Category: WW2 German Panzer III

German Reich (1939)
Medium Tank – 96 Built

Following the completion of the first four Panzer III series, it was realized that they left much room for improvements and changes. The next version in line was the Panzer III Ausf.E, which introduced a number of improvements, like a necessary increase in armor protection. More importantly, it finally solved the significant issues with the problematic suspensions from the previous versions with the introduction of a simple torsion bar suspension design. The most important legacy of this vehicle was that it set the production standard for all later Panzer III versions to come. The Panzer III Ausf.E would prove itself as a good overall design for its day.

History

In March 1936, Waffen Prüfwesen 6 (Wa Prw 6 – the automotive design office of the German Army) issued an Entwicklung von Panzerkampfwagen (development of tanks) document, in which it described a possible further development and use of tanks. A great deal of it was dedicated to armor protection. At that time, the German Army had imposed a weight limit for its tanks, so that they were able to cross bridges without collapsing them. In the case of the Panzer III series, it was limited to 18 tonnes. This regulation, together with other factors (number of crewmen, armament, power output of the engine, etcetera) actually limited the effective armor thickness of the vehicles. Most German tanks were thus mostly lightly armored, as armor was intended to provide protection against small caliber rounds only. The new document put great emphasis on the fact that weapons like the French 25 mm rapid fire anti-tank gun could destroy the lightly armored German tanks without a problem.

The development of the Z.W.4 (Zugführerwagen, platoon commander’s vehicle, also marked sometime as Z.W.38), better known simply as the Panzer III Ausf.E, incorporated a number of suggestions from this document. The armor thickness was increased to 30 mm, providing better overall protection. It also incorporated some highly advanced features advocated by the chief engineer of Wa Prw 6, Kniepkamp. He intended to increase the maximum speed of the Panzer III to a staggering 70 km/h! This would be done by replacing the engine with a more powerful model, introducing a new 10-gear semi-automatic transmission and replacing the previously used complicated 8 small road wheel suspension with a torsion type. The larger wheels were chosen as they had a longer service life than smaller models. The use of lubricating tracks with rubber pads was also suggested. After some consideration, the problems with the quick wear of the suspension at speeds of 70 km/h was deemed unfeasible and the idea rejected. The maximum speed was limited to 40 km/h and the lubricated tracks were replaced with normal cast tracks.

Production

Production orders for 96 Panzer III Ausf.E tanks would be placed by the Heeres Waffenamt. It was planned to complete the first vehicle in May 1938 and the last by September the same year. To fulfil the production quota and in order to include other manufactures into direct tank production, Daimler-Benz and M.A.N. Werk Nuernberg were included. Daimler-Benz was to build 41 (chassis number 60401 to 60441) and M.A.N the remaining 55 (chassis number 60442 to 60496) chassis.

As the German industry slowly began increasing production capabilities, these two simply could not produce all necessary parts. For this reason, the production of 90 turrets was given to Alkett and 6 more to Krupp. Many smaller subcontractors, including Werk Hannover, Eisen und Huettenwerk AG, Bochum, and several others, were also involved in the Panzer III project and were responsible for providing armor components. The engine was supplied by Maybach and the main armament by Rheinmetall.

Despite the plan to finish the production of the Ausf.E by September 1938, the actual first vehicles were completed by the end of 1938. The Daimler-Benz production run was delayed due to slow deliveries of necessary parts and components. By December 1938, only 9 vehicles were completed. An additional 9 were built in January 1939, 7 in February and only 2 in March. A short delay accrued due to shortages of transmissions. The production resumed in May, with the last vehicles being completed by July 1939. Production at M.A.N. was only fully completed by the end of 1939. Once the hulls were built, they would then be transported to Alkett to be fully assembled with their turrets. When Alkett actually completed these vehicles is unknown, as the documentation did not survive the war.

Hull

The Panzer III hull can be divided into three major sections. These were the forward-mounted transmission, central crew compartment and rear engine compartment. The front hull was where the transmission and steering systems were placed and was protected with an angled armor plate. The two square-shaped, two-part hatch brake inspection doors located on the front hull were still present on this version. The difference is that they now opened horizontally, in contrast to earlier versions, where they opened vertically. The two bolted square-shaped plates that were previously added on the front transmission armor were removed. Another change introduced was a significantly shorter hull length, at 5.38 m, while the older vehicles were 5.9 m long. Lastly, there were four towing couplings, with two placed in the front and two at the rear of the hull. The front hull also served as a base for the spare track links that were mounted on it. Some vehicles would receive armored ventilation ports for the steering brakes. These would be placed in the front glacis armor plate.

Unlike the larger Panzer IV, the Panzer III was not provided with driver and radio operator top hatches. These two crew members could instead use the front two-part brake inspection doors to enter or exit the vehicle. The Panzer III Ausf.E also received two small emergency escape doors placed on the hull sides, just behind the first return roller.

Superstructure

On top of the Panzer III Ausf.E hull, a fully enclosed and square-shaped superstructure was added. The superstructure had a very simple design, with mostly flat armored sides which were welded together, and bolted down to the hull. The position of the left driver visor and the machine ball mount next to it were unchanged. These were replaced with newer and improved models. In the case of the machine gun ball mount, this was the Kugelblende 30. The driver vision port was replaced with a Fahrersehklappe 30 model. This model consisted of two horizontal 30 mm thick plates. The upper plate could be raised, so that the driver had a direct vision, or lowered during combat situations. To further improve driver survivability, a 90 mm thick armored glass block was placed behind it. When the visor was closed, the driver would use a K.F.F.1 binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor. This periscope had a 1.15 x magnification and a field of vision of 50°. The driver vision port was not completely waterproof and so a rain channel cover was placed atop of it during the production run.

The driver also had one smaller vision port (Sehklappe 30) placed on the left side of the superstructure. It was provided with a small 8 mm wide visor slit. It too had a 90 mm thick armored glass block for extra protection. Initially, the radio operator was not provided with a side vision port. During production, however, it would be added on some vehicles. Its design was the same as that of the driver’s side port

Turret

The Panzer III Ausf.E turret inherited the overall design from the previous versions, but there were still some modifications implemented on the Ausf.E. Firstly, the top turret plate was at a slightly different angle. The forward top plate was placed at 83° instead of the 81° used on the previous models. The rear top plate was completely flat now. Previously, it was placed at 91° from the vertical.

The gun mantlet also received some modifications, with added protective covers for the twin machine gun mount. The two mantlet observation hatches, located above the twin machine guns and to the left of the main gun, were slightly redesigned. The turret was also built using mostly welding and thus reducing the number of bolts used extensively on the previous versions.

Each of the turret sides received new pyramid-shaped observation vision ports. While the right visor port had an 8 mm wide slit, the left port did not have one. The visor ports were 30 mm thick and further protected by a 90 mm armored glass block. To the back, the simple one-piece doors were replaced by new two-piece doors. The forward door had an observation port, while the second door had a small pistol port. These doors could be locked in place with a gap of some 30 mm to provide the crew with additional ventilation. Above the doors, a rain drain guard was placed, which prevented rain weather from getting into the turret’s interior. In addition, the two square-shaped machine gun ports, located to the rear of the turret, were also replaced with new round-shaped covers.

