Panzer IV
Panzerkampfwagen IV Sd.Kfz. 161 | |
---|---|
Production history | |
Designer | Krupp |
Designed | 1936 |
Manufacturer | Krupp, Vomag, Nibelungenwerk |
Unit cost |
|
Specifications (Pz. IV Ausf. H, 1943[6]) | |
Mass | 25.0 tonnes (27.6 short tons; 24.6 long tons) |
Length | 5.92 m (19 ft 5 in) 7.02 m (23 ft 0 in) gun forward |
Width | 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in) |
Height | 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in) |
Crew | 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner) |
Armour |
|
Main armament | 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns (3,150 rounds) |
Engine | Maybach HL120 TRM 12-cylinder petrol engine 300 PS (296 hp, 220 kW) |
Power/weight | 12 PS (8.8 kW) / tonne |
Transmission | (Synchromesh ZF SSG 77) 6 forward and 1 reverse ratios |
Suspension | Leaf spring |
Fuel capacity | 470–670 L (120–180 US gal) |
Operational range | Road: 235–320 km (146–199 mi) Cross-country: 120–210 km (75–130 mi)[5] |
Maximum speed | 38 to 42 km/h (24 to 26 mph) maximum, 25 km/h (16 mph) max sustained road speed, 16 km/h (9.9 mph) off-road |
The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a
The Panzer IV was the most numerous
The Panzer IV saw service in all combat theatres involving Germany and was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war. It was originally designed for infantry support, while the similar
The Panzer IV was partially succeeded by the Panther medium tank, which was introduced to counter the Soviet T-34, although it continued to be a significant component of German armoured formations to the end of the war. It was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to Finland, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, Syria procured Panzer IVs from France and Czechoslovakia, which saw combat in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Development history
Origins
The Panzer IV was the brainchild of the German general and innovative armoured warfare theorist
The chassis had originally been designed with a six-wheeled Schachtellaufwerk interleaved-roadwheel suspension (as already adopted for German half-tracks), but the German Army amended this to a torsion bar system. Permitting greater vertical deflection of the roadwheels, this was intended to improve performance and crew comfort both on- and off-road.[12][13] However, due to the urgent requirement for the new tank, neither proposal was adopted, and Krupp instead equipped it with a simple leaf spring double-bogie suspension, with eight rubber-rimmed roadwheels per side.
The prototype had a crew of five; the hull contained the engine bay to the rear, with the driver and radio operator, who doubled as the hull machine gunner, seated at the front-left and front-right, respectively. In the
Accepted into service under the designation Versuchskraftfahrzeug 622 (Vs.Kfz. 622), "experimental motor vehicle 622",[11] production began in 1936 at Fried. Krupp Grusonwerk AG factory at Magdeburg.[14]
Ausf. A to Ausf. F1
The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung A (abbreviated to Ausf. A, meaning "Variant A"), in 1936. It was powered by a
In 1937, production moved to the Ausf. B.[11] Improvements included the replacement of the original engine with the more powerful 300 PS (220.65 kW) Maybach HL 120TR, and the transmission with the new SSG 75 transmission, with six forward gears and one reverse gear. Despite a weight increase to 16 t (18 short tons), this improved the tank's speed to 42 kilometres per hour (26.10 mph).[21] The glacis plate was augmented to a maximum thickness of 30 millimetres (1.18 in),[20] while a new driver's visor was installed on the straightened hull front plate, and the hull-mounted machine gun was replaced by a covered pistol port and visor flap.[21] The superstructure width and ammunition stowage were reduced to save weight.[21] A new commander's cupola was introduced which was adopted from the Panzer III Ausf. C.[21] A Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade discharger rack) was mounted on the rear of the hull starting in July 1938[21] and was back fitted to earlier Ausf. A and Ausf. B chassis starting in August 1938.[22] Forty-two Panzer IV Ausf. Bs were manufactured.[11]
The Ausf. C replaced the B in 1938.[11][23] This saw the turret armour increased to 30 mm (1.18 in), which brought the tank's weight to 18.14 t (20.00 short tons).[23] After assembling 40 Ausf. Cs, starting with chassis number 80341, the engine was replaced with the improved HL 120TRM. The last of the 140 Ausf. Cs was produced in August 1939.
