German: Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) (German, 'fighting vehicle cannon') was the designation given to any type of tank gun mounted in an armoured fighting vehicle or infantry fighting vehicle of the German-Wehrmacht until 1945. The wording was derived from the German nouns Kampfwagen (fighting vehicle) and Kanone (cannon or gun). However, the present-day designation in German speaking armed forces to this particular weapon system is Panzerkanone ('tank gun').[1]
Kampfwagenkanonen, developed in Germany, were normally derived from the construction concept of anti tank guns (Panzerabwehrkanone). Modifications were used in the anti-aircraft artillery (Flakartillerie) as well.
The following table contains examples of Kampfwagenkanonen, operated by the Wehrmacht in World War II.
| Designation (codename) | Barrel length (in cm) | Operational platforms | - ! Sonderkraftfahrzeug (Sd.Kfz.) | Others | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L/55 | 110.0 |
| 2 cm Flak C/30 Kriegsmarine | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
| L/45 | 166.5 | ||||||||||||
| L/42 | 210.0 | ||||||||||||
| L/60 | 300.0 | PzKpfw III Ausf. J-M[2] | BK 5 cannon | ||||||||||
| L/24 | 180.0 |
| |||||||||||
| L/43 | 322.5 | 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43 | - | L/48 | 360.0 |
| 7.5 cm Pak 39 L/48 | 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 | |||||
| L/70 | 525.0 | 7.5 cm Pak 42 (on Jagdpanzer) | 7.5 cm Pak 42 | ||||||||||
| L/56 | 492.8 | 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37 | |||||||||||
| L/71 | 624.8 | ||||||||||||
| 12.8 cm KwK 44 | L/55 | 704.0 | 12.8 cm Pak 44 | 12.8 Pak 44 | |||||||||