The Panzer III Ausf.E commander’s cupola was bolted to the rear of the turret top. It had five vision slits, protected with sliding blocks. For extra protection, behind each vision slit, an armored glass block was added. The commander was also provided with a direction indicator placed on the front vision slit, and a graduated ring with markings from 1 to 12 to help him identify the direction in which the vehicle was going.

On top of the turret, two round shaped signal ports, just in front of the commander cupola, were placed. The left one was initially provided with a fake periscope cover, but this was quickly dropped during production. The signal ports were not completely closed. Instead, they had a 3 mm wide gap left in order to act as auxiliary ventilation ports for the turret crew. The main purpose of these signal ports (as their name suggests) was to be used by the commander to communicate or give order to other vehicles by using signal flags.

From late 1940 onwards, most Panzer IIIs received an additional and properly dedicated ventilation port placed on top of the turret. It was protected by a round shaped cover. Another addition to the turret was the rear positioned storage bin, which was added on most Panzer IIIs from April 1941 onwards.

Suspension and Running Gear

The Panzer III Ausf.E suspension consisted of six doubled road wheels on each side. These were suspended using a combination of individual swing axles together with torsion bars which were placed in the hull bottom. The upper movement of each wheel’s swing arm was limited by contact blocks covered in rubber. Additionally, the first and the last wheels were equipped with a hydraulic shock absorber. At the front, there was a 360 mm wide 21 tooth drive sprocket. On the back of the hull was the idler with adjustable crank arm. The number of return rolles was three per side.

The cast tracks were 380 mm wide. To help prevent the tracks from accidentally falling off, a 80 mm long cast tooth was placed in the middle of the track link. In order to improve passability on bad terrain, each track link had a gripper bar. There were some issues with how quick the rubber tires on the road wheels wore down when the driver was using 9th and 10th gears. To prevent this, the drivers were instructed to avoid driving above 40 km/h.

By the end of 1940, a number of improvements were introduced to Panzer III production. These included adding extra armor and better armament. To cope with the extra weight and prevent the loss of driving performance, the track was widened to 400 mm.

Engine

The Panzer III Ausf.E’s engine was placed at the rear of the hull, and was separated by a firewall from the central crew compartment. The firewall had a small door. Its purpose was to provide the crew member with access to the engine if needed.

To cope with the increase in weight (from 16 tonnes on the Ausf.D to 19.5 tonnes), a new, stronger engine was installed. This was a twelve-cylinder, water-cooled Maybach HL 120 TR which produced 265 [email protected] 2800 rpm. The engine was held in place by three rubber bushings. With this power unit, the Panzer III Ausf.E’s maximum speed was increased to 40 km/h, while the cross-country speed was 15 km/h. The fuel load of 310 liters was stored in two fuel tanks placed below the radiators in the engine compartment. With this fuel load, the Panzer III Ausf.E’s operational range was 165 km and 95 km cross-country. To avoid any accidental fires, these fuel tanks were protected by firewalls.

The engine compartment was protected by an enclosed superstructure. On top of this compartment, two two-part hatch doors for access to the engine were added. Further back, two smaller doors were added to provide the crew access to the fan drives. The air intakes were repositioned to the engine compartment sides and were protected with armor plates. A new type of exhaust was used on the Ausf.E.

The engine was started by an auxiliary electric motor starter. The power to this electrical starter was provided by two 12 volt Varta batteries which were in turn powered by a 12 volt Bosch generator. Some vehicles received improved starters that helped start the engine somewhat easier during early 1941.

Transmission

The Panzer III Ausf.E was equipped with the ten-speed (and one reverse) Maybach Variotex SRG 32 8 145 semi-automatic transmission. The transmission was connected to the engine by a drive shaft that ran through the bottom of the fighting compartment. The steering mechanism used on the Panzer III was bolted to the hull. It was connected to the two final drives that were themselves bolted to the outside of the hull.

The Germans were a little carried away when they intended to use semi-automatic transmission in the hope of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h. The semi-automatic transmission required frequent changes of the gears during driving. To change the gears, the driver first had to select one in advance and then the gear was actually changed once he pressed the clutch pedal. The frequent changing of the gears created friction that was passed on to the clutches. To prevent this, the inertia moment of the rotating parts had to be kept small. Using smaller, somewhat unproven and not properly tested transmissions caused significant mechanical breakdowns. To somewhat resolve this issue, an accelerator clutch would be installed. The problem still remained and the transmission would eventually be replaced with the older and properly tested SSG 76 on the Panzer III Ausf.H.

Armor Protection

The hull front armor was 30 mm thick, placed at a 21° angle. The upper hull front was 30 mm at 52°, while the lower front hull armor was 25 mm and placed at 75°. The glacis armor was 25 mm thick and placed at 87°. The flat side armor was 30 mm thick, the rear was 20 mm (at a 10° to 65° angle) and the bottom 16 mm. The Panzer III Ausf.E front armored plates were actually face-hardened, further increasing their protection against certain types of shells.

All-around, the superstructure armor was 30 mm thick. While the sides and rear were flat, the front plate placed almost vertical, at a 9° angle. The top armor plate was 16 mm thick. The rear engine compartment was protected with flat 30 mm side armor, while the rear one was placed at 30° and was slightly weaker, at 20 mm.
The front turret armor was 30 mm (at a 15° angle), while the sides and rear were 30 mm (at a 25° angle) and the top was 10 mm (at an 83-90° angle). The front gun mantlet was a 30 mm thick rounded armor plate. The commander’s cupola had all-around 30 mm of armor. The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous rolled plates.

When the Germans were examining the proper armor thickness needed for the new Panzer III Ausf.E, they mainly focused on the French 25 mm quick firing anti-tank gun. They eventually decided that 30 mm of armor should be up to the task. The frontal armor plate was strong enough to resist the 25 mm rounds at ranges of over 500 mm at 30°.

The Panzer III Ausf.E was also equipped with a Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade rack system), placed on the rear of the hull. This rack contained five grenades which were activated with a wire system by the Panzer III’s commander.

At the end of 1940, most available Panzer IIIs, including the Ausf.E, were reinforced with additional 30 mm face hardened plates. These were added to the front hull and superstructure but also to the rear. It is worth mentioning that not all Panzer III actually received the extra protection, for various reasons, but mostly due to the slow production of necessary components.

Crew

The Panzer III Ausf.E had the same crew of five, which included the commander, gunner and loader, who were positioned in the turret, and the driver and radio operator in the hull. Their positions and their duties were the same as from the previous (but also future) versions.

Main Armament

The armament configuration of the Panzer III Ausf.E was unchanged from the previous versions. It consists of one MG 34 machine gun mounted in the superstructure and a combination of the 3.7 cm Kw.K. L/46.5 and two additional machine guns in the turret. The Panzer III’s main gun was equipped with a TZF5 ‘Turmzielfernrohr’ monocular telescopic gun-sight. One change implemented was the repositioning of the left turret-mounted machine gun, which slightly protruded out. This was done to give the crew more working space for replacing the drum magazines.

On the left side of the gun, there were two mechanical handwheels for elevation and traverse. The gunner could traverse the turret by using the traverse handwheel at a speed of 2.2° per turn. For more precise aiming, the handwheel speed could be reduced to 1.5° per turn. The elevation speed by using the elevation handwheel was 2.5° per turn. On the right side of the turret was a second handwheel to allow the loader to assist with turret traverse.

