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Panzer IV

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Panzer IV Ausf. H
Spanish Panzer IV Ausf. H on exhibit at the Museum of Armored Vehicles at El Goloso
TypeMedium tank
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
In service1939 - 1945 (Nazi Germany)
Used byGermany Nazi Germany
Romania Romania
Hungary Hungary
Bulgaria Bulgaria
 Finland
Spain Spain
 Syria
WarsWorld War II
Six-Day War
Production history
Designed1936
ManufacturerKrupp, Steyr-Daimler-Puch
Produced1936–1945
No. builtest. 8,800
Specifications
Mass24.6 tonnes (27.12 tons)
Length7.02 meters (23.03 ft
Width2.83 m (9.28 ft)
Height2.68 m (8.79 ft)
Crew5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
Armor10–80 mm (.39–3.15 in)
Main
armament
7.5 cm KwK 40 (75 mm/2.95 in) main gun
87 rounds
Secondary
armament
2× 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
Engine12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM
300 PS (221 kW)
Power/weight12.2 PS/t (8.97 kW/t)
SuspensionLeaf spring
Operational
range
200 km (124.27 miles)
Maximum speed 42 km/h (26.1 mph) (road)
16 km/h (9.94 mph) (off-road)

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was SdKfz 161.

Designed as an infantry-support tank, the Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy tanks—that task was given to the lighter, faster Panzer III. However, with the flaws of the pre-war doctrine of "infantry" and "cavalry" tanks becoming apparent in combat, the Panzer IV soon assumed the tank-fighting role of its increasingly obsolescent cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the Panzer IV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including tank destroyers and self-propelled anti-aircraft guns. Robust and reliable, it saw service in all combat theaters, and has the distinction of being the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout World War II, with over 8,500 produced between 1936 and 1945. Numerous upgrades and design modifications extended its service life; often these were made in response to the appearance of new Allied tanks (in particular, the Soviet T-34), and generally involved increasing the Panzer IV's armour protection or upgrading its weapons. During the last months of the war, with Germany's pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, they also included retrograde measures, such as the removal of firing ports, to simplify manufacture.

The Panzer IV was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to partners such as Finland, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, the French and Spanish sold dozens of Panzer IVs to Syria, where during the 1960s they saw combat against Israeli Centurion tanks.

Development history

The concept for the Panzer IV was the brainchild of German general Heinz Guderian,[1] intended as a support tank to defeat enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications.[2] Ideally, the tank battalions of a panzer division would each have three medium companies equipped with Panzer III's and one heavy company with Panzer IV's.[3] On 11 January 1934 the German Army decided the specifications for a "medium tractor" and issued them to a number of defense companies. To support the Panzer III, which was to be armed with a 37-millimeter (1.46 in) tank gun, this "medium tractor" was to be armed with a 75-millimeter (2.95 in) main gun and was given a weight limit of 24 tonnes (39.68 tons). Development was carried out under the name Bataillonsführerwagen (battalion commander's vehicle), or BW, to hide the actual purpose of the tank, given that Germany still adhered to the Treaty of Versailles.[4] MAN, Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig developed their own prototypes[3], with Krupp's being chosen for further development.[5]

The vehicle had originally been designed with a six-wheeled interleaved suspension, but the German Army changed their requirements to a torsion bar suspension, allowing for a greater degree of vertical deflection of the roadwheels[5]—greater vertical deflection of the roadwheels allows for an increase in the tank's and crew's tolerance in higher off-road speeds.[6] Neither type of suspension was adopted, as due to the urgent requirement for the new tank, the Army allowed Krupp to equip it with a leaf spring double-bogie suspension. The prototype's hull placed the engine bay to the rear, with the driver and radio operator (also the hull gunner) placed to the front—on the left and right sides, respectively—with the transmission box between them. In the turret, the tank commander sat beneath his roof hatch, while the gunner was situated on the left side of the gun breech and the loader on the right. The vehicle's turret was offset 66.5 millimeters (2.62 in) to the left of the center line of the chassis, while the engine was moved 152.4 millimeters (6 in) to the right, allowing the torque shaft to clear the rotary base junction while connecting to the transmission box. The rotary base junction provided the electrical power necessary to turn the turret. Due to this setting, the right side of the tank offered much more stowage volume and was taken up by ready-use ammunition lockers for the loader.[5]

