Category: WW2 German Improvised Vehicles

German Reich (1945)
Improvised Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun – At Least One Built

In the final months of the war, the Germans were losing men and materials on all fronts. Out of desperation, all kinds of improvised vehicles, mostly based on obsolete vehicles or simply whatever was at hand, were rushed into service. One such vehicle was built using a Panzer I Ausf.B chassis on top of which a 7.5 cm StuK 40 was placed, for use in the futile defense of Berlin in 1945

History

By 1945, the German Army and its industry were in ruins. The Allied bombing campaigns, lack of resources, and the rapid advances of Germany’s enemies on their own soil made the production of new vehicles difficult. Despite this, the German war industry was desperately hanging on, producing limited quantities of new vehicles. By this point, these efforts were hopelessly insufficient to rearm the depleted German military formations. In desperation, some improvised vehicles were created by using all kinds of available chassis, ranging from experimental, obsolete, or even training vehicles, and adding whatever weapons were at hand.

Vehicles such as the Panzer I were reused in this manner, creating unusual and rare improvised fighting vehicles. The Panzer I Ausf.A and B were introduced as the first real German serially-produced tank in 1935. Even though it was obsolete by 1939, it still saw service throughout the war. After 1941, these were retired from service as combat tanks, but their chassis were reused for other purposes, mostly as training or ammunition supply roles. By 1945, their numbers were greatly diminished due to many factors, such as combat losses.

Using such a vehicle as an improvised fighting platform speaks for itself in regard to German desperation at this point. Thanks to a surviving photograph, we know that at least one Panzer I Ausf.B was modified by removing the turret and parts of the superstructure and adding a 7.5 cm StuK 40 gun taken from a StuG III. Who exactly built it and when is unknown. What is known is that it was used during the defense of Berlin in 1945.

Name

Given its improvised construction, this vehicle likely never received any form of proper designation. This article will use Panzer I Ausf.B mit (English: with) 7.5 cm StuK 40 for the sake of simplicity.

Design

The overall design of this vehicle is unfortunately not documented in any sources. Based on the only known photograph, several educated guesses about its overall construction.

Hull

The Panzer I hull appears to have been left unchanged. Like all German tanks, it could be divided into three sections: the front part where the transmission was placed, the central crew compartment, and the rear-positioned engine. The overall construction was made out of several armor plates welded together, with a firewall separating the engine compartment and the crew compartment.

Suspension

The suspension is another element that remained unchanged. It consisted of five road wheels per side. The first wheel used a coil spring mount design with an elastic shock absorber in order to prevent any outward bending. The remaining four wheels were mounted in pairs on a suspension cradle with leaf spring units. There was a front drive sprocket, rear idler, and four small return rollers.

The Panzer I Ausf.B was never fully reliable, especially when the chassis was converted for other purposes, such as the 15 cm sIG 33 auf Panzerkampfwagen I ohne Aufbau (English: Without a superstructure). Given the added weight of the 15 cm sIG 33 gun, the suspension was very prone to malfunctions and breakdowns.

This was likely also the case with the 7.5 cm L/48 gun, as the weight and recoil force when firing would likely cause damage to the suspension, as its design was never intended to be able to resist such stress.

Engine

The Panzer I Ausf.B was powered by a water-cooled Maybach NL 38 Tr, which was able to supply 100 hp at 3,000 rpm. The maximum speed with this engine was 40 km/h and only 15 km/h cross-country. The added weight of the gun, ammunition, and likely additional crew members on the Panzer I Ausf.B mit 7.5 cm StuK 40 would have led to an overall weight increase of possibly up to 2 tonnes, if not more. This would greatly affect the engine’s overall performance, although to what extent is unknown. The standard Panzer I fuel load capacity was around 144 liters, which provided an operational range of up to 170 km. By 1945, fuel was a scarce commodity for the Germans, so regardless, it is unlikely that this vehicle ever received any large enough quantities of fuel to go anywhere besides its station point.

Superstructure

The superstructure of this vehicle received a series of modifications that were necessary in order to install the large gun. The upper armor and the turret were removed. Parts of the rear armor appear to have been slightly cut down.

Two interesting features can be noticed on the right side of the superstructure. Firstly, there is an unidentified round-shaped object that casts a shadow on the superstructure. It is possible that this was a seat added for the loader, although it could also simply be an extended plate to provide the loader with more working space. In front of it, a larger flat plate with a handle can be seen. It appears not to be an original part of the Panzer I, as it is on the side that did not have any hatch. This part could also be intended to be lowered and provide the loader with more working space. In either case, due to a lack of information, we cannot be sure. Interestingly, on top of the frontsuperstructure, a small shield was added to cover the space between the gun shield and the mount.

Armor

The armor of the Panzer I Ausf.A and B was quite thin. The Panzer I’s front hull armor ranged from 8 to 13 mm. The side armor was 13 mm, the bottom 5 mm, and the rear 13 mm. The armor was made of rolled homogenous hardened plates with a Brinell hardness of 850. It was welded and formed the body of the superstructure and hull. Whilst insufficient to protect against tank and anti-tank gunfire, this armor was still adequate to provide protection from enemy small arms.

The crew operating the gun was only protected by the gun shield. The armor thickness of it is unknown, but it was likely only a few millimeters thick. Given the small working space for the gun operator and the loader, both would be quite exposed to the enemy’s small arms fire. Light armor does not necessarily mean that the vehicle was useless, thanks to its gun it could still fire at great ranges and from well-selected positions.

On the other hand, this was neither 1942 nor 1943, when German guns had a huge advantage over Soviet armored vehicles. By 1945, the Soviets employed tanks such as the T-34-85 and the IS-2, which had enough firepower to deal with German Tiger and Panther tanks at a distance, so a lightly protected Panzer I was surely no problem for them. It is also noteworthy that as this vehicle was used in the defense of Berlin, combat action was likely to occur at close ranges, making this vehicle quite exposed.

Armament

The main armament of this modified vehicle was the 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun, which was probably taken from a damaged StuG III assault gun. This gun was developed by Krupp and Rheinmetall in 1942. It was initially used with a barrel length of L/43, although later that year it was increased to L/48. Both versions of the gun had a semi-automatic breech, which means that, after firing, the spent cartridge would be self-ejected, thus increasing the overall firing rate. It was fired electrically. When mounted on StuG III vehicles, the elevation of this gun went from –6° to +20°, while the traverse was 10° to either side. The elevation, depression, and traverse limits for this gun as mounted on the modified Panzer I are unknown.

Armor-piercing shells fired from this gun had a muzzle velocity of 790 m/s. The armor-piercing (Pz.Gr.39) round could penetrate 85 mm of armor (sloped at 30°) at 1 km. The maximum range of the high-explosive rounds was 3.3 km while, for armor-piercing, 1.4 to 2.3 km, depending on the type used. The gunner used the Selbstfahrlafetten Zielfernrohr Sfl.Z.F.1a gun sight to acquire direct targets. For indirect targets, on the other hand, either the Rundblickfernrohr 32 or 36 were used, which had a magnification of 5x and a field of view of 8°.

In order to install this gun on the Panzer I’s hull, some modifications were needed. First, a stable platform base had to be placed inside the hull. On top of it, the 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 with its mount was placed. The protective recoil cylinder mantlet was not used on this vehicle. Given the gun’s weight, the Germans added a large travel lock in front of the gun. The whole gun installation would take up most of the Panzer I’s interior, making room for spare ammunition difficult. The only possible location where the ammunition would have been located was atop of the engine compartment. A minor change to the gun was the lack of the spent cartridge bag.

