Panzerblitz (missile)

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Panzerblitz
A Panzerblitz III on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Type	Rocket
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
In service	1945
Used by	Luftwaffe
Wars	World War II
Specifications
Diameter	80 mm in Panzerblitz I 88 mm in Panzerblitz II 210 mm in Panzerblitz III
Muzzle velocity	525 m/s (1,175 mph)
Effective firing range	600-1,000 m
Maximum firing range	1,500 m
Filling weight	Unknown

Panzerblitz is a German anti-tank unguided aerial rocket developed during the Second World War.

The missile was based on the R4M Orkan air-to-air rocket used by the Messerschmitt Me 262. It was fitted with either an 80 mm (3.1 in)-diameter standard^{[clarification needed]} warhead, in Panzerblitz I, or a 210 mm (8.3 in)-diameter hollow charge warhead, in the Panzerblitz III.

It was intended to be operated by the Henschel Hs 132, which would carry up to eight rockets, complementing or even replacing the cannon armament in the tank-destroying role. The 80mm model was tested extensively in early 1945 from Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, but neither Panzerblitz I nor Panzerblitz III (earmarked exclusively for the Hs 132) were ready for use by the German surrender in May 1945.

A Panzerblitz rocket pod was in development. It would have been for the Ar-234 C and each pod would have contained 20 Panzerblitz rockets. ^[1]