Accepted into service as the Versuchskraftfahrzeug 622 (VsKfz 622),[4] production began in 1936 at Krupp-Grusonwerke AG's factory at Magdeburg.[7]

Ausf. A—Ausf. F

The first mass produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausfuhrung A (Ausf. A, or Batch A), beginning in 1936. It was powered by Maybach's HL 108TR, producing 250 horsepower (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse[8] achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometers per hour (19.26 mph).[9] As main armament, the vehicle mounted the Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24 (abbreviated KwK 37 L/24) 75-millimeter (2.95 in) tank gun, which was a low velocity cannon designed to fire mostly high explosive shells.[10] Against armored targets, firing the Panzergranate (armor-piercing shell) at 430 meters per second (1,410.76 fps) the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimeters (1.69 in), inclined at 30 degrees, at up to 700 meters (2,296.59 ft).[11] A 7.92 millimeter (0.312 in) machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main gun in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull.[5] The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 millimeters (0.57 in) of steel armor on the front plate of the chassis and 20 millimeters (0.79 in) on the turret—capable only of stopping artillery fragments and light anti-tank projectiles.[12]

Maybach HL 120 engine used in the Panzer IV

After manufacturing 35 tanks of the A version, the Ausf. B began production in 1937.[4] Improvements included the replacement of the original engine with the more powerful 320 horsepower (235.36 kW) Maybach HL 120TRM and replacing the original transmission with the new SSG 75 transmission, with six forward gears and one reverse gear—this increased velocity to 39.43 kilometers per hour (24.5 mph), despite a weight to 16 tonnes (17.7 tons).[13] The glacis plate was augmented to a maximum thickness of 30 millimeters (1.18 in).[12] Furthermore, the two MG-13 machine guns were replaced by the newer MG-34.[10] Forty-two Panzer IV Ausf. Bs were manufactured before the introduction of the Ausf. C[14] in 1938.[4] The Ausf. C saw the turret armor increased to 30 millimeters (1.18 in), increasing the tank's weight to 18.14 tonnes (20 tons). Furthermore, the hull mounted machine gun was replaced by a covered carbine port.[14] That same year, the Ausf. D variant began production (totaling 45 vehicles), which reintroduced the hull machine gun and changed the internal mantlet to an external mantlet.[14] The side armor on the Ausf. D was increased to 20 millimeters (.79 in), as well.[10]

As the German invasion of Poland in September 1939 came to an end, it was decided to renew production of the Panzer IV—the tank was accepted on 27 September 1939 as the Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161 (abbreviated SdKfz. 161).[4] The tank's armor was increased to 50 millimeters (1.97 in) on the bow plate, while a 30 millimeter (1.18 in) appliqué steel plate was added to the glacis as a temporary measure to increase armor thickness. Finally, the commander's cupola was moved forward into the turret. Older model Panzer IV tanks were retrofitted with these features when returned to the manufacturer for refitting.[14]

In February 1940 the first batch of Panzer IV Ausf. Fs were delivered to the German Army.[15] The new version featured 50 millimeter (1.97 in) single-plate armor on the turret and hull, as opposed to the appliqué plate of steel armor added to the Panzer IV Ausf. E,[14] and the side armor was increased to 30 millimeters (1.18 in).[16] The weight of the vehicle increased to 22.3 tonnes (24.58 tons), prompting an increase in track width from 380 to 400 millimeters (14.96–15.75 in) to reduce ground pressure, as well as designed to fit ice sprags. The rear idler wheel and front sprocket were modified, as well.[17]