Crew

Normally, a vehicle like this modified Panzer I would have needed at least three crew members to be fully effective. A driver located inside the vehicle would have been the only crew member fully protected by armor, a gunner who would possibly have also acted as the commander positioned to the left of the gun, and a loader positioned opposite the gunner. The two gun operators would have had quite limited space to effectively operate this vehicle. Based on the German’s lack of manpower by 1945, it is also probable that this vehicle may have had an even smaller crew of possibly two. This meant that these two had to perform other tasks too, in addition to their original ones.

Was the Panzer I Ausf.B mit 7.5 cm StuK 40 Used in Combat?

Nothing is known about the history of this vehicle. Based on the available photograph, we can assume that it was modified in and saw service in Berlin. A detail that helps us identify where the photo of the Panzer I Ausf.B mit 7.5 cm StuK 40 was taken is the command tower that can be seen in the background. Berlin was defended by three immense Flakturme (English: Flak towers): Flakturm Humboldhain, Flakturm Tiergarten, and Volkspark Friedrichshain. These were basically massive, reinforced concrete bunkers equipped with several larger-caliber anti-aircraft guns. Each gun tower was provided with more minor but still huge command towers. Their purpose was to relay information about enemy air activity.

Flakturm Humboldhain was placed on a small hill that does not appear in the photograph, so it can be excluded. The command tower for ‘Zoo-bunker’ lacked some features, such as the four round-shaped concrete platforms located on the tower’s top, that the tower in the picture has. The most probable explanation is that the tower in the background belongs to the Volkspark Friedrichshain tower. The design of the command tower is similar and also there are buildings to the left of the Panzer I’s position which match those in the photo.

The missing track links may indicate that this vehicle was not fully operational and was instead towed to its defense point. Given that the picture of it was taken in an open space and the Panzer I Ausf.B mit 7.5 cm StuK 40’s weak protection, this would be an illogical thing to do. It is possible that by the time the photograph was taken, it was already in the process of being salvaged for scrap. On the other hand, it may have been in the process of being towed before being abandoned in a rush.

Another possibility is that this vehicle was at some point converted to this gun configuration to be used as a training vehicle with the gun not actually intended to be fired. While this at first seems logical, given the weight of the gun which would have put too much stress on the chassis, this seems highly unlikely.

In any case, the fate of this vehicle is unknown, but it was likely scrapped after the war by the Soviets.

Conclusion

Placing a large gun such as the 7,5 cm StuK 40 on a chassis weak and prone to malfunctions difficult to understand. Even in desperation, whoever built it must have known that the recoil force of the gun was simply too much for the Panzer I’s chassis to handle. Firing could have easily led to the breakdown of some components of the suspension or the engine. Armor protection was almost non-existent. Even using it as a static emplacement would be suicidal, as the vehicle’s height would not have allowed for it to be easily camouflaged.

Sources

D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
Walter J. Spielberger (1993) Sturmgeschütz and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
T. Anderson (2016) Sturmartillerie Spierhead Of the Infantry, Osprey Publishing
P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
Ian V. Hogg (1975) German Artillery of World War Two, Purnell Book Services Ltd
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No.1-1 Panzerkampfwagen I

German Reich (1943)
Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun – At Least 3 Modified

In the early years of the Second World War, the Germans did not use a dedicated anti-aircraft vehicle based on a tank chassis. As the German Air Force was more than capable of providing cover for the panzers, this was not deemed a priority at that point. In the later stages of the war, things changed drastically, and the need for well-protected vehicles based on tank chassis became apparent. While attempts were made to design such vehicles in late 1943, they led to the creation of a 3.7 cm armed Flakpanzer IV which had folding sides. This design proved to be unsuccessful for many reasons, forcing the Germans to find another solution. In late 1943 or early 1944, the 12th SS Panzer Division’s Anti-Aircraft Detachment decided to take matters into their own hands and modified three Panzer IVs by adding the 2 cm Flakvierling 38 on top of the superstructure. Little did they know that their improved design would lead to the creation of probably the best German anti-aircraft vehicle and possibly even the best of its class during the war.

Search for an Anti-Aircraft Tank

In the early stages of the Second World War, the responsibility for covering the ground forces from enemy air attacks was solely in the hands of the Luftwaffe (English: German Air Force). This did not mean that the Panzer divisions and other ground forces were left without the means to respond to any kind of such threat. The Germans employed a series of anti-aircraft weapons, from standard machine guns provided with anti-aircraft mounts to more dedicated weapons, including the 2 cm, 3.7 cm, and the 8.8 cm anti-aircraft guns. There were also other caliber weapons, such as the 5.5 cm Flak, which proved to be a failure and was never used in any significant number. These were mostly towed weapons quite well suited to slow infantry formations.

Panzer divisions were units whose greatest combat potential was combined firepower and excellent mobility. Once the enemy line was pierced, they would rush into the enemy’s rear, causing great havoc and preventing them from forming an organized retreat. Towed anti-aircraft guns did not work well in this concept, and a weapon system with better speed was more desirable. The Germans employed a series of half-tracks for this purpose. For example, in their organizational structure (dated April 1941), the anti-aircraft companies of a Panzer division consisted of four 2 cm armed Sd.Kfz.10 and two Sd.Kfz.7/1 half-tracks armed with the four-barrel version of the same gun. In addition, the same number of towed guns was also included. As the German industry never managed to fully equip the Army, these numbers differed depending on the availability of these weapons. Half-tracks armed with anti-aircraft guns proved vital in providing the panzer divisions with protection from enemy aircraft attacks, but they themselves were far from perfect. Probably their greatest problem was the lack of protection. While some would receive armored cabins, this was not enough.

Developing a mobile self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle based on a tank chassis was deemed to be more effective. The first such attempt was more a field modification, adapting a Panzer I for this role. A more dedicated attempt was initiated in 1942, when Krupp was instructed to develop a lightweight chassis that would be able to be armed with a variety of weapons, ranging from 2 cm to even 5 cm anti-aircraft guns.  To speed up development time, the Panzer II ‘Luchs’ chassis was proposed for the project. Given the cancellation of the Panzer II Luchs, Krupp instead proposed the ‘Leopard’ chassis in early November 1942. As the Leopard suffered the same fate as the Luchs, this idea was also scrapped. Proposals to use a modified six-wheel Panzer IV chassis also lead nowhere. In any case, the already overburdened German industry had enough problems keeping up with demand. As such, adding another chassis was deemed unnecessary.

The simpler solution was to use a Panzer IV chassis for this project. Other chassis were not considered, as the older vehicles were being phased out of production, while the newer Panther was desperately needed in its original tank configuration. The Luftwaffe officials initiated this project in June 1943. Once again, Krupp was responsible for its realization. This would lead to the creation of the 2 cm Flakvierling auf Fahrgestell Panzer IV prototype. This was basically a Panzer IV with a modified superstructure with four large folding sides. As the armament was deemed insufficient, a stronger 3.7 cm anti-craft gun was to be installed instead. As this caused some delays in the start of production, as a temporary solution, the Panzer 38(t) was modified into an anti-aircraft vehicle armed with one 2 cm gun, leading to the creation of the Flakpanzer 38(t).

Need for a New Design

The previously mentioned Flakpanzer projects, while resolving some issues to some extent, were far from perfect. For example, in the case of the Flakpanzer 38(t), it was simply too lightly armed. The larger Panzer IV offered a better platform for stronger armament. But the early Flakpanzer IV design had a huge disadvantage. Namely, in order to give the vehicle crew enough visibility to spot enemy aircraft at long range, they had an overly complicated platform with folding armor sides. These needed to be lowered in order for the gun to be used.

