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WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H

German Reich (1943)
Medium Tank – 2,322 to 3,774 Built

The introduction of the longer 7.5 cm gun-armed Panzer IV Ausf.G changed the role of the Panzer IV tank-type significantly within the German Wehrmacht. The 7.5 cm L/43 guns were more than capable of dealing with most tanks on the battlefield in 1942. Given its excellent performance, more better-armed Panzer IVs were requested. This would lead to the introduction of the Ausf.H version. It was in essence the same vehicle as the Ausf.G with some minor modifications to facilitate easier production. Thanks to its larger production, firepower, and improved armor, the Panzer IV Ausf.H would become the backbone of the Panzer divisions from 1943 until the end of the war.

The Panzer IV Ausf.H. Source: www.panzernet.net

A New Form 

Installing the longer 7.5 cm guns on the Panzer IV greatly improved its anti-tank capabilities. The superstructure design and armor were deemed insufficient and warranted some changes to improve the overall performance. The experience gained fighting the Soviet T-34 tanks showed that angled armor offered advantages with regard to protection. Angled plates could be built using thinner armor plates and thus save on costs and production. It also offered an increased chance for the enemy round to ricochet off. Flat plates were easier to work with and provided additional internal space, but had to be steadily increased in thickness to cope with new enemy anti-tank weapons.

The German High Command was quite interested in adding a new angled superstructure on the Panzer IV. One such design was offered by Krupp engineers under the drawing ‘W 1462’. At the end of 1942, the project was initiated and Wa Prüf 6 instructed Krupp to proceed with its construction. The new superstructure frontal armor was to be highly sloped and 80 mm thick. The angled glacis armor was somewhat weaker, but still respectable at 50 mm. The front armor protection would offer immunity from most anti-tank weapons employed at that time. Consideration was given to further increase the turret side armor up to 45 mm. The weight of the superstructure was calculated to add nearly 900 kg. In order to preserve the overall drive characteristics, wider tracks were to be used. In addition, during this time, experimentation on a new suspension consisting of 6 larger road wheels was being undertaken.

The whole project was short-lived and almost doomed from the start. In February 1943, Krupp engineers calculated that the total weight, with the extra armor and wider tracks, would be around 28.2 tonnes. Even the ordinary Panzer IV Ausf.G version, with the added weight of the gun and armor, was nearing the limits of the chassis and suspension. A weight of 28.2 tonnes would cause huge stress on the suspension, leading to potential breakdowns and its service life is greatly reduced. Another nail to the coffin for this project was Adolf Hitler’s order that the Panzer IV production had to be doubled. Adding the new superstructure and potentially even a new suspension would lead to huge delays which the Germans could not afford. In the end, this project would have likely caused more problems than it was worth and, thus, it was quickly discarded with no prototype ever being built.

Had this project been implemented, the Panzer IV Ausf.H would have been visually quite different from previous versions. Due to delays that would have surely occurred due to the necessary changes to the production facilities, this project was quickly dropped. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No. 20-1 Paper Panzer Panzerkampfwagen, Sturmgeschütz and Jagdpanzer

The Real Panzer IV Ausf.H 

By 1943, Adolf Hitler and his commanding officers were quite aware of the huge tank losses suffered in the previous years, mostly while fighting in the Soviet Union. In order to hopefully increase the overall production of tanks, at the start of 1943, Adolf Hitler appointed Albert Speer, the German Minister of Armament, to supervise the entire war production. At that time, other tank projects, such as the Tiger and Panther, were underway. These inevitably affected the production of other vehicles, including the Panzer IV. Speer soon informed Hitler that an increase in production was only possible if it focused on the Panzer IV and StuG III. Attempts to increase production showed some results. For example, Nibelungnwerke increased its Panzer IV output by 20 vehicles per month during March 1943. On the other hand, problems with deliveries of necessary parts were becoming an ever-present threat to the German tank program, which would only worsen as the years passed.

In March, Generaloberst Heinz Guderian, the Inspector General of the Armored Troops, informed Hitler that the Panzer division’s strength could be reinforced only by focusing on the production of Panzer IV tanks. In addition, he argued that the Panzer IV had to remain in production for the next two years. While Hitler agreed, this decision would often be ignored and bypassed, reducing the Panzer IV production in favor of anti-tank and assault gun versions based on its chassis. Considerable resources also went into the development and production of the larger Tiger and Panther tanks.

The further development of the Panzer IV led to the introduction of the Ausf.H version. There is a common misconception about the difference between it and the previous Ausf.G, which is commonly attributed to the barrel length. In reality, the latter built Ausf.Gs received the same L/48 long gun as employed on the Ausf.H. These two tank versions were the same, to the point one may even ask why even bother giving a new designation.

A common misconception is that the difference between Ausf.H and Ausf.G was the barrel length. In reality, the latter built Ausf.G received the same L/48 long gun. Basically, these two versions were nearly identical to each other. Source: www.panzernet.net

The Ausf.H was initially meant to have a new hydraulically operated turret. And in order to implement rationalization and ease production, this turret was to be completely compatible with both the Panzer III and IV. In the end, nothing came of this proposal and the vehicles instead would be equipped with a Panzer IV Ausf.G turret with an increased roof thickness

Interestingly, another attempt at improving the tank was made in 1944, when Krupp proposed a new Panzer IV turret designated as Vereinfachten Turm (Eng. Simplified turret). It did not have visor ports, nor a command cupola, the right side hatch was removed. The front armor was 80 mm thick and the side and rear were 42 mm placed at 25º. Despite this, by mid-1944, the decision was already made to slowly terminate Panzer IV production in favor of the anti-tank version based on its chassis. Investing in a new turret, despite some benefits, seemed redundant and nothing came of it.

While the proposed turret projects led nowhere, the improvement of the front-drive elements was seen as highly important. Steps were made to quickly develop and implement a much more durable drive. Aside from the small changes, the Panzer IV Ausf.H was virtually identical to the previous version of the vehicle.

Production

The German attempts to increase overall tank production truly kicked in with the Panzer IV Ausf.H during 1943. In previous years, for various reasons, the Panzer IV production was rather low. The Ausf.H reached a monthly production of almost 300, with a maximum of 354 tanks built in December 1943. In comparison, some early Panzer IV versions needed over a year to produce such quantities. For example, during 1941, on average, the monthly Panzer IV production was around 40 tanks.

The Ausf.H was one of the most produced versions of the Panzer IV series, with over 2,300 vehicles built. Source: www.panzernet.net

The Panzer Ausf.H was produced by Krupp, Vomag, and Nibelungenwerke. Over 100 companies of various sizes would be included in its overall production. Huge production orders were given to Krupp and Vomag to produce 1,400 tanks each, and Nibelungenwerke a further 1,900. Despite being heavily involved in the Panzer IV production, Krupp produced only 381 Ausf.H vehicles by December 1943. During 1943, Krupp was in a somewhat chaotic state due to constant changes in the production orders. For example, in April 1943, Krupp was ordered to completely abandon production of the Panzer IV in favor of the Panther I and II. In August, this was changed again, with Krupp receiving orders to manufacture some 150 Panzer IVs. In late August, this order was once again changed to 100 vehicles per month. In the end, the Panzer IV production was abandoned by Krupp in favor of the StuG IV assault gun.

The Vomag production numbers were higher, at 693. Finally, by the time the production ended in February 1944, Nibelungenwerke managed to build 1,250 Panzer IV Ausf.H. An additional 90 chassis built at Nibelungenwerke were reused for the StuG IV (30) and Sturmpanzer IV (60). During the period from May 1943 to February 1944, in total, some 2,322 Panzer IV Ausf.Hs would be built.

However, like so many German production numbers, there are some disagreements between sources. For example, K. Hjermstad (Panzer IV) and D. Nešić (Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka) give a much greater number of 3,774 built in the period from April 1943 through to July 1944. Author A. T. Jones (Images of War Special The Panzer IV Hitler’s Rock) states that, in total, 3,935 Panzer IV chassis were built, with 130 used for the Sturmpanzer IV and 30 for StuG IV, and the remaining chassis were used in standard tank configuration. Author B. Perrett (Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45) mentions only that some 3,000 were built during 1943.

Design

The Hull

The hull received only a few minor modifications. The most important of which was the introduction of an interlocking front glacis and superstructure armor with the sides of the vehicle for better rigidity starting from December 1943.

Suspension and Running Gear

The overall design of the suspension remained the same. The difference was the reduction to three return rollers. In order to save rubber, these were made completely out of metal. In addition, the welded rear idler would be replaced from October 1943 by a new cast one starting. Some sources also mentioned that a new SSG 77 six-speed transmission was used on the Ausf.H. This seems to be some misidentification in the sources, as the Ausf.G also utilized this transmission.

In order to further simplify suspension production, some other minor changes were introduced. For example, the cast bump stop mountings were replaced with new welded mounts. The road wheels’ cast caps were replaced with slightly redesigned forged caps. It is important to note that not all vehicles received these modifications and that some continued to use older components.

A minor change was the introduction of a slightly modified wheel cap cover. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV
The top picture represents a common rubber return roller. Due to a general shortage of rubber, in the latter part of the war, the Germans introduced simpler all-steel return rollers (lower picture). Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV
Another minor change was the redesign of the front-drive wheel. Source: Walter J. Spielberger Panzer IV and its Variants

The Engine 

The Panzer IV Ausf.H used the same engine as the previous version, the Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 hp @ 2,600 rpm. One major change was the introduction of an improved final drive. Given the constant increase of weight, this was necessary as the extra weight had been causing severe stress on the front-drive components. Its overall design was changed, with most of the reduction gear being relocated to the external part of the casing of the front-drive unit. The new drive had a higher gear ratio and this, together with increased weight, led to a slight reduction of speed to 38 km/h. The first 30 newly produced Panzer IV Ausf.Hs did not receive the improved front-drive unit due to problems with the production of necessary parts. Despite these changes, its operational range was the same, at 210 km on a good road and 130 km cross-country. The fuel load of 470 liters was also unchanged.

The Superstructure 

The superstructure design remained unchanged. The front 80 mm plate was interlocked with side armor for improved durability. The driver compartment received a heater. Lastly, an air pre-cleaning system was placed on the superstructure’s right side. The use of this system would be discarded near the end of the war.

The superstructure was almost unchanged from the previous version. The only visual difference was the use of an air pre-cleaning system placed on the right side of the superstructure. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV

The Turret

Like the Ausf.G, this version also lacked a turret visor. In addition, the rear positioned pistol ports were removed together with the signal port. Aside from this, the turret on the Panzer IV Ausf.H remained unchanged from previous Panzer IVs.

Close-up view of a Panzer IV command cupola. While the Panzer IV Ausf.H used the same turret as its predecessor, its armor was slightly improved. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV

Armor Protection

The overall armor protection was quite similar to the previous Ausf.G version, with some exceptions, mainly regarding its front and top armor. Previous versions had maximum frontal protection that consisted of a single 50 mm thick face hardened armor plate. As this was deemed insufficient, additional 30 mm plates were either welded or sometimes even bolted to the frontal hull and superstructure armor plate.

The Panzer IV Ausf.H was meant to use a single 80 mm thick face hardened armor plate for the protection of the front hull and superstructure. This was agreed to by Wa Prüwf 6 and three major amor component suppliers, Krupp, Bohler-Kapfenberg, and Eisenwerk Oberdonau, just before the Panzer IV Ausf.H production began. The single-piece armor plates were easier to work with, offered better protection, and did not need holes for the bolts, thus saving time. However, this was not possible at that time and, as a temporary solution, two-piece armor plates had to be used for a brief period. During the production, most vehicles would be equipped with single-piece frontal armor. It was not uncommon to see vehicles that had a combination of a single piece and bolted armor.

This improved frontal armor provided sufficient protection against the T-34’s 76.2 cm and Sherman’s 75 mm guns. Later improved Allied armament, such as the Soviet 85 mm gun, could penetrate the Panzer IV’s frontal armor. The side armor was much weaker and could be penetrated by rounds larger than 2 cm in caliber.

Another change was the improved top turret armor, which ranged from 16 to 25 mm in comparison to the 10 mm used previously. The armor of command cupola armor was also slightly increased by 5 mm.

Like many German armored vehicles, from May 1943 onward, the Panzer IV Ausf.H began to receive 5 mm thick skirts, known as Schürzen. Their primary purpose was to provide protection from Soviet anti-tank rifles. The Panzer IV hull was covered by six such skirts on each side. The turret was almost completely covered by these plates, leaving only the front open for the main gun. On the sides, two two-piece doors were placed for the turret crewmembers. As these were relatively loosely connected, they tended to be quickly lost during combat. This was something that the tank crews often complained about. In hope of improving their overall design, some changes to the mounting system were implemented starting in October 1943. The side rail bins that held the shields were modified to include triangular-shaped holders. The side skirts received ‘U’ brackets that were to be connected with these triangles and positioned at an angle toward the wheels. This modification somewhat improved the handling of the side skirts but still, they could be easily thrown off by the rapid movement of the tanks.

Starting in October 1943, the side rail bins were modified to include triangular-shaped holders. The side skirts received ‘U’ brackets that were connected with these triangles, and positioned at an angle toward the wheels. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle, Panzer Tracts No.4-3 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H / Ausf.J 1943 to 1945
A Panzer IV Ausf.H fully equipped with Schürzen. Source: www.panzernet.net

Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste was used on the Panzer IV Ausf.H. While originally, it was to be applied mostly on the tank’s flat surfaces, some more imaginative crews simply put the paste over the whole tank. While newly produced tanks would receive it at the factory, tank units were supplied with the necessary kit to do it in the field as well.

While intended to cover mostly flat surfaces, Panzer IV crews would sometimes cover other parts of their tanks. This vehicle, for example, had the Zimmerit applied to its side skirt armor plates. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle, Panzer Tracts No.4-3 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H / Ausf.J 1943 to 1945
While mostly ineffective, crews would often add additional spare links, storage boxes, spare road wheels, or whatever they had at hand for extra protection. Source: T. L. Jentz (1996) Panzertruppen The Complete Guide of the Creation and Combat Employment of German Tank Force 1943-1945

Armament 

The Panzer IV Ausf.H was equipped with the 7.5 cm Kw.K. L/48 long gun. The longer barrel, compared to the L/43 used on early Ausf.Gs, offered slightly improved anti-tank capabilities. At a 1 km range, the 7.5 cm Kw.K. L/48 gun could penetrate around 85 mm of armor angled at 30° using standard armor-piercing rounds. The rare tungsten round increased the penetration at the same distance and angle up to 97 mm. A third option consisted of a hollow charge round that could penetrate 100 mm of armor regardless of the range but had a slow velocity of only 450 m/s compared to 750 m/s of the standard anti-tank round. The usual ammunition load consisted of 87 rounds, usually almost equal numbers of AP and HE rounds. When available, tungsten AP rounds would also be stored in limited numbers and used against the best-armored targets. The hollow charge rounds were sometimes used instead of the HE rounds.

The secondary armament was unchanged and consisted of two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns. The ammunition load for these two machine guns was stored in 21 belt sacks, each with 150 rounds ( 3,150 rounds in total). A third machine gun could be placed on a Fligerbeschussgerat 43 type anti-aircraft mount located on top of the command cupola.

Lastly, many armored vehicles that were produced in the later stages of the war were meant to receive the Nahverteidigungswaffe (Eng. close-range defense weapon), basically a small grenade thrower.  It was mounted on top of the turret. Due to the general lack of availability, it was rarely issued prior to the start of 1944. Those vehicles that did not receive it had the turret opening covered with a round plate.

While not present on all tanks, an anti-aircraft mount could be placed on the command cupola. It only offered marginal defense against air targets and it could come in handy when engaging ground targets. The negative side was that the commander was completely exposed while using it. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle, Panzer Tracts No.4-3 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H / Ausf.J 1943 to 1945

Organization

Starting from June 1943, the Germans introduced some structural changes to their armored units operating in the East. The Panzer Divisions’ Panzerregiments (Eng. Tank Regiments) were divided into two Abteilungen (Eng. Battalions). Each battalion would have 96 Panzer tanks. Battalions were further divided into four mittlere Panzer Kompanie (Eng.  medium tank companies) that each would have 22 tanks. Additional units, such as the command sections for the battalion and company elements, were also included. Older light companies used in previous years were disbanded. Ideally, the new Panzer Divisions of early 1943 were to be equipped mostly with Panzer IV tanks, but given the lack of numbers, Panzer IIIs armed with the long 5 cm gun were often used instead, even though these were no longer produced. The newly developed Panther tank was to be added to each panzer division, as well. Due to its slow delivery pace, it would take time before it was actually issued for frontline use in any sufficient numbers.

While this organizational change would be implemented by the end of 1943, there were never enough tanks to equip all units. For example, some Abteilungen could be equipped with 17 tanks per company, instead of the original 22. There were some exceptions, such as Abteilung ‘Feldherrnhalle’, which had only three 14 vehicle strong companies. Other units, such as the 3rd Abteilung from the 24th Panzer Regiment, were supplemented by two 22 vehicles strong StuG III companies instead of tank ones.

Additionally, while this structural change was initiated in early 1943, it would take almost a year or so to fully implement it. The units that fought in the East in 1943 used older structural organizations, including other tanks than the intended Panzer IV.

In Combat

From May 1943 onwards, the German panzer divisions were slowly being equipped with the new Panzer IV Ausf.H. Unfortunately, identification of the precise version of Panzer IVs mentioned in the sources is not always easy. The main problem is that most sources simply refer to them as Panzer IVs, without any explanation of which precise version was in question. In addition, the general similarity of the versions also complicates the matter. It is also important to note that many vehicles that were returned to Germany for repairs or otherwise survived to the later stages of the war were often equipped with components taken from the newer models. This makes the identification of precise vehicle versions quite difficult, but also creates ‘hybrids’ with different components taken from various versions.

In the Soviet Union

In July 1943, the Germans launched Operation Citadel with the aim of crushing the Soviet positions at Kursk. For this operation, the Germans managed to gather some 583 L/43 and 302 L/48 armed Panzer IV tanks. Surprisingly, there were still some 56 to 58 older Panzer IVs armed with the short barrel gun. The number of available Panzer IV tanks differs slightly between sources, as author T. Anderson lists that 682 such vehicles were present by 5th July 1943. It is curious that the Panzer III, in spite of no longer being produced and its combat effectiveness was greatly reduced and overshadowed by the newer German designs, was available in much greater numbers. Some 1,013 Panzer IIIs were armed with the short and long 5 cm guns. Some of the new Panzer III Ausf.N version rearmed with the short 7.5 cm gun was also present. Their presence in such large numbers demonstrated the lack of production capabilities of the German industry to keep up with the demand of new vehicles.

Panzer IV Ausf.H somewhere on the Eastern Front. Source: www.panzernet.net

The Panzer III, despite becoming obsolete as a frontline battle tank, had to be used as there were not enough Panzer IVs in operation. For example, the 16th Panzer Battalion from the 16 Panzer Grenadier Division had 37 Panzer IIIs and only 11 Panzer IVs. In a report written in early 1944 that included the combat performance of this unit from Kursk to January 1944, it was listed that it claimed to have destroyed 239 tanks and 12 self-propelled guns, 34 trucks, and over 250 artillery and anti-tank guns. It lost 37 tanks in the process, including 7 Panzer IVs. The Panzer IVs likely greatly contributed to the Soviet losses.

After Kursk, the Soviets pushed further into the German defensive lines. Despite being beaten at Kursk, the Panzer Divisions would still fight on. For example, during battles near Krivoy Rog, the 24th Panzer Division, which was equipped with Panzer IV and StuG III vehicles, claimed to have destroyed 184 (mostly T-34) tanks, 87 anti-tank guns, and 26 artillery guns during a period of 9 days. During this time, it only lost four tanks. Another example was the 36th Panzer Regiment, which fought in the East from late October 1943 until the start of December 1943. It was equipped with a mix of 49 Panzer IVs and 44 StuG IIIs. During its service in the East, this unit claimed to have destroyed 211 tanks and 230 artillery and anti-tank guns,  although it lost 20 Panzer IVs and 16 StuG IIIs.

In Italy

Axis forces set up defensive positions in Sicily in April 1943, preparing for the anticipated Allied landings. German armored formations were present in small numbers, including the Panzer IV. Some 32 Panzer IVs were part of the Hermann Göring Panzer Division and a further 17 in the 504th Panzer Battalion. In July, the Allies began their landing operations. The first Panzer IV was lost when it was hit by a naval gun on 12th July 1943. Two days later, two more Panzer IVs were lost to enemy anti-tank guns. On 15th July, the German armored units, supported by infantry, managed to retake Height 398 from the enemy. The Allies launched two counterattacks, but both were repulsed. The Allies lost 12 tanks, 3 armored cars, and 2 anti-tank guns. The German losses included two tanks, one of which was a Panzer IV. On 27th July, two Shermans were destroyed near Gerbini. On 31st July and 1st August, heavy fighting occurred, during which the Germans inflicted 8 tank losses to the enemy near Sferro. By 17th August, Sicily was in Allied hands. The Germans lost 52 Panzer IV tanks during this operation.

The Allied conquest of Sicily forced the Germans to send substantial armored formations to Italy. By August 1943, there were some 773 armored vehicles, including 318 Panzer IVs, stationed in Italy. The Allied advance was severely contested by the Germans, especially along the Gustav defense line. Due to the hilly terrain of the Italian peninsula, the use of tanks, especially heavy tanks, was quite difficult and sometimes almost impossible. Fast movement of such vehicles, like on other fronts, was not possible.

The 26th Panzer Regiment from the 26th Panzer Division, for example, had 36 Panzer IVs armed with the L/48 gun and, surprisingly, 17 older versions armed with the shorter gun. Its tanks saw action against the Allies at the start of December 1943. Five Panzer IV tanks armed with long guns were sent on a reconnaissance mission toward Castelfrentano but saw no enemy movement. On 31st November 1943, 6 long-barreled Panzer IVs and 2 older versions attacked the Allied positions at Lanciano. In the following battle, one Sherman and two Churchill tanks were destroyed. Later that day, one Panzer IV and two Panzer IIIs provided supporting fire during the extraction of a damaged Panzer. This tank was successfully recovered despite heavy Allied artillery and anti-tank fire. On 6th December, at least four Panzer IVs were lost in an ambush near Ruatti.

A Panzer IV Ausf.H from the 26th Panzer Division, which served in Italy. Source: T. L. Jentz Panzertruppen The Complete Guide of the Creation and Combat Employment of German Tank Force 1943-1945

By June 1944, there were 210 operational Panzer IVs on this front, with 62 more needing repairs. By April 1945, the number was reduced to only 131 Panzer IVs.

France 1944

At the start of the Allied liberation of France, in June 1944, the Germans could muster some 863 Panzer IVs split into 11 panzer divisions. The authorized strength of these units was 965 tanks.

