Company Officer's Handbook Of The German Army - All Gauge Page

W'EAPONS, OBSTACLES, AND VEHICLES 53
been increased fire power and greater mobility. The caliber, muzzle
velocity, and armor penetration of antitank guns have increased
(especially owing to the development of the Gerlich, or taperedbore,
p)rinciple). Antiaircraft guns have been increasingly developed
as dual-purpose or, as with the 88-mm antiaircraft gun, multi-purpose
weapons). Various types of standard weapons, especially antitank,
antiaircraft, and infantry support weapons, have been
mounted on self-propelled mounts (frequently on obsolete tank
chassis). The Germans have also developed rocket weapons requiring
the lightest and simplest equipment for the size of the
projectile, but limited by inaccuracy and other drawbacks. The
Gcrman recoilless gun (originally developed as an airborne gun)
comes close to combining the lightness and mobility of the rocket
weapon with the range and accuracy of the standard type of
howitzer.
b. Division Artillery
The standard artillery weapons of the division artillery regiment
belong to the "18" series, which was developed about 1933-34.
They consist of the 105-mm howitzer (10.5 cm le.F.H. 18) (fig.
37) (usually 12 of this weapon in each of the 3 light battalions
Figure 37.-105.mm howifter (10.5 cm le.F.H. 18).