Production changed to the Ausf. D; this variant, of which 248 vehicles were produced, reintroduced the hull machine gun and changed the turret's internal gun mantlet to a 35 mm (1.38 in)[24] thick external mantlet.[23] Again, protection was upgraded, this time by increasing side armour to 20 mm (0.79 in).[17] As the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 came to an end, it was decided to scale up production of the Panzer IV, which was adopted for general use on 27 September 1939 as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161 (Sd.Kfz. 161).[11]
In response to the difficulty of penetrating the thick armour of British infantry tanks (Matilda and Matilda II) during the Battle of France, the Germans had tested a 50 mm (1.97 in) gun — based on the 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun — on a Panzer IV Ausf. D. However, with the rapid German victory in France, the original order of 80 tanks was cancelled before they entered production.[25]
In October 1940, the Ausf. E was introduced. This had 30 millimetres (1.18 in) of armour on the bow plate, while a 30-millimetre (1.18 in) appliqué steel plate was added to the glacis as an interim measure. A new driver's visor, adopted from the Sturmgeschütz III was installed on the hull front plate.[26] A new commander's cupola, adopted from the Panzer III Ausf. G, was relocated forward on the turret eliminating the bulge underneath the cupola.[27] Older model Panzer IV tanks were retrofitted with these features when returned to the manufacturer for servicing. 206 Ausf. Es were produced between October 1940 and April 1941.[3]
In April 1941, production of the Panzer IV Ausf. F started. It featured 50 mm (1.97 in) single-plate armour on the turret and hull, as opposed to the appliqué armour added to the Ausf. E,[23] and a further increase in side armour to 30 mm (1.18 in).[28] The main engine exhaust muffler was shortened and a compact auxiliary generator muffler was mounted to its left.[26] The weight of the vehicle was now 22.3 tonnes (24.6 short tons), which required a corresponding modification of track width from 380 to 400 mm (14.96 to 15.75 in) to reduce ground pressure. The wider tracks also facilitated the fitting of track shoe "ice sprags", and the rear idler wheel and front sprocket were modified.[29] The designation Ausf. F was changed in the meantime to Ausf. F1, after the distinct new model, the Ausf. F2, appeared. A total of 471 Ausf. F (later temporarily called F1) tanks were produced from April 1941 to March 1942.[3]
Ausf. F2 to Ausf. J
On 26 May 1941, mere weeks before
Because the recoil length was too great for the tank's turret, the recoil mechanism and chamber were shortened. This resulted in the 75-millimetre (2.95 in)
The longer 7.5 cm guns made the vehicle nose-heavy to such an extent that the forward suspension springs were under constant compression. This resulted in the tank tending to sway even when no steering was being applied, an effect compounded by the introduction of the Ausführung H in March 1943.[35]
The Ausf. F tanks that received the new, longer, KwK 40 L/43 gun were temporarily named Ausf. F2 (with the designation Sd.Kfz. 161/1). The tank increased in weight to 23.6 tonnes (26.0 short tons). Differences between the Ausf. F1 and the Ausf. F2 were mainly associated with the change in armament, including an altered gun mantlet, internal travel lock for the main weapon, new gun cradle, new Turmzielfernrohr 5f optic for the L/43 weapon, modified ammunition stowage, and discontinuing of the Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung in favor of turret mounted Nebelwurfgerät.[36] Three months after beginning production, the Panzer IV Ausf. F2 was renamed Ausf. G.[37]
During its production run from March 1942 to June 1943, the Panzer IV Ausf. G went through further modifications, including another armour upgrade which consisted of a 30-millimetre (1.18 in) face-hardened appliqué steel plate welded (later bolted) to the glacis—in total, frontal armour was now 80 mm (3.15 in) thick.[38] This decision to increase frontal armour was favorably received according to troop reports on 8 November 1942, despite technical problems of the driving system due to added weight. At this point, it was decided that 50% of Panzer IV production would be fitted with 30 mm (1.18 in) thick additional armour plates. On 5 January 1943, Hitler decided that all Panzer IV should have 80 mm (3.15 in) frontal armour.[39] To simplify production, the vision ports on either side of the turret and the loader's forward vision port in the turret front were removed, while a rack for two spare road wheels was installed on the track guard on the left side of the hull. Complementing this, brackets for seven spare track links were added to the glacis plate.
For operation in high temperatures, the engine's ventilation was improved by creating slits over the engine deck to the rear of the chassis, and cold weather performance was boosted by adding a device to heat the engine's coolant, as well as a starter fluid injector. A new light replaced the original headlight and the signal port on the turret was removed.