A Flakpanzer that incorporated its armament in a fully traversable turret was seen as the solution. In early 1944, Generaloberst Guderian, Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (English: Inspector-General for Armored Troops), gave the Inspektion der Panzertruppen 6 / In 6 (English: Armored Troops’ Inspection Office 6) direct orders to begin work on a new Flakpanzer.  This order contained a series of requirements that this vehicle had to comply with. A protected and fully traversable turret was seen as important. An interesting fact to point out is that, at this point, the development of the Flakpanzer was solely the responsibility of In 6 due to Generaloberst Guderian’s personal orders.

In 6’s new Flakpanzer project was led by the Generalmajor Dipl. Ing. E. Bolbrinker. After a short analysis of the state of the German military economy, it became immediately clear that designing a completely new Flakpanzer was out of the question. The German industry was hard-pressed, mostly due to the high demands for more combat vehicles and constant Allied bombing raids, so designing and building a new vehicle would take too much time and resources, both lacking by 1944. Another solution was needed. Generalmajor Bolbrinker hoped that, by collecting a team of young tank officers, their enthusiasm and ideas would help him find a solution to this problem. This group of young tank officers was led by Oberleutnant J. von Glatter Gotz, who is mostly known for his later Kugelblitz Flakpanzer design. Little did they know that such a vehicle was already being operated by a German unit on the Western Front.

Field Modified Flakpanzer 

In the hope of increasing the mobility of anti-aircraft guns, it was somewhat common for the German troops to mount these on any available chassis. Usually, simple trucks were mainly employed in this role. All kinds of captured vehicles were also used in this manner but in limited scope. Tank chassis were rarely used for this modification, mainly due to the insufficient numbers, but they did occasionally happen. For example, the obsolete Panzer I chassis was reused to mount either small-caliber machine guns to even 3.7 cm caliber anti-aircraft machine guns. The Bergepanzer 38(t) chassis was also used in this manner. Even the larger Panther was used in this role. For example, the troops from the 653rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion (which operated the Ferdinand anti-tank vehicles) modified one of their Bergepanther by adding a four-barrel 2 cm anti-aircraft gun on top of it. These, of course, were unique vehicles that were mostly simple field modifications built by using salvaged damaged tanks in order to use them for other purposes, in this case as mobile anti-aircraft vehicles.

The Karl Wilhelm Krause Filed Modified Flakpanzer IV

One such modification would be initiated by Untersturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause, who was the commander of the Anti-Aircraft Battalion of the 12th Panzer Regiment. This anti-aircraft battalion was part of the infamous 12th SS Panzer Division ‘Hitlerjugend’. The 12th SS Panzer Division itself was relatively new, being formed in summer 1943 in Western Europe. Elements of the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Division (LSSAH) were used as its base, supplemented by veterans of the ordinary German Army, the Wehrmacht, but also some from the Luftwaffe. Interestingly, the majority of the 12th SS Panzer Division’s personnel was rather young, being 17 or 18 years old. Its combat strength just prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944 consisted of some 98 Panzer IV Ausf.H and J and 66 Panthers. For anti-aircraft defense, it was provided with 12 Flakpanzer 38(t) SPAAGs and 34 2 cm Flak guns.

At this point, it is important to note that the work of Karl Wilhelm Krause was rather obscure and is poorly documented in the sources. While a number of sources mention that this modification was likely made in 1944, H. Meyer (The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division: Volume One) mentions that these vehicles were present in the unit way back to at least October 1943. In the organizational structure, the 12th Panzer Regiment’s 2nd Abteilung (English: Battalion or detachment) consisted of one platoon equipped with three modified 2 cm Flakvierling 38 armed Panzer IVs instead of its intended 2 cm Flak platoon (with 6 guns).

Karl Wilhelm Krause experimented with the idea of mounting a 2 cm Flakvierling 38 on a Panzer IV chassis. He proposed this idea to his superior, Obersturmbannfuhrer Karl-Heinz Prinz, who gave him the green light for its implementation. The whole installation was simple in nature. The turret was simply removed and a modified mount the Flak was placed on top. As previously mentioned, it is likely that no more than three such vehicles were converted.

During this time, in Germany, In 6 was heavily involved in the new Flakpanzer development. Due to the deteriorating German industrial situation, the simplest and cheapest solution was desperately needed. At some point, Generalmajor Bolbrinker heard of Krause’s Flakpanzer work and dispatched Leutnant Hans Christoph Count von Seherr-Thoss to France in order to inspect this vehicle. Leutnant Hans was impressed with this vehicle and wrote a report about it to In 6 on 27th April 1944. In it, he suggested that this vehicle should be used as the base for the new Flakpanzer IV project. It also claimed that the 12th Panzer Regiment’s commander, Obersturmbannführer Max-Wünsche, presented a picture of this vehicle to Adolf Hitler himself, who urged the use of this vehicle as the basis for the new Flakpanzer which was in development. There appears to be no official or unofficial name given to these vehicles.

Design

The design of the vehicle is not mentioned in any available sources. Which precise chassis version was used is unclear given the relative obscurity and poor coverage in the sources. Author H. Walther (The 12th SS Panzer Division HJ) simply mentions that three 2 cm anti-aircraft guns were mounted on older Panzer IV chassis. If this conversion was made in late 1943, using tanks that were already in the Division, this would mean that these were likely Panzer IV Ausf.Hs.

The available pictures of the vehicles offer a chance to identify the tank chassis. Given that one vehicle had the flat driver plate with the round-shaped machine gun ball mount of the new type, it could be any chassis starting from the Ausf.F onward. What is odd is to use new tanks in this manner, given that the Germans were in short supply of them. The likely scenario is that they reused older tanks, like the short barrel Ausf.F, which may have been used as a training vehicle in the division. Damaged tanks were often reused in this manner too, but given the fact that the 12th SS Panzer Division was newly created and did not see combat by this point, it is unlikely that they would have received a damaged Panzer IV tank, besides maybe for training. In any case, due to the similarities between different late Panzer IV vehicles, only some educated guesses can be made about their overall construction.

The Hull

The hull appears to have been unchanged from the original Panzer IV, which seems to have been the most logical thing to do. The most obvious place to implement changes would be on top of the superstructure, where the main armament was positioned.

The Suspension and Running Gear

This Flakpanzer IV’s suspension and running gear were the same as those of the original Panzer IV, with no changes to the overall construction. They consisted of eight small doubled road wheels on each side suspended in pairs by leaf-spring units. There were two front-drive sprockets and two rear idlers in total. The number of return rollers is not clear, as the vehicle side is partially covered with wooden branches, but appears to be standard four on each side.

The front-drive sprocket can give some hints on which version these (or at least one) vehicles were based on. This vehicle used the driver sprocket similar to that used on the Panzer Ausf.F and G versions. The later Ausf.H and J used a slightly simplified sprocket design. Of course, many later produced or repaired Panzer IV used any parts that were available, and seeing versions that incorporated parts from different versions was rare but possible.

The Engine 

Both the Panzer IV Ausf.G and H used the same engine, the Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 hp @ 2,600 rpm. The Ausf.G was a bit faster, at 42 km/h, while the heavier Ausf.H had a reduced maximum speed of 38 km/h. The operational range was 210 km on a good road and 130 km cross-country. The fuel load of 470 liters was also unchanged.

