A single shot, disposable, recoilless anti-tank weapon that was developed by Germany during World War II. Developed as a lighter, shorter range alternative to thepanzerschreckthat could be used by a single person rather than a two-man team, the panzerfaust weighed 6.5kg (14 lbs) and fired a High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) grenade. The effective range of the weapons were initially 30 meters (33 yards) and able to penetrate 200mm (7.9") of armor. Late WWII models had a effective range of 150 meters (164 yds) and could penetrate 280mm (11") or more of armor. They were often deployed to rifle squads or volksgrenadiers, giving a single squad unparalleled tank-killing ability. Several examples of the panzerfaust were captured by the Russians towards the end of World War Two, and the panzerfaust is often credited with having inspired their rocket-propelled grenade weapons.
panzerfaust