The next version, the Ausf. H, began production in June 1943[3] and received the designation Sd. Kfz. 161/2. The integrity of the glacis armour was improved by manufacturing it as a single 80-millimetre (3.15 in) plate. A reinforced final drive with higher gear ratios was introduced.[44] To prevent adhesion of magnetic anti-tank mines, which the Germans feared would be used in large numbers by the Allies, Zimmerit paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tank's armour.[45] The turret roof was reinforced from 10-millimetre (0.39 in) to 16-millimetre (0.63 in) and 25-millimetre (0.98 in) segments.[44] The vehicle's side and turret were further protected by the addition of 5-millimetre (0.20 in) hull skirts and 8-millimetre (0.31 in) turret skirts.[4][46] This resulted in the elimination of the vision ports located on the hull side,[44] as the skirts obstructed their view. During the Ausf. H's production run, its rubber-tired return rollers were replaced with cast steel, a lighter cast front sprocket and rear idler wheel gradually replaced the previous components,[44] the hull was fitted with triangular supports for the easily damaged side skirts, the Nebelwurfgerät was discontinued, and a mount in the turret roof, designed for the Nahverteidigungswaffe, was plugged by a circular armoured plate due to initial production shortages of this weapon.[47][48]
These modifications meant that the tank's weight increased to 25 tonnes (27.56 short tons). In spite of a new six-speed SSG 77 transmission adopted from the Panzer III, top speed dropped to as low as 16 km/h (10 mph) on cross country terrain. An experimental version of the Ausf H was fitted with a hydrostatic transmission but was not put into production.[35]
Despite addressing the mobility problems introduced by the previous model, the final production version of the Panzer IV—the Ausf. J—was considered a retrograde from the Ausf. H. Born of necessity, to replace heavy losses, it was greatly simplified to speed production.[49] The electric generator that powered the tank's turret traverse was removed, so the turret had to be rotated manually. The turret traversing mechanism was modified and fitted with a second gear which made hand-operation easier when the vehicle was on sloping terrain.[50] On reasonably level ground, hand operation at 4 seconds to traverse to 12.5° and 29.5 seconds to traverse to 120° was achieved.[50] The resulting space was later used for the installation of an auxiliary 200-litre (53 US gal) fuel tank; road range was thereby increased to 320 km (200 mi),[51] The remaining pistol and vision ports on the turret side hatches were removed, and the engine's radiator housing was simplified by changing the slanted sides to straight sides.[48] Three sockets with screw threads for mounting a 2-ton jib boom crane were welded on the turret roof while the hull roof was thickened from 11-millimetre (0.43 in) to 16-millimetre (0.63 in).[52] In addition, the cylindrical muffler was replaced by two flame-suppressing mufflers. In June 1944 Wa Prüf 6 had decided that because bomb damage at Panzerfirma Krupp in Essen had seriously jeopardized tank production, all plates which should have been face-hardened for the Panzer IV were instead made with rolled homogeneous armour plate.[52] By late 1944, Zimmerit was no longer being applied to German armoured vehicles, and the Panzer IV's side-skirts had been replaced by wire mesh, while the gunner's forward vision port in the turret front was eliminated[53] and the number of return rollers was reduced from four to three to further speed-up production.[54]
In a bid to augment the Panzer IV's firepower, an attempt was made to mate a Schmalturm turret — carrying the longer 75 mm (2.95 in) L/70 tank gun from the developing Panther Ausf. F tank design, and partly developed by Rheinmetall from early 1944 onwards — to a Panzer IV hull. This failed and confirmed that the chassis had reached the limit of its adaptability in both weight and available volume.[49]
Production
Date | Number of vehicles | Variant (Ausf.) |
---|---|---|
1937–1939 | 262 | A – D |
1940 | 290 (-24) | D, E |
1941 | 480 (+17) | E, F |
1942 | 994 | F, G |
1943 | 2,983 | G, H |
1944 | 3,125 | H, J |
1945 | ~435 | J |
Total | ~8,569 | all |
The Panzer IV was originally intended to be used only on a limited scale, so initially Krupp was its sole manufacturer. Prior to the Polish campaign, only 217 Panzer IVs had been produced: 35 Ausf. A; 42 Ausf. B; and 140 Ausf. C; in 1941, production was extended to Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik ("VOMAG") (located in the city of Plauen) and the Nibelungenwerk in the Austrian city of St. Valentin.[3]
In 1941, an average of 39 tanks per month were built; this rose to 83 in 1942, 252 in 1943, and 300 in 1944. However, in December 1943, Krupp's factory was diverted to manufacture the Sturmgeschütz IV and, in the spring of 1944, the Vomag factory began production of the Jagdpanzer IV, leaving the Nibelungenwerk as the only plant still assembling the Panzer IV.[55] With the slow collapse of German industry under pressure from Allied air and ground offensives—in October 1944 the Nibelungenwerk factory was severely damaged during a bombing raid—by March and April 1945, production had fallen to pre-1942 levels, with only around 55 tanks per month coming off the assembly lines.[56]
Version | Main gun | Superstructure armour mm (inch) |
Hull armour mm (inch) |
Turret armour mm (inch) |
Weight tonnes (long tons; short tons) |
Engine | Notes | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | S | R | F | S | R | F | S | R | |||||
Ausf. A VK622 |