The Superstructure

The superstructure received some modifications in order to accommodate the 2 cm Flak gun. What precisely was done is unknown. In the photographs of this vehicle, it appears that the 2 cm Flak gun was slightly recessed inside the turret opening. It also could simply be a simple illusion due to perspective. In any case, the mount had to be installed inside or on top of the superstructure. As this vehicle was used as inspiration for the later Wirbelwind, the latter’s design could cast some light on how this may have been achieved. To make a stable platform for the new gun, on the Wirbelwind, the gun support was constructed from two T-shaped carriers (around 2.2 m long) that were welded to the chassis interior. An additional plate with holes for securing the gun was also added. This plate also had a large round-shaped opening for the mounting of the collector ring. This collector ring was important, as it enabled supplying the turret with electricity from the tank’s hull.

The Armor Protection

The armor protection of the hull and the superstructure ranged from a maximum of 80 mm to 8 mm. The difference was that the Ausf.G used 50 mm of frontal armor with added (welded or bolted) 30 mm of armor. Most built Ausf.H tanks received the single 80 mm thick frontal armor plates.

With the two surviving pictures of these vehicles, it can be seen that one vehicle did not even have the gun’s armored plate, that was normally used with this weapon. The second vehicle received a rather simple three-sided armor, the thickness of which is unknown, but likely only a few millimeters thick to stop small-caliber bullets or shrapnel. The rear and top are completely open.

The Armament

This vehicle was armed with the 2 cm Flakvierling 38 anti-aircraft gun. A well-known anti-aircraft gun of the Second World War, it was designed by Mauser-Werke to replace the older 2 cm Flak 30 and was introduced in May 1940. Its effective firing range was between 2 to 2.2 km, while the maximum horizontal range was 5,782 m. The maximum rate of fire was 1,680 to 1,920 rpm, but 700-800 rpm was a more appropriate operational rate of fire. The elevation was –10° to +100°.

While the 2 cm Flakvierling 38 was fed by 20-round magazines, it is unknown how much ammunition was carried inside the vehicle. The gun itself had a special ammunition box in its base on both sides, where up to 8 magazines could be stored and which were in easy reach by the two loaders. This meant that at least 320 rounds could be carried around the gun. Given that the internal 7.5 cm ammunition racks were empty, as the original main gun was removed, additional space could have be used to store more magazines inside the vehicle’s hull.

For self-defense, the crew had at their disposal one MG 34 with 600 rounds of ammunition and their personal weapons, with some 3,150 rounds of ammunition, which was standard for all Panzer IVs at this point.

The Crew

In order to effectively operate this vehicle’s main gun, the gun crew had to consist of a minimum of three members. These included the gunner, positioned in the center, and two loaders placed on either side of the gun. These crew members were placed on top of the superstructure. Inside the vehicle, the driver and the radio operator (also the hull machine gun operator) were unchanged. According to the surviving photographs, a commander was also present, probably acting as an additional spotter for potential targets and directing the whole operation. It is also likely that he too was positioned on the top of the superstructure.

In Combat 

Not much is known about the precise use of these vehicles by the 12th SS Panzer Division.  One of the first mentions of the combat actions of these Flakpanzer IVs regards 14th June near Caen. On that morning, a high-ranking officer, Sturmbannführer Hubert Meyer, along with his driver, Rottenführer Helmut Schmieding, went to examine the 26th Panzer Regiment’s positions near le Haut du Bosq. On their way back, they were spotted by an Allied ground attack aircraft, which proceeded to attack them. While they managed to find cover, the enemy aircraft was engaged by the field-modified Flalpanzer IV. The enemy aircraft was quickly brought down by the extensive anti-aircraft fire.

By 9th July, the 12th SS Panzer Division was fighting a losing battle for Caen. It was one of the last German units to abandon Caen’s defense. By this point, its fighting strength was greatly reduced, consisting of only 25 Panthers, 19 Panzer IVs, and a few remaining Flakpanzers. If the three modified Panzer IVs survived up to this point is unknown, but unlikely.

During the actions in France in 1944, these Flakpanzers were noted to be quite an effective weapon system. They were credited with shooting down at least 27 enemy aircraft.  One of the gunners of these vehicles, Sturmmann Richard Schwarzwälder, later wrote: “… On 14 June 1944, when you were being chased by a fighter-bomber, I already had downed seven aircraft and been awarded the Iron T Cross II. I had a total of fourteen kills … At the start of the invasion, it was still easy to shoot them down, the guys were flying low and were inexperienced. However, this was to change soon. .. “.

The fate of the three modified Flakpanzer IV is unknown. Given that the Germans suffered great losses in the West during 1944, it is suggested that these were likely lost at some point in the campaign. At least one vehicle appears to have been captured intact after possibly being abandoned by the Germans (either broken down or running out of fuel, which was a common thing for the Germans at this point of the war). Its fate is unknown but it was likely scrapped at some point by the Allies.

What was left of the Division would be pulled back to Germany to be rearmed and for recuperation. In October 1944, in order to replace its lost Flakpanzers, it received four 2cm Flakvierling 38 armed and four 3.7 cm armed Flakpanzer IVs. In the case of the 2 cm armed Flakpanzer, this was the new Wirbelwind, which by this point entered service in limited numbers. Ironically, the unit was armed with the vehicle they helped develop.

Legacy of Karl Wilhelm Krause Flakpanzers

Karl Wilhelm Krause’s Flakpanzer design, despite being a simple improvisation, greatly influenced further Flakpanzer IV development. Based on his work, an improved Flakpanzer IV that was equipped with a fully rotating open-top turret armed with four 2 cm Flakvierling 38 would be developed. This was the Flakpanzer IV ‘Wirbelwind’ (English: Whirlwind), of which over 100 were built (the precise number is unknown). They proved to be highly effective and served up to the end of the war.

Conclusion

Karl Wilhelm’s Flakpanzer IV, while just a simple field modification, proved to be an excellent anti-aircraft vehicle given how many enemy aircraft it is claimed it shot down. His design was not without flaws. These vehicles were poorly protected, as the crew (at least on one vehicle) did not even have a gun shield, making them completely exposed to any kind of enemy return fire. Given the limited information available on them, a more detailed analysis of the whole design is impossible. Regardless, given the fact that it served as a base for the later Wirbelwind, it seems that the whole design had merits that the Germans recognized.

Sources

• T. Anderson (2020) The History of the Panzerwaffe, Osprey Publishing
• P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
• Walter J. Spielberger (1982). Gepard The History of German Anti-Aircraft tanks, Bernard & Graefe
• D. Terlisten (2009) Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind and Ostwind, Nuts and Bolts
• Y. Buffetaut (2018) German Armor in Normandy, Casemate
• H. Walther (1989) The 12th SS Panzer Division HJ, Schlifer Publisher
• H. Meyer (2005) The 12th SS The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division: Volume One, Stockpile Book
• H. Meyer (2005) The 12th SS The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division: Volume Two, Stockpile Book
• K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication.
• Ian V. Hogg (1975) German Artillery of World War Two, Purnell Book Services Ltd.
• T. L.Jentz and H. L. Doyle (1998) Panzer Tracts No.12 Flak selbstfahrlafetten and Flakpanzer
• T. L.Jentz and H. L. Doyle (2010) Panzer Tracts No. 12-1 – Flakpanzerkampfwagen IV and other Flakpanzer projects development and production from 1942 to 1945.
• Walter J. Spielberger (1993) Panzer IV and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

German Reich
Improvised Light Tank – 1 Built

The German occupation troops in the Balkans and in the rest of Europe did not have the first pick when it came to equipment. They usually received obsolete hand-me-downs from more important units of the army or captured vehicles that no one else wanted. Thus, these troops, which were fighting against determined and organized resistance movements, were forced to improvise and improve what they had within their means.

