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Panzerschreck

From Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
(Redirected from Panzerschreck RPzB 54)
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The Raketenpanzerbüchse (RPzB), better known by the nickname "Panzerschreck’’ (literally “Tank Terror”), was a German anti-tank rocket launcher developed during the Second World War, based on captured American M1 Bazooka launchers which had been provided to Russia via lend-lease in 1942, or captured from US forces in Tunisia in February 1943 (it is not clear which). Using a larger and more powerful 88mm rocket (with the same warhead already in use with the Raketenwerfer 43 "Puppchen" launcher), it proved to be one of the most potent infantry anti-tank weapons of the war. Unlike the Bazooka, the Panzerschreck's rocket was still burning after exiting the launcher, and the initial production version, the RPzB 43, lacked a blast shield; troops in the field found it necessary to wear a gas mask to protect themselves from the rocket's exhaust. The shape along with the huge amounts of smoke the launcher produced resulted in it being dubbed the "Ofenrohr" (stove pipe), though this nickname seems to have been particular to the first version. The RPzB 54 (produced later in 1943) featured a metal blast shield to protect the firer, and also had improved iron sights. The final version, introduced in December 1945, the RPzB 54/1, used a shortened tube to decrease weight, and used an improved rocket which increased the weapon's effective range.

Panzerschreck RPzB 54

Panzerschreck RPzB 54 - 88mm
Panzerschreck RPzB 54 with protective shield - 88mm

The name of the weapon has raised many doubts from the very beginning. Here is the official name scheme from reports on it:

  • 01.07.1943 - 8.8 cm R Panzerbuchse 6030
  • 10.08.1943 - R Pz B 6030 (Ofenrohr)
  • 08.09.1943 - 8.8cm-Raketen-Panzerbüchse 43 (Ofenrohr)
  • 30.09.1943 - 8.8cm RPzB 54
  • 29.11.1943 - „Panzerszreck” - Official name adopted by Hitler
  • 07.12.1943 - 8.8cm RPzB 54 (Ofenrohr)
  • 07.06.1944 - Panzerschreck 8.8cm RPzB 54 mit 8.8cm RPzBGr 4322

As you can see, the name "RPzB 43" appeared only once in reports between September 8 and 30, 1943. This is an erroneous name, probably caused by confusion with the "8.8 cm Raketenwerfer 43" whose ammunition was the basis for the construction of rockets for the R PzB 54. All media (mainly computer games) in order to distinguish the versions with and without a ballistic plate give the number 43 for the version without the plate and 54 for the version with the plate. This is wrong thinking. As the name "Panzerschreck" was officially approved by Hitler as the name of this weapon.

Specifications

(Production: July 1943 / May 1945)

  • Type: Missile Launcher
  • Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
  • Caliber: 88mm
  • Cartridge: 8.8cm RPzBGr 4322
  • Weight: 20.9 lbs (9.5 kg) - without protective shield / 24.3 lbs (11 kg) - with protective shield
  • Length: 64.6 in (164 cm)

The Panzerschreck RPzB 54 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title Actor Character Notes Date
Decision Before Dawn German soldiers 1951
Paratrooper Alan Ladd Steve MacKendrick 1953
British paratroopers
Ernst Thälmann - Leader of his Class 1955
The Tank Brigade German Fallschirmjäger 1958
Help! Cult members 1965
Is Paris Burning? A German soldier Mockup 1966
Let's Not Get Angry (Ne nous fâchons pas) Jean Lefebvre Léonard Michalon Mockup 1966
The Last Escape German soldier 1970
From Hell to Victory 1979
Operation Leopard (La légion saute sur Kolwezi) Katanga fighter 1980
Commando Seen in armory 1985
Saving Private Ryan German SS soldiers 1998
Days of Glory German soldiers 2006
Tali-Ihantala 1944 Finnish soldiers 2007
1944 German soldier 2015

Television

Title Actor Character Notes / Episode Date
Monty Python's Flying Circus Terry Jones Brian "Owl Stretching Time" (S01E04) 1969 - 1974
Band of Brothers "Bastogne" (Ep.6) 2001
Danger 5 2011-15
Rivals Forever - The Sneaker Battle Dassler Factory Workers 2017