Panzer IV at the Aberdeen Proving Ground

The shock of the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 during the first months of the German invasion of the Soviet Union required new tank guns to defeat these threats.[18] Due to difficulty in penetrating British Matildas during the Battle of France, the Germans had already installed a 50-millimeter (1.97 in) L/60 gun, based on the Panzerabwehrkanone Model 1938 (PaK 38) anti-tank gun, on a Panzer IV Ausf. D. However, an original order of eighty of these tanks was canceled before the batch entered production.[19] Krupp had also been designing a shortened version of their existing 75-millimeter (2.95 in) L/40 gun, decreasing the caliber length to 33. A L/34.5 version, fabricated in December 1941, was mounted in the Ausf. F. The urgency of the situation, however, pushed for a new 75-millimeter (2.95 in) gun, based on the Panzerabwehrkanone Model 1940 (PaK 40), developed jointly by Krupp and Rheinmetall. It had to be able to penetrate 80 millimeter (3.15 in) of armor, inclined at 30 degrees, at a range of 1,000 meters (1,094 yd). Because the recoil length of the PaK 40 was too long for the tank's turret, the recoil mechanism and chamber were shortened. This resulted in the 75-millimeter (2.95 in) KwK 44 L/43.[20]

This gun was applied to the Panzer IV Ausf. F. Vehicles which received the new, longer gun were renamed Ausf. F2s, while tanks with the shorter gun received the denomination Ausf. F1. The Ausf. F2 suffered an increase in weight to 23.6 tonnes (26.01 tons). Firing an armor piercing shot, the gun's muzzle velocity was increased from 430 meters per second (1,410.76 fps) to 990 meters per second (3,248.03 fps).[17] Initially, the gun was mounted with a single-chamber, ball-shaped muzzle brake which provided just under 50% of the recoil system's braking ability.[21] Firing the Panzergranate 39, the KwK 44 L/43 could penetrate 77 millimeters (3.03 in) of steel armor at a range of 1,830 meters (6,000 feet).[22] Three months after the beginning of production, the Panzer IV. Ausf. F was renamed Ausf. G.[23]

Ausf. G—Ausf. J

During its production run the Panzer IV Ausf. G went through a number of modifications, including an increase in armor protection. To avoid another increase in weight, given that the tank was reaching its viable weight limit, the side armor was reduced by removing the appliqué 20 millimeter (0.79 in) steel plates and increasing the side's base armor to 30 millimeters (1.18 in). The weight was transferred to the front, which saw a 30 millimeter (1.18 in) face-hardened appliqué steel plate welded to the glacis of the vehicle—the glacis plate was now 80 millimeters (3.15 in) thick.[24] These were later bolted, instead of welded. To simplify the production of the tank, the vision ports on either side of the turret and on the left turret front were removed, while a rack for two spare roadwheels was installed on the track guard on the left side of the hull. To complement this, brackets for seven spare track links were added onto the glacis plate. For operations in high temperatures, the engine's ventilation was improved by creating slits over the engine deck to the rear of the chassis—cold weather operation was improved by adding a device to heat the engine's coolant, as well as a starter fluid injector. A new searchlight replaced the original headlight, and the signal port on the turret was removed.[25] In April 1943, the KwK 44 L/43 was replaced by the longer 75-millimeter (2.95 in) KwK 40 L/48 gun, with a redesigned multi-baffle muzzle brake with improved recoil efficiency.[26]

The next version, the Ausf. H, began production in April 1943. This new variant saw the glacis plate armor improved by manufacturing it as an 80 millimeter (3.15 in) single plate. Furthermore, to defeat anti-tank magnetic mines Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tank's armor.[27] The vehicle's side and turret were further protected by new 5 millimeter (0.2 in) side-skirts and a turret girdle.[28] Later during the vehicle's production run new cast steel return rollers replaced the original rubber-tired return rollers, fitted with triangular supports to avoid the loss of the side-skirts.[29] The hole in the roof designed to fit a new close-support weapon was plugged by an armored plate due to the shortage of machine guns.[30] The tank's weight jumped to 25 tonnes (27.56 in), causing the maximum velocity to reduce.[27] This was also influenced by the decision to adopt the six speed SSG 77 transmission from the Panzer III, which was inferior to the transmission of previous model Panzer IVs.[28]