The Panzer Lehr Division, which fought in Normandy, had one battalion equipped with 98 Panzer IV Ausf.H. It saw heavy action fighting the British forces at Caen. By late June, it had only 26 operational tanks left. During this time, they claimed to have inflicted the loss of 85 tanks with 18 self-propelled guns. Some 15 Panzer IVs from this Division supported Michael Wittmann’s attack at Villers-Bocage. Following the Allied advance, elements of the Panzer Lehr Division attempted to make a counterattack near Le Dezert on 11th July. The German attack was repulsed with the loss of 8 Panzer IV Ausf.H tanks. In late July, the Allies launched Operation Cobra with the aim of destroying most German defenses in western France. The Allied attack was spearheaded by massive air bombing raids, which caused destruction and huge communication problems for the Germans. The Allies made a rapid advance, piercing the German line. In the confusion, some German units were not even aware that the Allies had made significant progress. On one occasion, a single Panzer IV that was advancing toward the frontline unexpectedly ran into an Allied truck column. The tank commander possibly misidentified the Allied trucks for German vehicles. Once the confused German crew realized that they ran into the enemy, they tried desperately to escape by blowing up a truck with a hand grenade and running over a Jeep. Another confusing event happened when another Panzer spotted an Allied convoy, mistaking it for friendly troops. The Allied military police that were present simply signaled it to move to the front of the column, after which it was hit by an M4 tank.

Another armored unit that was active in Normandy was the 2nd SS Panzer Division. It was stationed near Toulouse for recuperation after being recalled from the East in April 1944. This Division had 79 Panzer IV tanks in its inventory. It was engaged initially around Caen from late June to early July 1944, during which time it lost 37 tanks. By late July, this Division was reduced to 37 operational Panzer IVs.

The 12th SS Panzer Division tried to contest the initial Allied landing by attacking the Allied positions near Caen. During the attack, four Panzer IVs were lost. In another attempt to flank the Allied positions, an attack was launched near Mathieu. Here too the German tanks came under heavy fire from enemy anti-tank weapons. Six Panzer IVs would be lost while destroying one enemy anti-tank gun. On 7th June, the Panzer IVs had more success. Around Authie, the Germans ran into a column of Sherman tanks and a fierce skirmish occurred. By the time it ended, the Germans destroyed more than 10 Shermans, losing five tanks in the process.

A map of fighting around Caen during mid-June 1944. Source: Wiki
A Panzer IV Ausf.H or J which was part of the 2nd SS Panzer Division. Due to the Allied air supremacy, the German tanks were quite exposed to enemy bombing raids. In order to hide the vehicle, the crew placed it close to a building. Source: T. Anderson History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945

While it appears that the Allies had the upper hand thanks to their superior firepower both on the ground and in the air, the German defensive line at Caen was strong and not easy to dislodge. On 11th June, the Allies launched an attack on the German positions near Le Mesnil-Patry. The area was defended by three tanks, possibly Panzer IVs. They managed to ambush a group of Sherman tanks, destroying at least 8 in the process but losing one tank to enemy anti-tank fire. Nearby Germans holding positions close to Brouay and Cristot were attacked too. In the ongoing battle, the Allies lost over 37 Sherman tanks.

In the Balkans

During the second half of 1943, in occupied Serbia, the Germans formed Kampschulle Niš (Eng. training school Niš). It served as a base for training Bulgarian crews which were meant to be equipped with German armored vehicles. The school remained in use during 1944, before being disbanded due to the Allied advance. At Crete, the 212th Panzer Battalion had 10 Panzer IVs in its inventory.

Modified Panzer IV Ausf.Hs

Sturmpanzer IV

While this project mostly reused damaged vehicles and ones returned from the front, some 60 newly built Panzer IV Ausf.H chassis was also used in the Sturmpanzer IV program. The Sturmpanzer was an armored infantry support gun armed with the 15 cm StuH 43 L/12. Over 300 were produced between 1943 and 1945.

Some Sturmpanzer IVs were based on the Ausf.H chassis. Source: Wiki

Flakpanzer IVs

A number of refurbished Panzer IV Ausf.H chassis would be reused for different Flakpanzer IV projects, including the Flakpanzer IV “Möbelwagen”, Wirbelwind, and Ostwind. As a number of damaged tanks returned to Germany for repairs from all fronts, some were converted for other roles, so it is sometimes difficult to know the precise numbers of chassis used of each type.

The Möbelwagen was the most common Flakpanzer built using a variety of different Panzer IV chassis, including the Ausf.H. Source: Panzernet

In early 1944, Untersturmführer Karl Wilhelm Krause (commander of the Flakabteilung of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment, part of the ‘Hitlerjugend’ Division) issued orders for his men to mount a 2 cm Flak 38 Flakvierling on a Panzer IV tank (possibly an Ausf.H) chassis. The tank turret was removed and, in its place, a 2 cm Flak 38 Flakvierling was installed. The original gun shield was removed but later built vehicles had a newly modified three-sided gun shield. This vehicle was used against the Allies during the fighting in France in 1944. This vehicle would serve as a base for what would become the Wirbelwind.

The first Karl Wilhelm Flakpanzer battlefield modification was based on a Panzer IV chassis and armed with a 2 cm Flak 38 Flakvierling anti-aircraft gun. Note the Flak gun shield is missing, showing that it was the first Karl Wilhelm prototype. Photo: Operation Dauntless

Sturmgeschütz IV für 7.5 cm Sturmkanone 40

At least 30 Panzer IV chassis were specifically reallocated for the Sturmgeschütz IV für 7.5 cm Sturmkanone 40 project, also known simply as the StuG IV. The StuG IV was developed in response to Alkett’s temporary cessation of StuG III production, due to heavy Allied bombing of the factory. Despite being designed as a temporary stopgap solution, they would remain in production up to the end of the war with over 1,100 being built. They proved to be as effective as their StuG III counterparts.

The StuG IV. Source: www.panzernet.net

Panzerbefehlswagen IV

From early 1944, some Panzer IV Ausf.Hs would be modified as command tanks. These were equipped with the Fu 8 (medium wave receiver) and Fu 5 (ultra short wave receiver) radio equipment. A Sternantenne D (star aerial) for the Fu 8 was mounted on the rear of the hull, while the classic 2 m antennae for the Fu 5 was mounted in place of the Nahverteidigungswaffe on the roof of the turret. A T.S.R.1 observation periscope and an SF14Z periscope scissor were also mounted. In addition, the ammunition load was reduced from 87 to 72, and the turret-mounted machine gun was removed.

A front view of the Panzer IV turret. Note the position of the antenna which replaced the Nahverteidigungswaffe. To the right, the T.S.R.1 is raised up. While this is a later Ausf.J, the Ausf.H vehicle would be completely identical in this role. Source: Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV

E-140 project

In November 1944, Krupp presented a project that involved placing a Panther turret armed with a 7.5 cm L/70 gun on a Panzer IV chassis. Not surprisingly, this installation would be impossible given the extra weight of the new turret and the gun, which would greatly affect the already overburdened chassis. Krupp even made a wooden mock-up of this proposal, but it was quickly discarded.

According to some authors, such as D. Nešić (Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka), one Panzer IV Ausf.H hull was tested by adding a turret taken from a Panther Ausf.F which was armed with the 7.5 cm L/70 gun.

While the long 7.5 cm gun had excellent anti-tank capabilities, the gun and turret weight was simply too much for the already overburdened Panzer IV chassis. Source: Walter J. Spielberger Panzer IV and its Variants

Other Operators

Hungary

By 1944, after terrible losses in the Eastern Front supporting their German allies, almost all of the Hungarian armored vehicles were obsolete. Despite this, their 2nd Armored Division managed to destroy nearly 30 Soviet tanks during battles in eastern Galicia in April 1944. Their valor and resistance were noted by General Walter Model. On his insistence, the Hungarian 2nd Armored Division was reinforced with 10 to 12 (depending on the source) Panzer IV Ausf.H, a smaller number of StuG IIIs, and even with a group of Tiger tanks. These would have fought alongside the retreating Hungarians until the Battle of Budapest between the end of 1944 and February 1945.

Hungarian Panzer IV. Source: C. H. Climent and D. Bernad Madarska Armada 1919-1945

Romania

The Romanians, another of Germany’s allies, were also supplied with nearly 130 Panzer IV tanks of various versions. These arrived in a period from November 1943 through to August 1944. In Romanian service, these were known simply as T-4 and were distributed to the 1st Armored Division. This unit saw action against the Soviets in 1944. In late August, the Romanians changed sides and joined the advancing Soviet Army in their fight against the Germans. Those Panzer IVs that survived the war remained in service up to 1953.

Romania operated nearly 130 Panzer IV tanks. Source: www.worldwar2

Bulgaria

Another German ally, Bulgaria, was supplied with a large number of Panzer IVs, some of which were of the Ausf.H version, but precise identification is complicated. Bulgaria never used these tanks against the Soviets. In September 1944, Bulgaria changed sides and began attacking German forces in the occupied Balkans, using the Panzer IVs in the process.

Their initial operation was aimed at attacking the German forces in Serbia. The Bulgarian Armored Brigade, which was equipped with Panzer IV, Panzer 35(t), and 38(t) tanks, was moving out of Pirot to engage German positions near Bela Palanka on 17th September. While on the road, they came under fire from a lone 8.8 cm Flak gun. It destroyed the leading tank and followed up shortly after with the last one. The remaining tanks were, at this point, sitting ducks, unable to do anything, mostly due to panic and the inexperience of the Bulgarian crews, before they were all destroyed. By the end of the short engagement, all 10 tanks (the majority being Panzer IVs) and 41 crew members were lost. After the war, the Bulgarians used the Panzer IV for some time before being modified as static defense points on the Turkish border.

Bulgarian Panzer IV. Source:www.worldwarphotos

Spain

In late 1942 and early 1943, after the Allied landings in North Africa, Spain negotiated a deal to buy German armament to defend Spain from a possible invasion. Germany also needed the deal, as it continued to depend on Spanish minerals, especially tungsten, and wanted to ensure Spain would not facilitate an Allied landing on continental Europe. After some fruitless negotiations, a compromise was reached in May 1943, though negotiations stalled until the summer.

In total, Spain received 25 aircraft, 6 S-Boots, several hundred motorcycles, 150 Soviet 122 mm M1931/37 (A-19) guns, 88 8.8 cm Flak 36 anti-aircraft guns, 120 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons, 150 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank guns, 150 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank guns, 20 Panzer IV Ausf.H medium tanks, and 10 Stug III Ausf.G assault guns, in addition to multiple radios, radars, replacement parts, and ammunition.

The 20 Panzer IV Ausf.H medium tanks and the 10 Stug III Ausf.G assault guns would prove a significant improvement over the existing Spanish tanks but were available only in small numbers.

In Spain, they were nicknamed ‘Maybachs’ after their engine. They were replaced by US-supplied M47s in the 1950s, though some remained in service in Spanish North Africa until 1957. A total of 17 were sold to Syria in 1965, with the remaining three surviving as gate guardians and museum pieces.

Panzer IV Ausf.Hs in Spanish service during a parade commemorating the victory in the Spanish Civil War. Source: www.reddit.com

Independent State of Croatia

The armored forces of the German puppet Independent State of Croatia allegedly received up to 5 Panzer IV Ausf.Hs during July 1944. This is quite unlikely, as the Croatian forces mostly operated older equipment. The misconception probably came from a few pictures of Croatian tank crews being trained by the Germans from Panzer Einsatz Kp. 3. The Germans did employ some of the later versions of the Panzer IV in Yugoslavia, and these may have been misinterpreted as Croatian vehicles.

In late 1944, a number of Croatian tank crews were sent to Germany to be trained on Panzer IVs. Source: B. B. Dumitrijević and D. Savić, Oklopne jedinice na Jugoslovenskom ratištu

France

After the war, a number of countries in Europe continued operating the Panzer IV for a brief period. France’s armored forces managed to acquire and use some 60 Panzer IVs, which were probably abandoned across the country by the retreating Germans. These were mostly stored and were not used. France would also sell some of its Panzer IVs to Syria in the early 1950s.

After the war, the French operated a number of German captured vehicles including some Panzer IVs. Source: forum.warthunder.com

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was another operator of the Panzer IV. These were leftover by the Germans after the war. This included some 150 Panzer IVs of various versions, the majority being later Ausf.Js. Some must have been of the Ausf.H version as well. When these were replaced with new Soviet equipment, the remaining Panzer IVs would be sold to Syria.

Surviving Czechoslovakian Panzer IV Ausf.H. Source: the.shadock.free.fr

Syria

Syria obtained over 100 Panzer IVs, including many Ausf.Hs from Czechoslovakia, France, and Spain during the 1950s and 1960s. These were used against the Israelis in the Water War of 1964 to 1967 and the Six Days War of June 1967. Israel captured many Panzer IVs during the Six Days War and has displayed them in museums. Allegedly, some Syrian Panzer IVs even survived as static firing positions all the way up to the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Syrian Panzer IVs received some minor modifications, including the addition of a 12.7mm DShK heavy machine gun on top of the turret.

A Syria Panzer IV is easily identified by the heavy machine gun mount located on the turret top. Source: www.pinterest.com

Yugoslavia

After the end of the Second World War, the new Jugoslav People’s Army would also operate an unknown number of long gun versions of the Panzer IV, including some Ausf.Hs. These were mostly used for training in the first years after the war, but when sufficient Soviet and Western equipment was acquired, these were replaced.

The Yugoslav Partisans managed to capture relatively large numbers of German armored vehicles near the war’s end. This included some Panzer IVs, some of which were of the Ausf.H version. Next to this vehicle, a Panther tank was also captured. This type of tank was not used in the Balkans but was actually left abandoned by the retreating German units from the East. Source: B. B. Dimitrijević and D. Savić Oklopne jedinice na Jugoslovenskom ratištu 1941-1945

Surviving Vehicles

Today, there are a dozen or so surviving Panzer IV Ausf.Hs around the world. Many museums have one specimen in their collection, including the Musée des Blindés Saumur in France,  the André Becker Collection in Belgium, Militärhistorisches Museum Dresden in Germany, Yad la-Shiryon Museum in Israel, and Vojni Muzej Kalemegdan in Serbia. Interestingly, many sources mention that the one in Serbia is an Ausf.H version, while the museum’s own publication mentions that it is an Ausf.F. Some Bulgarian modified Panzer IV that were used as static emplacements and rearmed with a 7.62 cm gun survived too.

The surviving Panzer IV Ausf.H located in the Belgrade Military Museum at Kalemegdan. Source: www.mycity-military.com
The modified Bulgarian Panzer IV. Source: www.reddit.com

Conclusion

While the Panzer IV Ausf.H started out and was, in essence, the same as its predecessor, it nevertheless made a name for itself. It offered excellent firepower which was able to defeat nearly all Allied tanks up to the end of the war. Its primary importance for the panzer divisions was not in its effectiveness but, more importantly, that it was produced in relatively high numbers by German standards. Thanks to this, it helped greatly replenish the depleted panzer divisions of 1942.

Despite Guderian’s attempts to increase the production of Panzer IV, it was constantly undermined by many, including Hitler, who instead urged for the development of all kinds of armored vehicles which were more often than not a major waste of resources that were much needed for the Panzer IV. Furthermore, the Germans did not know what they wanted in regard to vehicles. In the end, this led to a continuation of the Panzer IV development and production, but at a much slower pace and in smaller quantities in contrast to what could have been achieved if all production capabilities were focused on its production.

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 7.02 x 2.88 x 2.68 m
Total weight, battle-ready 25 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator, and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off-road) 38 km/h, 25 km/h (cross-country)
Range (road/off-road) 210 km, 130 km (cross-country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor Front 80 mm, sides 30 mm, rear 30, and top up to 25 mm
Hull Armor Front 80 mm, sides 20-30 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm, and the top and bottom 10-11 mm
Panzer IV Ausf.H – XVIth Panzerdivision, Kursk, July 1943.
Panzer IV Ausf.H, 1st Armored Division, Bulgarian army, Hungary, winter 1944.
Panzer IV Ausf.H of the IInd Panzerdivision, France, June 1944.
Panzer IV Ausf.H of the 35th Panzer Regiment of the IVrd Panzerdivision, Bobruysk, December 1943.
Panzer IV Ausf.H of the 35th Panzer Regiment of the IVth Panzerdivision, Kowel, Poland, early 1944. The 35th Regiment inflicted heavy losses on the Soviet 3rd Tank Corps at the Battle of Wołomin (part of operation Bagration). Its symbol was the “Grizlibär”, a menacing brown bear.
Panzer IV Ausf.H, IXth SS Panzer Division, France, summer 1944.
Panzer IV Ausf.H, 3rd Company, 130th Regiment of the 1st Panzerdivision, PanzerLehr, France, summer 1944.
Panzer IV Ausf.H, 9th Panzerdivision, Central Germany, April 1945. Notice the “ambush” type spotted camouflage and turret Schurzen armor open panels.

 

Sources

 

Categories
WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60

German Reich (1941)
Experimental Medium Tank – 1 Prototype

The Panzer IV’s 7.5 cm short-barrel gun was primarily designed as a support weapon that was to destroy enemy fortified positions, while its 3.7 cm-armed Panzer III counterpart was to engage enemy armor. Despite this, the 7.5 cm gun still had enough firepower to be a serious threat to many early tank designs encountered in the invasions of Poland and the West. By 1941 standards, however, it was deemed insufficient by the Germans, who wanted a gun with increased armor penetration. It was for this reason that works on such a project was initiated, which ultimately led to the development of a single 5 cm L/60 armed Panzer IV based on the Ausf.D version.

Drawing of the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60. Source: Walter J. Spielberger Panzer IV and its Variants

A Brief History of the Panzer IV Ausf.D

The Panzer IV was a medium support tank, designed prior to the war with the intention of providing effective fire support. For this reason, it was armed with, what was at the time, a fairly large 7.5 cm caliber gun. Other Panzers were usually tasked with identifying and marking (usually with smoke shells or other means) targets, which were then to be engaged by the Panzer IV. This target was usually a fortified enemy position, an anti-tank or machine gun emplacement, etc.

Once it was introduced into service, the Germans made several modifications to the Panzer IV, which led to the development of numerous versions of it. The Ausf.D (Ausf. is short for Ausführung, which can be translated as version or model) was the fourth in line. The most visible change compared to previous models was the reintroduction of the protruding driver plate and the hull ball-mounted machine gun, which had been used on the Ausf.A, but not on the B and C versions. Production of the Panzer IV Ausf.D was carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. From October 1939 through to October 1940, of the 248 ordered Panzer IV Ausf.D tanks, only 232 were built. The remaining 16 chassis were instead used as Brückenleger IV bridge carriers.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D. Source: warspot.net

Due to the underdeveloped German industrial capabilities in the early stages of the war, the number of Panzer IVs per Panzer Division was quite limited. Despite their low numbers in the early stages of the war, they saw extensive action. The Panzer IV, in general, proved to be a good design, performing its designated role successfully. While having relatively good anti-tank capabilities, heavy enemy tanks, such as the British Matilda, French B1 bis, Soviet T-34, and KVs proved too much for the short-barrel gun. This would force Germany to initiate a series of experimental projects with the aim of increasing the Panzer IV’s anti-tank firepower. One such project would be the Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60

Unfortunately, due to its experimental nature, this vehicle is quite poorly documented in the literature. The research challenges are further exacerbated by the conflicting information present in the sources. Based on the available information, during 1941, German Army officials approached Krupp with a request to investigate whether it was possible to install a 5 cm L/60 gun into a Panzer IV Ausf.D turret. According to B. Perrett (Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank), prior to this request, the Germans had plans to test the installation of the same caliber but shorter L/42 barrel into a Panzer IV. Given the weaker performance of this weapon against newer enemy armor, the decision was made to use the long gun instead. Other sources, such as H. Doyle and T. Jentz (Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G, H, and J) state that Adolf Hitler personally issued an order that the longer 5 cm gun be installed in both the Panzer III and IV. The work adopting the Panzer IV turret to house this gun was given to Krupp. Prior to this, in March 1941, Krupp began developing a more compact version of the 5 cm PaK 38 anti-tank gun that could be installed in the Panzer III and IV turrets. The prototype (based on Fgst. Nr. 80668) was presented to Adolf Hitler during his birthday, on 20th April 1942. The prototype was transported to St. Johann in Austria during the winter of 1942, where it was used together with a number of other experimental vehicles for various trials.

The modified Ausf.D, together with other experimental tanks, waiting for an inspection by German Army officials. Source: T. Anderson History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945.

Design

The sources do not mention any changes to its overall design, aside from the obvious change of the main armament, and visually, it appears to be the same as a standard Panzer IV Ausf.D tank. Sadly, there is no available information about changes to the interior, which would have had to take place due to the installation of the new gun. In addition, the prototype was built on the Ausf.D version, it is possible that had the tank been produced in large numbers, later versions of the Panzer IV would have also been used for this modification too.

The Superstructure

The Panzer IV Ausf.D superstructure has the earlier mentioned reintroduction of the protruding driver plate and the ball-mounted machine gun. On the front of this plate, a protective Fahrersehklappe 30 sliding driver visor port was placed, which was provided with thick armored glass for protection from bullets and fragments.

The Turret

Externally, the turret design of the 5 cm armed Panzer IV Ausf.D appears to be unchanged from the original. While most Panzer IV Ausf.Ds were equipped with a larger rear turret-mounted stowage box after early 1941, this prototype did not have one. It is possible that, if this version was to enter production, it would have had one attached.

A front view of the Panzer IV armed with the 5 cm gun. Visually, besides the change of the main armament, no other modifications appear to have been done. The antenna deflector located under the gun was retained. In addition, the turret storage box is not fitted to this vehicle. Source: www.armedconflicts.com

Suspension and Running Gear

The suspension on this vehicle was unchanged and consisted of eight small road wheels suspended in pairs on bogies. In addition, the front-drive sprocket, rear idler, and four return rollers were also unchanged.

The Engine and Transmission

The Ausf.D was powered by the Maybach HL 120 TRM engine, giving out 265 [email protected],600 rpm. With this engine, the tank could reach a maximum speed of 42 km/h, with 25 km/h cross-country. The operational range was 210 km on road and 130 km cross-country. The addition of the new gun and the ammunition would likely not have changed the overall driving performance of the Panzer IV.

The Armor Protection

The Panzer IV Ausf.D was relatively lightly armored, with the front face-hardened armor being some 30 mm thick. The last 68 produced vehicles had armor increased to 50 mm of protection on the lower plate. The 5 cm armed Panzer IV Ausf.D was built based on one such vehicle with increased armor protection. The side armor ranged from 20 to 40 mm. The rear armor was 20 mm thick, but the lower bottom area was only 14.5 mm, and the bottom was 10 mm thick. The external gun mantlet was 35 mm thick.

From July 1940 onward, many Panzer IV Ausf.Ds received additional 30 mm appliqué armor plates bolted or welded to the front hull and superstructure armor. The side armor was also increased with 20 mm additional armored plates.