Such might have been the case for a curious vehicle that recently appeared in a number of photographs online. This vehicle consists of a German Panzer I turret mounted on top of the cargo area of a French Lorraine 37L armored supply tractor. Unfortunately, no information is available regarding this vehicle, its role, or its usage, but it can be hypothesized that it was meant as an escort vehicle against partisan attacks or maybe for training.

The Lorraine 37L

During WW1, the armies involved on the Western Front needed a way to transport ammunition and supplies to the front line. Men and horses were getting killed and injured from small arms fire and exploding shell fragments. For this reason, tracked armored supply vehicles were designed. The Tracteur de ravitaillement pour chars 1937 L armored tracked supply vehicle, better known as the Lorraine 37L, was developed by the Lorraine Company in 1937. It was meant to supply the cavalry units of the French army, being larger and faster than the Renault UE that was meant to supply the infantry units. The Lorraine 37L could transport a heavier load and keep up with the fast cavalry divisions. Production began in January 1939.

By the time of the armistice in 1940, a total of 432 Lorraine 37L armored supply tractors had been produced. The victorious German forces captured many Lorraine 37L vehicles, of which 300 to 360 (depending on the source) were repaired and pressed back into service. They used them in their original role as Gefechtsfeld-Versorgungsfahrzeug (Eng: supply carriers) and Munitionstransportkraftwagen (Eng: ammunition carriers). After finding out that the suspension system was robust and reliable, many were also converted into 7.5 cm PaK 40/1 Marder I tank destroyers or self-propelled artillery guns.

The regular version of the Lorraine 37L had six large road wheels in three pairs of bogies on each side. This gave the vehicle a low ground pressure and good weight distribution. Each bogie could move up and down independently. It was sprung by an inverted leaf spring system located just below the upper track run: three assemblies were placed between the four top rollers. The tracks were 22 cm wide and it was powered by a 70 hp Delahaye type 135 engine. The transmission was in the front of the vehicle driving the tracks via the drive sprockets located at the front.
The driver and commander sat in the middle of the vehicle, having all-around protection from most rifle-caliber weaponry due to the 6 to 12 mm of armor. At the back, there was a small open-topped cargo space.

Panzer I turret

Work on what would become the Panzer I tank started in 1930, 3 years before the rise of Hitler to power and while the Treaty of Versailles was still officially observed by the German government.

As produced, the Panzer I mounted a single-man turret sporting two coaxial 7.92 mm magazine-fed MG13 machine-guns. Aiming was done using a telescopic sight between the two machine-guns or could be done by eye through two apertures that could be covered by armored shutter when not in use.

A large forward-opening hatch on top of the turret allowed access for the commander and also allowed him to observe his surroundings while not under fire. Four more shutters were available around the turret sides, two of which had slits built into them. These could be used for observation or used as pistol ports in case enemy infantry got too close. The armor ranged from 7 to 15 mm. Traverse of the turret was done by hand using a gear drive. This drive could also be decoupled and the turret could then be turned by the commander physically rotating it using his body.

Panzer I Turm auf Lorraine Schlepper(f)

Photographs have been found showing that a Lorraine 37L armored supply tractor was modified into a light tank by fitting a Panzer I tank turret over the cargo bay at the rear of the vehicle. The turret is missing its main armament in two of the photos available, while in the third one it is hard to judge if the armament is present.

In two of the photos, the vehicle seems to be undergoing mobility tests going up and down an embankment, with various military officials and civilians watching the trials. In one of these, an Italian TL-37 artillery tractor is in the foreground with a German soldier on the back appearing to take a photo or some kind of measurements. The presence of the Italian truck under German control means that these photographs were taken after the September 1943 Italian Armistice and were probably taken somewhere in Yugoslavia.

In the last photo, the vehicle is part of a military column along with two passenger cars and a truck. The forward-most passenger car has a Wehrmacht identification plate.

The crew consisted of three men, a commander in the turret in the new combat compartment, and two men in the front of the vehicle, one being the driver of the vehicle. The vehicle is painted in a single color scheme with a single Balkenkreuz visible on the transmission housing at the front.

Given the low height of the cargo space, it is likely that anyone in the turret would have to be sat in the cargo space in order to be ‘closed-down’ in the turret. This would have seriously hampered any combat ability of the vehicle, especially when it comes to traversing the turret and firing. It is notable that in the known pictures of the vehicle the turret is always facing ahead. Further, two of the three images show a man standing in the turret, and, from his height, the ‘floor’ level of the cargo bay can be ascertained.

Operational Role

Unfortunately, the few photos available do not allow identification of the location this vehicle was used in, as they could be anywhere in Europe. In the lack of new evidence, the best hope to find the location would probably be to identify the buildings visible in one of the photos. Commentators online have claimed that this vehicle was used in Croatia or that it was built by Baukommando Becker (Eng: Construction Unit Becker, responsible for many conversions of the Lorraine 37L, such as the Marder I) in France. However, neither of these hypotheses is supported by any concrete evidence.

The role this vehicle was meant to fulfill is also unknown. It is possible that this vehicle might have been meant to be used as a tank against the resistance forces which would generally lack any anti-armor armament that could take it out. Its twin machine-guns would be enough firepower for such a task. If this vehicle was indeed meant to be used in combat, its performance would have been poor at the very least. The armament would have been restricted in depression over the forward firing arc, as the hull itself would have come in the way. Also, due to the low height of the combat compartment and lack of a turret basket, rotating the turret would have been difficult if not dangerous. Further, there was a significant distance between the gunner in the turret and the driver in the front compartment, making communication and coordination between them difficult. For combat purposes, the vehicle would probably have been little less than a mobile machine-gun nest able to protect static major objectives and to intimidate enemies that were lacking anti-tank firepower.

Alternatively, it could also have been meant to be used for escorting supply columns from the hit-and-run attacks of resistance forces. However, in this case, the slower nature of the tracked Lorraine 37L tractor (not taking into account the extra weight of the turret) would either have severely restricted the speed of the convoy or would have made the vehicle incapable of keeping up.

It is also possible that this vehicle might have been meant as a training vehicle, helping to train drivers, gunners, and vehicle commanders, which might explain the lack of armament. Finally, it might have been used to familiarize infantry with tanks and how to deal with them.

However, without further information being obtained, there is no way to say for certain where this vehicle was built, with what intent, and how it was used.

Conclusion

The Panzer I Turm auf Lorraine Schlepper(f) is a mystery vehicle that is known only from a couple of photographs. It is not known where it was built or for what purpose. Only one was probably converted. It is not known what happened to it during or after the war. It was most probably cut up for scrap metal.

Sources

The three available photographs
F.Vauvillier, JM Touraine, L’Automobile sous Uniforme 1939-40
Panzer Tracts 1-1: Panzerkampfwagen I, Kleintraktor to Ausf.B

German Reich
Improvised Light Tank – 1 Built

Despite being famous for its tanks during World War II, Germany never had enough of them to go around. Less important units, such as those fighting partisans in the Balkans had a very low priority as far as Armored Fighting Vehicle allocation was concerned. They received old, obsolete or captured vehicles that the main units deemed useless. This led some of the units in the theater to get creative, as was probably the case with the Leichter Raupenschlepper Famo light tank.

