panzerschreck

The Panzerschreck (tank's bane) is a common name for RPzB 54 (Raketenpanzerbüchse 54), a German World War II-era, anti-tank rocket launcher.

Developed from captured examples of the American M1 Bazooka, it fires a larger 88-caliber rocket to increase both effective range and damage to the target. It is recognizable by its distinctive shield with an X-shaped stamping on the launch tube to protect the user from back blast. It required a two-person crew to effectively operate: one to carry and shoot the tube itself, and a loader who would carry and load the rockets.

As manpower became scarcer later in the war, the Panzerschreck would be superseded by the single-use Panzerfaust, which though it had shorter range and less accuracy, but could be loaded and fired by a single soldier.

Examples

See also

• M1 Bazooka
• Panzerfaust
• List of Weapons

External links

• Wikipedia: Panzerschreck

This tag implicates rocket_launcher (learn more).