In an attempt to increase the Panzer IV Ausf.D’s armor protection, additional armor plates (20 to 30 mm thick) were added to the front and sides. The new 5 cm armed Panzer IV would have probably received the additional armored plates if it was based on the Panzer IV Ausf.D version. Source: Pinterest

The Crew

The 5 cm armed Panzer IV Ausf.D would have 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 Armament

The original 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 was replaced with the newer 5 cm KwK 39 (sometimes even designated as KwK 38) L/60 gun. Unfortunately, there is no information in the sources about how difficult the installation of this gun was to perform or if there were any problems with it. Given the Panzer IV’s larger turret and turret ring, it can be said with some certainty that it would provide more working space for the turret crew. The external gun mantled of the original 7.5 cm gun appears to be unchanged. The gun recoil cylinders that were outside of the turret were covered with a steel jacket and a deflector guard. In addition, the ‘Y’ shaped metal rod antenna guide placed under the gun was also retained.

The Panzer IV 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24, while good in the early stages of the war, was less effective in later years. Source: world-war-2.wikia.org
It appears that the installation of the 5 cm gun into Panzer IV was not difficult to do. It would provide the Panzer Divisions with slightly improved anti-tank capabilities. Colored by Smaragd123 Source: warspot.ru

The 7.5 cm gun could defeat around 40 mm of armor (the number may differ between sources) at ranges of some 500 m. While this was enough to deal with most pre-war era tanks, newer tank designs proved to be too much for it. The longer 5 cm gun offered somewhat better armor penetration capabilities, as it could penetrate 59 to 61 mm (depending on the source) of 30° angled armor at the same distance. The muzzle velocity, when using the anti-tank round, was 835 m/s. The elevation would probably be unchanged, at -10° to +20°. The 5 cm tank gun, while more or less a copy of the infantry truck-towed PaK 38 anti-tank gun, still had some differences. The most obvious change was the use of a vertical breech block. With this breech block, the rate of fire was between 10 to 15 rounds per minute.

Originally, the ammunition load of the Panzer IV Ausf.A consisted of 122 rounds of 7.5 cm ammunition. Given the extra weight and higher chance of accidentally causing an explosion when hit or when on fire, the Germans simply reduce the load to 80 rounds on later models. The Panzer IIIs that were equipped with this 5 cm gun, such as the Ausf.J, were equipped with 84 rounds of ammunition. Given the smaller caliber of the 5 cm rounds and the larger size of the Panzer IV, the total ammunition count could have exceeded this number by a lot. Sadly, the precise number is unknown, as none of the sources even give a rough estimation.

Secondary armament would consist of two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns for use against infantry. One machine gun was placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun and was fired by the gunner. Another machine gun was positioned on the right side of the superstructure and was operated by the radio operator. On the Ausf.D, the Kugelblende 30 type ball mount, was used. The ammunition load for the two MG 34s was 2,700 rounds.

End of the Project and its Final Fate

Production of the first batch of some 80 vehicles was to be undertaken by Nibelungenwerk, which, at that time, was slowly becoming involved in Panzer IV production. It was estimated that these could be completed by spring 1942. Ultimately, nothing would come from this project. There were basically two reasons for its cancelation. Firstly, the 5 cm gun could be easily placed in the smaller Panzer III tank, with some modification. This was implemented in the production of the later Panzer III Ausf.J and L versions. While this gun had relatively good penetration capabilities for 1942, it would be quickly outclassed by superior enemy designs. This ultimately led to the cancelation of the 5 cm armed Panzer III production in 1943. Ironically, it was the Panzer III that would be refitted with the Panzer IV’s short-barrelled gun in the end, instead of the other way around.

The later developed models of the Panzer III would be equipped with the long 5 cm gun. While initially effective, they would quickly become outclassed by the enemy’s newer tank designs. Source:warspot.net

The second reason for the cancelation of the 5 cm armed Panzer IV project was that the Germans simply deemed it a waste of resources to install such a small-caliber gun in the Panzer IV, which clearly could have been armed with stronger weapons. Roughly parallel with its development, the Germans began working on installing the longer version of the 7.5 cm gun. This eventually led to the introduction of the L/43 and then L/48 long 7.5 cm gun, which offered superior overall firepower than the 5 cm gun. Ironically, some of the damaged Panzer IV Ausf.Ds that were returned from the frontline were instead equipped with the longer 7.5 cm guns. While these vehicles were mostly used for crew training, some may have been also reused as replacement vehicles for active units.

This surviving Ausf.D was armed with the longer 7.5 cm gun. In addition, it is also equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates (Schürzen) on the turret. These modified vehicles were mostly used for crew training, but some were probably used in combat. Source: warspot.net

Sadly, the final fate of this vehicle is not listed in the sources. Due to its experimental nature, it is unlikely that it ever saw any frontline service. It is likely that it was either rearmed with its original gun or reused for other experimental projects. It could have also been issued for crew training or any other auxiliary role on that matter.

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.D armed with the 5 cm gun was one of several different attempts to rearm the Panzer IV series with a gun that had better anti-tank capabilities. While the whole installation was feasible and offered the crews a somewhat larger working space (in contrast to the Panzer III), likely with an increased ammunition load, it was rejected. Given that the same gun could be installed in the Panzer III, the Germans simply saw the whole project as a waste of time and resources. The Panzer IV could instead be rearmed with a much stronger gun. This was what they actually did, introducing the 7.5 L/43 and later L/48 tank guns to their Panzer IVs, creating excellent anti-tank vehicles that remained in use until the war ended.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60

Dimensions (L-W-H) 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m
Total weight, battle-ready 20 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver and Radio operator)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off-road) 42 km/h, 25 km/h
Range (road/off-road)-fuel 210 km, 130 km
Primary Armament 5 cm KwK 39 L/60
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm M.G.34 machine guns
Elevation -10° to +20°
Armor 10 – 50 mm

 

Sources

Categories
Has Own Video WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G

German Reich (1942)
Medium Tank – 1,930 Built

The introduction of the Panzer IV Ausf.G version basically changed the Panzer IV’s overall combat role. While all previous versions were  primarily intended as support tanks that were to engage fortified positions in support of the Panzer Divisions, the Ausf.G was to receive a huge increase in firepower against armored targets. Besides its rearmament, very little in the form of other changes were introduced to its overall design compared to the previous version. The production of such vehicles began in 1942, which greatly helped the German armored divisions to more effectively fight against the well-armored enemy tanks that were being fielded on the Eastern Front and in North Africa.

The Panzer IV Ausf.G. Source: www.panzernet.net

The Long-Barrel Panzer IV Genesis

Prior to the war, the Panzer IV series was primarily designed to act as a fire support vehicle for other slightly weaker armed Panzers. For this role, they were armed with the 7.5 cm K.w.K. L/24 short-barrel gun. Their targets were usually fortified enemy positions or machine gun nests. These were usually marked by other tanks using smoke grenades. Once the target was identified, the 7.5 cm high-explosive rounds were more than enough to successfully neutralize these threats. However, it is often forgotten that they could also be effective against armored targets.

The main German pre-war enemy was deemed to be France, so German officials were quite keen to spy on France to keep track of the development of enemy military technology, such as tanks. In the mid-1930s, the Germans came into possession of information that the French were planning to produce large quantities of tanks that were frontally protected by some 40 mm of armor. Thus, the Germans focused on developing an anti-tank round for the 7.5 cm gun that could effectively pierce this kind of armor at ranges of some 700 m.

This proved quite prudent on the German side as, during the battles in the west in May and June 1940, the Panzer IV was able to defeat most Allies tanks. But, by 1940 standards, this proved barely enough, as bigger and more armored tanks such as the B1 bis and Matilda II were almost immune to this gun.

The German Panzer thrust through the Soviet Union in 1941 sprung a nasty surprise when they came into contact with enemy T-34 and KV tanks. The Panzers’ 5 cm and 7.5 cm short-barrelled guns could do little against these tanks. It was for these reasons that the German Army initiated a number of projects in the hope of increasing the firepower of their Panzers. One such project included rearming a Panzer IV Ausf.F with the experimental Waffe 0725. This was actually an experimental taper-bore gun with a 75/55 mm caliber firing a tungsten round. Due to a shortage of tungsten, this particular gun was never introduced into service.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F with a Waffe 0725 75/55 mm gun wooden mock-up. Source: warspot.ru

Another project was developed by Krupp in late 1941. Krupp engineers simply rearmed one Panzer IV Ausf.D with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. This gun greatly improved the Panzer IV’s anti-tank firepower compared to the original short-barrel 7.5 cm gun. While the installation of this gun proved to be feasible and there was even a planned production run of 80 vehicles by the spring of 1942, the whole project was canceled. One of the reasons for this was the fact that this gun could easily be installed in the Panzer III. Installing the smaller caliber gun in the larger Panzer IV was seen somewhat as a waste of resources, as the heavier Panzer IV could possibly allow the installation of a larger caliber gun.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D armed with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. Source: https://console.worldoftanks.com/en/news/panzer-IV-variants

While the previously mentioned projects lead nowhere, Krupp engineers had one more ace up their sleeve. In March 1941, they began working on a longer barreled 7.5 cm L/40 gun that was initially to be used for the StuG III vehicles. At that time, the Army did not want a gun that could be damaged while moving by accidentally bumping into an obstacle and requested that its length be shortened to L/33. This gun would be tested on a Panzer IV Ausf.E/F hybrid at the end of 1941.

Given the experience gained during the heavy fighting of the first year in the Soviet Union, a Panzer Commission was formed to examine possible solutions on how to effectively counter the new Soviet tanks. This commission proposed the simple solution of rearming the already existing tanks with more potent guns. For this reason, in November 1941, Krupp was tasked with developing an improved 7.5 cm gun. To speed up the development, another company, Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, was attached to this project. Rheinmetall-Borsig was already involved in the development of a 7.5 cm gun that would evolve into the later PaK 40 towed anti-tank gun. While the simplest solution would be to mount this gun into a Panzer IV, this was not possible for a few reasons. Namely, the recoil force of this gun was too much for the Panzer IV turret. In addition, the ammunition was deemed too long. The solution was to use the same caliber barrel which was shortened, also introducing a new loading chamber. The ammunition casing was also redesigned to make them easier to handle in the Panzer IV turret. The first fully completed prototypes were to be completed by March (or May, depending on the source) 1942.

One of the first produced Panzer IV Ausf.G being presented to Adolf Hitler possibly, in April 1942. Source: H. Doyle and T. Jentz Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G, H, and J

Name

There is general confusion in the sources about the name of this vehicle. Many sources mention that the 7.5 cm L/43 gun-armed vehicle (with the round muzzle brake) was named Ausf.F2, while those armed with the longer L/48 guns were designated as Ausf.G. However, according to the Germans, the vehicles armed with the L/43 guns were known under several different designations, including Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.F-Umbau (dated from March 1942) and Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.F2 (dated from May 1942). As this probably caused some bureaucratic confusion, Wa Pruef 6, the German tank testing division, finally announced in July 1942 that the short-barreled Ausf.F and the new version were to be distinguished from each other by renaming the latter Ausf.G. Basically, the Germans did use the Ausf.F2 designation, albeit for a brief time only. From July 1942 to the end of the war, this vehicle was regarded as the Ausf.G by the Germans. For this reason, this article would refer to it as the Panzer IV Ausf.G, regardless of the barrel length. In many sources, it is also mentioned that the opposing forces in North Africa described this vehicle as the Panzer IV Ausf.G Spezial (Special), Panzer IV Lang or, in the British case, Mark IV Special.

Production

As the Panzer Ausf.F was already being produced by Krupp, Vomag, and Nibelungenwerke, these also received the production orders for the new improved Ausf.G. From March 1942, when production began, until June 1943, some 1,930 Ausf.Gs would be built. Of these, Krupp built 907, Nibelungenwerke 587, and Vomag 436. Of course, like so many German production numbers, there are some disagreements between sources. For example, author K. Hjermstad (Panzer IV), has a slightly lower number of 1,887 vehicles produced. Walter J. Spielberger (Panzer IV and its Variants) notes that 1,700 Auf. G were built. Another author, A. T. Jones (Panzer IV: Hitler’s Rock), mentions that, of the 1,750 Ausf.G chassis, only 1,687 were actually completed as tanks, with the remaining chassis being employed for other uses, such as the Hummel or Sturmpanzer IV projects.

Design

Compared to the previous version, besides the obvious upgunning, not many other major changes were introduced on the Panzer IV Ausf.G. It is also important to note that many vehicles that were returned to Germany for repairs or otherwise survived to the later stages of the war were often equipped with components taken from the newer models (Ausf.H or J). This makes the identification of precise vehicle versions quite difficult, but also creates ‘hybrids’ with different components taken from various versions.

The Hull

The hull received only minor modifications, such as adding a holder for 7 spare track links on the lower glacis. On the rear part of the hull, a small hatch for the new cooling water exchanger unit was placed. Its primary purpose was to allow easy access to hot water that could be transferred to other vehicles. This helped start the engines of other tanks in extremely cold weather.

The Panzer IV Ausf.G’s overall chassis design remained mostly the same, with some minor visual changes. The most obvious was the introduction of a holder for 7 spare track links on the glacis. Also note the additional 30 mm bolted front superstructure armor, which was usually welded. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV

The Superstructure 

The superstructure design also received only minimal changes. From early 1943 onwards, the driver’s periscope was removed. The driver and the radio operator’s hatch signal ports were removed. In addition, the position of the radio antenna was changed to the left side. A smaller change also included adding a rack for two additional spare road wheels on the left track guard.

The Panzer IV Ausf.G vehicles received a small holder for two spare road wheels on the left superstructure side. Source: www.panzernet.ne

The Turret

From April 1942, the turret’s right front and side vision ports were completely removed. This was done for several reasons. First, it made the overall construction of the turret somewhat easier. As the side turret parts were made of a single one-piece plate, it also offered more protection by removing the weak spot that was the vision port. Lastly, with the introduction of protective skirts (Schürzen), these essentially lost their purpose, as they were now fully covered. Another change was replacing the two-piece commander’s hatch with a larger single piece round one on top of cupola. This was implemented in early 1943. From June 1944 onward, all surviving tanks received mounts to use a jib boom crane.

Most Panzer IV Ausf.Gs did not have the turret vision ports, as these were removed to make the production somewhat easier. Source: Pinterest

Suspension and Running Gear

The overall design of the suspension remained basically the same. Some vehicles received later simplified suspension components, like the drive sprocket or idlers. The use of Wintergleisketten (winter track) and Osketten (East track) was common on the Eastern Front.

To cope with the poor Soviet winter roads, the Germans employed specially designed extended tracks. Source: www.panzernet.net

The Engine 

The Panzer IV Ausf.G had the same engine as the previous version. Despite the slight increase of weight to 23.6 tonnes, the overall driving performance did not change much.

Armor Protection

The overall armor protection was the same as the Ausf.F version. The front hull, superstructure, and turret (including the gun mantlet) were protected by 50 mm thick face hardened armor plates. The side armor was 30 mm thick, while the rear ranged from 10 to 30 mm. Starting from May 1942, the Panzer Ausf.G began receiving additional 30 mm welded or sometimes even bolted frontal armor plates (Zusatzpanzer). The whole process of backfitting this additional armor was completed on all vehicles by the start of 1943.

Like many German armored vehicles, from May 1943 onward, the Panzer IV Ausf.G began receiving 5 mm thick skirts, Schürzen. Their primary purpose was to provide protection from Soviet anti-tank rifles. The Panzer IV hull was covered by six such skirts (on each side). The turret was almost completely covered by these plates, leaving only the front open for the main gun. On the sides, two two-piece doors were placed for the turret crewmembers. As these were relatively loosely connected, they tended to be quickly lost during combat. The hull skirts were better connected and usually lasted longer.

From the Ausf.G onwards, the use of the rear positioned grenade rack system (Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung) was abandoned. Instead, on the front sides of the turret, two similar smoke dischargers (each containing three rounds) were placed. During the later stages of the war, even this would be discarded. It was noted that these could be accidentally activated when hit by the enemy’s rifle caliber rounds. In addition, some sources mention that, when activated in this manner, they could actually harm the tank crew. Another layer of protection was the Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste applied on many German vehicles. Lastly, the crews of many tanks would often add what they had at hand for additional protection. This often included spare tracks, road wheels, storage boxes, etc.

The turret-mounted smoke dischargers replaced the older types which were placed to the rear of the vehicle. The use of these new dischargers would be mostly abandoned from 1943 onwards. Source: www.panzernet.net
To increase the armor protection, the crews of many vehicles would add whatever they had on hand. This mostly included spare track links or road wheels. Source: www.panzernet.net

Armament 

The main modification was carried out on the Panzer IV Ausf.G was the introduction of the new 7.5 cm L/43 long (3.21 m) KwK 40 gun. Given the larger size and stronger recoil, substantial changes were needed. The gun itself was nose heavy and, in order to counter this, a cylinder compressor was added. It was housed on the right side of the turret ring. Like its shorter ‘cousin’, the KwK 40 was also provided with a semi-automatic sliding breach which helped increase the overall firing speed. The gun recoil cylinder’s protective cover was also changed. To avoid misalignment or even damaging the gun during long marches, a simple internal travel lock was placed on the turret roof. It was provided with a simple release mechanism to provide the crew with a quick combat response. For this gun, a new T.Z.F.5f telescopic sight was added. This sight had a 24° field of view and a 2.5x magnification. Radio antenna deflectors were initially placed under the gun on some vehicles. From November 1942 onward, a smaller deflector was added on the Ausf.G. It was welded to the right side of the gun, just beneath the coaxial machine gun.

Close-up view of a dismounted 7.5 cm L/43 gun. Source: K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication
Initially, large radio antenna deflectors were placed under the gun. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

The 7.5 cm L/43 gun was initially provided with a ball-shaped muzzle brake. This would be replaced with the more common double-chambered muzzle brake type. Both the shorter and longer guns were equipped with it.

This gun had an increase in muzzle velocity, which reached 740 to 790 m/s (depending on the sources). This, in combination with the improved ammunition, provided increased accuracy, armor penetration, and firing range. The 7.5 cm L/43 gun could penetrate around 80 mm of armor at ranges of 1,000 m. The effectiveness of this gun was best described by a report from the 5th Panzer Division during early 1943. In this report, it was noted that the Soviet tanks (ranging from the weakly protected T-26 to the KV-1) could be destroyed at ranges from 1,200 to 1,600 m with only a few rounds. It was also noted that, firing the AP round (Pzgr.39), most hits would lead to the target catching fire. The hollow charge round was less effective, needing between one to 5 rounds to destroy enemy targets, which were rarely set ablaze with this ammunition type. The elevation of this weapon was -10° to +20°.

Despite the larger size of the L/43 gun rounds, the overall ammunition load was increased from 80 to 87. This should not be surprising given the fact that the older versions (like the Ausf.A) could store 122 rounds of spare ammunition. Most rounds (55) were stored in the hull, while the remaining  (32) were stored in the superstructure. The usual ammunition load consisted of almost equal numbers of AP and HE rounds. When available, tungsten AP rounds would also be stored in limited numbers and used against the best armored targets.

In August 1942, the first longer barreled L/48 guns were becoming available for evaluation and testing. Once these were completed, all tanks that were returned to Germany were to be retrofitted with the improved gun.

The secondary armament was unchanged and consisted of two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns. The ammunition load for these two machine guns was stored in 21 belt sacks, each with 150 rounds (with 3,150 rounds in total).

Organization

With the slow introduction of the newer Panzer IV Ausf.G, the Germans did not operate any significant changes to their Panzer Division organization. The Ausf.G was mostly used to reinforce already existing units in limited numbers. Priority in delivery was mostly given to newly formed units. The Panzer IV was attached to medium tank companies, which consisted of the command unit with two such tanks, three platoons, each equipped with four tanks, and a supporting light tank platoon equipped with the weaker Panzer II. In reality, the third platoon was rarely available in any Panzer company, as there were simply no available tanks to create them. For this reason, most Divisions would have 10 Panzer IVs in each tank company. At the start of 1942, the units on the Eastern Front saw the reorganization of the Panzer Divisions and motorized Infantry Division. The Panzer Divisions changed to three tank battalions, each containing medium tank companies, while some Motorized Infantry Divisions were reinforced with one tank battalion.

In Combat

The Panzer IV Ausf.G was slowly introduced during 1942 and saw extensive combat during this and the following year. Sadly, after 1943, with the introduction of the Ausf.H and later the Ausf.J, the tracking of their combat operations becomes a bit tricky. The main problem is that most sources simply referred to them as Panzer IVs, without any explanation of which precise version was in question. In addition, the general similarity of these three versions also complicates the matter further.

In North Africa

The first recorded operational use of the new Panzer IV Ausf.G was during the North African Campaign, in late May 1942. Some 9 vehicles were dispatched in May, arriving shortly to reinforce the Deutsche Afrika Korps (DAK) [Eng. German Africa Corps]. They were immediately pressed into service during the German Operation Venezia, a prelude to the Battle of Gazala.

By July 1942, after heavy skirmishes with British forces, the 5th and 8th Panzer Regiments were worn out, having only slightly more than 50 tanks, with only two Panzer IV Ausf.Gs remaining. Nevertheless, during the heavy fighting at El Mreir, from the 21st to 22nd July 1942, these were successfully used in a counterattack against the attacking British forces. The British 23rd Armoured Brigade lost some 87 tanks in total, of which 40 were completely destroyed.

There were 30 operational Panzer IV Ausf.Gs listed in the inventory of the 5th and 8th Panzer Regiments operated on this front in October 1942. During the German attack of the 2nd November 1942, the 8th Panzer Regiment was reported to have knocked out some 60 enemy tanks, some of these were likely inflicted by the Panzer IV Ausf.G. Ultimately, the Germans lost the battle for Egypt and had to retreat back to Libya in the hope of reinforcing their battered units.

On 2nd December 1942, there were only around 12 Panzer IV Ausf.Gs left operational in the DAK. Over twenty new Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were to arrive from Germany by the end of 1942, but some were lost during the transit. Early 1943 saw some success by the German forces against the Allied forces. During the German  Operation Fruehlings Wind, they managed to destroy nearly all of the 53 Shermans of the American 1st Armored Division. An additional 54 Sherman tanks also suffered the same fate. In total, the German Panzers destroyed some 97 tanks in two days. This was not enough for the Axis forces in North Africa, as the combined strength of the Allies was simply too much for them. By May 1943, the Axis forces that were not evacuated surrendered to the Allies.

A Panzer IV Ausf.G somewhere in Tunisia during 1943. Source: Pinterest

During the Panzer IV Ausf.G’s service on this front, it was noted that its new gun could easily pierce any Allied tank, even the newer American M3 Lee at ranges of 1.5 km. Less armored targets were even destroyed at combat ranges of some 2 km. The large muzzle flash was noted to be highly problematic, obscuring the gunner’s visor. While effective, they were simply too few in number to have any real impact on this front. For example, by October 1942, the British could muster some 1,000 tanks, while the Germans had only around 30 Panzer IV Ausf.Gs. The Panzer IV Ausf.G, like all German tanks that were used in Africa, was modified by improving the ventilation system to cope with the high temperatures. In addition, sand filters were also added to prevent sand from getting into the engine.

