Brontekst bekijken van PzF 44

{{Infobox weapon
|name=Leichte Panzerfaust 44 mm "Lanze"
| image= Leichte Panzerfaust 44.gif
| image_size = 300
|caption=PzF 44
|origin= [[West Germany]]
|type=Anti-tank rocket launcher
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_ranged=yes
<!-- Service history -->
|service=1963–1992
|used_by=See [[#Operators|Operators]]
|wars=
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=
|design_date=1960
|manufacturer=[[Dynamit Nobel]]
|unit_cost=
|production_date=1963–1992
|number=
|variants=See [[#Variants|Variants]]
<!-- General specifications -->
|spec_label=
|weight=Unloaded: {{convert|7.82|kg|lboz|abbr=on|lk=on}}<br />Loaded: {{convert|10.12|kg|lboz|abbr=on|lk=on}}
|length=Unloaded: {{convert|880|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}<br />Loaded: {{convert|1180|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|part_length=
|width=
|height=
|diameter=
|crew=
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
|cartridge= 44×537mm rocket cartridge
|caliber= Barrel: {{convert|44|mm|abbr=on}}<br />Warhead: {{convert|67|mm|abbr=on}}
|barrels=
|action=
|rate=
|velocity= At muzzle: {{convert|168|m/s|abbr=on}}<br />At max Vo: {{convert|210|m/s|abbr=on}}
|range=
|max_range= ~ {{convert|400|m|abbr=on}}
|feed=
|sights= Telescope
}}
The '''PzF 44''' (abbreviation for '''Panzerfaust 44&nbsp;mm''', formally also '''Leichte Panzerfaust''',<ref name="pzf44-1A1 manual 63">{{Cite book|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaLgSIIEO6o|title=Kurzbeschreibung der Leichten Panzerfaust (Panzerfaust 44 mm), Modell 44-1A1|year=1963|location=West Germany|language=German|via=YouTube}}</ref> meaning "Light tank-fist", also known as '''''Panzerfaust Lanze''''' ([[lance]]) and '''''Panzerfaust 2'''/'''Panzerfaust II'''''), was a [[West German]] portable recoilless [[Shoulder-fired missile|shoulder-fired]] [[anti-tank]] [[rocket launcher]] with a barrel-[[caliber]] of {{convert|44|mm|in|abbr=on}}. It was the spiritual successor to the [[Panzerfaust]] from [[World War II]] and served with the West German Army from the early 1960s to the early 1990s, when it was replaced by the [[Panzerfaust 3]] semi-disposable launcher.

The PzF 44 is called "[[recoilless]]" in the sense that it ejects propellant gas rearwards of the chamber upon firing, so called [[Backblast area|backblast]], and not because it truly lacks [[recoil]]. Backblast heavily counters recoil but does not fully remove it. The effect of the minimized recoil however is great enough to allow a portable weapon like this to fire large caliber warheads without causing trauma to the user.

== History ==
The anti-tank grenade launcher was originally developed around 1960 and put into service by the [[Bundeswehr]] in 1963. It was developed to provide West German [[infantry]] with a modern replacement for the [[Bazooka]] that they had previously used.  As such, it was the first German antitank rocket developed after [[World War II]], a conflict in which German hand-held antitank weapons such as the [[Panzerfaust]] played a prominent role during 1944–45. The PzF 44 was a product of a period in which the German army was re-equipped with locally developed arms and equipment and retired the aging U.S. gear that had formed their initial arsenal. The full designation name by the German Army is ''Panzerfaust 44mm DM2 Ausführung 1 Lanze''.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Some PzF 44 were used by [[Nigerian Army]] during the [[Biafran War]].<ref name="auto">{{cite book|last=Jowett|first=Philip|title=Modern African Wars (5): The Nigerian-Biafran War 1967-70|year=2016|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] Press|location=Oxford|isbn=978-1472816092|page=20}}</ref>

Starting in 1992, the PzF 44 was replaced by the [[Panzerfaust 3]].