The final production version of the Panzer IV was the Ausf. J. This version of the tank was considered a retrograde from the earlier Ausf. H out of necessity, to decrease production time and increase the tank's mobility.[31] To increase the tank's road range, the electric generator for turret traverse was removed to allow the installation of an auxiliary 200 liter (43.99 gal) gas tank—range was increased to 320 kilometers (198.84 mi).[32] Without the electric generator, turret traverse was now manual. Furthermore, the pistol ports and vision ports in the turret were removed, while the engine's radiator housing was simplified by exchanging the slanted sides with straight sides.[33] The cylindrical muffler was replaced by two flame-suppressing mufflers. By late 1944, Zimmerit was no longer applied to the tank, the side-skirts were replaced by wire mesh, while the number of return rollers was reduced from four to three to cut production time.[34]

There was a bid to fit a Panther turret on a Panzer IV hull, carrying the longer 75-millimeter (2.95 in) L/70 tank gun. The inability to do so confirmed that the chassis, by this time, was clearly overloaded in both weight and available volume.[31]

Production

Panzer IV production by year[35]
Date Number of Vehicles Additional Information
1937–1939 262 Ausf. A—Ausf. D
1940 386 Ausf. E[36]
1941[37] 769  
1942 est. 880 Ausf. E—Ausf. G[38]
1943 3,013 Ausf. H
1944 3,125 Ausf. J
1945 est. 435  
Total 8,870[39]  

Because the Panzer IV was originally intended to be used only on a limited scale production was limited to one manufacturer—Krupp. Ultimately, however, it was produced throughout the war.[40] Only 35 Panzer IV Ausf. As were manufactured, while 42 Ausf. Bs came off the production lines. In regards to the Ausf. C and D, 140 and 45 were manufactured, respectively. As a result, prior to the Polish campaign only 262 Panzer IVs were produced.[41] After the invasion of Poland the Nibelungenwerke factory (managed by Steyr-Daimler-Puch), in the Austrian city of St. Valentin, was opened to begin production of the Panzer IV—after 1943 this factory became almost the sole assembly line of the Panzer IV and operated until the end of the war.[42] Production increased as the Ausf. E was introduced into service, having 223 tanks delivered to the German Army.[43] By 1941, 462 Panzer IV Ausf. Fs had been assembled for the German Army, and by that time the Panzer IV Ausf. F2 was entering production.[44] To exemplify the rate of Panzer IV production, in 1939 the German Army accepted 174 tanks of this type into service, while in 1940 and 1941 they accepted 386 and 769, respectively.[42]

By the time production of the later models of Panzer IVs began, a third factory, named Vomag (located in the city of Plauen), had also begun to assemble the tank. In 1941 an average of 39 tanks per month were built, while in 1942 an average of 83 tanks per month were assembled. In 1943 and 1944 this rose to 252 and 300, respectively. However, in December 1943 Krupp's factory was diverted to manufacture the Sturmgeschütz IV and in spring of 1944 the Vomag factory began production of the Jagdpanzer IV, leaving the Nibelungenwerke as the only factory assembling the Panzer IV. This slow collapse of the German production of the Panzer IV meant that in March and April 1945 only around 55 tanks were manufactured per month. Furthermore, the Nibelungenwerke factory had been severely damaged during a bombing raid in October 1944.[45]

Export

Finnish Panzer IV Ausf. J, exposed in the Parola tank museum

The Panzer IV was the most exported German tank of the Second World War.[46] In 1942 the Germans delivered 11 tanks to Romania and 32 to Hungary, although these suffered heavy casualties between the final months of 1942 and the beginning of 1943 in the Soviet Union.[47] To arm Bulgaria, Germany sent this country 46[48]–91[49] Panzer IV tanks. With the same intentions, Germany offered Italy 12 Panzer IV tanks to form a new armored battalion in a new armored division. These were used to train Italian crews while Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was disposed. They were recaptured by the Germans during the German occupation of Italy in mid-1943.[48] Finland received 20 in 1944[49] and that year another batch of 62[48]–72[49] were delivered to Hungary. Of these, 20 were diverted to replace losses in the German Army.[49] Although the Spanish government petitioned for 100 Panzer IVs in March 1943, only 20 of these were delivered by December of that year—subsequent orders were not fulfilled.[50] Some 297 Panzer IVs were delivered to Germany's allies, total.[51]