7.5 cm KwK L/24 | 15 (0.59) | 18.4 (18.1; 20.3) | kW )
|
SGR 75 transmission | ||||||||
Ausf. B | 30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
18.8 (18.5; 20.7) | SSG 75 transmission | ||
Ausf. C | 30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
30 (1.2) |
15 (0.59) |
15 (0.59) |
19.0 (18.7; 20.9) | Maybach HL 120 TRM 300 kW )
|
||
Ausf. D | 30 + 30 † | 20 (0.79) + 20 † |
20 (0.79) |
30 (1.2) |
20 (0.79) |
20 (0.79) |
30 (1.2) |
20 (0.79) |
20 (0.79) |
20.0 (19.7; 22.0) | |||
Ausf. E | 30 + 30 † | 20 + 20 † | 20 | 30 + 30 † | 20 + 20 † | 20 | 30 | 20 | 20 | 21.0 (20.7; 23.1) | |||
Ausf. F1 | 50 (2.0) |
30 (1.2) |
20 (0.79) |
50 (2.0) |
30 (1.2) |
20 (0.79) |
50 (2.0) |
30 (1.2) |
30 (1.2) |
22.3 (21.9; 24.6) | track width increased from 380 to 400 mm (15 to 16 in) | ||
Ausf. F2 | 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 30 | 30 | 23.0 (22.6; 25.4) | single-chamber, globe, muzzle brake | |
Ausf. G | 50 + 30 † | 30 | 20 | 50 + 30 † | 30 | 20 | 50 | 30 + 8 (0.31)‡ | 30 + 8 ‡ | 23.5 (23.1; 25.9) | multi-baffle muzzle brake | ||
Ausf. H | 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 | 80 (3.1) | 30 | 20 | 80 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 30 + 8 ‡ | 30 + 8 ‡ | 25.0 (24.6; 27.6) | Zimmerit paste added to vertical surfaces SSG 77 transmission | |
Ausf. J | 80 | 30 | 20 | 80 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 30 + 8 ‡ | 30 + 8 ‡ | 25.0 (24.6; 27.6) | electric motor for turret traverse removed, Rolled homogeneous armour, no Zimmerit | ||
† – appliqué armour plate, bolted or welded on ‡ – Schürzen skirts
|
Export
The Panzer IV was one of the most widely exported German tanks of the Second World War.
Combat history
Date | Western front | Eastern front | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pz IV | Panther | Tiger | Pz IV | Panther | Tiger | |
31 May 44 | 88 | 82 | 87 | 84 | 77 | 79 |
14 Sep 44 | 80 | 74 | 98 | 65 | 72 | 70 |
30 Sep 44 | 50 | 57 | 67 | 65 | 60 | 81 |
31 Oct 44 | 74 | 85 | 88 | 52 | 53 | 54 |
15 Nov 44 | 78 | 71 | 81 | 72 | 66 | 61 |
30 Nov 44 | 76 | 71 | 45 | 78 | 67 | 72 |
15 Dec 44 | 78 | 71 | 64 | 79 | 69 | 79 |
30 Dec 44 | 63 | 53 | 50 | 72 | 61 | 80 |
15 Jan 45 | 56 | 45 | 58 | 71 | 60 | 73 |
15 Mar 45 | 44 | 32 | 36 | 54 | 49 | 53 |
Average | 71 | 65 | 65 | 68 | 62 | 70 |
The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in both production and combat throughout World War II,
Poland, Western Front and North Africa (1939–1942)
When Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, its armoured corps was composed of 1,445 Panzer Is, 1,223 Panzer IIs, 98 Panzer IIIs and 211 Panzer IVs; the more modern vehicles amounted to less than 10% of Germany's armoured strength.[73] The 1st Panzer Division had a roughly equal balance of types, with 17 Panzer Is, 18 Panzer IIs, 28 Panzer IIIs, and 14 Panzer IVs per battalion. The remaining panzer divisions were heavy with obsolete models, equipped as they were with 34 Panzer Is, 33 Panzer IIs, 5 Panzer IIIs, and 6 Panzer IVs per battalion.[74] Although the Polish Army possessed less than 200 tanks capable of penetrating the German light tanks, Polish anti-tank guns proved more of a threat, reinforcing German faith in the value of the close-support Panzer IV.[75]
Despite increased production of the medium Panzer IIIs and IVs prior to the
Although the Panzer IV was deployed to
The Panzer IV also took part in the
Eastern Front (1941–1945)
With the launching of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, the unanticipated appearance of the KV-1 and T-34 tanks prompted an upgrade of the Panzer IV's 75 mm (2.95 in) gun to a longer, high-velocity 75 mm gun suitable for anti-tank use. This meant that it could now penetrate the T-34 at ranges of up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) at any angle.[85] The 75 mm KwK 40 L/43 gun on the Panzer IV could penetrate a T-34 at a variety of impact angles beyond 1,000 m (3,300 ft) range and up to 1,600 m (5,200 ft).[86] Shipment of the first model to mount the new gun, the Ausf. F2, began in spring 1942, and by the summer offensive there were around 135 Panzer IVs with the L/43 tank gun available. At the time, these were the only German tanks that could defeat T-34 or KV-1 with sheer firepower.[87] They played a crucial role in the events that unfolded between June 1942 and March 1943,[88] and the Panzer IV became the mainstay of the German panzer divisions.[89] Although in service by late September 1942, the Tiger I was not yet numerous enough to make an impact and suffered from serious teething problems, while the Panther was not delivered to German units in the Soviet Union until May 1943.[90] The extent of German reliance on the Panzer IV during this period is reflected by their losses; 502 were destroyed on the Eastern Front in 1942.[91]
The Panzer IV continued to play an important role during operations in 1943, including at the Battle of Kursk. Newer types, such as the Panther, were still experiencing crippling reliability problems that restricted their combat efficiency,[92] so much of the effort fell to the 841 Panzer IVs that took part in the battle.[93] Throughout 1943, the German army lost 2,352 Panzer IVs on the Eastern Front;[94] some divisions were reduced to 12–18 tanks by the end of the year.[89] In 1944, a further 2,643 Panzer IVs were destroyed, and such losses were becoming increasingly difficult to replace.[95] Nevertheless, due to a shortage of replacement Panther tanks, the Panzer IV continued to form the core of Germany's armoured divisions, including elite units such as the II SS Panzer Corps, through 1944.[96]