In the Soviet Union

The 1941 fighting in the Soviet Union took a heavy toll on both sides. The German Panzer Divisions suffered badly, losing many vehicles. In early 1942, the Germans prepared a new offensive, with the aim of taking the oil-rich Caucasus and the city of Stalingrad. For this operation, the German Army Group South was reinforced with 9 Panzer Divisions. These were reinforced with 135 Ausf.G tanks. This number may differ between various sources, as some mention a much smaller number of only 82 tanks. Due to their relatively small numbers, on average, each Panzer Division could only be equipped with four Ausf.G per medium tank company. Exceptions were the 3rd, 16th, and the 22nd Panzer Division, which each had 12 of these tanks.

The Panzer IV Ausf.G distribution was quite limited in early 1942 and many Panzer Divisions only had a few of them. Source: www.panzernet.net

In May 1942, the 22nd Panzer Division received some 12 new Panzer IV tanks. These were used to spearhead an attack toward the Sea of Azov in Ukraine. Some 50 Soviet tanks were destroyed in the process. These included at least three T-34 and 12 KV-1 tanks. Later examination of these tanks revealed that a number of 7.5 cm rounds made clear holes in the front and sides of the KV-1 and T-34 tanks.

Another example was the 9th Panzer Division, which had in its inventory (dated 22nd June 1942) 142 tanks, of which 9 were older Panzer IVs (Ausf.B to F), while 12 were the newer Ausf.G. On 6th July, the 9th Panzer Division reported having destroyed 61 enemy tanks. Some of these were probably credited to the Panzer IV Ausf.Gs. However, on 15th July, this unit reported having lost 9 Panzer IVs, of which four were the Ausf.Gs. In a report made by the 33rd Panzer Regiment from this Division, it was recommended to use the new Ausf.G in front of the advancing unit, as it was capable of dealing with the Soviet tanks, especially the KV-1 tanks. The T-34 armor, for example, could easily be penetrated with the long 7.5 cm gun. On the other hand, problems with extracting the spent cartridges were deemed serious, as in some cases, the only way to clear the gun was by using the cleaning rods from outside.

Another example of this tank’s performance comes from a report from the 2nd Panzer Division, which received its first Panzer IV Ausf.G (five in total) only in mid-August 1942. From 11th to 17th August, four such tanks participated in a German counterattack near the village of Jelnja. The German attack on this village was successful, managing to drive off the Soviet defenders, which were supported by at least two T-34 tanks. The following morning, the Soviets made a counterattack with infantry and T-34s. This attack was repelled with the loss of two T-34 tanks. On the 13th, the Soviets made another attack but it was also turned back, losing two T-34s and one KV-1. The Soviets persisted and, in the evening of the same day, attacked with a larger concentration of tanks, some 8 to 10 KV-1s. The Panzer IV Ausf.G managed to destroy two KV-1s at ranges as short as 15 to 20 m. An interesting fact is that the German unit commander mentioned that the Panzer IV needed on average 8 hollow charge rounds to set the KV-1 on fire. In the following days, the Soviets made several attempts to dislodge the Germans, and during one of such attacks, they accidentally ran into a swamp. where some tanks remained bogged down, unable to move. These were quickly destroyed by the German tanks. The Germans also suffered casualties, losing two Panzer IV Ausf.Gs in the process. By the time fighting ceased in the village of Jelnja, the Soviets lost 43 tanks (the majority were T-34s and KV-1s, with at least 11 smaller T-60 tanks). The German losses appear to be only two Panzer IV Ausf.Gs.

At the end of 1942, the German Forces were plagued with a general lack of fuel and reinforcements. The 6th Army was also completely encircled at Stalingrad. In a desperate attempt to reach their beleaguered units, the Germans launched Operation Winter Storm. While, on paper, some 5 Panzer Divisions were present and part of the so-called Heeresgruppe Don, in reality, these were vastly depleted, only managing to field 46 Panzer IV Ausf Gs. Ultimately, they failed, and the Germans made a withdrawal from this region, effectively abandoning all their 1942 gains in the southern ends of the Soviet Union.

In 1943, the Soviets were once again on the offensive, concentrated in the area of the major center of Kharkov. The Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were once again employed in countering the Soviet tanks. In this area, during March 1943, the Soviets lost some 16 light tanks (possibly either T-60s or T-70s), 3 KV-1s, and some 250 T-34 tanks. Of these, some 188 were credited to the long 7.5 cm gun equipped Panzer IVs.

In the 5th Panzer Division, during the heavy fighting from 22nd February to 20th March 1943, four Panzer IV Ausf.Gs managed to destroy a great number of enemy tanks. This included 1 T-26, 26 T-34s, 17 KV-1s, 4 Valentines, and one Lend-Lease supplied M3 General Lee tank .

In July 1943, the Germans launched Operation Zitadelle with the aim of crushing the Soviet positions at Kursk. For this operation, the majority of the 941 Panzer IVs used (some 583) were of the Ausf.G version.

Two Panzer IVs from the 1st SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Panzer Division somewhere in the Soviet Union during the winter of 1942. Source: www.panzernet.net

On Other Fronts

In August 1943, the Germans dispatched some 770 tanks of various types, including some 318 Panzer IV equipped with the long-barreled gun, to the Italian front. Prior to the Allied invasion of Normandy, in June 1944, German tank forces included nearly 750 Panzer IVs.

The German forces in the Balkans operated a number of mostly obsolete and captured armored vehicles. A smaller number of vehicles were also more modern types, such as the Panzer III, IV, and even StuG IIIs. Both versions of the Panzer IV (short and long barrel) were employed there. Some of these may have been of the Ausf.G version.

Other Modifications

Fahrschulpanzer IV Ausf.G

Some Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were given to tank training schools. While new vehicles were certainly used, others may have been returned from the frontline for repairs and were reused for this purpose too.

Sturmpanzer IV

Damaged Panzer IV tanks that were returned to Germany for repairs were reused for the Sturmpanzer IV program. The precise number of modified chassis is difficult to know precisely.

Some Sturmpanzer IVs were based on Ausf.G chassis. Source: Wikipedia

Flakpanzer IV

A number of refurbished Panzer IV Ausf.G chassis would be reused for the Flakpanzer IV projects.

One Panzer IV Ausf.G was reused for the Ostwind Flakpanzer. prototype. Source: www.panzernet.net

Panzerbefehlswagen IV

During 1944, some Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were modified as command tanks. These were equipped with additional radio equipment, had their ammunition load reduced and the turret-mounted machine gun was removed.

Some Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were modified as command vehicles in 1944. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV

Panzer IV mit Hydrostatischem Antrieb

During 1944, one Panzer IV Ausf.G was heavily modified in order to test an experimental hydrostatic drive. Despite the prototype having survived to this day, this is generally an obscure vehicle with little information about its precise history.

The surviving Panzer IV mit Hydrostatischem Antrieb. Source: Wiki

Other Operators

In order to help somewhat rebuild the shattered Hungarian Forces that would be needed in the 1942 offensive toward the Caucasus, the Germans provided them with large quantities of armored vehicles. This contingent also included 10 Panzer IV Ausf.G tanks. During the heavy fighting of 1942 and 1943, all would be lost either due to enemy action or being blown up after running out of fuel or breaking down.

Hungarian Panzer IV Ausf.G. Source:S. Becze (2007) Magyar Steel, Stratus

Bulgaria and Romania were also supplied with a large number of Panzer IVs, some of which were the Ausf.G version. Bulgaria never used these tanks against the Soviets but against its former Ally. In September 1944 Bulgaria changed sides and began attacking German forces in the occupied Balkan, using the Panzer IV in the process.  Romanian Panzer IV tanks were used against the Soviets during 1944. But it too changed sides in August 1944 and joined the Soviet advance toward Austria.

Bulgarian Panzer IV Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-4/bulgarian-panzer-iv-ausf-g/

During May 1943, some 15 Panzer IV Ausf.Gs were given to Turkey.  This was done in the vague hope of bringing neutral Turkey on the Axis side. Ultimately these attempts failed and Turkey actually declared war on Germany in early 1945, but its troops never actually saw any combat.

Turkish Panzer IV Ausf.G Source: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html

In 1942, the Royal Italian Army, having noticed the obsolescence of Italian tanks, asked Germany to produce the Panzer III and Panzer IV under license, but due to bureaucratic problems and resistance both in Germany and in Italy, nothing came from this. In 1943, to remedy the problem and also to help replace the losses suffered by the Royal Army, Germany provided a contingent of 12 Panzer III Ausf.Ns, 12 Panzer IV Ausf.Gs, and 12 StuG III Ausf.Gs. These were to be employed against the Allied invasion in Sicily but, due to the inexperience of the crews, it was decided to wait a few more months. After the Armistice, the vehicles were all requisitioned by the Wehrmacht without the Royal Army ever being able to employ them in action.

Italian Panzer IV Ausf.G Source: https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/442231-panzer-iv-g-division-m-italian-division-m-have-stug-iii-ausfg-and-pziii-n/

Surviving Vehicles

Today, there are a dozen or so surviving Panzer IV Ausf.Gs. These include at least two located in the Bulgarian Museum of Battle Glory. At least one is located in the United Kingdom. A few can be seen in Germany, with one even in fully working condition. One more, which is also in running condition, can be seen at the Russian Kubinka Museum. One Panzer IV Ausf.G is located at the Turkish Etimesgut Tank Museum.

The surviving Panzer IV Ausf.G that is in running condition. Source: http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.G was a great improvement in the anti-tank capabilities of German tank units at that time. With its long gun, the Ausf.G was capable of destroying any Allied or Soviet tank at over 1 km or even more. While initially issued in limited numbers, it and its following versions would be produced in even greater numbers, becoming the backbone of the Panzer Division until the later stages of the war.

Panzer IV Ausf.G of the 1st Infantry Division (motorized) “Grossdeutschland”, Voronezh, Russia, June 1942. Improvised pattern of sprayed brownish sand over standard factory dunkelgrau.
Panzer IV Ausf.G, 1st SS Panzer Battalion, SS Division LSSAH in France, which took part in “Case Anton”, the German invasion and occupation of Vichy French zone, November 1942.
Panzer IV Ausf.G, 4th Kompanie, 1st Abteilung, VIIIth Panzer-Regiment, XVth Panzerdivision, DAK, El Alamein (Egypt), October 1942.
Panzer IV Ausf.G, 36th Panzer Regiment, XIVth Panzerdivision, Army Group South, Russia, summer 1942.
Panzer IV Ausf.G, XVth Panzerdivision, Tunisia, spring 1943. This is a late production vehicle, up-gunned with the new KwK 40 L/48 gun.
Panzer IV Ausf.G of the IVth Panzerdivision, Battle of Orel, Russia, early 1943.
Panzer IV Ausf.G late production vehicle, XIVth Panzerdivision, Stalingrad, winter 1942 to 1943.
Panzer IV Ausf.G, XXth Panzer Division, Kursk, Russia, summer 1943.
Bulgarian Maybach T4G (Ausf.G), 13th unit, Russian border, winter 1942. Early production transitional model.

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 6.63 x 2.88 x 2.68 m
Total weight, battle-ready 23.6 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator, and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off-road) 42 km/h, 25 km/h (cross-country)
Range (road/off-road) 210 km, 130 km (cross-country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 or L/48
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor Front 50 mm, sides 30 mm, rear 30, and top 8-10 mm
Hull Armor Front 30+50 mm, sides 20-30 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm, and the top and bottom 10-11 mm.

 

Sources

 

Categories
Has Own Video WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F

German Reich (1941)
Medium Support Tank – 471 Built + 2 Hulls

The Panzer IV Ausf.F was an important turning point for the whole further Panzer IV development for several reasons. Firstly, it reintroduced the single-piece straight front armor plate, which would become standard on all subsequent Panzer IV tanks. Secondly, it was the last version to be equipped with the short barreled 7.5 cm gun, after which the Germans decided to upgrade the vehicle with longer barreled guns for better anti-tank penetration. The Panzer IV Ausf.F was also supplied to the Hungarians in an attempt to rebuild their armored formations. Lastly, due to the large demands for more vehicles, the Panzer IV Ausf.F, would be also produced by Vomag and Nibelungenwerke beside Krupp-Grusonwerke, which was initially the only manufacturer of the Panzer IV.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

History

By the time the Panzer IV Ausf.E was entering production, some deficiencies were noted for it and previous versions. The most noticeable was the relatively weak armor protection. While it was planned to provide the Ausf.E with 50 mm thick frontal armor, this was not implemented by the time of production. When the Ausf.F entered production in April 1941, it was possible to install the thicker, single-piece armor plates without the need to use two weaker armor plates like it was initially implemented on the previous version. Some structural changes on the superstructure and chassis were also to be implemented on the new Ausf.F. Other than these, the Ausf.F would serve the same purpose as a support tank. It would be allocated to Panzer Divisions as a replacement for the lost vehicles in the previous campaigns.

Production

At the end of 1938, In 6 (Inspektorat 6, the inspectorate for mechanization) issued a request for the production of 129 Panzer IV Ausf.F tanks, which were to be built by Krupp-Grusonwerke. The outbreak of the war in September 1939 changed the initial production plans. Due to the great need for more modern Panzer IVs, the initial order was increased to 500 vehicles in November 1939

In order to increase the production speed, other manufacturers were to be included in the Panzer IV project. These include Vomag and Nibelungenwerk, both of which were to produce 100 new Panzer IV Ausf.F vehicles starting from June 1940. Due to the anticipated invasion of the Soviet Union, these production orders were once again changed to include 300 additional vehicles which were to be assembled at Krupp-Grusonwerke.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F production lasted from April (or May, depending on the source) 1941 to February 1942. By that time, Krupp-Grusonwerke managed to produce 393 tanks plus two chassis which were used as ammunition vehicles for the large Karlgerät. Vomag made 65 and Nibelungenwerk was able to produce only 13 Panzer IV tanks. In total, some 471 Panzer IV Ausf.F plus the two chassis were built. The main reason why the production goal was not reached was the sudden decision to drop the use of the shorter gun and focus on the production of the longer 7.5 cm gun.

Specifications

While the Panzer IV Ausf.F represented a further development of the previous version, it incorporated a number of improvements.

The Engine

While the Panzer IV Ausf.F had the same engine as the previous version, it received a much shorter exhaust muffler. To its left, a small auxiliary engine muffler was added. The engine top cover was also completely redesigned, adding two large radiator ventilation grilles.

The engine compartment received a new top cover which included two radiator ventilation grilles. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV
The Panzer IV Ausf.F received a small auxiliary engine muffler which was added to the left of the shorter exhaust muffler. The box with the Balkenkreuz to the left of the engine compartment is actually a smoke grenade rack system (Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung). Source: Source: P. Thomas Panzers at War 1939-45

The Hull

The hull received some minor modifications. One of these was the installation of armored covers for the ventilation vents on the hull frontal brake access hatches. In order to increase the operational range and to reduce the dependency on auxiliary fuel supply vehicles, after April 1941, Panzer IV Ausf.F (like all other Panzer IVs) tanks were equipped with a tow hitch and fuel trailers. These were primarily used during the first year of the invasion of the Soviet Union but proved to be more of a hindrance and their use after that generally declined.

The brake access hatches received armored covers for the ventilation vents. Source: Walter J. SpielbergerPanzer IV and its Variants
Due to the large size of the Soviet Union, in the hope of increasing the operational range and reducing the dependency on auxiliary fuel supply vehicles, the Germans provided the Panzer IV (note this is not an Ausf.F) with fuel trailers. Source: P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition
On many occasions in the German Army (and in other armies as well), the crews would make additional modifications to suit their needs. For example, they added extra storage boxes where equipment could be stored. This Panzer IV had an unusual front-mounted storage box. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

The Superstructure

The Panzer IV Ausf.F’s superstructure reintroduced the completely straight front superstructure armor plate. The use of a single plate made the front armor stronger structurally, but also made production somewhat easier. This was not new, as it had been used on the Ausf.B and C versions, but had been discarded on the Ausf.D and Ausf.E versions. Other changes included the installation of the completely new and better machine gun ball-mount (Kugelblende 50). The driver visor port was replaced with a slightly thicker Fagrersehklappe 50 model.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F received a completely new ball mount for the machine gun and a thicker machine gun port cover. Source: warspot.ru

The Turret

The turret design on the Ausf.F received new two-part side doors taken from the Panzer III Ausf.E. The forward door had an observation port, while the second door had a small pistol port. The pistol and visor ports were also taken from the same Panzer III. The visor ports were 30 mm thick and further protected by a 90 mm armored glass block.

A side view of the Panzer IV Ausf.F, where the new two-part turret doors can be seen. Source: Pinterest
The difference in turret doors designs are quite obvious between the older (upper) and the newer (lower) version used on the Ausf.F. Source Walter J. SpielbergerPanzer IV and its Variants,

Suspension and Running Gear

The added armor protection and other changes lead to a slight increase in weight, from 22 to 22.3 tonnes. To prevent this from affecting the overall drive performance, some changes were implemented on the Panzer IV Ausf.F’s suspension. The tracks were widened to 40 mm, which necessitated the widening of the road wheels. The front-drive sprocket was slightly redesigned to be able to accommodate the wider tracks. The rear idler wheel was replaced with a new much simpler and easier to produce design.

While, visually, the Ausf.F suspension was the same as on the previous versions, there were a number of changes, such as wider tracks and a new rear idler. Source: warspot.ru
Difference between the older (left) and the new (right) idler design. The new idler was built using welded tubes. It was much simpler in construction, saving time and resources. Source Walter J. SpielbergerPanzer IV and its Variants

Armor Protection

The Polish and Western campaigns showed that the Panzer IV was not sufficiently protected. To resolve this issue, the Panzer IV Ausf.F was meant to have improved armor protection that would be able to frontally resist 3.7 cm anti-tank rounds. For this reason, the front hull, superstructure, and turret (including the gun mantlet) were reinforced. These were now 50 mm thick face hardened armor plates. In addition, the overall side armor was increased to 30 mm. During production, some vehicles received side armor plates that were also face-hardened.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F was also equipped with the smoke grenade rack system (Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung). This was discarded from use after 1942, being mostly replaced with a new one that was mounted on the turret sides. Some vehicles were equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates (Schürzen) covering the side of the vehicle. These served to protect the tank from Soviet anti-tank rifles.

Some Ausf.F tanks were equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates. These covered the turret and hull sides and their meaning was to provide protection against Soviet anti-tank rifle fire. Source: unknown

A number of vehicles were equipped with the 20 mm thick front-spaced armor (Vorpanzer). Its primary function was to provide protection from tungsten and hollow-charge rounds. The crews would often add whatever they had to the tank for protection. This usually consisted of various track types (taken from other German or even captured vehicles), spare wheels, etcetera, in the hope to increase the survivability of their vehicles.

A group of Ausf.F tanks with the added front-spaced armor. Source: warspot.ru
The crew of this vehicle added a huge number of track links on their vehicle. While most are Panzer IV track links, at least one (above the drive visor port) is from a Soviet T-34. Also note that the left turret Schürzen is missing. Source: Unknown

The Armament

The main armament was unchanged and consisted of the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 with 80 rounds of ammunition. The secondary armament consisted of two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns. The ammunition load for these two machine guns was stored in 21 belt sacks, each with 150 rounds (with 3,150 rounds in total).

The 7.5 cm gun could fire high-explosive, smoke or anti-tank rounds. Experience during the first years in the Soviet Union had shown that the 7.5 cm was not up to the task of effectively countering enemy tanks. As a quick solution, in December 1941, Adolf Hitler issued an order that the production of the 7.5 cm GrPatr 38 (shaped-charge round) should begin as soon as possible. While this ammunition was developed in 1940, its actual production began only in early 1942. The 7.5 cm Gr.Patr. 38 could penetrate 75 mm of armor regardless of the combat range. It had a low velocity of 450 m/s, which greatly affected its precision. Another issue was that, when hitting enemy tanks, the shaped-charge would not always penetrate the enemy armor, as it would sometimes simply bounce off. Later models would greatly improve the overall performance.

The armament from the previous version was unchanged. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

In Combat

Being produced after April 1941, the Panzer IV Ausf.F would mostly see action in the Soviet Union and, to a lesser extent, in North Africa. Some were used against the Yugoslav Partisans up to the war’s end.

In North Africa

In the North African theater of war, during 1941 and early 1942, the short-barreled Panzer IV would see service in small numbers. The more dominant German tank at that time was the Panzer III.
On 23rd August 1942, there were only 8 operational Panzer IVs available at El Alamein. There were initially 40 Panzer IVs in service with the Deutsche Afrika Korps (DAK) [Eng. German Africa Corps].

While the short-barreled Panzer IV were used by the Germans in North Africa, their actual numbers were quite limited. This Panzer IV Ausf.F was destroyed probably by an external ammunition explosion, probably caused by an enemy hit… Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV

In the Soviet Union

By the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the number of Panzer IVs was around 517 (or 531 according to some sources). Each Panzer Division possessed in their inventory, on average, around 30 such vehicles. Of these, some 70 were the Ausf.F version. Sadly, it is quite difficult to pinpoint the precise combat operations of individual Panzer IV versions, as the sources do not distinguish between the short barrel versions. Those Panzer IV Ausf.Fs that were produced after June 1941 were usually distributed to various Panzer Divisions in smaller numbers to supplement their losses.

The overall performance of the Panzer IV Ausf.F was not that much different from the previous versions. Its gun was sufficient (despite originally not being intended to) and was quite effective against the lightly armored BT and T-26 series. Against the KVs and T-34s, the Panzer IV had much lower chances of success. The stronger 50 mm frontal armor could provide good protection against the 45 mm Soviet guns, but the stronger 76 mm could effectively pierce it.

The harsh winter, poor mechanical condition and stiff Soviet resistance led to huge tank losses by the end of 1941. The 5th Panzer Division, for example, had some 20 Panzer IVs in December 1941. This number fell to 14 Panzer IVs by February 1942. While some would survive up to 1943, their numbers would be greatly reduced.

A column of German tanks, with a Panzer IV Ausf.F in the front, during the winter of 1941. Source: warspot.ru
A Panzer IV Ausf.F from the 5th Panzer Division somewhere in the Soviet Union. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV

In the Balkans

The Axis forces defeated Yugoslavia in April of 1941. The territory of Yugoslavia was then divided between Germany and its Allies. Due to their harsh occupation policy, two resistance movements emerged to resist the invaders. To counter these movements and to secure their vital supply lines to Greece, the Germans had to send additional forces and even some armored vehicles. These were mostly obsolete or even captured vehicles. In 1944, a small number of Panzer IV Ausf.Fs were allocated to the 13th Reinforced Police Tank Company (Verstärkt Polizei Panzer Kompanie). These were used in fighting against the communist partisans up to the war’s end.

A column of armored vehicles belonging to the German 13th Verstärkt Polizei Panzer Kompanie. In the background, three captured Italian tank destroyers can be seen. Source: Bojan B. Dumitrijević and Dragan Savić Oklopne jedinice na Jugoslovenskom ratištu
A Panzer IV Ausf.F captured by the Yugoslav Partisans near the end of the war. Source: Vojna Knjižara

Other modifications

The Panzer IV Ausf.F was used for several different test projects. These went into two different directions, either using the whole vehicle but with a different armament, or using the chassis for various modifications.