In the 1960s Syria received a fair number of Panzer IVs from the French, replacing the turret's machine gun with a Soviet-made 12.7 millimeter (0.5 in) machine gun. These were used to shell Israeli settlements below the Golan Heights and were fired upon during the 1965 "Water War" by Israeli Centurion tanks.[52] Syria received 17 more Panzer IVs from Spain, which saw combat during the Six-Day War in 1967.[53]

Combat History

The Panzer IV was the only German tank which saw combat throughout the entire Second World War.[54] Of all the tanks manufactured by Germany, including the Panzer I, Panzer II, Panzer III, Panther and both types of Tiger tanks, the Panzer IV composed 30% of all tanks which served with the Wehrmacht.[55] Prior to the invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Panzer IV had served in the occupation of Czechoslovakia.[56] However, at the start of the war the Wehrmacht's armor was still mostly composed from obsolete Panzer Is and Panzer IIs—[57]the former had already been proven inferior to Soviet tanks, such as the T-26, during the Spanish Civil War.[58]

Early Second World War 1939–1942

When Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939, the armor corps was composed mostly of Panzer Is and Panzer IIs. Specifically, 1,445 Panzer Is and 1,223 Panzer IIs composed the bulk of Germany's armor. Only 98 Panzer IIIs and 211 Panzer IVs took part in the campaign, which amounted to less than 10% of Germany's armored strength.[59] The 1st Panzer Division was made up of 14 Panzer IVs, 28 Panzer IIIs, 18 Panzer IIs and 17 Panzer Is per battalion. The remaining panzer divisions were equipped with 6 Panzer IVs, 5 Panzer IIIs, 33 Panzer IIs and 34 Panzer Is per battalion.[60] The Polish Army was equipped with less than 200 tanks capable of penetrating German light tanks, and Polish anti-tank guns proved more of a threat to German armor, confirming Germany's faith in the close-support Panzer IV tank.[61]

British Crusader tank passing by a burning German Panzer IV

Although the amount of medium tanks—Panzers III and IV—increased prior to the German invasion of France on 10 May 1940, the majority of German tanks were still light tanks. According to Heinz Guderian, the Wehrmacht invaded France with 523 Panzer Is, 955 Panzer IIs, 349 Panzer IIIs, 278 Panzer IVs, 106 Panzer 35(t)s and 228 Panzer 38(t)s.[62] Through the use of tactical radios[63] and superior tactics, the Germans were able to outmaneuver and defeat French and British armor.[64] However, Panzer IVs armed with the KwK 37 L/25 75-millimeter (2.95 in) tank gun found it difficult to engage French tanks such as Somua S35 and Char B1.[65] For example, the Somua S35 had a maximum thickness of 55 millimeters (2.16 in) of steel armor[66], while the KwK 37 L/24 could only penetrate 43 millimeters (1.69 in) at a range of 700 meters (2,296.59 ft).[11] Likewise, the British Matilda tank was heavily armored, with up to 78 millimeters (3.07 in) of steel on the turret.[67]

Although the Panzer IV was deployed to North Africa with the Deutsches Afrika Korps, until the longer gun version began production the tank found itself outclassed by the Panzer III.[68] Against British Matildas, Panzer IIIs and Panzer IVs alike found difficulty in penetrating the tank's thick armor, while the Matilda could knock out both tanks—the Matilda's disadvantage was speed.[69] By August 1942, Rommel had only received 27 Panzer IV Ausf. F2s, armed with the L/43 gun, which were used as his spearheads.[69] The longer gun could penetrate all American and British tanks in theater at ranges of up to 1,500 meters (4,921.26 ft).[70] Although more of these tanks arrived at North Africa between August and October 1942, these numbers were insignificant compared to the amount of matériel shipped to British forces opposing the Germans.[71]

