The most familiar infantry antitank weapon was the American bazooka. This weapon was so effective that the Germans imitated it in the Raketenpanzerbüchse, or RpzB 43. This widely distributed weapon electrically fired an 88-mm rocket projectile to a maximum of 164 yards and could penetrate more than 6 inches of armor. Almost twice as heavy as the bazooka, it was also much longer and could not be shoulder fired. Nevertheless, it was highly effective against Allied tanks.

The Germans also fielded the Panzerfaust, or "tank devil," which was lightweight with a launching tube capable of projecting a hollow-charge grenade. Introduced in 1943, the Panzerfaust was a personal antitank weapon, operated by an individual soldier. The original model, Panzerfaust 30, had a range of about 30 meters (just over 30 yards); subsequently, a Panzerfaust 60 and Panzerfaust 100 were fielded. Over their short ranges, these weapons launched a finned grenade, which could penetrate (in later models) nearly eight inches of armor. Allied tanks were extremely vulnerable to such a weapon. The disadvantage of the Panzerfaust was that, although simple and cheap to produce, it could be used only once, and that was a major problem, as German raw materials resources dwindled after 1943.

The British counterpart of the American bazooka and German Panzerfaust was the Mk. 1 PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank). Although it resembled the bazooka and the Panzerfaust, it did not use an electric charge to ignite the charge in the projectile but, rather, a spring mechanism. The weapon fired a 3-pound finned grenade a maximum of 370 yards (practical range was closer to 110 yards), which was capable of piercing even heavy German armor. Although the weapon was an effective tank killer, the British Tommies did not much like it. It was a heavy load to carry at about 37 pounds, and it required two men to operate it. . .

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