Design

Three photographs have shown that at least one Famo Boxer was converted into a light tank. It is not known by whom or the exact dates involved. The engine was protected by armor plate and the front section elongated to act as a counterweight. It had an armored louvered grill at the front to assist ventilation and help protect the engine and radiator. The lower glacis plate was angled to help it slide up muddy slopes.

The rear of the tractor was extended so the commander had somewhere to stand. In front of him was the driver. Both crewmen were protected by an armored superstructure. The thickness of the armor is not known but it would have been thin and only stopped small arms fire. It was angled and the domed turret was curved which would have helped with bullet deflection.

The Leichter Raupenschlepper Famo (Light tracked tractor built by Famo) improvised tank was built on an agricultural tracked tractor. It was armed with a 7.92 mm machine-gun in a 360-degree rotating turret. It had a 5.0 liter 4-cylinder 45 hp engine. The transmission had three forward gears and one reverse.

It is believed to have been operated in the Independent State of Croatia and used in a security role to prevent attacks by partisans. It does not display the Croatian Army markings of a red and white checkerboard shield. It has the German Army Balkenkreuz cross on the side. Therefore, it may be assumed that the vehicle was operated by a German Army tank crew in Croatia.

The tractor, on which this vehicle was based, was produced in 1932 and called the LHB Boxer. In 1934, Linke-Hofmann-Busch Werke AG was divided into several companies. On 15th November 1935, the vehicle manufacturing part of the company was taken over by Junkers. It continued to build wheeled and tracked tractors plus diesel engines under the new name Fahrzeug und Motoren-Werke GmbH (FAMO). They also developed and manufactured the very large heavy 18 ton half-track vehicle (Sd.Kfz.9) for the Wehrmacht.

FAMO continued the production of the LHB Boxer but it was now advertised for sale as the FAMO Boxer. The German Wehrmacht purchased them for use as towing vehicles. Their official designation was Leichter Raupenschlepper Famo, Typ Boxer.

Service

The operational history of this vehicle is, sadly, unknown. It is also not known what happened to the vehicle. It is possible it was destroyed by the partisans, captured after the war and scrapped or simply dismantled and returned to its role as a tractor.

Illustration of the Leichter Raupenschlepper Famo produced by Yuvnashva Sharma, funded by our Patreon Campaign.

Links & Resources

Traktore Schlepper Jahrbuch – Das Schlepperjahrbuch by Gerhard Siem
Legendary Farm Tractors by Andrew Morland
German Army Manuals of World War II by Charles Lemon
Kfz. der Wehremacht

German Reich (1942-1943)
Heavy Tank – 1 Converted

Throughout the Second World War, the German Army captured hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles from countries it invaded. The same was true during the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Germans frequently made upgrades and modifications to fit their needs. This process spawned one of the larger armored vehicle enigmas to come out of the War.
This was the KV-1 that was captured and then re-armed with the 7.5cm KwK 40 gun. Not much is known about the history of this improvisation, and there is only one known photo to prove its existence.
It is not the only tank of the Second World War that was retrofitted in the field to accept a gun from another nation. Other examples include the Churchill NA 75 which was a British Churchill tank modified to accept the American 75mm Tank Gun and the Matilda II that was modified to accept the 76mm ZiS-5 gun. In both of these cases, of course, they were not captured vehicles.

The only known image of the modified KV-1.

Background, the KV-1

The KV-1 was the unsuspecting winner of a Soviet contract for a new heavy tank to replace the obsolete T-35A Multi Turreted Heavy Tank. The KV tank beat the SMK and T-100 to make it to mass production. Immediately prior to the invasion of the USSR in June 1941, roughly 508 KV-1 tanks were in Red Army service.
The KV-1 was an unpleasant surprise to the advancing Germans in June 1941, due to its excellent armor protection. The KV-1 quickly gained a fearsome reputation on the battlefield, being able to withstand point-blank shots from the standard 37mm anti tank guns fielded by Germany. Many KV-1s returned from combat peppered with dents and gouges from ricochets which had failed to penetrate its armor. However, the KV-1s made little impact on the actual fighting during the months of Operation Barbarossa with the exception of a small number of engagements. Poor crew training, poor logistical support and inept command and control meant that the Soviet tanks, including the mighty KV-1, where deployed in small packets that were easily swallowed and terminated by the better organized German units.
The KV-1 tank weighed 45 tonnes, and was powered by the 660hp V2K engine. The suspension was the first Soviet use of torsion bars, and it consisted of six road wheels, a rear drive wheel, a large front idler wheel and three return rollers. The tank had a crew of five. Soviet engineers constantly updated the tank and, between 1941 and 1942, the armor was thickened from 90mm to 200mm in places. The firepower was improved too, from the 30.2 calibre long F-32 76.2mm gun, to the 42.5 calibre long 76.2mm Zis-5 gun. The F-32 gun could penetrate 50mm of armor at 1,000m, whereas the Zis-5 gun could penetrate 60mm of armor at the same range. In 1942, this made the gun a significant threat to most German tanks. However, the gun was similar to the one on the T-34 medium tank, which was far more mobile and far cheaper to build.

KVs in German Service

When the Wehrmacht first encountered the KV-1, they were horrified and greatly impressed with its capability to take extreme punishment from the main German tank and anti-tank guns of the time. Contrary to popular belief, there were only a handful of KV-1 tanks that were ever pressed into German service. The captured tanks were known as ‘Beutepanzer’ or trophy tanks.
In 1941, the Germans had a categorizing system for those units captured from the enemy, this was an “Ebeuten” number. The number for KV tanks of all sub-types was “E I”. The overwhelming majority of these tanks were either dismantled at the roadside, or returned to the Reich for museums or testing. However, there were some KV tanks pressed into Wehrmacht service.

Beutepanzer KV-1 ‘1’ of the of the 8th Panzer Division. Photo: SOURCE
The earliest known Beutepanzer KV-1s, which in the German numbering system were known as the Pz.Kpfw KV-1A 753(r) (r = Russia) were deployed in the Autumn of 1941. German changes were minimal, with most Beutepanzer KV-1s retaining the original Soviet radio and equipment, however, occasionally German radios and tool sets were issued. The most interesting German acquisitions were the two OKV-1 tanks pressed into service. The Kirov works in Leningrad had manufactured six prototype flame throwing KV tanks, with a flame unit in the hull. All were used in combat, and two were subsequently pressed into Wehrmacht service after their capture.
Between 1941 and 1943, the German army likely dealt with thousands of lost KV tanks, of which perhaps several hundred were captured in working condition. It is thought however that less than 50 KV-1 tanks were pressed into German service. A multitude of factors can explain this, from lack of spare parts, to German overconfidence in their own tanks, to the Nazi ideological doctrine that viewed anything manufactured by a Slavic race to be inferior.

German Modification

The specific model of KV-1 that this conversion was based upon was a 1942 model, manufactured at Factory 100 Chelyabinsk (ChTZ) and was probably manufactured in the first or second quarter of 1942. It was fitted with the applique armor on the nose, and on the glacis plate which increased the armor up to 200mm (7.9 in) thick in places. It was equipped with the lightweight cast turret. Sometimes, this model also carried a heavyweight cast, or simplified welded turret. Standard armament remained the same, being the 76mm ZiS-5 gun. In German service, this was designated as the Pz.Kpfw KV-1B 755(r). This modified version was designated Pz.Kpfw KV-1B 756(r). The construction work was carried out by the maintenance battalion of Panzer Regiment 204 of the 22nd Panzer Division.

