PAK optics

[michaelangelo]

What particular scopes were used on the PAK 36, PAK 38, PAK 40, and the 88mm gun in its various forms? Inquiring minds want to know.


Michaelangelo

[mlespaul]

Pak 36 used ZF 1 x 11 in various forms.
Pak 38 used ZF 3 x 8 (vereinfacht/simplified) later upgraded to ZF 3 x 8/II
Pak 40 used ZF 3 x 8 (vereinfacth/simplified) later upgraded to ZF 3 x 8/II

The 3 x 8s were later upgraded from 'vereinfacht' to '/II' when the Pak guns ammunition type drums were updated and issued out with newer ammunition types/markings on the drum with greater ranges.

The 3 x 8 s also came in different variants for the 2 cm and 3,7 cm Flak platforms.

8,8 used in artillery/anti-tank mode (I assume you meant that and not it's armoured vehicle mounting) used ZF 20 and ZF 20E, a completely different and much more complex device.

[Paul C]

Pak 36 used ZF 1 x 11 in various forms.

Hello
I have a big interest in the 3.7cm Pak and have a few ZF 1x11 sights but know little about them.

What are the various forms of the ZF 1 x 11 please?

Thanks
PC

[mlespaul]

My pleasure,

There are a couple versions of the 1 x 11 that I'm aware of:

The standard 1 x 11 with the simple /\ to 1200 m range employed for the 3,7 cm gun and smaller anti-tank weapons such as the Gehrlich.

The Leichtgeschuetz 40 and highter recoilless guns in use at the time also used used the ones with the same range scale but the markings on the slide joint tail will denote it as such.

The limited use 4,2 cm Pak 41 (not the big 7,5,cm Pak 41) as used by the FJ, used a squeeze-bore to upgrade the velocity for AP and it was a lighter weight gun overall, therefore it's ballistic behavior was different for it's Pgr and Spgr, and necessitated a newer design reticle. It had a much wider set of of lines.

I came across one that had a still different reticle and I could never find out what the markings were on the side.

In any event I'm currently updating my 1x11 website page and will respond here with an update to let you know it's back up.

[Paul C]

Thank for the informative reply. It is much appreciated.
The sights I have are the /\ 4 - 12.

The 1 x 11 website will be great to see as I am interested to learn more about the 3.7cm Pak sights. Things like how it was stored and accessories etc. that came with it.

PC

[mlespaul]

I've acquired a ZF 1x11 for the MG 151/20 (erdzielfernrohr), so there's yet another variant to add to the list.