In February 1940, the Panzer III’s were supplied with the 3.7 cm Spenggranatepartone 18 (high explosive round). In June 1940, a new Pzgr.Patr 40 (anti-armor tungsten core round) started to be issued for troop use.

The new superstructure Kugelblende 30 ball mounted machine gun, which was operated by the radio operator, consisted of two parts. The movable armor ball to which the machine gun was attached, and the external and fixed armor cover. This new type of ball mount offered a traverse left and right of 15°. It could be elevated to 20° and depressed to 15°. For spotting targets, a telescopic sight with an elevation of 18° and 1.8 x magnification was provided to it. While, initially, drum magazines were used for the machine guns, these would be replaced with belts from June 1940 onwards.

During the Panzer III’s early stages of development, the Germans were aware there was a possibility that the 3.7 cm gun may become obsolete. The lack of production capacities was the main reason for not installing a more potent gun from the start. This is the reason why they left the turret ring wide enough so that a larger caliber gun could be installed. In December 1940, the rearmament of the Panzer III Ausf.E (and all versions that followed it) with the 5 cm Kw.K L/42 semi-automatic gun began. With the new gun also came a new round-shaped and 35 mm thick gun external mantlet. Another change was the reduction of the number of machine guns in the turret to only one.

With the installation of the new gun, the ammunition load was reduced from the original 120 to 87 rounds (or 99, depending on the source). The removal of one machine gun led to the reduction of the machine gun ammunition carried inside to 3,750 rounds (from 4,500 previously). In addition to the new gun, new T.Z.F.5d gun sights were used. This sight had a magnification of 2.5x and a field view of 25°, which was 444 m wide at 1 km range. The gunsight reticle ranges were marked up to 1,500 m for the main gun and machine guns.

In Combat

As the Panzer III Ausf.E vehicles became available, they would be initially issued to training units. The first operational use, in limited numbers, was during the German annexation of Czechoslovak territories during March 1939.

Prior to the Invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Germans had 148 Panzer III vehicles available (Ausf.A to E). Some 98 would be allocated for combat operations (only 87 of that number would actually be used in combat). The remaining were to be used as a reserve or given to training units. The majority of the committed Panzer III’s would be allocated to the 1st Panzer Division, which had only 26 such vehicles. The remaining vehicles were distributed to other armored units in limited numbers, but not to all. For example, the 4th Panzer Division did not have any Panzer III tanks. Only a small number of (probably not more than several vehicles) Panzer III Ausf.Es saw combat, with some not even managing to reach the front lines due to problems with their transmission.

By May 1940, the number of Panzer IIIs was increased to 349 vehicles which were distributed to seven Panzer Divisions. The disposition of Panzer III tanks was as follows. The 1st and 2nd Panzer Divisions had 58 each, the 3rd 42, the 4th 40, the 5th 52, the 9th 41 and the 10th Panzer Division had 58 Panzer IIIs. By this time, the Panzer III Ausf.A to D were removed from front line service, as these were mainly given to training units.

The Panzer Divisions saw extensive combat operations against French armor. An example of this was the 4th Panzer Division which, with the 3rd Panzer Division, were part of the XVI Panzerkorps under the command of General Eric Hoeppner. The combined strength of these two divisions was over 670 tanks, with the majority being the Panzer I and II. Opposing them there was a force of 176 Somua S35 and 239 Hotchkiss tanks. In comparison to the Germans, the French redistributed their armor formation across the 35 km wide front. With this decision, they actually made any counterattack less likely to succeed in stopping the Germans.

During the drive toward the village of Hannut, the forward elements of the 4th Panzer Division, consisting of Panzer I and II tanks, managed to capture the village. The French made a counterattack with over 20 Hotchkiss tanks. While they managed to gain the upper hand against the Panzer II, once the Panzer IIIs arrived, the situation changed drastically in favor of the Germans. The French lost some 11 Hotchkiss tanks, most being credited to the Panzer IIIs, with some to the weaker Panzer II. Later that day, the German Panzers engaged a group of Somua S35 tanks. After losing four tanks, the French made another retreat. Eventually, with losses of some 160 tanks (the majority being the Panzer Is and IIs), the Germans broke through the French line, who lost 140 tanks and were forced to retreat. The Germans could recover many of their lost tanks and repair them, while the French were unable to do so. The Panzer IIIs were at a disadvantage against the larger B1 bis tanks. For example, during the battles around Sedan, a single B1 tank managed to destroy some 11 Panzer III tanks alone.

The combat experience in the West showed that, while the Panzer III were not protected against the French 47 mm gun, neither was their 3.7 cm gun effective. The Panzer III’s 3.7 cm gun was only effective against the Somua S35’s side armor from ranges of less than 200 m. Thanks to their speed, training, better tactics and use of radios, the German tanks could easily outmaneuver the enemy tanks and engage them from the more vulnerable rear and sides. The five-man crew proved to be superior in contrast to the French two to three crew tanks. In case of the Somua S35, the tank commander had to take several roles during the heat of battle, including loading and firing the gun, finding targets, and commanding the vehicle, overburdening him. On the other hand, in German vehicles, each crew member had a specific role to complete, which provided their tanks with a greater tactical advantage.

After the French campaign, the Germans tried to amend some of the shortcomings identified with the Panzer III, especially regarding its armor and firepower. The Panzer III would be rearmed with the 5 cm L/42 gun and receive additional 30 mm of frontal and rear armor. This included the Panzer III Ausf.E, but despite best attempts, not all tanks were modified by mid-1941.

The Panzer III Ausf.E likely saw use during the German operations in the Balkans. The use of Panzer III Ausf.Es in Africa is not completely clear. At the start of German operations, for example, the 5th Panzer Regiment had 61 (10 lost during the transport) Panzer IIIs armed with 3.7 cm guns and the 8th Panzer Regiment had 31. It is possible that some of these were of the Ausf.E version.

For the invasion of the Soviet Union, there were 350 3.7 cm and 1,090 5 cm armed Panzer IIIs. By this time, it is somewhat difficult to pinpoint the precise version of the Panzer III used, as the sources rarely mention them. The identification of the precise version is not always possible, as the Ausf.F looked exactly the same as the Ausf.E. Like in the previous campaigns, the Panzer III was the backbone of the German armored thrust. The German tanks were able to quickly overcome the older Soviets models, like the T-26 and the BT series. The T-34 and KV vehicles proved to be almost invulnerable to the German tank guns. Following the harsh German losses in the Soviet Union, its likely that only a small number of Panzer III Ausf.Es would have survived 1941.

Variants based on the Panzer III Ausf.E

Panzerbefehlswagen Ausf.E

The Panzer III Ausf.E was used for the Panzerbefehlswagen (tank command vehicle) configuration. This included a number of modifications, some of which were reducing the armament to only one machine gun (located in the turret) and using a dummy main gun (to hide its main purpose as a command vehicle), fixing the turret in place, replacing the gunner and the loader with one more radio operator and a commander adjutant, adding additional radio equipment, and, probably most noticeably, adding a large antenna to the rear of the turret. In total, some 45 such vehicles would be built by Daimler-Benz. These are not converted or rebuilt vehicles but instead completely new built vehicles.

Panzerbeobachtungswagen III

Very few Panzer III Ausf.Es were modified to perform the role of target spotters for self-propelled artillery batteries. These vehicles were modified by removing the main gun and replacing it with a new gun mantle that had a wooden dummy gun and a ball mount placed in the centre of it. Additional scissor and tubular periscopes were also added for the crew.