The Panzer IV also partook in the invasion of Yugoslavia and the invasion of Greece in early 1941.[72]

Invasion of the Soviet Union

The appearance of the T-34 and KV-1, when the Germans invaded the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, brought about the decision to increase the length of the Panzer IV's 75-millimeter (2.95 in) gun. Because the Panzer III was not fit for further improvement and the future Panther and Tigers tanks had not yet entered production, the Panzer IV acted as a breach between these two generations. The increased lethality of the new gun kept it relevant in combat against Soviet tanks.[73] Shipment of the tanks with longer guns began in Spring 1942, and by the time the summer offensive of 1942 there were around 135 Panzer IVs with the new 75-millimeter (2.95 in) L/43 tank gun—they were the only German tank, at the time, which could defeat Soviet heavy armor.[74] These tanks played a crucial role in the events which unfolded between June 1942 and March 1943.[75] By this time, the Panzer IV became almost the exclusive tank of the German panzer divisions.[76] The new long barreled gun was all important in the destruction of Soviet tanks during the spring operations of 1943, helping to stabilize the front after Field Marshal Erich von Manstein's victory at Kharkov in March 1943.[77] The Tiger tank was not being produced in enough numbers at the time to make an impact and was suffering from serious teething problems, while the Panther had not yet begun production and were not delivered to German units in the Soviet Union until May 1943.[78] This is illustrated by the 502 Panzer IV tanks lost on the Eastern Front in 1942.[79]

Despite the greater availability of the Tiger and Panther tanks, the Panzer IV remained to play an important role during operations in 1943, including during the Battle of Kursk. At this time, newer tanks such as the Panther were still experiencing crippling teething problems which restricted their combat efficiency.[80] Much of the effort fell onto the 841 Panzer IVs which took part in the battle.[81] Throughout 1943, the German Army lost 2,352 Panzer IVs on the Eastern Front.[82] Some divisions were down to 12–18 tanks by late 1943.[76] In 1944, 2,643 Panzer IVs were lost in Russia, which were becoming more and more difficult to replace.[83] The elimination of Army Group Center in mid-1944, during Operation Bagration, crippled the Wehrmacht.[84] Elsewhere, German divisions defended themselves like they could, attempting to escape encirclement.[85] In the final months of the war the Panzer IV found itself outclassed by the larger 85-millimeter (3.35 in) tank gun on the T-34/85 and by the 122-millimeter (4.8 in) gun on the IS tank series.[86]

Two hundred and eighty-seven Panzer IVs were lost on the Eastern Front in January 1945. It's estimated that 6,153 Panzer IVs were lost in total against Soviet forces throughout the war, or about 75% of all Panzer IV losses.[87]

Western Europe 1943–1945

British officers inspect a German Panzer IV knocked out in France in June 1944

Despite allied air superiority over France in mid-1944, German tanks inflicted horrendous casualties amongst American and British armor in the Bocage, during the invasion of Normandy. German tanks, however, found themselves vulnerable to infantry-held anti-tank weapons, tank destroyers and anti-tank guns, as well as aircraft flying overhead.[88] Experiences with long-barreled German tanks in North Africa and Northern France had led the allies to begin development of lethality improvement programs of their own. These resulted in the British Firefly, based on the American M4 Sherman,[89] and the American 76-millimeter (2.99 in) M1 tank gun.[90] Besides fighting in France, the Panzer IV was also one of the most widely used tanks during the Battle of the Bulge, where losses impaired major German armored operations in the West thereafter.[91]

Variants

A number of variants were built on the Panzer IV chassis, including self-propelled artillery guns and anti-air vehicles. One of the most well known variant of the Panzer IV was the Panzerbefehlswagen IV (abbreviated Pz.Bef.Wg.). The conversion consisted of the installation of additional radio sets, 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 armor, infantry or even aircraft. 17 Panzerbefehlswagens were converted from Ausf. J chassis, while another 88 were converted from refurbished chassis.[92] Another major variant was the Panzerbeobachtungswagen III, which were also built from Panzer III chassis, which served as artillery observation vehicles. These two received new radio equipment for communication and an electrical generator, installed in the left rear corner of the fighting compartment. They worked in cooperation with Wespe and Hummel batteries.[93]

Heuschrecke on display at the US Army Ordnance Museum in Aberdeen.