In January 1945, 287 Panzer IVs were lost on the Eastern Front. It is estimated that combat against Soviet forces accounted for 6,153 Panzer IVs, or about 75% of all Panzer IV losses during the war.[97]
Western Front (1944–45)
Panzer IVs comprised around half of the available German tank strength on the
The Allies had also been improving their tanks; the widely used American-designed
The British up-gunned the Sherman with their highly effective 76 mm QF 17-pounder anti-tank gun, resulting in the Firefly;[105] although this was the only Allied tank capable of dealing with all current German tanks at normal combat ranges, few (342) were available in time for the Normandy invasion.[102] One Sherman in every British troop of four was a Firefly. By the end of the Normandy campaign, a further 550 Fireflies were built.[106] which was enough to make good any losses.[107] A second British tank equipped with the 17-pdr gun, the Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger, could not participate in the initial landings having to wait for port facilities to be ready to land. It was not until July 1944 that American Shermans fitted with the 76 mm gun M1 gun achieved a parity in firepower with the Panzer IV.[108][109]
By 29 August 1944, as the last surviving German troops of
During the winter of 1944–45, the Panzer IV was one of the most numerous tanks in the Ardennes offensive, where further heavy losses—as often due to fuel shortages as to enemy action—impaired major German armoured operations in the West thereafter.[112] The Panzer IVs that took part were survivors of the battles in France between June and September 1944, [dubious ] with around 260 additional Panzer IV Ausf. Js issued as reinforcements.[110]
Other users
Finland bought 15 new Panzer IV Ausf. Js in 1944.[
After 1945, Bulgaria incorporated its surviving Panzer IVs into defensive bunkers as strongpoints along its border with
Twenty Panzer IV Ausf. Hs and ten StuG III Ausf. Gs were supplied to Spain in December 1943, a small fraction of what Spain had originally asked for. The Panzer IV represented the best tank in Spanish service between 1944 and 1954, and was deployed along with T-26s and Panzer Is. Spain sold 17 Panzer IVs to Syria in 1967, with the remaining three left conserved. These can be found in Madrid, Burgos and Santovenia de Pisuerga (Valladolid).
Most of the tanks Romania had received were lost during combat between 1944 and 1945. These tanks, designated T4 in the army's inventory, were used by the Army's 2nd Armoured Regiment. On 9 May 1945, only two Panzer IVs were left. Romania received another 50 captured Panzer IV tanks from the Red Army after the end of the war. These tanks were of many different models and were in very bad shape[60]—many of them were missing parts and the side-skirts. These German T4 tanks remained in service until 1950, when the Army decided to use only Soviet equipment. By 1954, all German tanks in Romanian military service had been scrapped.[citation needed]
While their numbers remain uncertain,
In addition, Turkey was a buyer, with 35 Panzer IVs received until 4 May 1944 in exchange for some chromium ore. Delivery began with the Ausf. G and probably went on with Ausf. H versions.[117] Other sources state only 15 to 22 tanks were delivered in 1943, all of the Ausf G version.[118]
Captured Panzer IVs in service
The Soviet Army captured significant numbers of German armoured vehicles, including Panzer IVs (its Russian designation was "T-4"). Some of them were pressed into temporary service and some others were used for driver or anti-tank training. Sometimes, captured tanks were used in different temporary units or as single tanks. While captured Tiger I/IIs and Panthers were only permitted to be used until they irrecoverably broke down, the simplicity of the Panzer IV and the large number of captured parts allowed for long-term repair and continued use.[citation needed]
At least one captured Panzer IV Ausf. H was used by the Warsaw Tank Brigade of the Polish 2nd Corps in Italy during 1944.[citation needed] One Panzer IV Ausf. J used by the 5th Independent Armored Artillery Divizion from 1945.[119]
The 1st GMR (Groupement Mobile de Reconnaissance) of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior), later called 'Escadron Autonome de Chars Besnier', was equipped in December 1944 with at least one Panzer IV.[citation needed]
Reliability
From an after-action report submitted by PzRgt 6 on 23 July 1941:
(The workshop company added some further notes:)
In contrast to the deployment in the west, the large amount of dust generated in Russia caused disproportionately more engine damage. Almost all engine wear can be attributed to dust accumulation. This could have been reduced by carefully cleaning the air filters and changing the engine oil frequently. The regiment has been in uninterrupted combat for four weeks, so that too little time could be made available for this maintenance work. The mileage of the engines could have been increased by about 300km to 500km with appropriate care. The mileage in service of each PzKpfw totalled 1,100km to 1,500km. Damage to the running gear can be described as normal.[120]
After that report from the units, the Inspector General of Armored Troops acknowledged this in a report, at 1944.05.06.: Der Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen -Leitender Kraftfahrzeugoffizer- Bb Nr. 3177/44
The report confirms the opinion that thanks to the continuous improvement of its components, the life of the Panther tank has increased. The average lifespan of a Panther can now be roughly equal to that of a Panzer IV with around 1,500 - 2,000 kilometers between two major repair and maintenance processes.