Conclusion

The Panzer III Ausf.E received a number of modifications and improvements in comparison to the previous versions. Most noticeable were the added armor and the use of the new type of suspension, which was simpler and more efficient. On the other hand, the new transmission was problematic and not properly tested. In the early stages of the war, despite the somewhat weaker main armament, thanks to its speed, crew training and radio equipment, the Panzer III Ausf.E could easily outflank its opponents. Perhaps the greatest success of the Panzer III Ausf.E was that it provided the Germans with a good base for further modifications and improvements of a vehicle that would become the backbone of the Panzer Divisions in the first years of World War Two.

Specifications
Dimensions (L-W-H)	5.8 m x 2.91 m x 2.5 m
Total weight, battle-ready	19.5 tonnes
Crew	5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion	Maybach HL 120TR 285 HP @ 2800 rpm
Speed (road/off road)	40 km/h, 15 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel	165 km, 95 km (cross country)
Primary Armament	3.7 cm KwK L/46.5
Secondary Armament	Three 7.92 mm M.G.34
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Armor	10 mm – 30 mm.

Source

T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2010) Panzer Tracts No.3-4 Panzerbefehlswagen Ausf.D, E, H, J. und K.
W. Fleischner (2001) Panzerkampfwagen III Band 187, Podzun-Pallas-Verlag
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2011) Panzer Tracts No.3-5 Panzerkampfwagen Umbau
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2012) Panzer Tracts No.23 Panzer production from 1933 to 1945
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2006) Panzer Tracts No.3-2 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.E, F, G, H.
P. P. Battistelli (2007) Panzer Divisions, The Blitzkrieg Years 1939-1940, Osprey publishing.
P. P. Battistelli (2006) Rommel’s Afrika Korps Osprey publishing.
D. Nešić, (2008) Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
H. Scheibert (1994) Panzer III, Schiffer Publishing
Walter J. Spielberger (2007) Panzer III and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
S. J. Zaloga (2014) Panzer III vs. Somua S 35 Osprey publishing
M. Harley (2008) The Campaigns in the West 1940, Ian Allan publishing
D. Doyle (2005) German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
G. Parada, S. Jablonski and W. hryniewicki, Panzer III Ausf.L/M. Kagero.
Walter J. Spielberger, AFV Panzerkampfwagen III, Profile Publications
B. Perret (1980) The Panzerkampfwagen III, Osprey Publishing

German Reich (1937)
Medium Tank – 15 Built

The next in line in the Panzer III series after the Ausf.B was the Ausf.C. As the previous suspension used on Ausf.B still proved to be inadequate, the German engineers tried a new 8 wheel suspension. Another major change was the introduction of an improved commander cupola. Like the previous two versions, the Ausf.C would also be built in small series and used mainly for testing, but also saw limited combat action.

History

With the development of the first Panzer III Ausf.A, the German Waffen Prüfwesen 6 (Wa Prw 6 – the automotive design office of the German Army) contacted Daimler-Benz to build two additional experimental chassis. The first one was the Versuchs-Fahrgestell (experimental chassis) Z.W.3 (Zugführerwagen platoon commander’s vehicle) which would lead to the Panzer III Ausf.B. The Z.W.4 would be used as the base of the Panzer III Ausf.C (marked as 3a. Serie Z.W.) and D (marked as 3b. Serie Z.W.). Both developments were carried out to attempt to find a solution to the Ausf.A’s problematic suspension.

Production

Daimler-Benz was tasked with assembling 15 Panzer III Ausf.C tanks. In the same way as the previously built vehicles, this included a number of different subcontractors. Some of these were Krupp, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke AG, and many more much smaller companies. By the end of 1937, all 15 vehicles were completed and given to the German Army for use.

Specifications

The Panzer III Ausf.C was simply an improved version of the Ausf.B. The two major modifications were the suspension and the commander’s cupola, with some other minor modifications. The weapons, engine, armor (except the cupola), and overall design were unchanged.

Hull

The hull of the Panzer III Ausf.C was the same with one exception. The two inspection access hatch doors to access the transmission located in the lower front plate were replaced by two square-shaped armored covers that were held in place by bolts. In front of the hull, two towing bracket pins and one to the rear were added.

Superstructure

The superstructure received only minor modifications, mostly in the rear side of the engine compartment. The flat rear side on the engine compartment used on the previous Ausf.B was replaced with a new angled plate. Another change was the use of improved vision ports that provided better protection from splash.

Turret

Changes on the turret included the replacement of the visor ports with improved models. The left vision port lacked the small visor slits that the right one had. The visor ports on the turret side doors were designed to be easily replaceable.

One of the few major improvements was a completely new and better-protected commander cupola. Its armor thickness was increased from 14.5 to 30 mm all around. The number of vision ports was reduced from eight to five. These were also better protected, with two-part hatches that could be fully or partially opened. In addition, much thicker 50 mm glass blocks replaced the 12 mm ones previously used.

Suspension

The Ausf.B incorporated a new 8 road wheel suspension. This also proved to be insufficient for the job, so the Germans replaced it with a new one. The Ausf.C suspension also had 8 smaller road wheels, but with a different arrangement. It was divided into three parts, with two pairs of double wheels placed in front and to the rear. The remaining four double wheels were placed in the middle. The smaller pairs, each with two double wheels, were suspended using a shortened leaf spring unit. In addition, these were also provided with a shock absorber. The four center-positioned wheels were suspended using a much longer leaf spring unit. The last change to the suspension was the new round cap held in place with four bolts for the rear idler.

In Combat

The Panzer III Ausf.C, as the previously built versions, was allocated initially to training units. Once war with Poland broke out in September 1939, the Panzer III Ausf.C would also be pressed into combat service. The Panzer III had a good gun at the time and could destroy with ease any Polish armored vehicle. The Panzer IIIs were lightly armored and often fell victim to Polish anti-tank fire of any caliber. With the completion of the Polish campaign, the Germans initiated a slow withdrawal of the earlier types of the Panzer III. By February 1940, these, including the Ausf.C, were allocated to tank training schools.

Conclusion

The Panzer III Ausf.C was another attempt to find an adequate suspension solution for the Panzer III. While a new type of suspension was tested, it also proved to be insufficient for the job, so the work to solve this issue continued with the following Ausf.D vehicle.

Specifications
Dimensions (l-w-h)	5.66 x 2.81 x 2.36 m
Total weight, battle-ready	16 tonnes
Crew	5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator, and Driver)
Propulsion	Maybach HL 108 TR 250 [email protected] 2800 rpm
Speed (road/off-road)	35 km/h, 10-12 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off-road)-fuel	165 km, 95 km (cross country)
Primary Armament	3.7 cm KwK L/46.5
Secondary Armament	Three 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Armor	5-30 mm

Source

• D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
• T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2006) Panzer Tracts No.3-1 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.A, B, C, und D.
• T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (20) Panzer Tracts No.23 Panzer production from 1933 to 1945.
• P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
• D. Doyle (2005). German Military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
• G. Parada, S. Jablonski and W. hryniewicki, Panzer III Ausf.L/M. Kagero.
• Walter J. Spielberger (2007). Panzer III and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
• Walter J. Spielberger, AFV Panzerkampfwagen III, Profile Publications
• B. Perret (1980), The Panzerkampfwagen III, Osprey Publishing
• A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon Books.
• G. L. Rottman (2008) M3 Medium tank Vs Panzer III, Osprey Publishing

German Reich (1937)
Medium Tank – 10 Built + 5 Hulls

The introduction of the Panzer III Ausf.A into service provided the Germans with a base for the development of a good medium tank. While the Germans were generally satisfied with the overall concept and design, there was still a lot of room for improvements and modifications. The greatest issue with the Ausf.A was its weak suspension. Thus, the Germans introduced a new version, the Ausf.B, intended to improve the suspension and other minor elements of the vehicle.