Gun

The most drastic modification to this single KV was the alteration made to the main armament. The original Soviet 76mm ZiS-5 gun was removed to make way for the German’s own 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43.

Diagram of the L/43 gun in its standard mounting, the Panzer IV
This gun was derived from the 7.5cm PaK 40, a towed anti-tank gun that entered service in 1942. In 1942-43, the gun was also mounted on Germany’s main medium tank, the Panzerkampfwagen IV, replacing the short barreled 7.5cm KwK 37 howitzer. Tanks with this new armament were designated as the Panzer IV Ausf.F2. It was a deadly weapon, with a range of ammunition types. These included Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Cap (APCBC), Armor-Piercing Composite Rigid (APCR) and High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT). The APCBC was its most deadly round, able to penetrate a maximum of 99mm (3.9 in) of armor.
At this time, the 7.5cm KwK L/43 was a rare gun, as only 135 Panzers were equipped with it. One these tanks must have been irreparably damaged in action, but retained an operable gun that was able to be cannibalized. Though the ZiS gun was removed, the mantlet was retained. The new gun was posted through the void breach first and mounted into position, complete with its coaxial MG 34 machine gun. It is unknown as to what internal modifications took place concerning the placement of the trunnions and elevation/depression gears. Being the more powerful gun, the KwK 40 was larger in the breach than the ZiS. The 7.5cm shell was 100mm longer than the 76mm shell of the ZiS, meaning the breach was also 100mm longer. Recoil length would also have been longer, meaning there was even less room behind the gun.

Turret Changes

Minor modifications were also made to the turret. A salvaged commander’s cupola from either a Panzer III or Panzer IV (It is unclear which one it is) was added atop the turret. This was not added over the original commander’s hatch at the rear of the turret. A new hole was cut in the roof towards the right front of the turret, and the cupola added above it. This cupola gave the commander far better visibility, allowing him to spot targets, navigate terrain and observe friendly units easier.
On the left, an air filter was added, with a cover salvaged from a T-34.

But, Why?

A great deal of time was spent theorizing this matter by both authors of this article. The conversion of just this one vehicle would have been time and resource consuming. Other vehicles that were modified in such a way, such as the Churchill NA 75 and Matilda II with ZiS-5 which are mentioned in the introduction, had a designed purpose. The idea behind the Churchill NA 75 was to make use of guns from wrecked tanks, and give the poorly armed Churchill more Anti-Armor and High-Explosive firepower. The same was true for the Matilda, the original 2-Pounder gun of which was considered useless by the Soviets.
This KV, however, seems to lack any recorded intention. The German 7.5cm KwK 40 was a much better gun than the Soviet ZiS-5 76mm. At 1000 meters, the ZiS could only penetrate 61mm of armor, at the same distance, the 7.5cm could punch through 82mm. Ammunition may also have been a factor, as it would’ve been far easier for the Germans to resupply with 7.5cm ammunition than 76mm ammunition.
These are the only practical advantages of adding this gun to the KV. The KV, at this time, was one of the best heavy tanks in the war, and as already discussed, the Germans already had a number of captured examples in their arsenal. It may be that this was intended as somewhat of an ‘Anti-KV’ or ‘Anti-T-34’ vehicle. The Soviets’ own 76mm Gun could not penetrate the front of a standard KV-1 (without 200mm armor) or T-34 at 1000m. The German 7.5cm could handle both. Putting this gun on a chassis the 76mm could not penetrate would prove deadly to any Soviet vehicle facing it.
There is, however, an element of redundancy in the project worth highlighting. At the time this vehicle was built, German vehicles such as the Panzer IV (with long 75mm), Panzer V Panther, Panzer VI Tiger, and Panzerjager Tiger (P) were appearing. All of these, while still teething, were adequately armed so that the armor on the T-34 and KV-1 did not provide the advantage they had. With the 8.8cm gun or high velocity 7.5cm gun both the T34 and KV-1 were much more vulnerable.
The most logical conclusion as to why this KV was modified in this way is therefore that it was simply a culmination of spare parts and ingenuity.
This KV was apparently active at Kursk, but further details of this are scarce.

German Reich (1942)
Self-Propelled Mortar – Unknown Number Built

Captured Renault AMR 35 tanks

In German Army service, the few French Army Renault AMR 35 (Auto Mitrailleuse de Reconnaissance) tanks that were captured were given the official designation of Panzerspähwagen VM 701(f). They were used for training and police duties in occupied countries.

German 8cm schwere Granatwefer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(35f) self-propelled heavy mortar.
A variant called the 8cm schwere Granatwefer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(35f) self-propelled heavy mortar (abbreviated to 8cm Granatwerfer auf PSW AMR 35(f)) was fitted with an 81 mm (3.19 in) GW-34 heavy mortar in an open topped armored fighting compartment. The turret of the tank had been replaced with a lightly armored superstructure of riveted construction that enclosed the fighting compartment. The top and rear were left open. The armor plate used on the front of the superstructure was 13 mm thick set at a 15 degree angle. The sides were also 13 mm thick set at a 40 degree angle.
The fighting compartment included the space formerly occupied by the turret and the space above the engine compartment at the rear of the chassis. The mortar was mounted at the front to fire forward. The front of the compartment was not separated from the driver’s position. The crew had to enter it from the rear.
The 81 mm mortar tube rested on a base plate bolted to the top of the engine compartment. The bipod retained the normal cross-levelling, elevating and traversing mechanism, but the legs had been extended and were attached to a rack and pinion mechanism which permitted additional elevation, traverse and leveling adjustment. The mortar was equipped with a collimator mortar sight RA35.

Links

On Wikipedia
GBM, Histoire & Collection, about WW2 French tanks
On Chars Français (many photos)

AMR 35 ZT-1 equipped with a heavy 13 mm (0.51 in) Hotchkiss machine gun with 1250 rounds. Fitted with the AVIS-2 turret, 80 built.

A rare German battlefield conversion, 8cm Schwere Granatwerfer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(f) self-propelled heavy mortar.

Gallery

Front view of the 8cm Granatwerfer auf PSW AMR 35(f). It is being inspected by a soldier for the US. 3rd Army as it was found in their area. A report on the vehicle was sent back to America.

The mortar fixing points inside the 8cm schwere Granatwefer 34 auf Panzerspahwagen AMR(35f)

Germans Tanks of ww2

German Reich (1942)
Self-Propelled Gun – 1 Built

Armored Trains

During World War Two, Polish, Soviet, German and British armed forces used armored trains. Germany had 21 armored trains in 1942, 29 in 1943, 44 in 1944 and 55 in 1945. The Soviets had a lot more including captured Polish armored trains.
The locomotive would be covered in protective armor plate and pull artillery wagons fitted with howitzers, anti-aircraft wagons bristling with flak guns for self-defence, anti-tank wagons with tank turrets mounted on top of an armoured coach, command and assault wagons to carry troops plus at the back a flat-bed tank transporter with ramps. The tanks could dismount from the train when needed and take the battle to the enemy by out flanking them or using direct assault under the cover of supporting fire from the train.

On 8th September 1944, the German Army PZ32 armored train was captured in St Berain, France. Most German armored trains were on the Eastern Front.

The Lorraine 37L

During WW1, the French and British Army needed a way to transport ammunition and supplies to the front line. Men and horses were getting killed and injured from small arms fire and exploding shell fragments. Tracked armored supply vehicles were developed. This vehicle was developed by the Lorraine company in 1937 as a replacement for the smaller Renault UE. It could transport a heavier load and was faster than the Renault UE. Production began in January 1939. By the time France surrendered in 1940, a total of 432 Lorraine 37L armored supply tractors had been produced.