Panzer IV Ausf.G (F2)

In an attempt to counter the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, in early 1942, the Germans began to up-gun their Panzer IVs with longer L/43 guns. These provided much better armor penetration. The Panzer IV Ausf.F was used as the base for this modification. In order to distinguish them from the short barrel armed vehicles, these were initially marked as Ausf.F2. After July 1942, these were all renamed Ausf.G. Some sources also note that some 25 newly produced Panzer IV Ausf.F tanks were rearmed with the longer gun, replacing the shorter barrel guns.

The Panzer IV Ausf.G, which was initially based on the Ausf.F. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info
A Panzer IV Ausf.F armed with the longer 7.5 cm gun, possibly used as a training vehicle. Source: P. Thomas Panzers at War 1939-45

Panzer IV Ausf.F mit Waffe 0725

The Germans were experimenting with increasing the firepower of the Panzer IV. One such experiment included the installation of the Waffe 0725. This was actually an experimental taper-bore gun with a 75/55 mm caliber firing a tungsten round. Due to a shortage of tungsten, this particular gun was never introduced into service.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F with a Waffe 0725 75/55 mm wooden mock-up. Source: warspot.ru

Panzerfähre

The Panzerfähre was a specially designed vehicle based on the Panzer IV Ausf.F chassis that was interned to transport German tanks over water. In theory, two Panzerfähre would be connected by a raft on which a tank or any other vehicle would be placed. Then, the two Panzerfähre basically acted as a ferry to transport the cargo from shore to shore. While not clear, it appears that, in practice, this did not work and no production orders were placed. Beside the two prototypes, no more were built.

The two experimental Panzerfähre vehicles. Source: http://www.panzerbaer.de/types/wh_panzerfaehre-a.htm

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät

An unknown number of different Panzer IV chassis (including the Ausf.F) were modified to be used as ammunition supply vehicles for the huge self-propelled siege mortars codenamed ‘Karlgerät’. Depending on the source, the number of modified Ausf.F chassis ranges between 2 and 13 vehicles.

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät next to the huge self propelled vehicle. Source: https://www.armedconflicts.com/Munitionsschlepper-fuer-Karl-Geraet-municne-vozidlo-t29710

Fahrschulpanzer IV Ausf.E

Some Panzer IV Ausf.Fs were given to tank training schools. While new vehicles were certainly used, others may have been returned from the frontline for repairs and were reused for this purpose too.

The Germans paid great attention to Panzer crew training programs. This exercise served to help train the crew to abandon the vehicle in case of an outbreak of fire inside the vehicle. In this case, a smoke emitter serves to simulate fire in the vehicle. Source: P. Thomas Panzers at War 1939-45

Sturmpanzer IV

Damaged Panzer IV Ausf.E and F tanks that were returned to Germany for repairs were reused for the Sturmpanzer IV program. The precise number of modified chassis is difficult to know precisely.

A few Sturmpanzer IVs were based on Ausf.F rebuilt chassis. Source: Wiki

Jagdpanzer IV wooden prototype

In May 1943, Vomag presented a wooden mock-up of the future Jagdpanzer IV to the German Army. This was based on the Panzer IV Ausf.F chassis.

The Vomag Jagdpanzer IV prototype was presented to Hitler in 1943. This mock-up vehicle was based on the Panzer IV Ausf.F chassis. Source: warspot.com

Panzer IV Ausf.F Tropen

The Panzer IV Ausf.F, like all German tanks that were used in Africa, was modified by improving the ventilation system to cope with the high temperatures. In addition, sand filters were also added to prevent sand from getting into the engine. These vehicles were given a special designation Tr., which stands for Tropen (Eng. Tropic).

Bergepanzer IV

In late 1944, a few Panzer IV Ausf.F chassis would be modified as Bergepanzers, essentially tank recovery vehicles. On these vehicles, the turret was removed and replaced with simple round wooden planks.

Other operators

In order to help somewhat rebuild the shattered Hungarian Forces that would be needed in the 1942 offensive toward the Caucasus, the Germans provided them with large quantities of armored vehicles. These included some 22 Panzer IV Ausf.Fs. In 1942, these were the best tanks that the Hungarian Army operated on this front. By the end of 1943, due to heavy fighting, nearly all were lost.

Panzer IV Ausf.F in Hungarian Service. Source: Pinterest

Interestingly enough, the Soviets often managed to capture significant quantities of German military equipment that had been left abandoned. This included the Panzer IV Ausf.F, some of which were put into service, possibly as training vehicles.

A Panzer IV Ausf.F next to a Panzer III under Soviet use. Source: http://wio.ru/tank/capt/capt.htm

Surviving vehicles

Today, only one rebuilt Panzer IV Ausf.F exists. It was a restoration project which included a Panzer IV Ausf.F turret and a hull which was rebuilt using some original and some new parts. The vehicle is located at the Moscow Victory Park in Russia.

The sole surviving Panzer IV Ausf.F located in Moscow Victory Park. Source:.shadock.free.

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.F was the last vehicle of the whole series to be equipped with the short 7.5 cm guns. It had improved armor protection compared to its predecessors. While certainly not special in its overall performance, it had a more important role, being used as a base for newer versions that would implement stronger armor and armament.

Panzer IV Ausf.F of the 5th Panzerregiment, 5th Leichtes Panzerdivision, Tobruk, Libya, March 1941. The camouflage was sand (Gelb braun) and degraded sand over the usual Dunkelgrau basis, forming Grau-Grün patches.
Vorpanzer F, with extra bolted appliqué armor on the sides, gun mantlet, and frontal glacis, with the 5th Panzerdivision, Group Center, USSR, Winter 1941-1942. Both illustrations by David Bocquelet, with modifications by Pavel Alexe

 

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 5.92 x 2.88 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in)
Total weight, battle-ready 22.3 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator, and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off-road) 42 km/h, 25 km/h (cross-country)
Range (road/off-road) 210 km, 130 km (cross-country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK L/24
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor Front 50 mm, sides 30 mm, rear 30, and top 8-10 mm
Hull Armor Front 30-50 mm, sides 20-30 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm, and the top and bottom 10-11 mm.

Sources

Categories
Has Own Video WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.J

German Reich (1944-1945)
Medium Tank – 3,655 Built

The Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung J, also known as Gerät 550 or Sonderkraftfahrzeug 161/2, was the last variant of the famed Panzer IV. It was produced from January 1944 to the last days of April 1945 in the Nibelungenwerk (Ni-Werk) factory in Sankt Valentin, northern Austria.

This variant was characterized by many modifications made to the previous models in order to speed up production and save on valuable raw materials.

anzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung J
A Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung J with Drahtgeflechtschürzen with wire mesh side armor. Source: Pinterest.com

Context

The Panzer IV was the only medium tank to remain in production from before World War II until 1945. Its total production number, more than 8,500 vehicles from variant A to variant J, represents 30% of the tanks produced by Germany.

At the beginning of the war, the Panzer IV was the most powerful vehicle the Wehrmacht could count on, but it was almost immediately realized that the short-barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 37 (KampfwagenKanone 1937) L/24 (1.76 m barrel length) guns were not able to fight against more armored enemy vehicles. However, they were not meant to, as the Panzer IV was designed as a support vehicle for the Panzer III, destroying fortifications and enemy emplacements, not enemy tanks.

The Panzer IV Ausf.F2 was introduced in March 1942, armed with the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 with a 3.22 m long barrel. The new variant proved to be very effective and able to face even the most armored Russian tanks, such as the T-34 and KV-1.

After the production of only 179 units, the Ausf.G entered into service three months later in June 1942, armed with the same cannon but with a maximum frontal armor of 80 mm, with 1,735 being produced until June 1943.

These two long-barreled variants of the Panzer IV were the most powerful tanks of the Wehrmacht until the introduction of the Tiger I in September 1942.

In April 1943, the production of the Ausf.H, armed with the longer 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 cannon with a 3.70 m long barrel, began. This variant entered service in July 1943 and 2,322 were produced until July 1944.

later Panzer IV versions
Difference between the main armaments of the later Panzer IV versions. Source: pinterest.com

The losses suffered by the German armored divisions were considerable by 1942. Fighting against the Red Army, 502 Panzer IVs were lost in 1942 alone. In 1943, 2,352 Panzer IVs were lost.

The main companies producing the Panzer IV were Krupp, Vogtländische Maschinenfabrik, or “VOMAG” in Plauen, and Nibelungenwerk. Nibelungenwerk produced 1,378 Panzer IVs in 1943.

In May 1943, Adolf Hitler ordered the Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (Eng: General Inspector of the Armoured Corps) to increase the production of tanks, increase the repair of damaged armored vehicles at the front and in specialized workshops in Germany, and ordered a substantial reduction in the production of “secondary” vehicles, such as the Bergepanzer and Munitionspanzer.

Following Hitler’s directives, in December 1943, Krupp modified its assembly lines to produce the Sturmgeschütz IV. In the spring of 1944, VOMAG converted its assembly lines to produce the Jagdpanzer IV.

Nibelungenwerk remained the only company producing the Panzer IV. There is a disagreement among the secondary literature over the total number of Panzer Ausf.Js produced. According to Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle (Encyclopedia of German WWII Tanks) and Kevin Hjermstad (The Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank, 1939-1945), 1,758 Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks were built. In Panzerkampfwagen IV: The Backbone of the German Armed Forces of World War II, David Doyle speculates that as many as 3,000 tanks with an additional 200 chassis of the Panzer IV Ausf.J were produced.

According to Panzer Tracts 4-3, 179 Ausf.J tanks were produced by VOMAG, from frame number 86,384 to 86,573. Nibelungenwerk produced 3,433 until March 1945, from frame number 89,531 to 90,600, from 91,300 to 93,250 and finally from 110,001 to 110,415, plus another 15 Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks produced in April 1945. To these Panzer IVs are added about 260 chassis for vehicles such as the Sturmpanzer IV and another 28 Panzer IV Ausf.J built immediately after the war under Soviet control.

Design

The Panzer Ausf.J production lasted about 16 months, during which they received some modifications that sped up production and saved raw materials needed for other purposes.

Turret

The turret of the Panzer IV Ausf.J was the same as that of the Ausf.H, with a turret ring diameter of 1.60 m. The only substantial modification was the adoption of the Nahverteidigungswaffe grenade launcher (close-in defense weapon) on the right side of the smoke extractor. In vehicles manufactured after May 1944, the Maschinenpistolen Stopfen (gun ports) on the back of the turret and on the side access doors were removed, as were the vision ports. However, this modification was not carried out on all vehicles. Some Ausf.J tanks with the pistol ports came off the assembly lines in 1945 because not all the companies that produced the Panzer IV turrets had removed these details.

In June 1944, three sockets were added on the roof of the turret for the assembly of a 2-tonne winch to lift parts of the vehicle or of other vehicles in the vicinity of a Panzer IV for maintenance and replacement. The commander’s cupola hatch was replaced after October 1944 with a pivoting hatch, very similar to that of the Tiger and Panther.

The cover of the smoke extractor was modified after November 1944 to allow a 360° use of the Nahverteidigungswaffe. The bracket for the Orterkompass 38 type II, a navigation compass mounted, when required, outside the tank, was welded over the smoke extractor. Inside the vehicle, the steel plates did not allow the compass to find the North Magnetic Pole.

The Fliegerbeschussgerät 42 (anti-aircraft machine gun support) mounted on the commander’s cupola was also modified to speed up production and to adapt to the new pivoting hatch.

Panzer IV Ausf.J
A knocked-out Panzer IV Ausf.J showing the new bigger smoke extractor with the Orterkompass 38 on top. Two of the three sockets for the 2-tonne winch are also visible. Source: pinterest.com

After January 1945, three Lost-Erkennungstafeln (poison gas detector cards) were fixed, one on the barrel of the cannon and two on the back sides of the turret. These cards measured the pH of the air and notified the crew if poison gas was being used.

Panzer IV Ausf.J
Two civilians pass near a knocked-out Panzer IV Ausf.J somewhere on the Eastern Front. On the turret, Schürzen are visible, along with one Lost-Erkennungstafeln support with its card mounted. Source: worldwarphotos.com

Crew

The crew, as in the other versions of the Panzer IV, was composed of 5 men. In the hull, these were the driver and machine-gunner/radio operator, on the left and right of the transmission, respectively.

The other three members of the crew were placed in the turret. The gunner was on the right of the breech of the cannon, the loader on the left, while the tank commander was in the middle, behind the breech.

Panzer IV Ausf.J, March 1945
Crewman of a Panzer IV Ausf.J, March 1945. Source: worldwarphotos.com

Each of the five crew members had a hatch through which they could enter or exit safely. Communication inside the vehicle was via an intercom system connected to the FuG 2 radio. In general, the crews did not appreciate the Panzer IV Ausf.J, considering it inferior to the Ausf.H because of the numerous measures used to speed up its production, making it less ergonomic for the crew. To give an example, they disliked the lack of an electrical system for the turret rotation or the absence of vision ports in the side doors of the turret.

Hull and Interior

The hull was divided into two parts, the fighting compartment that included the front and middle parts of the vehicle and, separated by a steel firewall, the engine compartment.

The driver had at his disposal a slit with an armored shutter to see the battlefield. To his right, he had the transmission, the gearshift, and above the transmission, the dashboard. In front of him, he had the two driving levers and 3 pedals: clutch, brake, and accelerator, while in front on the left was the steering brake. Behind him, there was an ammunition hold.

The machine gunner/navigator had in front of him a ball mount for an MG34 with a K.F.Z. sight. In front of his legs, there was the other steering brake. On his right, inside some racks, was the FuG 5 radio, while behind it there were transformers and, under his seat, an evacuation hatch.

Radio operator/machine gunner position
Radio operator/machine gunner position. On the right is clearly visible the FuG 5 radio while on the left is the MG34 with its K.F.Z. 2 sight. Source: pinterest.com

Armor

The armor of the Ausf.J was unchanged compared to the Ausf.H. The hull and superstructure maintained a thickness of 80 mm at the front, 30 mm on the sides, and 20 mm on the engine compartment and rear.

The turret kept a thickness of 50 mm at the front and 30 mm on the sides and rear. The gun mantlet was also 50 mm thick, while the commander’s cupola was 90 mm thick. The armor of the hull roof remained 11 mm while the one of the turret was thickened, from the 16 mm of the Ausf.H to 25 mm of the Ausf.J, while the hull floor remained 10 mm.

Until June 1944, Face Hardened Armor (FHA) steel developed by Krupp in 1893 for naval use and used on all German tanks was also used on the Panzer IV Ausf.J. During that month, an Allied bombardment seriously damaged Panzerfirma Krupp in Essen, the largest producer of FHA steel for the Panzer IV. It was therefore chosen by Waffenprüfämter 6, or WaPrüf 6 (Weapons Testing Authorities), to switch from FHA to Rolled Homogeneous Armor (RHA), which was less resistant but faster to produce, reducing the raw materials used and time of production.

As on Panzer IV Ausf.H, the first Ausf.Js were equipped with 8 mm thick Schürzen (skirts) mounted on the turret, and 5 mm thick on the sides of the hull.

This spaced armor was introduced in June 1943 to defend German tanks from Soviet PTRS-41 and PTRD-41 14.5×114 mm anti-tank rifles.

Until September 1944, the Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks were supplied with Schürzen II. The armored skirts on the sides of the hull were attached by handles to an iron carrier rail welded to the hull by four support brackets (Aufbau). After September 1944, Drahtgeflechtschürzen (Wire Mesh Skirts) were supplied to save precious steel.

knocked-out Panzer IV Ausf.J
A knocked-out Panzer IV Ausf.J of the 24. Panzer Division produced in early January 1945 in Jedwabno in February 1945. The pivoting commander’s hatch, the Drahtgeflechtschürzen (visibly damaged by small arms fire in the rear) and, also, covered by snow, the bigger smoke extractor on the turret are visible. Source: pinterest.com

This armor, sometimes called ‘Thoma’ after its developer, the Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (Inspector General of the Panzer Troops) Wolfgang Thomale, was fixed by a tubular carrier rail and modified support brackets.

These side skirts were produced with 5 mm thick welded iron wire with a 15 mm distance between the wires. They were 600 kg lighter than the standard Schürzen.

Around December 1944 and January 1945, Drahtgeflechtschürzen panels were applied on the top, between the side skirts and the hull to prevent anti-tank grenades, such as the Soviet RPG-43s or improvised explosive charges, from being thrown and adhering to the fenders or sides of the hull.

A Thoma panel was also attached to the back of the turret, attached to the rear toolbox so that, if anti-tank grenades were thrown, they would bounce and not detonate on the rear sides of the turret.

Due to the desperate conditions of the Wehrmacht in the last months of the war, many Panzer IV Ausf.J remained equipped with the old Schürzen even in 1945 and did not receive these improvements or, as was the case for unluckier, they were never added.

The Thoma Schürzen
The Thoma Schürzen. Source: milart.blog

Engine and Suspension

As on the other versions of the Panzer IV, the engine was a Maybach Hochleistung (HL) 120 TRM, V-12 11.9 L gasoline motor that produced 265 hp at 2,600 rpm. The fuel tanks were placed in the double bottom of the crew compartment floor. These held 470 liters for a range of 210 km on roads, with an average consumption of just over 2 liters of fuel per kilometer.

Maybach HL 120 TRM
The Maybach HL 120 TRM scheme. Source: fallschirmjager.com

After July 1944, an additional 200-liter tank was mounted in the crew compartment instead of the engine for the automatic turret rotation system, which increased the range to 320 km.

The turret rotation mechanism was equipped with a second reduction gear to allow the crew to manually rotate the turret even on slopes.

The maximum speed of the Panzer IV Ausf.J was 38 km/h. The average speed at which it operated was 25 km/h on the road, while the off-road speed decreased to 15 km/h.

The transmission was the ZF S.S.G.76. It had 6 forward and 1 reverse gears and was the same one used by the latest versions of the Panzer III. Due to the 25 tonne weight of the vehicle, it was always under heavy stress.

The running gear was composed of 8 road wheels per side coupled with leaf spring suspension. The sprocket wheel was at the rear, the idler was at the rear and there were four return rollers. These were cut down to three after December 1944 to increase the production speed.

The tracks were composed of 99 track links and were 40 cm wide. They were of a dual central guide single dry pin type produced completely out of steel.

The new Drahtgeflechtschürzen introduced for this version received modifications to the supports to be further spaced from the hull. This allowed the Ostketten tracks to be mounted. These were 56 cm wide and developed to increase mobility on muddy or snowy terrain of the Eastern Front.

On the back of the hull was mounted the muffler. On the first vehicles produced, it was identical to that of the previous models, while, from August 1944 onward, it was replaced by two Flammentöter (flame suppression) exhaust mufflers.

The easiest method to identify a Panzer IV Ausf.J from a Panzer IV Ausf.H is the absence of the rectangular exhaust muffler of the turret rotation engine mounted on the left side of the back of the hull.

Main armament

The main armament of the Panzer IV Ausf.J was the 7.5 cm KampfwagenKanone 1940 (7.5 cm KwK 40) L/48 (48 calibres long). The cannon weighed 750 kg. The elevation and depression of the cannon were 20° and -10° respectively. The maximum firing range was 7,700 m. The operational life was between 5,000 and 7,000 rounds and the gun could reach a rate of fire of 10 to 15 rounds per minute with a well-trained loader. It was a rather precise cannon, capable of hitting targets on the first shot even at a 1,000 m distance. The optical sight used was the high quality Turmzielfernrohr 5 f (abbreviated to T.Z.F.5f). It had a magnification of 2.5x, a visibility arc of 25°, and was mounted to the left of the cannon. The gunner could adjust the range by moving an “arrow” in the optics. The reticle was graduated at intervals of 100 m up to 2,500 m for the PzGr.39, 1,500 m for PzGr.40, and 3,300 m for SprGr.34.

Range

Ammunition Type 100 m 500 m 1000 m 1500 m 2000 m 2500 m 3000 m
PzGr.39 Training 100% 100% 99% 77% 48% 30% 17%
PzGr.39 Action 100% 99% 71% 33% 15% 8% 4%
PzGr.40 Training 100% 100% 95% 66% 21%
PzGr.40 Action 100% 98% 58% 24% 6%
Gr.38 HL/C Training 100% 100% 85% 42% 20%
Gr.38 HL/C Action 100% 100% 45% 15% 6%

The accuracy values in “Training” were obtained in a controlled environment and knowing the distance to the target which was 2 m high and 2.5 m wide. The values for the “Action” section were calculated by doubling the dispersion values. Obviously, this is an approximation. In fact, in combat, multiple errors could be made that could have affected the precision values. Source: “Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.G, H and J 1942-45”, Hilary Doyle and Tom Jentz.

 Panzer IV Ausf.J
A Panzer IV Ausf.J turret being hoisted from the three winch-brackets. Clearly visible is the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 gun. Source: Peter Kocsis collection

Secondary armament

The secondary armament consisted of two or three 1934 Maschinengewehr (abbreviated to MG34) and a Nahverteidigungswaffe grenade launcher.
A machine gun was coaxial, positioned to the right of the cannon, and shared the same optics. The second one was in the hull in a ball mount. Its depression and elevation angles were -10° and +20°, with 15° of traverse to the right and left. It was fitted with a Kugelzielfernrohr 2 optics (1.8x, 18° angle). A third machine gun could be mounted in the anti-aircraft support on a rail fixed to the commander’s cupola.

When available, the Panzer IV Ausf.J could have a Nahverteidigungswaffe grenade launcher mounted in the turret. It could fire explosive, smoke, or flare ammunition. All of these rounds were fired from a 360 degrees-rotating projector mounted at a fixed 50-degree inclination angle.

MG34 on a Panzer IV
Anti Aircraft MG34 on a Panzer IV. Source: militaryimages.net

Ammunition

The Panzer IV Ausf.J could carry 86 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 rounds in total, stowed in 8 different racks. One was placed behind the driver, holding 23 shells. Another one, with 24 rounds, was on the right side, divided into three 8-round sub-racks.

A total of 27 shells were carried in three 9-round racks, two on the left side of the vehicle and one on the right side. In front of the right side ones, there was a lower rack with 2 rounds.

Another 6 round rack was placed above the 23 round-rack behind the driver and, finally, 4 rounds were stored on the floor of the turret basket, under the breech of the cannon.

86 rounds were more than enough by the standards of the time. The problem was that these took a lot of space inside the vehicle. In fact, it should be remembered that the Panzer IV was designed to carry the shorter ammunition of the KwK 37 and not that of the KwK 40. The new cannon rounds had a larger casing and consequently were much more bulky and prone to explode.

In the last vehicles produced, between February and April 1945, the racks were slightly different, carrying only 80 rounds. This was achieved by removing the 2-round rack on the right, decreasing the rack behind the driver from 6 to 4, and the rack in the turret basket from 4 to 2 rounds.