Development

Following the introduction of the Panzer III Ausf.A, the Germans established a good design base that still offered a lot of space for improvements. As Daimler-Benz was finishing the first few Ausf.A test chassis in August 1935, Waffen Prüfwesen 6 (Wa Prw 6 – the automotive design office of the German Army) issued a new contract by which two additional experimental chassis were to be built. These were Versuchs-Fahrgestell (experimental chassis) Z.W.3 (Zugführerwagen platoon commander’s vehicle) and the Z.W.4. The Z.W.3 experimental vehicle would serve as the base for the development of the Panzer III Ausf.B, while the Z.W. 4 would become the Ausf.C and D. The development of the Ausf.B (and later C and D versions) was mainly focused on solving the issues regarding the Ausf.A’s problematic suspension.

Production

According to this contract, Daimler-Benz was to produce 15 Panzer III Ausf.B chassis and superstructures (not all would be completed as tanks) by the end of 1937. These had serial numbers ranging from 60201 to 60215. As the German industry was still not sufficiently developed for tank production, a number of subcontractors were also included in the Panzer III project. These included Krupp-Grusonwerk, producing 5 new turrets, Rheinmetall, building 5 of the 3.7 cm guns and Krupp (Essen) building another 10 turrets and 5 guns. Additionally, Stahlwerke Harkort-Eichen was to produce armor components for the needed turrets. Once all parts were completed, these were to be transported to Daimler-Benz for final assembly.

By early November 1937, 8 vehicles were completed and were mostly issued to training tank schools. The last two vehicles were completed and delivered by the start of December 1937.

Specifications

The Panzer III Ausf.B was, in essence, an attempt to improve a number of the previous Ausf.A’s shortcomings, mainly regarding its suspension.

Hull

The hull of the Panzer III Ausf.B had the same arrangement as its previous version, with the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment, and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment. The only visible change introduced on the Ausf.B’s hull was the use of two inspection round access hatch doors placed in front of the transmission. These were used for the crew to have better access to the transmission during repairs.

Superstructure

There were several changes incorporated into the new Ausf.B’s superstructure. The major one was the complete redesign of the rear engine compartment. It was enlarged and the two larger air intakes were replaced with four smaller ones placed on top of the engine compartment instead of the rear.

On the left superstructure side, a triangular-shaped pivoting arm was added. Its main purpose was to serve as a machine gun mount (the machine gun had to be dismounted from the vehicle) for the crew to engage enemy aircraft. The vehicle had to be stationary, which somewhat limited its usefulness. The radio antenna and its wooden housing were moved further to the back, on the right side of the superstructure.

Turret

The Panzer III Ausf.B received a new commander’s cupola that was bolted to the rear of the top of the turret. It still had the same drum shape and eight small vision slits. In order to provide better protection for the commander from bullet splash, the internal armored slide slits were improved. These could be partly or completely open to provide the commander with a good view of the surroundings. The 12 mm thick glass blocks were also present on this cupola. The commander direction indicator was also kept unchanged. The most obvious change to the cupola was the introduction of new two-part hatch doors.

Suspension and Running Gear

The major improvement in contrast to the Ausf.A version was the introduction of a completely new (and somewhat complicated) suspension. The Ausf.B suspension consisted of eight (400 mm in diameter) small road wheels. These were placed in pairs on double swing axles, which pivoted around a swing arm. This swing arm also pivoted on a pin that was held in position by a small metal box that was welded on the hull’s lower sides. Above each group of four wheels, a leaf spring unit was installed. In addition, there were also four shock absorbers placed on each side of the suspension. While the front-drive sprocket and the rear idler were unchanged, the Ausf.B had three return rollers in comparison to the two used on the Ausf.A.

Engine

The engine used on this vehicle was the same HL 108 TR which produced 250 [email protected] 2800 rpm, as on the Ausf.A. While the weight of the Ausf.B was increased by a tonne, its overall driving performance remained the same, with a maximum speed of 35 km/h (or 10-12 km/h cross country), an operational range of 165 km and 95 km cross-country. There were some internal engine modifications, like rearranging positions of the filler tanks to provide better cooling.

Armor Protection

The armor protection of the hull and the turret was also left unchanged. It still provided limited protection, as armor thickness ranged from 5 to 16 mm only.

Crew

The Panzer III Ausf.B also had a crew of five, which included the commander, gunner, and loader, who were positioned in the turret, and the driver and radio operator in the hull. Their positions were unchanged in comparison to the previous model.

Armament

The main armament of the Panzer III Ausf.B was also unchanged from the Ausf.A and it consisted of the 3.7 cm Kw.K. L/46.5 with 121 rounds of ammunition. The secondary armament consisted of three 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns, with two placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun, and one in the hull. The machine gun ammunition load was 4,500 rounds.

In Combat

The first 8 built Panzer III Ausf.Bs were ready for distribution by August of 1937. Six of these would be given to the Putlos tank training school. The remaining two would be given to the 5th Panzer Regiment. The last two vehicles built, when completed, were allocated to the 1st Panzer Regiment at the end of 1937.

Despite being built in small numbers, the Panzer III Ausf.B would see some action during the war. Due to the lack of more modern tanks, the Germans were forced to use some Panzer III Ausf.Bs for the invasion of Poland in 1939. The majority (if not all) Ausf.B vehicles that were damaged or required a major overhaul were retired from service and instead given to training units after February 1940.

Variants

While necessary components to complete 15 Panzer III Ausf.B vehicles were built, only 10 fully operational tanks were actually assembled. The remaining 5 turrets and chassis were actually reused for other purposes.

The 0-series Sturmgeschütz III

In June 1936, Inspektorat 4, which was in charge of artillery development, issued a request for the development of a self-propelled assault vehicle that was to support infantry formations. Krupp was charged with the development of the main weapon, while Daimler-Benz did the chassis (taken from the Panzer III Ausf.B) and superstructure. Five vehicles would be built using soft steel, but with fully operational weapons. Due to many delays in production, these would not be completed until October 1939. These would be used in the following years for testing and crew training. Eventually, these developments would give way to the famous StuG series.

Panzer III Ausf.D/B hybrid

With the allocation of the five Panzer III Ausf.B chassis to the Sturmgeschütz III project, five turrets were left unused. In order not to waste them, Heeres Waffenamt gave Daimler-Benz instructions to build five Ausf.D chassis to be merged with the Ausf.B turrets. These were never a priority and Daimler-Benz concentrated on developing and building more improved versions of the Panzer III. It took some two years (until October 1940) to actually complete these vehicles. Some of these (possibly all) were transported to Norway in the summer of 1941 and allocated to the Panzer-Abteilung z.b.V. 40 (special assignment unit).