Panzer IV parts were used in conjunction with parts from the Panzer III to make one of the most widely used chassis for self-propelled artillery during the war—the Geschützwagen III/IV. This vehicle used the Panzer IV Ausf. F bogie units, return rollers and idler wheel. The chassis was used for the 88-millimeter (3.46 in) armed Nashorn tank destroyer (473 built) and for the Hummel artillery piece (666 built).[94] Also based on the Panzer IV chassis was the Sturmpanzer IV Brummbär 150-millimeter (5.9 in) self-propelled artillery piece. These vehicles were primarily issued to four Sturmpanzer units (216, 217, 218 and 219) and used during the battle of Kursk and in Italy in 1943. Two separate versions of the Sturmpanzer IV existed, one without a machine gun in the mantlet and one with a machine gun mounted on the mantlet of the casemate.[95] Two test vehicles with the 128-millimeter Pak gun were built on the Panzer IV chassis and were called the "Stubborn Emil" by German troops. Furthermore, a 105-millimeter (4.13 in) artillery gun was mounted in a turret on a Panzer IV chassis. This experimental variant was called the Heuschrecke, or Grasshopper.[96] One hundred and fifty ammunition carriers were manufactured on this chassis, as well, to resupply self-propelled howitzers in the field.[97]

Several tank destroyers were built based on the Panzer IV chassis, as well. This includes the Jagdpanzer IV, armed with the 75-millimeter (2.95 in) tank gun (768 manufactured)[98] and the Sturmgeschütz IV, which was the casemate of the Sturmgeschütz III mounted on the body of the Panzer IV.[99] Later on, the Jagdpanzer IV received a L/70 75-millimeter (2.95 in) tank gun.[100]

Four different types of self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicles were built on the Panzer IV hull. The Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen was armed with a 37-millimeter (1.46 in) Flak cannon and 240 were built between 1944 and 1945. In late 1944 a new Flankpanzer, called the Wirbelwind, was designed with enough armor to protect the gun's crew and a rotating turret, armed with quadruple Flak 38 guns (at least 100 were manufactured). Sixty-five similar vehicles were built, named the Ostwind, but with a single 37-millimeter (1.46 in) Flak cannon instead. This vehicle was designed to replace the Wirbelwind. The final anti-aircraft vehicle built on the Panzer IV hull was the Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz, of which only five were built. This vehicle featured a covered turret armed with two 30-millimeter (1.18 in) Flak cannons.[101]

