German Recoilless Guns

Germany started to develop recoilless guns in the late 1930s, as a means to supply Fallschirmjäger units with light support weapons. The gun had to be light enough to be dropped by parachute. The first gun to be issued was the 75mm LG 40 and these saw action on the island of Crete. Larger versions were developed as the war progressed which resulted in a series of 105mm weapons. The Gebirgsjäger also saw the usefulness of these light and easily portable weapons and used small number in Russia.