Conclusion

The Panzer III Ausf.B was the first attempt to improve some shortcomings of the Ausf.A. While it introduced a new suspension, a weak point on the previous version, it also proved to be somewhat overcomplicated and unsuited for the job. Nevertheless, the Panzer III Ausf.B was still an important vehicle in German hands, as it provided them with a necessary increase of experience in tank design and, more importantly, in crew training.

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.B specifications
Dimensions (L-W-H)	5.66 m x 2.81 m x 2.36 m
Total weight, battle-ready	16 tonnes
Crew	5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator, and Driver)
Propulsion	Maybach HL 108TR 250 HP @ 2800 rpm
Speed (road/off-road)	35 km/h, 10-12 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off-road)-fuel	165 km, 95 km (cross country)
Primary Armament	3.7 cm Kw.K L/46.5
Secondary Armament	Three 7.92 mm M.G.34 machine guns
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Armor	5 mm – 14.5 mm

Sources

D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2006) Panzer Tracts No.3-1 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.A, B, C, und D.
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (20) Panzer Tracts No.8 Sturmgeschütz
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (20) Panzer Tracts No.23 Panzer production from 1933 to 1945.
P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
G. Parada, S. Jablonski and W. hryniewicki, Panzer III Ausf.L/M. Kagero.
Walter J. Spielberger (2007). Panzer III and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
Walter J. Spielberger, AFV Panzerkampfwagen III, Profile Publications
B. Perret (1980), The Panzerkampfwagen III, Osprey Publishing
A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon Books.
G. L. Rottman (2008) M3 Medium tank Vs Panzer III, Osprey Publishing

German Reich (1937)
Medium Tank – 10 Built

1930s German military circles, which included Generalmajor Oswald Lutz and his Chief of Staff, Oberstleutnant Heinz Guderian, predicted the need for two types of tanks that were to perform two different tasks. One was to engage enemy tanks and the second was to act as a fire support vehicle. The role of the anti-tank vehicle was to be carried out by the Panzer III series.

The first of the Panzer III series was the Ausf.A version. This vehicle served mostly as a testbed for the new concept of a medium tank designed to engage enemy armor. While this vehicle would be built in limited numbers, it would see some combat action during the early days of the war due to the German Army’s lack of tanks. Despite its flaws and small production run, the Panzer III Ausf.A was the first step towards the development of what would become Germany’s main combat tank until it was superseded by the long-barrelled Panzer IV from 1942 on.

Development of the 3.7 cm Armed Medium Tank

One of the first German tank designs developed in the late 1920s was the Leichttraktor (light tractor) armed with a 37 mm main gun. The name ‘tractor’ was used in an attempt to deceive the Western Allies about its actual purpose. Germany was banned from developing and producing tanks by the Treaty of Versailles signed by the German government at the end of World War I. In 1930, the Leichttraktors were transported to a facility near Kazan (located in the Soviet Union, as, at this time, the two countries cooperated in arms development) to undergo various field trials. After two years, these were returned to Germany for major overhaul, after which they would be used to test future equipment and evaluate different tactics for proper use of tanks. After 1935, they were given to tank gunnery schools near Oldenburg. While having little influence on later designs, the Leichttraktor was important, as it allowed German weapons manufacturers to gain valuable experience in tank design.

While the German army began to introduce the first machine-gun-armed Landwirtschaftlicher Schlepper (La.S. – later known as the Panzer I) tanks, and later the 2 cm-armed Panzer II, into service, a tank design that was better protected and armed with a more powerful main gun was deemed desirable. According to In 6’s (Inspektorat 6, the inspectorat for mechanization) military armored strategy, this vehicle was primarily intended to engage enemy tanks. One of the first steps undertaken in the development of this vehicle was a secret meeting held at the end of 1933. In this meeting, the representatives of Waffen Prüfwesen 6 (Wa Prw 6 – the automotive design office of the German Army), Krupp and Daimler-Benz, met to discuss who would be involved in the design of the new vehicle’s turret, but not in the overall chassis design.

The development of the tank that would later be known as the Panzer III was officially approved in a meeting of the German General Staff on 11th January 1934. By the end of January, In 6 authorized Wa Prw 6 to begin development of a 3.7 cm armed Gefechtskampfwagen (tank) with a weight of 10 tonnes. The whole project was simply named Z.W., which stands for ‘Zugführerwagen’ (platoon commander’s vehicle). This somewhat strange name was a deliberate attempt to fool the Western Allies about its original purpose by obscuring its true nature as a medium tank. The first step for Wa Prw 6 was to decide and choose which German firms were suited for this task. During a meeting held in late February 1934 and led by the head of In 6, Generalmajor Oswald Lutz, it was decided to include Krupp AG from Essen, Rheinmetall-Borsig from Berlin, MAN from Nuremberg and Daimler-Benz AG from Berlin-Marienfelde.

These four companies were tasked with building a vehicle based on technical requirements laid down by Wa Prw 6. These requirements included a maximum speed of at least 40 km/h and the use of a Maybach HL 100 engine with an SSG 75 transmission and Wilson type steering system. The firms were given a deadline of June 1934 for the submission of the first drawings and proposals. After the firms had presented their designs, Wa Prw 6 issued its first production contracts. Daimler-Benz was tasked with producing two chassis, while MAN received an order for one chassis. Krupp was awarded a contract to produce two turrets and Rheinmetall one turret.

After a series of evaluations of each chassis and turret design were carried out at Kummersdorf and Ulm, the Krupp turret design and the Daimler-Benz chassis design were deemed the most satisfactory. Krupp even made several different turret designs with two crew members instead of three, as In 6 and Wa Prw 6 were for a time considering a two-man turret for this vehicle. On 22nd January 1936, Krupp was informed by Major Dr. Olbrich (from Wa Prw 6) that it should receive a contract for producing 5 turrets. Additional components for 5 more turrets that were also to be assembled by Krupp were to be provided by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke AG. After the completion of the turret design for the first series of the Panzer III, Krupp engineers would go on to develop and test different ideas and designs up to 1939. While the turret designed by Rheinmetall would be built and even tested on one Panzer III chassis, it would not be adopted for service.

On the other side, Daimler-Benz completed its first chassis in August 1935. As it proved to be satisfactory, Daimler-Benz was tasked with building two additional chassis. These were the Z.W.3, which served as the basis for the Panzer III Ausf.B, and the Z.W.4, which was the basis for the Panzer III Ausf.C and D. While the Daimler-Benz Z.W.1 would serve as the basis of the future Panzer III Ausf.A, there were some differences between these two, mostly regarding their construction and internal layout.

Name

As noted earlier, the initial designation name for this vehicle was Z.W. When it was introduced to service, it received an additional numerical designation 1, which marked it as the first series (there were, in total, 8 production series).

During its development history, several tactical names were also used which include: Gefechtskampfwagen 3.7 cm in June 1934, 3.7 cm Geschütz-Kampfwagen in October 1934, 3.7 cm Geschütz-Panzerwagen in May 1935, 3.7 cm Geschütz Pz.Kpf.Wg. in November 1935 and finally the 3.7 cm Pz.Kpf.Wg. from January 1936. It also received the Sd.Kfz.141 (which stands for Sonderkraftfahrzeug – special purpose vehicle) designation.

The term Panzerkampfwagen was first officially used in an In 6 bulletin dated from late December 1934. In this bulletin, the categorization of Panzerkampfwagen was further expanded to leichte (light), mittlere (medium) and schwere (heavy). The German tank crews referred to them simply as Panzer III or as Panzer drei (three). This is probably the origin of the simpler and abbreviated form of Panzer.

