwK 30 also served as the basis for the 20 mm C/30, an aircraft variant mounted experimentally in some Heinkel He 112 fighters and proved to make an excellent ground-attack weapon during the Spanish Civil War. Direct ground-attack was not considered a priority for the Luftwaffe and thus, the cannon was not used on other designs.
An improved version, the 2 cm KwK 38 L/55 (2 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/55), was used on the Sd.Kfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II (Ausf. J models onward). It was also used on the Sd.Kfz.251/17 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm) anti-aircraft vehicle, which had the gun on a pedestal mounting with a small armored turret to protect the gunner. Late war, it was issued as a platoon commander's vehicle to replace the Sd.Kfz.251/10 Schützenpanzerwagen (3.7 cm PaK).