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3.7-cm Pak 35/36^1,2

Pak is short for Panzerabwehrkanone.¹

Rheinmetall started to design an anti-tank gun for the army in 1925 and started to produce it in 1928.¹ At the time it was a very advanced design as the German army was still primarily horse drawn.¹

It had a sloped shield, round split-trail legs, and a long barrel.¹

Production was accelerated in 1934 after the NSDAP came to power.¹ Starting in 1934 the wheels were solid and had pneumatic tires.¹

First Action

Some were sent to Spain in 1936 and fought in the Spanish Civil War.¹ It was well liked and could handle most of the armor that saw action.¹

Showing It's Age

During the invasion of france in 1940, it started to show it's limitations when it went up against the better armored French and British tanks.¹

By 1941 there were 15,000 produced.²

No Match

Once the Pak 35/36 met the T-34/76 in Russia in 1941, it was completely obsolete.¹ Some attempts to use stick bombs, to extend it's life, that went over the muzzle weren't at all useful in combat.¹

Foreign Use

It was copied by the Japanese and designated the Type 97.¹ Italy received some and designated them the Cannone contracarro da 37/45.^1,2 The Netherlands called them the 37-mm Rheinmetall.^1,2 Russia called them the M30.¹

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, 1998, Chris Bishop
2. Artillery of World War II, Chris Chant, 2001