== Specifications ==
The PzF 44's {{convert|1.5|kg|abbr=on|lk=on}} [[high-explosive anti-tank]] (HEAT) cartridge (Panzerfaustgeschoß DM32)<ref name="pzf44-2 + 2A1 manual 80">{{Cite book|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/38137018/ZDv-3-16-Die-Leichte-Panzerfaust|title=ZDV 3/16 - Die Leichte Panzerfaust|publisher=Bundesministerium der Verteidigung|year=1980|location=West Germany|pages=130–132|language=German}}</ref> could penetrate {{convert|370|mm|abbr=on}} of [[rolled homogeneous armour]] and hit moving targets at a range of {{convert|300|m|abbr=on}}. The PzF 44 could also fire a multi-purpose warhead.<ref name="chainlinkandconcrete">{{Cite web|title=The PzF-44 Panzerfaust II "Lanze"|url=https://chainlinkandconcrete.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-pzf-44-panzerfaust-ii-lanze.html|access-date=2022-01-16|website=chainlinkandconcrete.blogspot}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|- 
|+Performance of PzF 44 and contemporary weapons<ref>''Jane's Infantry Weapons 1984-85''.</ref>
|- 
! width="25%" | Weapon
! width="25%" | Cartridge
! width="25%" | Penetration vs [[Rolled homogeneous armour|RHA]]
! width="25%" | Max range vs moving target
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
| PzF 44
| PzF-gesch DM32
| {{convert|370|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|300|m|yd|abbr=on}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
| [[RPG-7]]
| PG-7V rocket
| {{convert|320|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| {{convert|300|m|yd|abbr=on}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"
|  [[M72 LAW]]
|  Rocket HE 66MM M72
|  {{convert|305|mm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|  {{convert|150|m|yd|abbr=on}}
|}

== Variants ==
*'''Model 44-1''' – Initial version of the PzF 44.
*'''Model 44-1A1''' – Later version of the PzE 44–1.<ref name="pzf44-1A1 manual 63"/>
*'''Model 44-2''' – Later model of the PzF 44.<ref name="west german rpg">{{Cite web|title=The "West German RPG-7"|url=https://defense-and-freedom.blogspot.com/2010/07/west-german-rpg-7.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929044004/https://defense-and-freedom.blogspot.com/2010/07/west-german-rpg-7.html|archive-date=2020-09-29|access-date=2022-01-16|website=defense-and-freedom.blogspot.com|date=22 July 2010}}</ref>
*'''Model 44-2A1''' – Model 44–2 with different sight mount.<ref name="west german rpg"/>

== Operators ==
*{{NGA}}<ref name="auto" />
*{{FRG}}

== See also ==
{{externalimage
|topic=PzF 44 2A1 Lanze
|width=
|float=right
|image1=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/PZF44/PzF44-bigphoto.jpg PzF 44 launcher and 67mm HEAT projectile (German Army manual)]
|image2=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/PZF44/Panzer12.gif Loading PzF44 (from German Army manual)]
|image3=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/PZF44/PzF-projectile.jpg HEAT rocket projectile and ejection charge(German Army manual)]
|image4=[http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/hybenamon/LAND/INFANTRY/PZF44/Panzer5.gif Cutaway of PzF44 with the original rejected 81mm HEAT warhead]
}}
*{{lwc|Panzerschreck}}
*{{lwc|Panzerfaust 3}}
*{{lwc|PSRL-1}}
*{{lwc|Armbrust}}
*{{lwc|MATADOR}}
*{{lwc|RPG-2}}
*{{lwc|RPG-7}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Infantry-Weapons/PzF-44-2A1-Lanze-portable-anti-tank-weapon-Germany.html Jane's extract on the PzF 44]
*[https://www.scribd.com/doc/38137018/ZDv-3-16-Die-Leichte-Panzerfaust Leichte Panzerfaust Model 44-2 & 2A1 manual on scribd.com]
*[https://www.valka.cz/files/lanze_184.jpg PzF 44-2A1 ordnance scan on valka.cz]

=== Further reading ===
*[https://chainlinkandconcrete.blogspot.com/2017/11/the-pzf-44-panzerfaust-ii-lanze.html PzF-44 Panzerfaust II "Lanze" blog-article on blogspot.com]

[[Category:Cold War anti-tank rockets of Germany]]
[[Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1960s]]
[[Category:Weapons of Germany]]