Name Panzergranate 1939 (PzGr. 39) Panzergranate 1940 (PzGr. 40) Sprenggranate 1934 (SprGr. 34) Hohlladung pattern C grenades. (Gr.38 HL/C)
Type APCBC-HE-T APCR HE HEAT
Muzzle velocity 750 m/s 930 m/s 550 m/s 450 m/s
Weight 6.8 kg 4.1 kg 5.64 kg 5 kg
Penetration (RHA angled 30° from vertical) 106 mm at 100 m; 85 mm at 1000 m 143 mm at 100 m; 97 mm at 1000 m N/A 100 mm

Out of 86 rounds, it was recommended to the crew by the instructors to carry PzGr. 39 and SprGr. 34 in equal numbers and, when available, some PzGr. 40 for use against heavily armored targets.

3,150 rounds for the MG34s were carried. These were the 7.92 mm Spitzgeschoss mit Kern or S.m.K.(pointed bullet with core) and Spitzgeschoss mit Kern, Leuchtspur or S.m.K.Lspur (pointed bullet with core, tracer) belted in 150 round bags.

Several types of shells for the Nahverteidigungswaffe could be carried:
Schnellnebelkerzen 39 (quick smoke rounds) and Rauchsichtzeichen orange 160 (orange smoke). The first was used for concealment, the second for signaling targets for air or artillery attacks.
Leuchtgeschossen R (Illuminating rounds) which could be used to illuminate the battlefield during night missions or to call for help.
The Sprenggranatpatrone 326 Lp (Explosive grenade) was designed to protect the vehicle from enemy infantry at very close ranges. It was fireable out to a range of up to 10 meters and operated on a one-second delay. The grenade exploded in a zone between 0.5 and 2 meters from the ground with a fragment radius of up to 100 m, lethal to nearby troops.

Production

The Panzer IV Ausf.J entered service with the Wehrmacht in February/March 1944. It was immediately used on the Eastern Front. In June 1944, there should have been 1,502 tanks available but, due to production delays and losses in combat, there were only 605 Panzer IVs of different models on that front.

On April 30, 1944, an Allied bombardment of the gearbox factory in Friedrichshafen slowed down the productivity of many German tank factories, as it slowed down deliveries of essential components. Hitler, therefore, ordered to bring the production priority of the Sturmgeschütz to the same level as that of the Jagdpanzer and to increase the production of fighter planes.

The Minister of Armaments and War Production, Albert Speer, noted that the orders for armored vehicles in 1944 amounted to 40,300, but the actual production numbers at the end of the year were only 27,340 vehicles.

In July 1944, the 1944-45 production plan came into force, which provided for the production of three types of vehicles: Panzer 38(t) hull vehicles, 25-tonne vehicles (Panzer III, Panzer IV and self-propelled guns on their hulls) and the Panther, Tiger I and II.

In October, Speer proposed to Hitler to remove the “25-tonne vehicles” from production in order to focus only on light and heavy vehicles. In addition, he proposed to convert the factories that produced the HL 120 TRM to produce aeronautical engines.

On October 17, 1944, an Allied bombardment hit the Nibelungenwerke in Sankt Valentin, stopping production until November 4.

Organization

Due to the desperate conditions in Germany, the number of armored units was reduced on November 1, 1944. Consequently, each Armored Company (Panzerkompanie) had only 17 (2 tanks for the command company and three platoons of 5) or 14 (2 tanks for the command company and three platoons of 4) Panzer IVs, compared to 22 tanks for each Company in 1943. Many Panzer Divisions returned to 2 companies equipped with Panzer IVs, as in 1939. With the war progressing, the losses increased and, on April 1st, 1945, each company was reduced to only 10 tanks (1 tank for the command company and three platoons of 3).

Operational use

In June 1944, 11 Panzer Divisions were waiting in the north of France in anticipation of the expected Allied landings, with 863 Panzer IVs (out of 965 tanks). Obviously, there were many Panzer IV Ausf.Js that took part in the clashes with the Allies which landed on the French coast. On June 11, 8. Panzerkompanie of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment of the 12th. Panzer Division ‘Hitlerjugend’ counterattacked the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment near Mesnil-Patry, reoccupying the town and putting out of use or destroying 37 Shermans with the loss of only two Panzer IVs, forcing the Canadians to suspend their attack.

Willy Kretzschmar, commander of the 12. Panzerkompanie (equipped with Panzer IVs) of the same division, claimed to have destroyed 15 enemy tanks during the Battle of Normandy in his Ausf.J tank.

During the winter of 1944, some 260 Ausf.J tanks were delivered to the Panzer Divisions stationed on the Western Front. All of these took part in the Ardennes Offensive. The Panzer IV was the most used Wehrmacht vehicle in that operation. During the weeks of the offensive, many Panzer IVs were lost to enemy fire. However, more were lost due to a lack of fuel and spare parts than due to the action of Allied anti-tank weapons or tanks.

A Panzer IV Ausf.J
A Panzer IV Ausf.J destroyed during the Battle of the Ardennes. Source: pinterest.com

During the Battle of the Bulge, the 6. SS-Panzerarmee had at its disposal a total of 73 Panzer IV Ausf.H or J, out of a total of 178 tanks. Although less armored and equipped with a less powerful gun than the Panther and Königstiger (also assigned to the 6. SS-Panzerarmee), they were faster, allowing for rapid deployment on the battlefield. Above all, compared to the other German tanks of the offensive, they consumed less fuel, which was now a precious resource for Nazi Germany.

The offensive began on December 16 with the German attack at dawn, after an artillery strike that lasted over 90 minutes. Because of the ineffective armored support on the first day, the Germans were not able to achieve great success.

On December 17, during the battle for the villages of Krinkelt and Rocherath (also known as the Battle of the Two Villages), there was a clash between M4 Shermans and Panzer IVs (probably Ausf.J). Two Shermans of the 741st Tank Battalion supporting the 23rd Company at a roadblock in the forest were knocked-out, forcing the US troops to retreat towards the two villages.

The next morning, the Germans broke into Krinkelt, where some Panzer IVs and four Jagdpanzer IVs clashed with a number of M4s and M10 Tank Destroyers, suffering some losses due to ambushes with Bazookas in the narrow streets of the town.

According to German records (which are incomplete), by December 18, the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend” (part of the 6th Panzer Army) had lost 32 of its 41 Panthers, 12 of its 34 Panzer IVs, and 21 of its 40 tank destroyers, claiming only five 57 mm anti-tank guns, three M4 Shermans, and three M10 Tank Destroyers.

Panzer IV Ausf.J early production
A Panzer IV Ausf.J early production suffered an ammunition explosion. 17 December 1944 Battle of the Bulge. Source: worldwarphotos.com

On December 18, the Germans attacked a farm under U.S. control near Krinkelt. In the fight, a Panther and a Jagdpanther were knocked-out by 57 mm anti-tank guns, while eight Panzer IV Ausf.H and J tanks managed to neutralize the anti-tank guns.

During the battle that followed inside the perimeter of the farm, two M4 Shermans were knocked out by the eight Panzer IVs, which suffered the loss of two tanks.

During the morning, two more M4 Sherman were neutralized while an attempt to advance by three of the six Panzer IVs in the farm was repulsed by a single 3 inch GMC M10 Tank Destroyer that destroyed all three. In the afternoon, four M36 Tank Destroyers intervened in the area, forcing the retreat of the three surviving Panzer IVs of which two were destroyed during the retreat.

3 inch GMC M10 Tank Destroyer passed out a Panzer IV Ausf.J
An 3 inch GMC M10 Tank Destroyer passed out a Panzer IV Ausf.J destroyed in winter 1944. Source: panzerserrabunker.com

Further south, on December 18, the 5.SS-Panzerarmee entered the city of Marnach with 12 Panzer IVs (Ausf.H and J) and a Panzergranadier unit equipped with 30 Sd.Kfz.251 half-tracks. The defending U.S. forces attacked with the few tanks available, destroying four Panzer IVs but losing three M4 Shermans.

Unfortunately, due to the incompleteness of the records, there is not enough data to determine how many Panzer IVs took part in the actions of the following days and how many losses there were.

Panzer IV Ausf.J
Panzer IV Ausf.J belonging to the 9. Panzer Division knocked-out in the Ardennes, 1944. Source: pinterest.com

Other users

Hungary

Between August and December 1944, Hungary, the last standing ally of Germany, received 77 Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks. Of these, 20 were requisitioned by the German Command in Hungary to replace the losses suffered by the Panzer Divisions. With regards to the 57 remaining Panzer IVs, nothing is known about their operational use.

Finland

Finland bought 20 Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks in 1944 for 4,500,000 Markkas each. These vehicles were part of the first Ausf.J production series. Another 40 were ordered but were never supplied. These vehicles arrived without German instructors and too late. By the time they arrived, the Moscow Peace Treaty between Finland and the Soviet Union had already been signed.

Finland took possession of 15 Panzer IVs (the fate of the last 5 is not known) and they were then used by the Finnish against their manufacturers until April 27th, 1945, when the so-called Lapland War between the retreating Germans and the Finns ended.

After the war, the Ausf.J survivors were used for training and nicknamed by the crews ‘Ravistin’ (Shaker) because of the vibrations to which the tank was subjected during off-road driving. They were withdrawn from service around 1955.

ddddddddd
A Finnish Panzer IV Ausf.J of the first production run. It is without Schürzen on the sides of the hull. Source: SA-Kuva

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union captured hundreds of Panthers, StuGs, and other Panzers on the battlefields during the war and stored them in warehouses. After the war, the Soviets finished the production of 28 Ausf hulls. J remaining in the Nibelungenwerk for Bulgaria.

The exact number of Panzer IVs, renamed by the Soviets as the T-4, captured is difficult to determine. 165 were supplied to Czechoslovakia between 1945 and 1946. The other T-4s that were crammed into rusting warehouses were probably dismantled in the 1950s.

France

Like the Soviet Union, France captured many abandoned Panzer IVs in varying conditions from the retreating Wehrmacht. At least 11 Panzer IV Ausf.G, H, and J were used by the Besnier Regiment during the war, although not much is known about their use.

40 Panzer IVs in poor condition, out of a total of about 60, among which were the 11 of the Besnier Regiment, were sold to Syria between 1950 and 1952.

Four Panzer IVs
Four Panzer IVs and a Panther of the Besnier Regiment. Source: char-francais.net

Bulgaria

In the post-war period, Bulgaria received 28 Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks from the Soviet Union. This brought the total number of Panzer IVs in service in December 1945 to 102. By 1950, the number had dropped to 69, used mostly as bunkers or strong points in their defensive lines on the borders.

Three Panzer IV
Three Panzer IVs which had been used as bunkers by the Bulgarians, the first being an Ausf.J of mid-production, without Maschinenpistolen Stopfen but with four rollers. Source: tankandafvnews.com

Romania

In late 1943, Germany began a program to rearm Romania. The program, called Olivenbaum (Eng: Olive tree), involved the supply of armored vehicles of German origin to Romania to create an armored division and three mechanized divisions.

Between October 1943 and August 1944, Romania received approximately 120 Panzer IVs of various models (called T-4 by the Romanians) and 108 StuG III (called TAs), as well as an unknown number of Sd.Kfz.222 and AB41 armored cars.

After the coup d’état of August 23rd, 1944, Romania allied with the Soviet Union to fight the Axis forces. To replace the losses suffered by the Romanians in the fighting, the Soviets supplied the Royal Romanian Army with many Panzer IVs captured during the advance, in varying conditions.

The Panzer IVs and StuG IIIs were used after the war together with other materials that the Soviets supplied during and immediately after the war. On November 15th, 1947, the Romanian Army still possessed 13 Sd.Kfz.222 armored cars, 7 light tanks of various types, 54 T-4 tanks of various models, 13 Panthers, and 31 TAs assault guns.

Panzer IV Ausf.J at the National Military Museum in Bucharest
A Panzer IV Ausf.J at the National Military Museum in Bucharest. Source: pinterest.com

Czechoslovakia

After the Second World War, Czechoslovakia had to reequip its army. The desired help from the Allies did not arrive and not even Stalin could help. The Soviet Union supplied Czechoslovakia with 165 Panzer IVs of various versions and under various operating conditions between 1945 and 1946. A Czechoslovakian commission of technicians visited all the warehouses, German workshops, and battlefields in the country and managed to find another 102 Panzer IVs in various operating conditions and many spare parts.

Přelouč and ČKD reconditioned the vehicles and managed to bring a total of 82 Panzer IVs to operational conditions in 1949. These were 21 Ausf.G, 43 Ausf.H and 18 Ausf.J. The others, found to be irreparably damaged or with other problems, were dismantled and used for spare parts or at fixed locations.

It is interesting to note that the repairs led to the modification of not only Panzer G, H, and J, but also other versions that were rebuilt with the longer barreled 7.5 cm guns. This is the case of the hull of an Ausf.J (renamed by many sources “Frankenstein”) that was re-equipped with the turret of an Ausf.D rearmed with the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 cannon.

The Czechoslovak Army renamed them Střední Tank T-40/75″ (medium tank T-40/75) regardless of the version. Some of these Panzer IVs received support brackets for a Soviet-made DShK anti-aircraft machine gun.

80 Panzer IVs went to form the 1st Tank Regiment in Strašice, while the last two remained at a tanker school for training. ČKD proposed a replacement of the steering system, which was considered a defect by the Czechoslovakian Army. However, the entry into service of the T-34/85 made the project redundant.

The gradual decrease in the availability of spare parts caused them to be withdrawn from service in 1955-1956. They remained in reserve until 1959 when they were used for various purposes. 55 were sold to Syria and some were used in movies (and one was destroyed during shooting). Another one was tested as a bunker, but tests showed it was too vulnerable. Another turret was tested on a gunboat while two others ended up in an armored train.

The remaining Panzer IVs became artillery targets and only one was kept as a monument in the Lešany Armor Museum.

Panzer IV Ausf.J
Panzer IV Ausf.J at the Lešany Armor Museum in Prague. pinterest.com

Syria

Syria received 40 Panzer IVs from France between 1950 and 1952, 55 Panzer IVs from Czechoslovakia in 1956, and, finally, 17 Panzer IV Ausf.H tanks from Spain in 1965. We cannot extract the exact number of Ausf.Js received by the Syrians because of the lack of details in the Syrian sources.

The Czechoslovakian Panzers cost the equivalent of 4,500 British pounds each. They arrived in Syria in November 1955, already overhauled with ammunition but few spare parts.

In 1958, another 15 Panzer IVs were purchased from the Czechoslovak. These were not operational and were used for spare parts. 16 Maybach HL120 TRM engines were also bought due to the serious mechanical problems of the tanks supplied by the French.

The only Syrian modification was the replacement of the MG34 with 7.62 mm DT machine guns, and in some cases, the coaxial machine gun was replaced with the 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun. In an anti-aircraft mount, a DShK or a Breda-SAFAT 12.7 mm machine gun of Italian origin was mounted.

A Syrian Panzer IV Ausf.J
A Syrian Panzer IV Ausf.J, recognizable due to the three return rollers. Source: pinterest.com

The Panzer IVs were used together with other German production vehicles, T-34/85s and a few SU-100s against the Israelis in the Six-Day War. At the beginning of the hostilities, there were 25 operational and 10 partially operational Panzer IVs. 12 were destroyed by the Israelis and another 4 were captured. They were taken to Israel to be evaluated and then put on display.

After the war, a careful analysis led the Syrians to remove all Panzer IVs and German-made vehicles from service for two reasons. The first was that, of the German tanks used against the Israelis, not one hit an Israeli vehicle. Secondly, the Soviet Union offered to rearm the Syrians with more modern vehicles, such as T-34-85s and T-54/55s.

panzer IV Ausf.J
A Panzer IV Ausf.J abandoned somewhere in the Golan Height. Over the years, the various layers of paint have faded, causing the German camouflage pattern to reappear, with the Balkenkreuz clearly visible. Source: pinterest.com

Variants

Sturmpanzer IV

In February 1943, 60 vehicles were produced. These were built by Bismarckhütte, which produced the superstructures, and Nibelungenwerke, which produced the hulls. These were based on the chassis of 52 Panzer IV Ausf.G and eight modified Ausf.E and F tanks.

Another 80 Sturmpanzer IVs came out in May 1944 based on the Ausf.H hull. The last 166 examples of ‘Brummbär’ were produced by Deutsche Eisenwerke in Duisburg in two lots of 24 and 142 vehicles. These were based on the Ausf.J hull.

Panzer IV Ausf.S

A new turret was developed for the Panther Ausf.F project, the Schmalturm (Narrow-turret). This was designed in 1944 by Daimler-Benz. It was also proposed to mount this new turret on the Panzer IV hull, but the idea was never accepted.

The Schmalturm was hexagonal in shape and had heavier armor than the regular Panther turret. The front plate had a thickness of 120 mm while the gun mantlet had a maximum thickness of 150 mm. The sides and back of the turret were 60 mm thick. The turret mounted the 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70 of the Panther, renamed KwK 44/1. It had a shorter recoil system to better fit the turret, allowing the cannon to maintain a +20°/-8° degrees of elevation/depression.

Panzerbefehlswagen IV

After March 1944, the command variant of the Panzer IV Ausf.J was produced. There were two variants, the Sd.Kfz.267, which was modified by removing 15 75 mm rounds and installing an additional radio system including cables, transformers, and junction boxes. In addition, a GG400 auxiliary electric generator was also added.

The new radio sets were the Fu 8 (medium wave receiver) and Fu 5 (ultra short wave receiver). A Sternantenne D (Star aerial) for the Fu 8 was mounted on the rear of the hull, while the classic 2-meter antenna for the Fu 5 was mounted in place of the Nahverteidigungswaffe on the roof of the turret. A T.S.R.1 observation periscope and an SF14Z periscope scissor were also mounted.

The SF14Z could only be mounted inside the cupola so the commander could see the battlefield from inside the vehicle with the hatch open. The T.S.R.1 was a long stick periscope mounted on the roof of the turret, near the commander’s cupola, and could be extended by a pivoting support.

The Sd.Kfz.268 variant differed from the 267 by mounting a Fu 7 transmitter/receiver for aerial communications instead of the Fu 8 radio set.

Only 17 Panzerbefehlswagen IV were produced from scratch, while 88 others were converted from already built Panzer IV Ausf.J tanks.

Panzerbefehlswagen IV
A Panzerbefehlswagen IV produced in September 1944. Notice the classic antenna instead of the Nahverteidigungswaffe, the Orterkompass 38 support behind it, the three 2-tonne winch brackets and the T.S.R.1 on the right raised up. The anti-aircraft MG support and the classic Schürzen II Aufbau are also visible. Source: Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV

Others

Other vehicles based on the Panzer IV hull received modifications to speed up production similar to those on the Panzer IV Ausf.J, such as the Sturmgeschütz IV and the FlaKpanzer IV ‘Wirbelwind‘, ‘Ostwind‘ and ‘Kugelblitz’. The Panzer IV/70(A) tank destroyers also received similar modifications such as the adoption, in the last vehicles coming out of the factories, of the Drahtgeflechtschürzen.

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.J was a variant of the Panzer IV that cannot be declared a straight-out improvement. Its ease of production was much improved, with almost 3,500 being produced in 16 months at the time when the German industry was being destroyed by bombing, with fewer and fewer specialized workers available and with an acute shortage of raw materials.

On the battlefields, it was still dangerous for opposing vehicles, even if it was vulnerable to the T-34-85 and M4 Shermans armed with 76 mm cannons. However, the loss of the automatic turret rotation mechanism had led to a significant reduction in capabilities.

Panzer IV Ausf.J
Panzer IV Ausf.J, 12th Panzerdivision SS “Hitlerjugend”, Normandy, France, June 1944.
Panzer IV Ausf.J early production
Panzer IV Ausf.J early production (unknown unit), Russia, summer 1944
Panzer IV Ausf.J
Panzer IV Ausf.J, central Germany, March 1945. Notice the wire-mesh side-skirts (mistakenly added over regular side skirts in our illustration) and complex “ambush pattern” camouflage.
Panzerbefehlswagen IV
Panzerbefehlswagen IV, 12th Panzerdivision, Northern Russia, early 1944
Panzer IV Ausf.J, IXth Panzerdivision
Panzer IV Ausf.J, IXth Panzerdivision, Ardennes, Belgium, December 1944. This is an early production model, with Zimmerit on the entire hull and spaced armor. All illustration by David Bocquelet.

Specifications

Dimensions (L-W-H) 5.92 m x 2.83 m x 2.68 m
Total weight, battle-ready 25 tonnes
Crew 5 Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator/hull machine gunner, and driver
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TRM V-12, water-cooled gasoline 320 HP at 3000 rpm
Speed Max.38 km/h, on-road 25 km/h, cross country 15 km/h
Range 320 km on road; 210 km off-road
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 with 86 rounds
Secondary Armament Two or three M.G.34 calibers 7.92 mm 3150 rounds
Turret Armor 50 mm front, 30 mm sides, and rear
Hull Armor Hull 80 mm front, 50 mm sides, and 30 mm rear
Total production 3,655

Sources

Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV – Thomas L. Jentz
Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H/Ausf.J, 1943 to 1945 – Hilary Louis Doyle, Lukas Friedli and Thomas L. Jentz
Sd.Kfz.161 Panzer IV Ausf.J – Krzysztof Mucha
Panzer IV & its Variants – Walter J. Spielberger
web.archive.org
Panzer IV: The Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank, 1939-1945 – Kevin Hjermstad

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Has Own Video WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.E

German Reich (1940)
Medium Support Tank – 200 Built + 6 Hulls

Following the victorious campaign in Poland, the German Army requested even more Panzer IV vehicles. This would lead to the Panzer IV Ausf.E, which was, in essence, just a slightly improved Ausf.D version. By the time the production run ended in April 1941, some 200 complete vehicles were built.

The Panzer IV Ausf.E. Source:  www.worldwarphotos.info

History

Following the introduction of the Panzer IV Ausf.D, the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres, OKH) issued orders for the development and production of the new Ausf.E version. This version was, in essence, just a copy of the previous one, with some minimal changes to it. One of the main changes that was originally planned was to use 50 mm thick frontal armor, but this was not implemented by the time of production.

Production

In July 1939, the OKH awarded a contract for producing 223 vehicles to Krupp-Grusonwerke. This contract would be reduced to 206 vehicles in March 1941. Eventually, during a production run that lasted from October 1940 to April 1941, some 200 vehicles were built. The remaining four chassis were to be converted to Bruckenleger IVc bridge carriers and two were tested with a new experimental suspension. According to military historian, K. Hjermstad, some 224 Ausf.E vehicles were built by April 1941.

Specifications

While the Panzer IV Ausf.E was visually very similar to the previous built Ausf.D version, there were some differences.

The Superstructure

The Panzer IV Ausf.E’s superstructure was identical to that of the previous Ausf.D. One of the few changes made was the introduction of a new driver pivoting visor, which would remain in use up to the end of war. Another change was the replacement of the hinge design of the glacis hatch doors, which increased protection.

