Canon de 75 mm Anti-Tank

The specialised anti-tank variant of this venerable 1897 French artillery gun (L/36) first appeared in 1933 (a 1938 variant provided better traverse and mobility). It was highly effective against tanks through the 1930s, but also larger, heavier, and more difficult to maneuver than smaller-caliber guns. It also did not deliver quite the same firepower as the smaller-caliber, higher-velocity guns developed in the 1930s and 1940s. The type could fire both anti-tank and anti-personnel rounds. A crew of seven operated this weapon. French industry produced approximately 4,500 units of this anti-tank variant. After the fall of France in June 1940, Germany modified thousands of captured examples of the mle 1897 artillery piece as the 7.5 cm Pak 97/38 anti-tank gun, and it served moderately effectively in this role on the Eastern and Western fronts.