Notes

  1. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 69
  2. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 5
  3. ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 4
  4. ^ a b c d e Spielberger (1972), p. 70
  5. ^ a b c d Perrett (1999), p. 5
  6. ^ Simpkin (1979), p. 106
  7. ^ de Mazarrasa (1994), p. 46
  8. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 5; Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 6
  9. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 6
  10. ^ a b c Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 7
  11. ^ a b Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 4
  12. ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 6; Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 7
  13. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 6; Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 6
  14. ^ a b c d e Perrett (1999), p. 6
  15. ^ Spielberger (1972), pp. 70–71
  16. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 31
  17. ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 71
  18. ^ Perrett (1999), p.7
  19. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 5
  20. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp.6–7
  21. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 7
  22. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 73
  23. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 8
  24. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 38
  25. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 11–12
  26. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 12
  27. ^ a b Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 44
  28. ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 8
  29. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 13
  30. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 14
  31. ^ a b Perrett (1999), p. 9
  32. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 53–54
  33. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 14
  34. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 15
  35. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 36; Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 16; Spielberger (1972), p. 72
  36. ^ Entered service December 1939; Perrett (1999), p. 6
  37. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 72; Cabellero & Moline (2006) suggest 467 Panzer IVs were manufactured in 1941 and only 278 manufactured in 1940 (p. 4)
  38. ^ Ausf. F entered production during the spring of 1941 and Ausf. G entered service sometime later the same year; Perrett (1999), p. 8
  39. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002) suggest that 8,600 were manufactured total (p. 36)
  40. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 36
  41. ^ Perrett (1999), pp. 5–6
  42. ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 72
  43. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 33
  44. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 36
  45. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 16
  46. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 63
  47. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 63–66
  48. ^ a b c Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 66
  49. ^ a b c d Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 41; Perrett (1999), p. 44, claims Bulgaria received 88 Panzer IVs.
  50. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 76–82
  51. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 67
  52. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 44
  53. ^ de Mazarrasa (1994), p. 50
  54. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 4
  55. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 3
  56. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 82
  57. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 51
  58. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 34
  59. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 24
  60. ^ Perrett (1998), p. 37
  61. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 33
  62. ^ Guderian (1996), p. 472
  63. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 72
  64. ^ McCarthy & Syron (2002), p. 73
  65. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 4–5
  66. ^ Crawford (2000), p. 4
  67. ^ Crawford (2000), p. 50
  68. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 34
  69. ^ a b Ormeño (2007), p. 48
  70. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 21
  71. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 23
  72. ^ Perrett (1999), pp. 34–35
  73. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 83
  74. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 33
  75. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 35–36
  76. ^ a b Spielberger (1972), p. 87
  77. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 38
  78. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 42
  79. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 39
  80. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 39
  81. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 47
  82. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 48
  83. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), p. 51
  84. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), p. 38
  85. ^ Perrett (1999), pp. 39–40
  86. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 40
  87. ^ Caballero & Molina (2006), pp. 59–62
  88. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 43
  89. ^ Fletcher (2008), pp. 5–8
  90. ^ Fletcher (2008), p. 43
  91. ^ Perrett (1999), p. 44
  92. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 41–42
  93. ^ Doyle & Jentz (2001), pp. 42–43
  94. ^ Spielberger (1972), pp. 81–82
  95. ^ Scheibert (1991), pp. 32–33
  96. ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 43
  97. ^ Spielberger (1972), p. 82
  98. ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 38
  99. ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 37
  100. ^ Scheibert (1991), p. 44
  101. ^ Scheibert (1991), pp. 37–42


References

  • Crawford, Steve (11 November 2000). Tanks of World War II. Zenith Press. p. 96. ISBN 0760309361. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • de Mazarrasa, Javier (1994). Blindados en España 2ª Parte: La Dificil Postguerra 1939-1960 (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: Quiron Ediciones. p. 184. ISBN 84 87314 10 4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Doyle, Hilary (2001). Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. G, H and J 1942-45. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 1 84176 183 4. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Fletcher, David (2008). Sherman Firefly. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 978 1 84603 277 6. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • McCarthy, Peter (2002). Panzerkieg: The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Tank Divisions. New York City, New York: Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-1009-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Molina, Lucas (October 2006). Panzer IV: El puño de la Whermacht (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: AFEditores. p. 96. ISBN 84 96016 81 1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Ormeño, Javier (1 January 2007). "Panzerkampfwagen III: El pequeño veterano de la Werhmacht". SERGA (45). Madrid, Spain: Almena: 20.
  • Perrett, Bryan (1998). German Light Panzers 1932-42. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 1 85532 844 5. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Perrett, Bryan (1999). Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 9978 1 85532 843 3. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Scheibert, Horst (1991). The Panzer IV Family. West Chester, PA: Schiffer Military History. p. 47. ISBN 0-88740-359-X. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Simpkin, Richard E. (1979). Tank Warfare: An analysis of Soviet and NATO tank philosophy. London, United Kingdom: Brassey's. p. 232. ISBN 0 904609 25 1. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  • Spielberger, Walter (April 1972). PanzerKampfwagen IV. Berkshire, United Kingdom: Profile Publications Ltd. p. 23. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

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