And,
gearboxes also have a longer life. Even so, in several cases, at approximately 1500 km, the gear has broken down and the boxes have had to be replaced.[121][122]
Variants
In keeping with the wartime German design expediencies of mounting an existing anti-tank gun on a convenient chassis to give mobility, several tank destroyers and infantry support guns were built around the Panzer IV hull. Both the Jagdpanzer IV, initially armed with the 75-millimetre (2.95 in) L/48 tank gun,[123] and the Krupp-manufactured Sturmgeschütz IV, which was the casemate of the Sturmgeschütz III mounted on the body of the Panzer IV,[124] proved highly effective in defense. Cheaper and faster to construct than tanks, but with the disadvantage of a very limited gun traverse, around 1,980 Jagdpanzer IVs and 1,140 Sturmgeschütz IVs were produced.[citation needed] Another tank destroyer, the Panzer IV/70, used the same basic 75-millimeter L/70 gun that was mounted on the Panther.[125][126]
The Panzerbefehlswagen IV (Pz. Bef. Wg. IV) was a command tank. This conversion entailed the installation of additional radio sets with associated mounting racks, transformers, junction boxes, wiring, antennas and an auxiliary electrical generator. To make room for the new equipment, ammunition stowage was reduced from 87 to 72 rounds. The vehicle could coordinate with nearby armour, infantry or even aircraft. Seventeen Panzerbefehlswagen were built on Ausf. J chassis in August and September 1944,[3] while another 88 were based on refurbished chassis.[127]
The Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV (Pz. Beob. Wg. IV) was an
The
Four different self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicles were built on the Panzer IV hull. The Flakpanzer IV "
Although not a direct modification of the Panzer IV, some of its components, in conjunction with parts from the Panzer III, were utilized to make one of the most widely used self-propelled artillery chassis of the war—the Geschützwagen III/IV. This chassis was the basis of the Hummel, of which 666 were built, and also the 88-millimetre (3.46 in) gun-armed Nashorn tank destroyer, with 473 manufactured.[132] To resupply self-propelled howitzers in the field, 150 ammunition carriers were manufactured on the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis.[70]
The Bergepanzer IV was a armoured recovery vehicle. Some were believed to have been converted locally,[133] 21 were converted from hulls returned for repair between October 1944 and January 1945. The conversion involved removing the turret and adding a wooden plank cover with an access hatch over the turret ring and the addition of a 2-ton jib crane and rigid towing bars.[citation needed]
A rare variant was the Panzer IV mit hydrostatischem antrieb. In 1944,
Production models
Name | Production details |
---|---|
Ausf.A, 1/BW (Sd.Kfz.161) | 35 produced by Krupp-Gruson, between November 1937 and June 1938. |
Ausf.B, 2/BW | 42 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from May to October 1938. |
Ausf.C, 3/BW | 140 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1938 to August 1939. |
Ausf.D, 4/BW + 5/BW | 200 + 48 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1939 to October 1940. |
Ausf.E, 6/BW | 206 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1940 to April 1941. |
Ausf.F, 7/BW | 471 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from April 1941 to March 1942. |
Ausf.F2, 7/BW Umbau (Sd.Kfz.161/1) | Temporary designation for Ausf F chassis built with long 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 main gun, later renamed into Ausf. G and 8/BW.