Video Game

Title Appears as Mods Notes Date
Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine "Bazooka" 1999
Medal of Honor Enemy use only 1999
Deadly Dozen 2001
Battlefield: 1942 2002
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault "Panzerschreck" 2002
Medal of Honor: Frontline "Panzerschreck" 2002
Call of Duty 2003
Hidden & Dangerous 2 "Panzerschreck" 2003
Call of Duty: Finest Hour "Panzerschreck" 2004
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One "Panzerschreck" 2005
Call of Duty 2 "Panzerschreck" 2005
Civilization IV 2005
Day of Defeat: Source 2005
Sniper Elite 2005
Call of Duty 3 "Panzerschreck" 2006
UberSoldier "Panzerschreck" 2006
Company of Heroes "Panzerschreck" 2006
Darkest Hour: Europe '44-'45 "Panzerschreck" 2006
Call of Duty: Roads to Victory "Panzerschreck" 2007
Forgotten Hope 2 2007
Hour of Victory 2007
Medal of Honor: Airborne "Panzerschreck" 2007
Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway "Panzerschreck" 2008
Call of Duty: World at War "Panzerschreck" 2008
Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts "Panzerschreck" 2008
Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 "Panzerschreck" 2008
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings 2009
Men of War "Panzerschreck" 2009
The Saboteur "Panzerschreck" 2009
Wolfenstein "Panzerschreck" 2009
Call of Duty: Black Ops "Panzerschreck" 2010
World War II Online: Battleground Europe "Panzerschreck" Released with 1.34 update 2011
Orange FPS 2012
Uprising44: The Silent Shadows 2012
Rise of the Triad Hybrid FIM-92 Stinger / RPzB 54 2013
Company of Heroes 2 2013
Grand Theft Auto V Fictional "Fireworks Launcher", added with Independence Day DLC 2013
Sniper Elite III 2014
World of Guns: Gun Disassembly Panzerschreck 2014
Call of Duty: Black Ops III Animated cutscene only 2015
Heroes & Generals "Panzerschreck RPzB 54" 2016
Hot Dogs, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades "Panzerschreck 54" 2016
Call of Duty: WWII "Panzerschreck" 2017
Day of Infamy "Panzerschreck" 2017
Battlefield V 2018
Squad 44: Letters From The Front 2018
Easy Red 2 2020
Battlefield 2042 2021
Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront 2021
Enlisted 2021
Call of Duty: Vanguard 2021

Anime

Title Character Notes Date
Hellsing Ultimate Nazi vampires 2006 - 2012
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Maj. General Olivier Mira Armstrong 2009 - 2010
Central soldiers
Suisei no Gargantia Sailor 2013
Space Dandy Dandy 2014
Punch Line Ito Hikiotani 2015

Panzerschreck RPzB 54/1

Panzerschreck RPzB 54/1 - 88mm

Due to the increasingly frequent voices about the unwieldiness of the launcher, a shortened version was developed in the autumn of 1944. It was officially introduced into the armament only on 20 December 1944, informing about it in the Heerestechnisches Verordnungsblatt of 15 January 1945. The difference with the previous version was mainly the shortening of the launcher tube by 340 mm. The position of the missile latch was also changed, a new switch for selecting the type of ammunition was developed (position "St" for the older type of ammunition, position type "R" for the new type of ammunition), because the new Granate 4992 "Kurzbrenner" missiles did not have a cable, but a special contact ring on the ring surrounding the fins - this solution, moreover, accelerated the process of loading the weapon, the ammunition now only had to be inserted into the launcher, there was no need to additionally connect the ignition cable.

Specifications

(Production: December 1944 / May 1945)

  • Type: Missile Launcher
  • Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
  • Caliber: 88mm
  • Cartridge: 8.8cm Granate 4992 "Kurzbrenner"
  • Weight: 20.9 lbs (9.5 kg)
  • Length: 53.1 in (135 cm)

The Panzerschreck RPzB 54/1 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

Film

Title Actor Character Notes Date
Jojo Rabbit Archie Yates Yorki 2019
Hitler Youth and Volkssturm

Video Game

Title Appears as Mods Notes Date
BloodRayne 2002
Day of Defeat 2003
Soldiers: Heroes of World War II 2004
Civilization V added with Brave New World expansion (2013) 2010
Civilization VI 2016
Enlisted 2021

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