The frontal side of the Panzer IV Ausf.E. Source: Warspot.
The Panzer IV Ausf.E (upper picture) introduced a new driver driver pivoting port in contrast to the earlier Ausf.D version (lower picture).

The Turret

The turret design on the Ausf.E was mostly unchanged in comparison to the earlier Ausf.D version. The commander’s cupola was redesigned and was better protected. It had five vision slits, each of which was protected by two (upper and lower) sliding armored covers.

In addition, the commander’s cupola was moved forward and was now located directly above the turret roof. Previously, it was slightly to the back, with one part protruding from the turret rear. An additional visual change was the addition of a fume ventilator, removing one and redesigning the second signal port’s protective cap shape. From March 1941 onward, all Ausf.E vehicles would be equipped with the storage bin placed on the turret’s rear.

A good view of the Ausf.E turret top. Note the new better protected commander’s cupola with five observation ports protected by sliding armored covers. Another change was the removal of one signal port cover and adding a ventilation port. Source: /www.worldwarphotos.

Suspension and running gear

This version introduced a new front drive sprocket design. In addition, the eight small road wheels received new cap covers. Beside these changes, nothing else was changed on the Panzer IV Ausf.E suspension and transmission.

While the suspension, in essence, was unchained, there were still some differences. Most notable was the change of the forward mounted drive sprocket wheels. In addition, the eight small road wheels received a new covering cap. Source: Walter J. Spielberger . Panzer IV and its Variants
Comparison between early type and Ausf.E type covering caps. Source: K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication.

Armor Protection

During the Polish Campaign, the Germans noted that the enemy 37 mm guns could effectively destroy any tank that they had in their inventory, including the Panzer IV, without much trouble. This was mainly due to the weak armor of the German vehicles at that time. Based on this experience, the Panzer IV Ausf.E’s frontal superstructure armor was to be increased to 50 mm. Since this decision was taken too late, as the Panzer IV Ausf.E was under production, it was instead equipped with 30 mm of face-hardened frontal armor. As a temporary solution, additional 30 mm (Zusatplatten) applique armor plates were bolted to the superstructure front. Due to production delays, not all factory built vehicles were equipped with this extra armor, with some receiving it later in the field. Additional 20 mm of armor would also be placed on the turret front and superstructure sides on some of the Ausf.E vehicles. The armor of the commander cupola was increased to 95 mm. The Panzer IV Ausf.E also had a 50 mm thick lower frontal hull plate from the beginning of production. Other than that, the remaining armor thickness values were the same as on the Panzer Ausf.D.

The Panzer IV Ausf.E was also equipped with the smoke grenade rack system (Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung), but it was protected by an armored shield.

The majority of Panzer IV Ausf.E tanks were equipped with an additional 30 mm of armor placed on the superstructure front. Some vehicles were additionally protected by 20 mm side armor, which was usually just bolted to the superstructure. Some vehicles received extra turret armor. Source: www.panzernet.net

Crew

The Panzer IV Ausf.E had, like its predecessors, a crew of five, which included a commander, a gunner and a loader, who were positioned in the turret, and a driver and a radio operator in the hull.

Armament

The main armament was unchanged and consisted of the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 with 80 rounds of ammunition. The secondary armament consisted of two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns. The ammunition load for these two machine guns was stored in 21 belt sacks, each with 150 rounds (with 3,150 rounds in total).

Vehicles that were damaged and returned from the front line for repairs were equipped with the longer KwK 40 guns. These vehicles were mostly used for crew training but also as replacement vehicles for active frontline units.

In Combat

The Panzer IV Ausf.E performed the same firing support role as the previous version. Its short barrel gun (despite primarily not being designed for it) still had enough firepower to pose a danger to most lightly armored tanks during the first half of World War II. The Panzer IV Ausf.E would see action in the Balkans, Africa and more notably in Soviet Union.

In the Balkans

The Panzer IV Ausf.E would see service in the occupation of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941. One of the armored units allocated for this operation was the 9th Panzer Division, which had 20 Panzer IV’s. On the 6th April 1941, it engaged the defending Yugoslav forces near the Kumanovo city in Macedonia. After an initial clash, the Yugoslav anti-tank units (equipped with the excellent Czechoslovakian 47 mm guns) managed to take out 4 German tanks, which forced the 9th Panzer division to call in Luftwaffe support. This prompted the Yugoslav defenders to abandon their positions, and the 9th Panzer Division continued the drive toward Kumanovo and Skopje. The following day, they engaged two Yugosav Infantry Regiments which lacked any anti-tank weapons and were quickly defeated. By 10th April, nearly all Yugoslav resistance in Macedonia was crushed.

On 12th April, the Germans engaged the Allied forces in Greece. The next day, elements of the 9th Panzer Division were confronted by British Cruiser Mk II (A10) tanks. In the following engagement, the British lost eight tanks and were forced to retreat. By the end of the Balkan Campaign on 26th April, the 9th Panzer Division had lost 2 more Panzer IVs in combat.

Panzer IV Ausf.E belonging to the 9th Panzer Division during the Balkan campaign In April 1941 Source: M. Kruk and R. Szewczyk 9th Panzer Division
A damaged Panzer IV Ausf.E which was ditched to the side of the road somewhere in the Balkans. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV Squadron.

In Africa

There were initially 40 Panzer IVs (only 10 were Ausf.E) in service with the Deutsche Afrika Korps (DAK) [Eng. German Africa Corps] in 1941 but would see extensive action in this theater. During 11th April 1941, elements from the 5th Panzer Regiment were attempting to storm the city of Tobruk, but lost six Panzer IVs in the process. The small number of Panzer IV Ausf.E were all probably lost by the end of 1942.

The Panzer IV Ausf.E was a rare vehicle during the African campaign in 1941. Source:  F. Kurowski Das Afrika Korps

In the Soviet Union

By the time of the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, the number of Panzer IVs was increased to 517 (or 531 depending on the source), with each Panzer Division receiving, on average, 30 vehicles. For example, the 7th Panzer Division had 30 Panzer IV tanks, including some of the Ausf.E version.

A Panzer IV Ausf.E in Poland shortly before Operation Barbarossa. Additional spare track links were often added by the crew, which also provided a bit of extra protection (albeit quite limited). The box on the upper glacis was most probably just a tool box. Source: Pinterest

The Panzer IV could destroy lightly armored T-26 and BT series tanks. Against the T-34 and the KV series, on the other hand, they could do little. For example, the 7th Panzer Division encountered the T-34 from the start of the Operation Barbarossa, during the crossroad near Alytus, a small town in Russia. The positions of the 7th Panzer Division were attacked by a group of 44 T-34s. The Panzer IV’s guns could do little to stop the Soviet tanks. Luckily for the Germans, a nearby battery of 105 mm field howitzers helped defend their position while damaging many of the incoming Soviet tanks. In addition, the Soviet attack was poorly coordinated and the crew had very little training, which ultimately doomed the Soviet attempt to dislodge the Germans. Nevertheless, the Germans lost at least four Panzer IV, with at least one Ausf.E.

One of the four Panzer IV lost during the battle around Alytus. Source: Pinterest

Another example was the 9th Panzer Division which, after the victorious Balkan campaign, was allocated for the upcoming invasion of the Soviet Union. It was attached to the XIV Motorised Army Corps of Army Group South. On 22nd June, this Division had 20 Panzer IVs in its inventory. By 11th July, it had lost three Panzer IVs. On 20th July, the 9th Panzer Division participated in the encirclement of some 25 Soviet Division of the so-called Uman Pocket. Their tanks were used to stop numerous Soviet infantry and tank counter attacks. Due to attrition and mechanical breakdowns, the number of operational Panzer IVs dropped down to only six vehicles by the beginning of October. Following the harsh Russian winter and enemy counter offensive, the Division suffered losses. During the most part of early 1942, it was subject to refitting and recovery. It would once again see action during Operation Blue, the German drive toward the oil rich Caucasus. When the operation began, the 9th Panzer Division still had 9 short barreled Panzer IVs, possibly some Ausf.E vehicles. By 15th July, five of these would be lost.

The Panzer IV Ausf.E would remain in use up to early 1944, by which time only few had survived.

A Panzer IV Ausf.E of the 9th Panzer Division being moved towards a repair shop by a half-track prime mover. The added track link to the front served as easily available spare parts but also as limited extra armor protection. Source: https://imgur.com/a/s8ijsrd M. Kruk and R. Szewczyk 9th Panzer Division
The Soviet 1941/42 winter hit hard the unprepared German soldiers. The tanks and other military vehicles also fell victim to the harsh winter conditions. Source: https://imgur.com/a/ap0bn68 www.worldwarphotos.info

Other modifications

The Panzer IV Ausf.E chassis would be used for a limited number of modifications, which include the Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät, Brückenleger, Tauchpanzer, Tropen, Fahrschulpanzer and to test an experimental new suspension system.

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät

An unknown number of different Panzer IV chassis (including the Ausf.E) were modified to be used as ammunition supply vehicles for the huge self-propelled siege mortar codenamed ‘Karlgerät’.

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät next to the huge self propelled vehicle. Source: https://www.armedconflicts.com/Munitionsschlepper-fuer-Karl-Geraet-municne-vozidlo-t29710

Brückenleger IVc

Prior to the war, the German Army was interested in the idea of a bridge carrying Panzer. During 1941, at least four Panzer IV Ausf.E chassis were modified for this role.

Tauchpanzer IV

An unknown number of Panzer IV Ausf.Es would be modified to be used as submersible tanks (Tauchpanzer) for Operation Sealion. These vehicles are easily identified by the added frame holder for the waterproof fabric on the front part of the turret and the hull positioned machine gun ball mount. These vehicles were used mostly in Russia during 1941.

A Tauchpanzer IV based on the Ausf.E tank. Source: Pinterest

Panzer IV Ausf.E Tropen

In early 1941, around 10 Panzer IV Ausf.E were modified to be used on the North African Campaign . They were modified by improving the ventilation system to cope with the high temperatures. In addition, sand filters were also added to prevent sand getting into the engine. These vehicles were also painted with a sand color to help with camouflage. These vehicles were given a special designation Tr., which stands for Tropen (Eng. Tropic).

Smaller numbers of Panzer IV Ausf.E would see service in North Africa. Source: www.worldwarphotos.

A new suspension

Two Panzer IV Ausf.E would be used to test a new type of interleaved suspension. While this suspension was tested, it was not adopted. It is unclear if it did not provide enough of an improvement or if they were meant just as test vehicles for the more advanced Panther and Tiger.

The modified Panzer IV Ausf.E could be seen to the left, just behind the Panzer 38(t). Source: unknown
Drawing of the Panzer IV Ausf.E with the new suspension. Source: warspot

Fahrschulpanzer IV Ausf.E

Not all newly produced Ausf.E tanks were sent to front line units. Some were actually given to tank training schools. Some vehicles may have been returned from the frontline for repairs and were reused for this purpose too.

This vehicle served for crew training, somewhere in France, during 1941. Source: K. Hjermstad Panzer IV Squadron

Sturmpanzer IV

Damaged Panzer IV Ausf.E tanks that returned to Germany for repairs, would be reused for the Sturmpanzer IV. The precise number of modified chassis for this purpose is difficult to know precisely.

Unknown number of Panzer IV Ausf.E chassis were reused for the Strumpanzer IV modification. Source: T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No.8-1 Sturmpanzer

Surviving vehicles

Today, only one Panzer IV Ausf.E survives. This particular vehicle can be seen at the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum in Smithfield, Queensland.

The Surviving Panzer IV Ausf.E bearing the marking of the Afrika Korps. Source:  https://nikarios.livejournal.com/57735.html

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.E introduced some improvements by adding a new command cupola, increasing the armor protection and some other minor changes. In combat, it performed the same support combat role as all other Panzer IVs of that time. Due to attrition, their numbers would dwindle during the war, but some would remain in service up to 1944.

Panzer IV Ausf.E, DAK
Panzer IV Ausf.E of the Afrika Korps, 15th Panzerdivision, Libya, the fall of 1941.
Panzer IV Ausf.E
Panzer IV Ausf.E of the 11th Panzerdivision, April 1941, during the Yugoslavian campaign. Notice the bolted armor.

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in)
Total weight, battle-ready 21-22 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off road) 42 km/h, 25 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel 210 km, 130 km (cross country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK L/24
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor front 30 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 20 and top 8-10 mm
Hull Armor front 30-50 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm and the top and bottom 10-11 mm

Sources

Categories
WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.D

German Reich (1939)
Medium Support Tank – 229-232 Built + 16 Hulls

During the early development of the Panzer IV, nobody involved in the program knew that this vehicle, designed to serve as a support Panzer, would become the Wehrmacht’s backbone for a good deal of the war. While today the Tiger and Panther are better known, the Panzer IV was produced in the greatest numbers and served on all fronts in many bloody engagements throughout the war. In October 1939, the demands for an increasing number of support tanks would lead to the introduction of the Panzer IV Ausf.D version, of which over 200 would be built.

The Panzer Ausf.D. Source: https://warspot.net/24-pz-kpfw-iv-ausf-d-through-e

History

Following the adoption of the Panzer IV Ausf.B and C and high demand for support tanks, the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres, OKH) issued production orders for a new batch of 200 vehicles in July 1938. With the forming of new SS Standarten units at the insistence of Adolf Hitler himself, 48 additional vehicles were to be built. These were to be used to equip four SS Standarten with a mittlere Panzer Kompanie (medium tank company). As it turned out, these vehicles were instead given to Heer Panzer Divisions (units of the regular German Army). The SS Standarten units were instead to be equipped with StuG Batteries. While the Ausf.D was a further extension of the Panzer IV production and was quite similar to the previous versions, some changes were made nevertheless.

Production

Production of the Panzer IV Ausf.D was, like for previous models, carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. From October 1939 through October 1940, of the 248 ordered Panzer IV Ausf.D tanks, only 232 were built. The whole production process was very slow, with an average of 13 tanks being built every month. During 1940, the production numbers gradually increased to 20 tanks per month. The remaining 16 chassis were instead used as Brückenleger IV bridge carriers. According to K. Hjermstad (Panzer IV Squadron), some 229 vehicles were built until May 1941.

Specifications

While the Panzer IV Ausf.D was visually very similar to the previous build versions there were some differences.

The Superstructure

The Panzer IV Ausf.D superstructure had the same dimensions as the previous models (Ausf.B and C) which, besides some changes, would remain in use up to the war’s end. The difference was the reintroduction of the protruding driver plate and the ball mounted machine gun. The previously used pistol port proved difficult to properly use and was abandoned. While the protruding left side of the superstructure offered the driver with a better view to the front and sides, it also made the front plate more complicated to build. On the front of this plate, a protective Fahrersehklappe 30 sliding driver visor port was placed, which was provided with thick armored glass for extra protection. When the driver visor was closed (usually when in combat operations), the driver would then use the KFF binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor. Many Panzer IV Ausf.D vehicles had a welded rain guard placed over the driver visor. The side vision ports (on the superstructure and the turret) were 30 mm thick and additionally protected by 90 mm thick armored glass blocks.

Front view of the Panzer IV Ausf.D. A number of modifications introduced with this version can be seen, such as the added machine gun ball mount and the front armor plate. Source: Unknown

The Turret

The Panzer IV Ausf.D turret design was mostly unchanged. The only visible change was the introduction of new types of observation ports. The turret was, like the previous versions, provided with a large stowage box mounted on its rear from early 1941 on. Some vehicles had an unusual but simpler stowage box mounted to the rear of the turret, but otherwise performed the same role.

A Panzer IV Ausf.D seen from the top. Note the rectangular ventilation flap and the round signal port. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/
This vehicle was equipped with a non-standard stowage box. Source: http://panzermaenner.blogspot.com/2016/02/

Suspension and running gear

To somewhat improve the Panzer IV Ausf.D’s overall drive performance, five bump stops were added on each side. The last bogie assembly was provided with two bump stops, while the remaining three had only one (on each side). Smaller number of Ausf.D were also equipped with a slightly redesigned (same as on Ausf.E) drive sprocket and road wheel cover.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D used a new type of track which had the height of the track center guides increased. For this reason, the new tracks could not be used on earlier versions, but the Ausf.D could use, if necessary, older types of tracks without problems.

The Engine and Transmission

The Ausf.D was powered by the Maybach HL 120 TRM engine with 265 [email protected] rpm. Despite the increase of weight to 20 tonnes, the maximum speed was 42 km/h, with 25 km/h cross-country. The operational range was 210 km on road and 130 km cross-country. The fuel load of 470 l was stored in three fuel tanks placed under the fighting compartment. The engine side air intakes were redesigned and simplified and consisted of a single horizontal bar.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D rear engine side air intakes were redesigned and simplified for production. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/

The Armor Protection

For the lower hull, the upper glacis armor plate thickness was 20 mm at a 72° angle, and the lower front glacis was 30 mm placed at a 14° angle. The last 68 produced vehicles had the lower plate thickness increased to 50 mm.

The central part of the side armor of the hull was 40 mm thick, built from two 20 mm plates, while the front part of the side armor (around the driver) was 20 mm thick. The rear engine compartment side armor was 20 mm. The rear armor was 20 mm thick but the lower bottom area was only 14.5 mm and the bottom was 10 mm thick.

The face-hardened front superstructure armor was 30 mm placed at a 9° angle. The sides of the crew compartment were 20 mm placed vertically. The engine compartment was protected by 20 mm thick armor (at a 10° angle) at the sides and 20 mm (at 10° angle) to the rear.

The armor on the Panzer IV Ausf.D was increased after the campaign in the West. While the low velocity 3.7 cm tank guns proved useless against German armor, more modern 25-47 mm caliber anti-tank guns had no problem penetrating the Ausf.D’s 30 mm frontal armor. For this reason, from July 1940 onwards, an additional 30 mm applique armor plates were bolted or welded to the front hull and superstructure armor. The side armor was also increased with 20 mm additional armored plates.

The front turret armor was 30 mm thick (at a 10° angle), while the sides and rear were 20 mm (at 25° angle) and the top was 10 mm (at 83-90° angle). The new external gun mantlet armor was 35 mm thick. The commander’s cupola had all-around 30 mm of armor, with the two hatch doors being 8 mm thick. The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous and rolled plates.

One of the last attempts to improve the Ausf.D’s armor protection was the introduction of a 20 mm thick applique Vorpanzer (forward armor) armored shield added to the front part of the turret. Interestingly, according to old photographs, while some vehicles had both turret and superstructure added armor protection, others had extra armor added to only one. In an attempt to increase overall protection from anti-tank rifles, some Ausf.D vehicles were later equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates (Schürzen). The Panzer IV Ausf.D, as nearly all German Panzers of that time, was equipped with a Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (smoke grenade rack system).

In an attempt to increase the Panzer IV Ausf.D’s armor protection, additional armor plates (20 to 30 mm thick) were added to the front and sides. Source: Pinterest
This vehicle had the added armor on the superstructure. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/
This vehicle has the turret extra armor but lacks the superstructure armor. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/

The Crew

The Panzer IV Ausf.D had, like its predecessors, 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 crew positions in the Panzer IV Ausf.D (and in all Panzer IVs). Source: S.J. Zaloga Panzer IV vs. Char B1 Bis

The Armament

The main armament of the Panzer IV Ausf.D was the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24. The Panzer IV Ausf.B/C used an internal gun mantlet, which proved to be ineffective. The Ausf.D version had an external mantlet which provided better protection. The gun recoil cylinders that were outside of the turret were covered with a steel jacket and a deflector guard. Similar to earlier versions, the Ausf.D was also equipped with a ‘Y’ shaped metal rod antenna guide placed under the gun. Its purpose was to deflect the antenna and thus avoid damaging it during turret rotation.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D was the first version that was equipped with the external gun mantlet. Source: https://world-war-2.wikia.org/wiki/7.5_cm_KwK_37

Besides the main gun, the Panzer IV was provided with two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns for use against infantry. One machine gun was placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun and was fired by the gunner. Another machine gun was positioned in the right side of the superstructure, and was operated by the radio operator. On the Ausf.D, a new type of the ball mount, Kugelblende 30, was used. The ammunition load for the two MG 34’s was 2.700 rounds.

The Ausf.D once more introduced the second machine gun, which would become standard on all subsequent Panzer IV vehicles. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/

Vehicles that were damaged and returned from the front line for repair from July 1942 onward were equipped with the longer KwK 40 guns. These vehicles were mostly used for crew training but also as replacement vehicles for active units.

This surviving Ausf.D was armed with the longer 7.5 cm gun. In addition, it is also equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates (Schürzen) on the turret. These modified vehicles were mostly used for crew training, but some probably were used in combat. Source: https://warspot.net/24-pz-kpfw-iv-ausf-d-through-e

Organization and Tactics

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. Although these units were meant to be equipped with modern Panzer III and IV tanks, due to the slow rate of production, this was not possible. For this reason, the earlier Panzer Divisions had to be equipped with weaker Panzer I and II tanks, and even captured and foreign vehicles such as the Panzer 35(t) and 38(t). In the case of the Panzer IV, the situation was so critical that each Panzer Division could only be equipped with 24 (on average) such vehicles. The few produced Panzer IVs were allocated to the so-called Heavy Companies, which were divided into two platoons, each with 3 vehicles.

The primary function of the Panzer IV was to provide covering and suppressing fire for the advancing Panzer units. While they were used in Heavy Companies in combat situations, the battalion commanders would often reallocate the Panzer IV to other companies. These mixed units offered better cooperation between different types of Panzers, as the identification of targets could be achieved easier. Then, the Panzer IV crews could direct their firepower to destroy the marked target much quicker.

The usual German Panzer tactic was the use of the ‘Keil’ (wedge) formation. The tip of this attack would be formed by the Panzer III and Panzer 35 (t) and 38 (t), while the Panzer I and II would advance on the flanks. The Panzer IVs were to follow up and would continue destroying any marked targets. The targets would usually be marked with tracer rounds or smoke marker shells. The Panzer IV’s 7.5 cm cannon was effective against all soft skin targets but was also effective against most tanks except for the better-armored ones, such as the French B1 bis or British Matilda and, later in 1941, against the Soviet T-34 and KV series.

Prior to Operation Barbarossa, Adolf Hitler ordered that the number of Panzer Division be doubled. While in theory this could be fairly easily achieved, in practice, due to a lack of tanks, the only solution possible was to reduce the number of tanks per Panzer Divisions. Each Panzer Division had only one regiment with two to three battalions. During the attack on the Soviet Union, each Panzer Division had on average 30 Panzer IV tanks.

In Combat

While the previous versions were used in Poland, due to its late introduction, the Ausf.D’s first combat action undertaken was in May 1940 during the German Invasion of the West. Depending on the source, between 278 and 296 (even up to 366) Panzer IV tanks were available. These were allocated to 10 Panzer Divisions. The 1st Panzer Division was provided with the largest number of Panzer IVs, with a total of 48, while the 9th Panzer Division had only 11. While primarily designed as a support tank, it was still equipped with armor-piercing ammunition in case of encountering enemy tanks.