Production

In a contract placed at the end of 1935, Daimler-Benz was tasked with the production of 10 Panzer III Ausf.A vehicle. While Daimler-Benz was responsible for its assembly and even produced some components, the majority of the Panzer III’s parts were actually provided by over 100 smaller subcontractors. Despite attempts to complete at least two tanks by November 1936, this was not achieved due to problems with the availability of necessary parts.

The German High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres, OKH) expected that the first three completed vehicles should be ready for use by the troops by 1st April 1937. Once again, delays in production meant that the small Panzer III Ausf.A production series was not completed until August 1937. The chassis numbers of these vehicles were in the range 60101-60110. While some sources claim that 15 were built, this is incorrect.

Specifications

The Panzer III Ausf.A was composed of several components, the largest of which included the hull, the front and rear parts of the superstructure and the turret. Each of these components was built using welded armor plates and then connected with each other using bolts.

Hull

The hull of the Panzer III was designed to carry the tank chassis. The hull could be divided into a few components: the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment.

The front hull was where the transmission and steering systems were placed and was protected with an angled armor plate. To gain better access for repairs and brake inspection, two square-shaped, two-part hatch doors were added. These could also be used by the driver and radio operator to enter or exit the vehicle. In front of the transmission armor, there were two bolted square-shaped plates. These were also used for maintenance and are present on the early versions of the Panzer III, though they were later removed to simplify production. On the front of the hull there were two tow couplings, with one more on the rear.

Superstructure

On top of the Panzer III hull was the fully enclosed superstructure, which provided protection for the crew. The superstructure had a simple, square shape with mostly flat armored sides that were welded together. On the left side of the front armor plate was a protective visor for the driver and, next to it, to the right, was a machine gun ball mount. The driver also had one smaller vision port placed on the left side of the superstructure. The radio operator was not provided with a side vision port.

The driver’s visor was connected to the front armor plate by using hinges. While it had no vision slit, when folded down, the driver would use the KFF binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor. This periscope had a 1.15 x magnification and a field of vision of around 50°. Behind this visor was a 12 mm thick glass block, though this was too weak to provide protection from enemy fire.

Turret

The Panzer III Ausf.A turret had a frontal hexagonal-shaped armor plate with a larger rectangle opening in the center. This opening was used to house the main gun installation with its internal gun mantlet and the twin machine gun mount. To fill the gaps left by the internal gun mantlet, an additional, smaller fixed external gun mantlet was welded in front of the turret. Two round observation hatches were located to the right and the left (above the two machine guns).

Each of the turret sides had observation vision ports and a one-piece hatch door (held in place by two hinges) for the crew. The crew hatch doors had an option to be open with a gap of 30 mm to act as a ventilation system. When fully opened (at 180°), the hatch door could be held in place by a retainer to prevent it from accidentally hitting the turret crew. These hatch doors also had a small vision slit. For protection against any possible infantry attack, two square-shaped machine gun ports were added to the rear of the turret.

The Panzer III Ausf.A had a commander’s cupola (sometimes referred to as the ‘dustbin’ type) that was bolted to the rear of the turret top. The commander’s cupola had a simple drum shape and eight small vision slits that could be closed with sliding cover plates. These slits were protected with 12 mm thick glass which offered the commander only limited protection from bullet splash. The commander was also provided with a direction indicator placed on the front visor slit, and a numbered ring with markings from 1 to 12 to help him identify the direction in which the vehicle was going. On top of the cupola, a two-piece hatch door was installed. Its purpose was to allow the commander to enter his position, but also to provide a good all-around view when not engaged in combat. On top of the cupola was a small opening to provide ventilation for the commander.

On the front left and right side of the commander’s cupola, there were two signal ports that were protected with small round caps. These protective caps were not hermetically sealed but had a 3 mm gap to allow them to act as a ventilation port. The signal ports were used to fire signal flares for communication if needed. Each Panzer III was equipped with 24 rounds for the 2.6 cm caliber flare pistols.

Suspension and Running Gear

The Panzer III Ausf.A’s suspension consisted of five large road wheels placed on each side. These were suspended using swing axles with coil springs which were mounted on box assemblies. The first series of Panzer III used only two return rollers per side. At the front were two drive sprockets (with 21 teeth), and on the back of the hull were two idlers with adjustable crank arms. The tracks used on the initial production Panzer IIIs were 360 mm wide and were connected using pins. The ground clearance of this vehicle was 35 cm. In order to improve passability on bad terrain, each track link had a gripper bar. In the middle of the front drive sprockets, a 1 cm high tooth was added. Its main roles were to act as a track guide but also, more importantly, to prevent the possibility of the tracks popping up while driving in muddy terrain.

Engine and Transmission

The engine used on this vehicle was the water-cooled Maybach HL 108 TR which produced 250 [email protected] 2800 rpm. The Panzer III Ausf.A’s maximum speed was 35 km/h (or 10-12 km/h cross country), with an operational range of 165 km and 95 km cross country. The engine was held in place by three rubber bushings.

The fuel load of 300 liters (or 250 l in some sources) was stored in two fuel tanks placed below the radiators in the engine compartment. To avoid any accidental fires, these fuel tanks were protected by firewalls. The Panzer III’s engine cooling system consisted of two radiators and fans, which were placed on the engine sides. Air intakes were located on both sides of the rear engine compartment. Additional air intakes were placed atop the engine compartment.

The Panzer III Ausf.A was equipped with the SFG 75 five-speed (and one reverse) transmission. The transmission was connected to the engine by a drive shaft that ran through the bottom of the fighting compartment. The steering mechanism used on the Panzer III was bolted to the hull. It was connected to the two final drives that were themselves bolted to the outside of the hull. Inside the engine compartment was a 12V Bosch generator. Its main role was to produce electricity for the two 12V Varta batteries which were needed for the electrical starter motor that started the main engine.

Armor Protection

The hull front armor ranged from 10 to 14.5 mm thick. The flat side armor was 14.5 mm thick, while the top armor was 10 mm (at an 85° to 65° angle) and the bottom only 5 mm. The front superstructure armor was 14.5 mm thick, placed at a 9° angle. The vertical sides of the crew compartment were 14.5 mm thick.

The front turret armor was 16 mm (at a 15° angle), while the sides and rear were 14.5 mm (at a 25° angle) and the top was 10 mm (at an 81-91° angle). The front gun mantlet was a 16 mm thick rounded armor plate. The commander’s cupola had all-around 14.5 mm of armor. The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous and rolled plates. The thin armor of this tank provided only limited protection, mostly against rifle caliber armor-piercing rounds.

From August 1938 on, nearly all German Panzers were equipped with a Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade rack system). This device was placed on the rear of the hull. Some of the Panzer III Ausf.A were also equipped with these systems. This rack contained five grenades which were activated with a wire system by the Panzer III’s commander.

Crew

The Panzer III had a crew of five, which included the commander, gunner and loader, who were positioned in the turret, and the driver and radio operator in the hull.

The commander was positioned in the rear center of the turret, and had a folding seat. The gunner was positioned to the left, while the loader was to the right of the main gun. While not in combat, the loader could use a folding seat on the right side of the turret. Once in combat, in order to get the stored ammunition, he would simply fold the seat to the side and then stand on the hull floor.