The Chenillette Lorraine 37L armored tractor unit was designed to transport ammunition and supplies to the front line.

The 10.5cm leFH 18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) and Marder I SPGs

After the surrender of France in 1940, a lot of French Army military equipment was taken into operational use by the Germans. Some of the French tanks and armored tractors, like the Lorraine 37L, were converted into self-propelled guns. These vehicles would be able to keep up with the Panzer Divisions. There were two main types of self-propelled guns in the German Army during WW2.
One, like the Marder I, was fitted with an anti-tank gun and the other with an artillery howitzer, like the 10.5cm leFH 18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled artillery gun. A vehicle fitted with an artillery howitzer was called a ‘Geschützwagen’ abbreviated to ‘GW’, which is literally translated as a ‘gun vehicle’. The word ‘Schlepper’ means tractor. The letter (f) indicates that the SPG’s chassis was French.

The 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f)

This vehicle was also built around a captured Lorraine 37L. It was used on the PZ32 German armored train in France. It would be at the end of the train on a flat-bed tank transporter wagon that had ramps. The driver would reverse the 12.2cm FK(r) auf Geschützwagen Lorraine Schlepper(f) SPG up the ramps and onto the wagon.
Many observers have claimed that it was used as an anti-aircraft gun because in many photographs the gun barrel was pointed up into the sky. It was never used to try and shoot down aircraft. It was a long range artillery gun designed to deliver high explosive HE shells great distances.
The gun was fixed into position. It was not in a turret that could turn to face the enemy. It had a limited traverse left and right. It was envisaged that when the train got to the battlefield the 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) SPG would be driven off the train, down the rear ramps and moved to face the direction of the target.
It could be used in direct fire mode at targets the crew could see, but more commonly it was used for indirect fire at targets plotted on a map. It was not designed to be in the front line or engage in combat with tanks. It was a motorized artillery gun that could fire HE shells over the heads of friendly troops. Most targets would have been given to the crew as map grid references by forward observation officers or infantry units under attack.
Quite often, the gun crew could not see where their shells landed, as the target was so far away. They would have to rely on the forward observer to tell them if adjustments had to be made.

New Build or Battlefield Conversion?

The origins of the 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled artillery gun are not known. Was a Soviet 122 mm (4.8 in) howitzer M1938 (M-30) used to replace the gun in a Marder I anti-tank SPG or a 10.5cm leFH-18/40 auf Geschuetzwagen Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled artillery gun? Was this vehicle a one off new build?
A company called Alkett, based near Berlin, built the first 10.5cm leFH-18/40 auf Geschuetzwagen Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled artillery guns in 1942. German Army engineer Major Alfred Becker worked with the company to create these conversions.
The following year, he was in Normandy at the head of a Baukommando, a construction command unit. Becker’s men, engineers and mechanics converted more Lorraine 37L tractors into self-propelled artillery gun by fixing 10.5cm leFH-18/40 howitzers onto the top of these vehicles.
The design of the fighting compartment was slightly different on each version. By comparing photographs of the Becker and Alkett built SPG with the 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) it can be seen that major work was done on the top section of the upper armor.
It looks like the original vehicle was an Alkett built 10.5cm leFH 18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f), as the upper and lower armor joints of the fighting compartment are low down. That joint on the Becker built vehicles was much higher.
However, where the fighting compartment upper side armor plates meet the front plates the joint angle is forward not backward as on the Alkett build.
Was it a converted Marder I which was also built on a Lorraine 37L chassis? There was no forward gun lock on this SPG as there was on the Marder I. The angle of the joint between the upper front and side armor was the same unlike on the 10.5cm leFH 18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f).
The author of the German book ‘Beute-Kraftfahrzeuge und panzer der deutschen Wehrmacht’, Walter J.Spielberger, had the benefit of an interview with Major Becker after the war and access to all the original documents. There is only one small paragraph about this vehicle in the book.
It does say that only one vehicle was built with a 12,2cm Kanone(r) on a Lorraine-Schlepper tractor. It does not say that the Soviet gun replaced a 10.5cm leFH 18 gun or a 75 mm Pak 40 L/46 gun. This vehicle could have been a new build rather than a battlefield conversion of an existing self-propelled gun.

The 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)

Between 1939 and 1955, Soviet factories produced 19,266 of these artillery howitzers. They were developed by the design bureau of Motovilikha Plants, headed by F.F.Petrov, in the late 1930s. It was used as a towed divisional artillery piece during WW2.
The Finish and German army reused captured guns. The German Army gave them the designation 12.2 cm s.F.H.396(r) heavy howitzers. Germany began mass production of 122 mm (4.8 in) ammunition for these and other captured howitzers, producing 424,000 shells in 1943, 696,700 in 1944 and 133,000 in 1945.

Soviet 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30) captured by the Finnish Army. It is now on display at the Hameenlinna Artillery Museum in Finland
The German 10.5cm leFH 18/40 gun had a muzzle velocity of 540 m/s, elevation of 45° and a range of 12,325 m. The Soviet M-30 122mm gun had a muzzle velocity of 515 m/s, elevation of elevation of 49° and a range of 11,720 m. Both guns were similar but the German howitzer had a less powerful high explosive HE shell and its smaller maximum elevation made it less effective against dug-in troops.
The howitzer was designed to fire high explosive and smoke shells. In May 1943, a 122mm High Explosive Anti-Tank HEAT round became available. It only had a range of 2,000 m and the muzzle velocity was reduced to 335 m/s. This was meant for self-defence. This gun was an artillery howitzer not a high velocity anti-tank gun.

The Train – 1964 Film

‘The Train’ was a Hollywood movie starring Burt Lancaster and the PZ32 armored train that was captured in St Berain, France. The story is set in 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo. The 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled gun can be seen at the rear of the train. It is not known what happened to the train or the SPG after filming had finished.
An article by Craig Moore

Sources

Beute-Kraftfahrzeuge und panzer der deutschen Wehrmacht by Walter J. Spielberger
Armored Trains by Steven J Zaloga
Steve Osfield collection

German Army 12.2cm FK(r) auf Geschützwagen Lorraine Schleppe(f) self-propelled artillery gun.

Which one was the donor vehicle?

Or was it a new build?

10.5cm leFH-18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) (Alkett version)

10.5cm leFH-18/40 auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) self-propelled artillery gun. (Baukommando Becker version)

7.5cm Pak 40/1 auf Geschutzwagen Lorraine Schlepper(f) Sd.Kfz.135 – Normandy, 1944 Marder I

Gallery

12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schleppe(f) on the back of an armored train flat truck with ramps.

The ramps at the end of the armored flat-back railway wagon would allow the 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schleppe(f) SPG to be deployed on the ground to fire at long range targets.








German armored train with the 12.2cm FK(r) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) SPG at the rear at Mutzich station, Alsace, France.

Germans Tanks of ww2

German Self-Propelled Artillery Guns of the Second World War

By Craig Moore

One towed artillery gun required a team of six horses and nine men. WW2 German engineers came up with the idea of mounting an artillery gun on top of a tank chassis. This new technology reduced the amount of resources required to deploy one artillery gun. Artillery self-propelled guns only needed a four or five man crew. They could also be made ready to fire more quickly. This book covers the development and use of this new weapon between 1939 and 1945. One type was successfully used in the invasion of France in May 1940. More were used on the Eastern Front against Soviet forces from 1941 until the end of the war in 1945.

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