|
Ausf.G, 8/BW | 1,927 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from March 1942 to June 1943. |
Ausf.H, 9/BW (Sd.Kfz.161/2) | ~2,324 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from June 1943 to February 1944. |
Ausf.J, 10/BW | ~3,160 produced by Nibelungenwerke and Vomag from February 1944 to April 1945. |
Variants based on chassis
Name | Production details |
---|---|
Tauchpanzer IV | 42 converted from July 1940 as submersible medium support tanks |
Panzerbefehlswagen | Command tank with additional radio equipment, 17 built on Ausf. J and further 88 on rebuilt chassis |
Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV | Artillery spotter tank with special radio equipment, 133 converted from Ausf. J |
Sturmpanzer IV |
Heavy Assault gun armed with 150 mm Infantry gun |
Sturmgeschütz IV | Assault gun, similar to StuG III, armed with 7.5 cm gun |
Jagdpanzer IV and Panzer IV/70 | Tank destroyer armed with 7.5 cm gun |
Nashorn | Heavy Panzerjäger armed with 8.8 cm Anti-tank gun |
Hummel | Self-propelled artillery armed with 150 mm Howitzer |
Flakpanzer IV | Multiple variants of Panzer IV chassis armed with various Flak guns |
Brückenleger IV b+c | 20+4 bridge layer tanks built by Krupp and Magirus, on Ausf.C and Ausf.D chassis, from February to May 1940 |
Brückenleger IV s (Sturmstegpanzer) | 4 assault bridge carriers converted from Ausf.C chassis in 1940 |
Bergepanzer IV | 21 armoured recovery vehicles converted from Pz IV chassis from October to December 1944 |
Panzer IV mit hydrostatischem antrieb | 1 Panzer IV Ausf. H with a hydraulic drive by Zahnradfabrik in 1944
|
Munitionsschlepper IV | 22 Ausf. D, E and F chassis tanks modified to supply & load Karl-Gerät weapons with ammunition. |
See also
- List of military vehicles of World War II
- List of World War II military vehicles of Germany
- List of Sd.Kfz. designations
- Panzer III/IV
Tanks of comparable role, performance and era
- British Cavalier
- British Cromwell
- Canadian Ram II (up to Ausf. G variant)
- Canadian Grizzly I
- Hungarian Turán III
- Italian Carro Armato P 40
- Japanese Type 2 Ho-I (up to Ausf. D variant)
- Japanese Type 1 Chi-He(up to Ausf. E variant)
- Japanese Type 3 Chi-Nu
- Romanian 1942 medium tank (proposal)
- Soviet T-34
- Swedish Stridsvagn m/42
- United States M3 Lee
- United States M4 Sherman
References
Footnotes
- S2CID 144922816.
- ISBN 978-0-7146-5052-4.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Thomas L. Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle (2011). Panzer Tracts No.23 - Panzer Production from 1933 to 1945. Panzer Tracts. pp. 50–59.
- ^ a b Spielberger, Walter (2011). Panzerkampfwagen IV and its variants 1935 - 1945 Book 2. Schiffer. p. 203.
- ^ Jentz, T. (1996). Panzertruppen (2): The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force, 1943-1945. page 294.
- ^ Conners, Chris (4 December 2002). "Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausfuehrung H". The AFV Database. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
- ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 69
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 5
- ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 4
- ^ Jentz (1997), p. 1
- ^ a b c d e f g Spielberger (1972), p. 70
- ^ a b c d Perrett (1999), p. 5
- ^ Simpkin (1979), p. 106
- ^ de Mazarrasa (1994), p. 46
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 5; Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 6
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 6
- ^ a b Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 7
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 4
- ^ Jentz, Doyle, and Louis (1997) p. 18
- ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 6; Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 7
- ^ a b c d e Jentz, Doyle, and Louis (1997) p. 20
- ^ Jentz & Doyle (1997) p. 14
- ^ a b c d Perrett (1999), p. 6
- ^ Jentz & Doyle (1997) p.30
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 5
- ^ a b Jentz & Doyle (1997) p.40
- ^ Jentz & Doyle, (1997) p.34
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 31
- ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 71
- ^ Spielberger (1993) [page needed]
- ^ Perrett (1999), p.7
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 6–7
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 7
- ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 73
- ^ ISBN 978-1855328433.
- ^ Jentz & Doyle (1997) p. 44
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 8
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 38
- ^ Spielberger (1993), p. 59
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 11–12
- ^ Walter J. Spielberger (1993), P63
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 12
- ^ Chamberlain, Peter; Doyle, Hilary Louis (2001). Encyclopedia Of German Tanks Of World War Two. London: Arms & Armour Press. p. 255.
- ^ a b c d Jentz & Doyle (1997) p. 50
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 44
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 8
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 13
- ^ a b Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 14
- ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 9
- ^ a b Doyle & Friedli (2016), p. 56
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 53–54
- ^ a b Doyle & Friedli (2016), p. 57
- ^ Doyle & Friedli (2016), p. 58
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 15
- ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 72
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 16
- ^ Rickard, J (25 July 2008). "Panzer IV Medium Tank". Archived from the original on 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 63
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 63–66
- ^ a b Scafes and Serbanescu 2005, p.78
- ^ a b c Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 66
- ^ a b c Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 41; Perrett (1999), p. 44, claims Bulgaria received 88 Panzer IVs.
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 76–82
- ISSN 1765-0828.
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 67
- ISBN 978-0-7643-0225-1.
- ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 36
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 4
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 3
- ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 82
- ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 51
- ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 34
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 24
- ^ Perrett (1998), p. 37
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 33
- ^ Guderian (1996), p. 472
- ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 72
- ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 73
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 4–5
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 34
- ^ a b Ormeño (2007), p. 48
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 21
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 23
- ^ Perrett (1999), pp. 34–35
- ^ Jentz (1996), p. 243
- ^ Bird & Livingston (2001), p. 25
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 33
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 35–36
- ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 87
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 42
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 39
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 39
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 47
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 48
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 51
- ^ Reynolds (2002), p. 5
- ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 59–62
- ^ a b c Hastings (1999), p. 133
- ^ Hastings (1999), p. 413
- ^ Forty (2000), p. 88
- ^ Perrett (1999), p. 43
- ^ a b Hastings (1999), p. 225
- ^ Hastings (1999), pp. 225–227
- ^ Jentz & Doyle (2001), p. 176
- ^ Fletcher (2008), pp. 5–8
- ISBN 9781846031502
- ISBN 0-9538777-2-8.
- ^ Fletcher (2008), p. 43
- ^ Hastings (1999), p. 221
- ^ a b Forty (2000), p. 92
- ^ a b Wilmott (1997), p. 434
- ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 44
- ^ Naud, Phillipe (2011), "Les Blindes de Damas 1948-1967", in Steel Masters nº105, May–June, 2011
- ^ de Mazarrasa (1994), p. 50
- ^ Zaloga, Steven (July 1995). "Strangers In a Strange Land: Early Syrian Armor 1948–56". Museum Ordnance, Volume 5, Number 4. Darlington, Maryland: Darlington Productions, Inc. pp. 5, 7.
- ^ Maloney, Bill (19 November 2007). "AAF American Armored Foundation Tank Museum - German WWII Panzer Mk IV Ausf H Medium Tank". American Armored Foundation Tank Museum. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ Official document in Turkish Republic Archive, BCA: 10.52.344.9
- ISSN 1765-0828.
- ^ Zbigniew, Lalka (2007). "Poligon nr 3/2007". Poligon. 3.
- ^ Anderson, Thomas (2021). Panzer IV. Osprey Publishing page 164.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 38
- ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 37
- ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 44
- ^ Jentz, Thomas L.; Doyle, Hilary Louis (1997). Panzer Tracts No. 9: Jagdpanzer, Jagdpanzer 38 to Jagdtiger. Darlington (MD): Darlington Productions.[page needed]
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 41–42
- ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 42–43
- ^ Scheibert (1991), pp. 32–33
- ^ Scheibert (1991). p. 43
- ^ Scheibert (1991), pp. 37–42
- ^ Spielberger (1972), pp. 81–82
- ^ Perrett, Bryan Panzerkampfwagon IV Medium Tank 1936–45 New Vanguard 28. Osprey Publishing 1999 [page needed]
- ^ F. M. von Senger und Etterlin: Die deutschen Panzer 1926–1945. Bernard & Graefe Verlag, ISBN 3-7637-5988-3, S. 61–62.
Bibliography
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- Caballero, Carlos; Molina, Lucas (October 2006). Panzer IV: El puño de la Wehrmacht (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: AFEditores. ISBN 978-84-96016-81-1.
- de Mazarrasa, Javier (1994). Blindados en España 2ª Parte: La Dificil Postguerra 1939-1960 (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: Quiron Ediciones. ISBN 978-84-87314-10-0.
- ISBN 978-1-84176-183-1.
- Doyle, Hilary; Lukas Friedli (2016). Panzer Tracts 4-3: Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. H - Ausf. J, 1943 to 1945. Boyds, Maryland: Panzer Tracts.
- ISBN 978-1-84603-277-6.
- ISBN 978-0-304-35802-1.
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- Jentz, Thomas; Doyle, Hilary (1997). Panzer Tracts 4: Panzerkampfwagen IV - Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV. Darlington, MD: Darlington Productions.
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- Liddell Hart, B.H.The German Generals Talk. New York, NY: Morrow, 1948.
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- Ormeño, Javier (1 January 2007). "Panzerkampfwagen III: El pequeño veterano de la Wehrmacht". SERGA (45).
- Perrett, Bryan (1998). German Light Panzers 1932-42. New Vanguard. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-85532-844-0.
- Perrett, Bryan (1999). Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank : 1936 - 1945. New Vanguard. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. ISBN 978-1-85532-843-3.
- Reynolds, Michael (2002). The Sons of the Reich: II SS Panzer Corps. Havertown, PA: Casemate. ISBN 978-0-9711709-3-3.
- Scheibert, Horst (1991). The Panzer IV Family. West Chester, PA: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-88740-359-0.
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- ISBN 978-1-85326-677-5.
- Scafes, Cornel I; Scafes, Ioan I; Serbanescu, Horia Vl (2005). Trupele Blindate din Armata Romana 1919-1947. Bucuresti: Editura Oscar Print.
External links
- The Restoration of a panzer IV in running condition to the Tank Museum of Saumur
- The German workhorse: Panzer IV
- Why the Panzer IV was NOT the Workhorse of the Wehrmacht