The driver’s position was on the front left side of the hull. He drove the vehicle by using steering levers which were placed on both sides of him, and by using the brakes, gas and clutch pedals placed in front of him.

The last crew member was the radio operator, who was positioned on the front hull’s right side. His main job was to operate the Fu 5 radio set (in the case of a company or platoon leader’s vehicle), which consisted of the transmitter and a receiver. For ordinary vehicles, the Fu 2 receiver set was used. A folding antenna rod with its wooden protective rail was placed on the right superstructure side. The radio operator was also tasked with using the hull mounted 7.92 mm M.G. 34 machine gun.

Armament

The main armament of the Panzer III Ausf.A was the 3.7 cm Kw.K. L/46.5 (Kw.K. stands for ‘Kampfwagenkanone’, which could be translated as combat vehicle cannon or, more simply, as tank gun). The Panzer III gun was actually a slightly modified version of the German standard infantry 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun. It was chosen as the main armament for this Panzer mostly due to standardization and logistical reasons; its ammunition and spare parts could be easily acquired and were available in great numbers. During its development, it was clear to the Germans that there was a possibility that this cannon at one point may become obsolete. For this reason they intentionally left the turret ring diameter a bit larger so that, if necessary, a larger caliber gun could be used. This decision was based on fierce arguments between different military organisations, namely the Heereswaffenamt and the Artillery Inspectorate, which advocated for the use of the 3.7 cm gun and, on the other side, most senior tank officers which supported the use of the larger 5 cm gun. On account of the previously mentioned reasons, both sides agreed on a compromise of using the 3.7 cm caliber as the main weapon.

This gun had a semi-automatic breech with a horizontal sliding block, which enabled it to increase the rate of fire to 20 rounds per minute. The semi-automatic breech increases the rate of fire by automatically ejecting the spent cartridge after firing. The 3.7 cm breech first had to be opened to load the first round, and after that the breach closed itself. The main gun and its recoil cylinders that stood outside of the turret were covered by a steel jacket and a deflector guard.

This gun had a muzzle velocity of 762 m/s and, by using the standard armor-piercing round, could penetrate 48 mm at 500 m (at 0° angle). The elevation of this gun went from –10° to +20°. The ammunition load consisted of 120 rounds. The early versions of the Panzer III were equipped mostly with armor-piercing ammunition, as they were primarily intended to engage other tanks. The role of engaging soft and fortified targets was the job of the larger Panzer IV. Experience gained during the War showed that this approach was not adequate and so later versions would also carry other types of ammunition as well, including high explosive, hollow charge, smoke rounds etc. The ammunition was stored in holding bins located on the hull sides and floor.

The Panzer III’s main gun was equipped with a TZF5 ‘Turmzielfernrohr’ monocular telescopic gun-sight. This sight had a magnification of 2.5 and a field view of 25° which was 444 m wide at 1 km range. The gunsight reticle ranges were marked up to 1,200 m for the main gun and to 800 m for the machine guns. For firing at targets (on the move or when the Panzer III was stationary) that were closer (at 200 m to 800 m), the gunner could use the open sight (Zielschiene).

On the left side of the gun, there were two mechanical handwheels for elevation and traverse of the main gun. The guner could traverse the turret by using the traverse handwheel at a speed of 4° per turn. For more precise aiming, the handwheel speed could be reduced to 2.75° per turn. On the right side of the turret was a second handwheel for the turret traverse that could be controlled by the loader.

Beside the main gun, the Panzer III Ausf.A was provided with three 7.92 mm M.G. 34 machine guns for defense against infantry. One was mounted in a ball mount in the hull and was operated by the radio operator. The Panzer III Ausf.A ball mount actually consisted of two parts that could be split for either mounting the machine gun or to open it completely for the radio operator to have a good view. This machine gun had a traverse left and right of 20° and an elevation range of 20°. On some Panzer III Ausf.A, the initial ball mount was replaced with a more modern type used on later versions of the Panzer III.

The remaining two machine guns were placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun. If needed, the two machine gun mounts could be disengaged from the main gun mount and used independently (similar to the hull-mounted machine gun). The M.G. 34s were fed using drum magazines, with a total load of 4500 spare rounds.

Organization

Prior to the German invasion of Poland, the general organization of a Panzer Division consisted of two regiments, each having two Panzer Battalions. These battalions were then divided into four companies each equipped with 32 tanks. Ideally, the Panzer Division tank strength was to be around 561 vehicles. In reality, this was never achieved by the Germans, as they lacked the production capabilities to produce enough tanks.

These Panzer Divisions were meant to be equipped with modern Panzer III and IV tanks, but this was also impossible to achieve at the start of the war. The situation with the Panzer III was so dire that, on average, only 20 were available for each Division.

In Combat

The 10 Panzer III Ausf.As were initially allocated to training schools in November 1937. Five tanks were stationed at the motorized combat troop school at Wunsdorf, two at the gunnery school at Putlos, 2 with the 5th Panzer Regiment at Wunsdorf and the last 2 with the 1st Panzer Regiment at Erfurt. Some were used prior to the war on military parades.

Being an experimental vehicle that was only built in small numbers, it should come as no surprise that the Panzer III Ausf.A saw only limited combat use. At the start of the war, there were some 60 Panzer IIIs (from Ausf.A to D) available for frontline use. Small numbers of the earlier versions were given to training units and thus were not available to the front. According to some sources, eight vehicles were actually armed while the remaining two (without the main armament) were used for training and testing.

With the introduction of the more powerful versions of the Panzer III, the surviving Ausf.A would be removed from front line service in February 1940. They would be allocated to training schools. Some (at least one) were especially modified for this role with the removal of the turret.

Conclusion

While the Panzer III would become the backbone of the German Panzer Divisions, its first version was far from a success. Its suspension proved to be most problematic and had to be redesigned in later versions. While not immediately apparent, the armor thickness would also be deemed insufficient. On the other hand, the use of a five-man crew was a modern concept which provided the Germans with a great advantage over the Allied vehicles in the first years of the war. While few were built, the Panzer III Ausf.A played a significant role in providing additional experience in tank design and in crew training.

Specifications
Dimensions (l-w-h)	5.8 x 2.81 x 2.36 m
Total weight, battle-ready	15 tonnes
Crew	5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion	Maybach HL 108TR 250 HP @ 2800 rpm
Speed (road/off road)	35 km/h, 10-12 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel	165 km, 95 km (cross country)
Primary Armament	3.7 cm KwK L/46.5
Secondary Armament	Three 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation	-10° to +20°
Turret Armor	front 16 mm, sides 14.5 mm, rear 14.5 and top 10 mm
Hull Armor	front 10-14.5 mm, sides 10-14.5 mm, rear 14.5 mm and the top and bottom 8-10 mm.

Both illustrations by David Bocquelet.

Sources

D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetskog Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2006) Panzer Tracts No.3-1 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.A, B, C, und D.
P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
G. Parada, S. Jablonski and W. hryniewicki, Panzer III Ausf.L/M. Kagero.
Walter J. Spielberger (2007). Panzer III and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
Walter J. Spielberger, AFV Panzerkampfwagen III, Profile Publications
B. Perret (1980), The Panzerkampfwagen III, Osprey Publishing
A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon Books.
G. L. Rottman (2008) M3 Medium tank Vs Panzer III, Osprey Publishing