The 2 cm KwK 30 L/55 ''(2 cm Kampfwagenkanone 30 L/55)'' was a German 2 cm cannon used as the main armament of the German Sd.Kfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II

light tank A light tank is a Tank classification, tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller with thinner vehicle armour, armor and a less powerful tank gun, main gun, tailored for ...

and various reconnaissance vehicles. It was used during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

and the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It was produced by Mauser and Rheinmetall-Borsig from 1935. The KwK 30 also served as the basis for the 20 mm C/30, an aircraft variant mounted experimentally in some Heinkel He 112 fighters and proved to make an excellent ground-attack weapon during the Spanish Civil War. Direct ground-attack was not considered a priority for the

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

and thus, the cannon was not used on other designs. An improved version, the 2 cm KwK 38 L/55 ''(2 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/55)'', was introduced in 1942 and mounted mainly on armored cars. The KwK 38, equipped with the longer L/65 Flakbarrel, was used on the Panzer II Luchs and also on the Sd.Kfz.251/17 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm) Platoon leader vehicle, which had the gun on a pedestal mounting with a small armored turret to protect the gunner.

Vehicles mounted on

* Bergepanther Sd.Kfz.179 * Sd.Kfz.121 Panzerkampfwagen II * Panzer II Luchs (KwK 38) * Sd.Kfz.222 Leichter Panzerspähwagen * Sd.Kfz.231 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen * Sd.Kfz.232 Schwerer Panzerspähwagen * Sd.Kfz.234/1 * Sd.Kfz.251/17 Schützenpanzerwagen (2 cm)

Ammunition

The 2 cm KwK 30 used the 20 x 138B cartridge. Average penetration performance established against rolled homogenous steel armor plate laid back at 30° from the vertical. * PzGr.39 (Armour Piercing) (Armor penetration: 23 mm at 100 meters and 14 mm at 500 meters) * PzGr.40 (Armour Piercing Composite Rigid) (Armor penetration: 40 mm at 100 meters and 20 mm at 500 meters) * 2 cm Sprgr. 39 (High Explosive)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2 cm Kwk 30 Tank guns of Germany World War II artillery of Germany 20 mm artillery World War II tank guns Military equipment introduced in the 1930s