Despite the quick defeat of the Allied forces in the West, the fighting was extensive and harsh. In order to protect the flanks of the German Sedan bridgeheads, Heinz Guderian ordered the 10th Panzer Division, supported by the Großdeutschland Infanterie Regiment, to capture Stonne in Northern France. The French 55e Division d’Infanterie, supported by FCM 36 tanks, was trying to counterattack the German units but was beaten back on 14th May. The French scouting force managed to dig in at Stonne and had at their disposal two 25 mm and one 47 anti-tank guns and two Panhard 178 armored cars. The German advancing column consisted of five Panzer IVs, which approached the village on 15th May. The French 25 mm gunners engaged the first Panzer IV Ausf.D, they fired several rounds until they were certain that the German tank was knocked out. They then engaged the second (with number 711) which was also knocked out and then the third which was completely blown up due to ammunition detonation. The French 25 mm gun crews retreated to the village followed by advancing German infantry and a few Panzer IIs. The French, despite having destroyed three Panzer IV, were forced to retreat with the loss of both vehicles, while the Germans lost one more Panzer II.

The French then counterattacked with 13 Hotchkiss H39 tanks. The crews of the damaged Panzer IV number 711 managed to destroy two H39 tanks, while the French managed to enter the village. Due to a lack of infantry support, they were once again forced to retreat. A second French counter-attack was led by Lt. Paul Caravé with three B1 bis tanks. They first engaged a group of German 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank guns. While they managed to destroy one gun and wound the crew of the second, the third gun managed to hit one of the B1 bis tanks on the side grill armor. The tank immediately caught fire and was lost. At the same time, one B1 bis, ‘Hautvillers’, was engaged by the disabled Panzer IV Ausf.D number 711, which managed to shoot 20 rounds against the frontal armor of the French tank without any success. But the Panzer IV managed to destroy the French tank’s track and render it immobile. At the same time, a second B1 bis, ‘Gaillac’, was engaged by the same Panzer IV. This time, due to a lucky hit, the German tank jammed the second French tank’s cupola. The Panzer IV managed to fire another round to the rear, and this time the 7.5 cm gun managed to penetrate the armor of the B1 bis which was blown up by an internal explosion. The crew of the ‘Hautvillers’ abandoned their vehicle and were captured.

The French attacked again with a few H39, FCM-36 and three B1 Bis and, after heavy fighting, managed to take over the village. On 16th May, the Germans finally managed to push back the French. Due to losses, the 10th Panzer Division had to be pulled out. By the end of the engagement, the losses were 25 German tanks and 33 French ones.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D lost during the first German drive toward Stonne. This particular engagement proved that the improved Panzer IV Ausf.D armor was still not enough. Source: Pinterest

During the campaign in the West, Panzer IVs even claimed to have achieved an incredible success like sinking a destroyer. This happened on 25th May 1940, when two Panzer IVs belonging to the 2nd Panzer Division, led by Oberleutnant von Jaworsk, entered Boulogne harbor. At the same time, an Allied destroyer which was transporting troops to defend Boulogne approached the harbor. After a fight that lasted some 10 minutes, the destroyer received severe damage from the Panzer IVs, sinking a few hours later.

Despite the quick defeat of the Allied forces in the West, the Germans lost many tanks. Regarding the Panzer IV, less than 100 were reported lost. While the sources are not clear, probably not all were written off, some were likely repaired and put back into action. In France, while the Panzer IV Ausf.D (and older versions) had a disadvantage in armor protection, they had the superiority in the proper use and concentration of numbers, radio equipment, and three-man tank turrets.

A Panzer IV Ausf.D somewhere in France, 1940. Source: https://www-d0.fnal.gov/~turcot/Armour/pz3.htm
Despite the German attempts to increase the armor protection of the Panzer IV, they were still susceptible to most French anti-tank guns. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv-tank/

There were initially 40 Panzer IVs (mainly Ausf.Ds) in service with the Deutsche Afrika Korps (DAK) in 1941. Due to combat attrition, the numbers dropped to 10 vehicles in early 1942. By May 1942, the number was increased to 41 vehicles. In North Africa, the Panzer IV Ausf.D’s performance was deemed insufficient and was eventually replaced with Panzer IVs armed with the stronger KwK 40 guns.

Panzer IV Ausf.D in Africa in 1941. Extra fuel or water cans were often carried due to the long distance from the supply bases. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-4/

The Panzer IV Ausf.D would see service in the occupation of Yugoslavia and Greece. During the German Balkan campaign there were some 122 Panzer IV available.

By the time of the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, the number of Panzer IVs was increased to 517 (or 531 depending on the source), with each Panzer Division receiving, on average, 30 vehicles. While the Panzer IV proved to be effective against the lightly armored Soviet tanks (for example the T-26 or BT-series), the newer T-34 and KV-series proved to be too much for it. Due to attrition, lack of fuel and spare parts, by the end of 1941, there were only 75 operational and 136 Panzer IVs requiring short term repair in the inventory of the German Army groups Heeresgruppe Nord and Mitte. By 1st April 1942, the Germans managed to increase the number of Panzer IVs to 552 vehicles.

The Panzer IV would remain in use nearly up to the war’s end. As their numbers began to dwindle, most surviving vehicles would be used as training vehicles.

A Panzer IV Ausf.D driving on route to the frontline somewhere in the Soviet Union. Note the added fuel cans atop the vehicle turret. This was done by its crew to be able to sustain a long drive without the need for supporting fuel transport units. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/
This vehicle was probably moved out of the way into a ditch due to mechanical breakdown or combat damage. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany/tanks-2-3/panzer-iv/
The Ausf.D would also see extensive combat use in the Soviet Union during 1941/42. Source: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/germany

Other modifications

The Panzer IV Ausf.D chassis would be used for a number of modifications which include the Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät, Brückenleger, Tauchpanzer, Tropen and Fahrschulpanzer IV. Different equipment and armament variants were also tested.

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät

An unknown number of different Panzer IV chassis (including the Ausf.D) were modified to be used as ammunition supply vehicles for the huge self-propelled siege mortar codenamed ‘Karlgerät’. The modification included removing the turret and installing a large crane in its place. Additionally, an ammunition compartment for four huge 2 tonnes shells was also added.

Munitionsschlepper für Karlgerät. Source: Unknown

Brückenleger IV

Prior to the war, the German Army was interested in the idea of a bridge carrying Panzer. In 1939, Krupp developed and built six Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis. As the Ausf.D chassis became available in sufficient numbers, they were also used. Some 16 Ausf.D chassis were used for this configuration. While these saw deployment on the front, their overall performance was deemed insufficient and the production order for 40 more vehicles was canceled. In August 1940, at least two Brückenleger IV were converted back to tank configuration. The remaining Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.D were also converted in May 1941. What is interesting is that one Brückenleger IV was modified (possibly by its crew) by replacing the bridging equipment with a 5 cm PaK 38 anti-tank gun.

Overall, sixteen Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.D chassis were built, but they performed unsatisfactorily. Source: Pinterest
A field conversion of one Brückenleger IV by replacing the bridging equipment with a 5 cm anti-tank gun. Source: Pinterest

Tauchpanzer IV

For the planned amphibious invasion of the United Kingdom (Operation Sea Lion) in July and August 1940, some 48 Panzer IV Ausf.Ds were modified to be used as Tauchpanzer (submersible tanks). These vehicles are easily identified by the added frame holder for the waterproof fabric on the front part of the turret and the hull positioned machine gun ball mount. As the invasion of the United Kingdom was postponed and then cancelled, these vehicles would see service on the Eastern Front with the 3rd and 18th Panzer Divisions.

Panzer IV Ausf.D with snow plough

Based on experience during the first Russian winter, in March 1942, Adolf Hitler proposed the installation of snow plough equipment on all Panzers serving on this front. The first testing of the snow plough began at the tank school in St. Johann (Austria). In April 1942, Hitler was informed that a small snow plough could be attached to the tank front. The first such equipment was available for front use in October 1942.

Panzer IV Ausf.D with snow plough. Source: Pinterest

Panzer IV Ausf.D mit 5 cm KwK 39 L/60

When the Germans encountered the Soviet T-34 and KV series, their tank guns proved to be ineffective. For this reason, Krupp was requested to experimentally arm one Panzer IV Ausf.D with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. The prototype was to be completed by November 1941. This gun greatly improved the Panzer IV’s anti-tank firepower compared to the original short barrel 7.5 cm gun. While the installation of this gun proved to be feasible and there was a planned production run of 80 vehicles by the spring of 1942, the whole project was canceled. As even more powerful 7.5 cm long barrel versions were slowly entering production, the Germans instead decided to adopt it for the Panzer IV.

The single Panzer IV Ausf.D armed with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. Source: https://console.worldoftanks.com/en/news/panzer-IV-variants
The modified Ausf.D together with other experimental tanks waiting for inspection by Adolf Hitler. Source: T. Anderson History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945.

Panzer IV Ausf.D Tropen

After 1941, the Germans were sending armored forces to North Africa to help their Italian ally. Of course, due to the specific weather conditions, the tanks had to be modified in order to be used operationally. The Panzer IV Ausf.D were modified with an improved ventilation system to cope with the high temperatures. In addition, sand filters were also added to prevent sand getting into the engine. These vehicles were also painted with a sand color to help with camouflage. These vehicles were given a special designation Tr., which stands for Tropen (Tropic). Some 30 Panzer IV Ausf.D were modified for this role.

In order to be used in North Africa, the Panzer IV (and all other armored vehicles) had to be modified with improved ventilation and installation of sand filters. Source: http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_panzer_IV_ausf_D.html

Munitionspanzer IV Ausf.D

During April-May 1943, six Panzer IV chassis (including at least one Ausf.D) were modified to be used as Munitionspanzer (ammunition supply tanks) for the Sturmpanzer IV. For these tanks, the turret and some parts of the interior were removed to make room for ammunition racks. The top of the Panzer IV, where the turret was originally located, was replaced by a sheet metal cover. These vehicles were also equipped with 5 mm thick armored Schürzen.

At least one Panzer IV Ausf.D chassis was used as an ammunition supply vehicle. Source: L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle Panzer Tracts No.8-1 Sturmpanzer

Fahrschulpanzer IV Ausf.D

With the introduction of improved versions of the Panzer IV, some Ausf.D that were returned from the frontline and repaired were given to training tank schools. Visually, they were the same as ordinary tanks.

A captured Panzer IV Ausf.D training vehicle near Braunschweig. Source Panzer Wreck 4

Surviving vehicles

Today, there are several surviving Panzer IV Ausf.D. These include one in the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum, one at the Fort Lee U.S. Army Ordnance Museum, one Ausf.D armed with the KwK 40 in the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK and one turret at the Munster Panzer Museum in Germany. Interestingly, there are also two Panzer IVs that were restored after the war in Russia. They were restored by using many components of different Panzer IVs.

The Panzer IV Ausf.D in Australia. Source: Wiki
The Bovington Tank Museum Ausf.D armed with the KwK 40. Source: Wiki

Conclusion

The Panzer IV Ausf.D was developed and built due to the demand for more support tanks. It introduced some improvements regarding the armor, adding a new external gun mantlet, simplifying the side air intakes and other minor changes. Compared to the earlier versions, it was built in larger numbers and its chassis was even used for other purposes. It saw service with the Panzer Divisions up to late stages of the war.

Panzer IV Ausf.D, DAK

Panzer IV Ausf.D Tauchpanzer

Panzer IV Ausf.D of the DAK.

Sources

K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication.
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV
.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2014) Panzer Tracts No.8-1 Sturmpanzer
D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, 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 (1993). Panzer IV and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
S.J. Zaloga (2011) Panzer IV vs. Char B1 Bis, Osprey publishing
A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books.
H. Scheibert, Die Deutschen Panzer Des Zweiten Weltkriegs, Dörfler.
P. P. Battistelli (2007) Panzer Divisions: The Blitzkrieg Years 1939-40. Osprey Publishing
T. Anderson (2017) History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945. Osprey Publishing

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in)
Total weight, battle-ready 20 tonnes
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 120 TR(M) 265 hp @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off road) 42 km/h, 25 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel 210 km, 130 km (cross country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK L/24
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor Front 30 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 20 and top 8-10 mm
Hull Armor Front 30 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm and the top and bottom 10-11 mm
Categories
WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.B & C

German Reich (1937)
Medium Support Tank – 42 Built (Ausf.B), 134 Built (Ausf.C) + 6 Hulls

During the early development of the Panzer IV, no one involved in the program knew that this vehicle, designed to serve as a support Panzer, would become the Wehrmacht’s backbone for a good deal of the war. While today the Tiger and Panther are better known, the Panzer IV was produced in the greatest numbers and served on all fronts in many bloody engagements throughout the war.

The development of this tank began in the mid-thirties, leading to the first version being built, the Panzer IV Ausf.A. Being the first version, there was still a lot of space for improvement. The improvement of the Panzer IV Ausf.A version would eventually lead to the development of two nearly identical versions, the Ausf.B and C.

History

Following the adoption of the Panzer IV Ausf.A, the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres, OKH) was interested in developing a version of this vehicle with minimal improvements. For this reason, in October 1937, Krupp-Gruson was tasked with increasing the frontal armor protection to be proof at least against 2 cm armor-piercing rounds and installing a stronger engine. This would lead to a small production run of the second Panzer IV version named Ausf.B.

While the development of the Panzer IV Ausf.B was underway, Wa Pruef 6 (the office of the German Army’s Ordnance Department responsible for designing tanks and other motorized vehicles) initiated the first steps in introducing standardization of German tank development. According to the Wa Pruef 6 plans, the Panzer IV, starting from the Ausf.C version, was to be built using the new Panzer III Ausf.E chassis which used torsion bar suspension. For this reason, at the start of June 1937, Krupp was informed to cease any further work on the Panzer IV chassis as soon as all Ausf.B vehicles had been built. As the development of the Panzer III Ausf.E chassis was running at a slow pace due to the introduction of a new torsion bar suspension and a new transmission; it was estimated that the first experimental chassis could not be built prior to April 1938. The slow Panzer III Ausf.E development also caused a huge eight-month idling period in Panzer IV production. As the demand for Panzer IV support tanks was great, in October 1937, Krupp was informed to prepare for the production of 140 new Panzer IV Ausf.C vehicles. As Krupp was still forbidden from further developing and improving the Panzer IV chassis, Krupp officials decided to simply copy the previously built version with minimal changes.

Wa Pruef 6’s decision to cease the development of the Panzer IV chassis and the high demand for such vehicles were the main reasons why the Ausf.B and C were identical. Another consequence of these decisions was the leaf spring suspension would be used on all Panzer IV until the end of the war, as the planned upgrade to torsion bars never took place.

The Panzer IV Ausf.B and C were identical except for a few minor changes. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Production

Production of the Panzer IV Ausf.B and C was carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. The Ausf.B was built in small numbers, with a total of 42 vehicles (chassis number 80201-80300) which were constructed in the period from May to October 1938. The production of the Ausf.C (chassis number 80301-80500) began in October 1938 and lasted until August 1939. The production run of this version was larger, consisting of 134 vehicles, plus six more chassis which were used as the basis for a bridge layer version.

Specifications

The Hull

The Panzer IV hull was divided into the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment. In an emergency, the crew could use the round escape hatch door located beneath the radio operator’s seat. 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, a square-shaped transmission hatch was located in the middle of this plate and two rectangular steering brake inspection hatches were added.

The Superstructure

The superstructure was added atop the Panzer IV hull to provide sufficient working space for the crew members. As the frontal armor thickness of the tank was increased and in order to save weight, the superstructure was slightly smaller in comparison to the Ausf.A. To provide sufficient working space and ammunition storage, it was still wider than the hull. It consisted of four welded plates (one at the front, one on each side and one at the rear) and the armored roof plates. The front plate of the Ausf B. and C was completely flat, as opposed to the 3-part front plate of the Ausf.A. This made the front armor stronger structurally, but also made production somewhat easier. On the left side of this plate was placed a protective driver’s visor. On the Ausf.B and C, a new Fahrersehklappe 30 sliding driver’s visor was used.

The Panzer IV Ausf.B and C had a new single piece frontal armor plate without the usual machine gun ball mount. Source: unknown

The driver and all remaining vision ports (on the superstructure and the turret) were also protected by new 50 mm thick armored glass blocks. When the driver’s visor was closed (usually when in combat operations), the driver would then use the KFF binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor. After the spring of 1939, the majority of Ausf.B and C vehicles had a welded rain guard placed over the driver’s visor. To the right of the driver’s vision port was placed a smaller observation hatch for the radio operator. Just to the right of this hatch, a small submachine gun/pistol port with a conical cover was added instead of the standard ball mount for a machine gun.

The side armored plates were placed vertically and were curved inwards toward the front plate. A vision port was added on each side. On the left side, there was a ventilation opening for the steering brakes. To protect this vulnerable spot, an armored covering was added. The engine and the crew compartment were separated by a fire-resistant and gas-tight armored firewall.

After the spring of 1939, the majority of Ausf.B and C vehicles had a welded rain guard placed over the driver’s vision port, which is visible here. Source: warspot.ru
A Panzer IV Ausf.B (to the left) next to the Ausf.A. Source: warspot.ru

The roof armor plate was mostly flat, aside from the front part (above the driver and radio operator), which was angled slightly downwards. To gain access to their position, the driver and the radio operator were each provided with hatches located on the front roof armor. The two-part hatches used on the previous version were replaced with one-piece hatches. Each of these hatches had a small round port for the use of signal flares.

The Turret

The Panzer IV turret had a front hexagonal-shaped armor plate with two small observation hatches placed on either side of the centrally positioned main gun. While the Ausf.A used simpler flat frontal observation hatches, the following versions, including the Ausf.B and C, had a pyramidal shape. Each of the turret sides had observation ports and a one-piece hatch for the crew. The left turret observation port did not have the small slit. On each of the two crew doors, additional pistol ports were added. For protection against infantry attacks from the rear, the turret had two round shaped pistol ports located on the rear curved armor plate.

To provide good ventilation for the extraction of propellant fumes, a ventilation flap was installed on the turret top. On the Ausf.B and C, the ventilation flap was protected by an armored guard placed around it. On the turret top, the left signal port received a new cone-shaped covering.

At the rear of the turret, a commander’s cupola was placed. The Ausf.A simple drum-shaped cupola was replaced with a new model. The new cupola was better protected and had five vision ports that were protected with sliding blocks. 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.

The Panzer IV had a turret ring with a diameter of 1680 mm. This turret ring was provided with ball bearings which would allow the turret to rotate freely. The small opening between the turret and the superstructure was protected with a new type of turret ring deflector. Inside the Panzer IV, an auxiliary DKW gasoline engine was provided to power the electric motor that was used to traverse the turret. A round fuel supply opening for the DKW engine was placed on the rear left of the superstructure roof. The turret was, from early 1941 on, provided with a large stowage box mounted on its rear.

The majority of the Panzer IV Ausf.B and C tanks received a large stowage box mounted to the turret rear from early 1941. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Suspension and Running Gear

The suspension consisted of eight small (470 x 75 x 660 mm) wheels placed on each side, suspended in pairs and placed on four bogie assemblies. The small road wheels were suspended by leaf-spring units. The distance between each bogie shaft was 500 mm. There were also four return rollers (250 x 65 x 135 mm) on each side. At the front, two drive sprockets (with 18-teeth) were placed, and on the reinforced back hull two idlers were positioned. The tracks used on the initial production Panzer IVs were 360 mm wide and were connected using pins. The ground clearance of this vehicle was 40 cm. For a vehicle weighing 18.5 tonnes, this suspension system was considered adequate but proved to be problematic later in the war due to the added weight of following upgrades.

Side view of a Panzer IV. Source: warspot.ru

The Engine and Transmission

The Ausf.A was powered by a Maybach HL 108TR which produced 230 [email protected] rpm. With this engine, the maximum speed was 32 km/h, with only 10 km/h cross-country. In order to increase the speed on the Ausf.B, a new Maybach HL 120 TR engine giving out 265 [email protected] rpm was installed. The Ausf.C was powered by the same engine (named HL 120 TRM) but modified with an improved ignition starter and a new mount. With this engine, maximum speed was increased to 42 km/h, with 25 km/h cross-country. The operational range was the same: 210 km on road and 130 km cross-country. The fuel load of 470 l was stored in three fuel tanks placed under the fighting compartment. If needed, there was a valve system that allowed the crew to use the fuel of each tank individually by closing the fuel supply from the other two.

The Panzer IV’s engine cooling system consisted of two coupled radiators placed at a 25° angle. The air was then sucked in by two large cooling fans which were driven by a ‘V’ shaped belt from the crankshaft. This cooling system was designed to provide effective cooling in temperatures of up to +30° Celsius. The engine and the crew compartment were separated by a fire-resistant and gas-tight armored firewall. The crew could, if needed, gain access to the engine through a door placed in this firewall. The ‘Allklaunen SFG 75’ five-speed (and one reverse) transmission was replaced with a new SSG 76 six-speed (and one reverse) one. The steering mechanism used in the Panzer IV Ausf.B and C was of the ‘Wilson’ type, which was designed and produced by Krupp.

The Panzer IV turret was not centrally positioned and was actually offset to the left side of the superstructure by around 6.67 cm. The engine was also offset some 15 cm to the right. This arrangement was done so that the driveshaft did not interfere with the electrical supply system of the turret.

The Armor Protection

For the lower hull, the upper front armor plate thickness was increased from 14.5 mm to 20 mm at a 72° angle, and the lower plate was 30 mm placed at a 14° angle. While the front armor of the lower hull of the Ausf.B/C was thickened, the side, rear and top armor remained the same. The side armor of the hull was 14.5 mm thick, the rear was 10-14.5 mm and the bottom was 8 mm.

The front superstructure armor was 30 mm placed at a 9° angle. The sides of the crew compartment were 14.5 mm placed vertically. The engine compartment was protected by 10 mm thick armor (at a 35° angle) at the sides and 14.5 mm (at 10° angle) to the rear. From early 1941 onwards, an additional 30 mm armor plates were bolted to the front hull armor.

This vehicle received increased protection through the addition of 30 mm thick armored plates to the superstructure front. Source: Unknown

The front turret armor was 30 mm thick (at a 10° angle), while the sides and rear were 14.5 mm (at 25° angle) and the top was 10 mm (at 83-90° angle). The commander’s cupola had all-around 30 mm of armor, with the two hatch doors being 8 mm thick. The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous and rolled plates. While the increased frontal armor provided protection from 20 mm armor-piercing rounds, the sides were still vulnerable to anti-tank rifles. In an attempt to increase overall protection from anti-tank rifles, at least one Ausf.B or C vehicle was equipped with 5 mm thick armor plates (Schürzen).

A Panzer IV Ausf.B/C equipped with 5 mm thick Schürzen. Source: Pinterest

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. This rack contained five grenades which were activated with a wire system by the Panzer IV’s commander. When activated, the Panzer would then drive back to the safety of the smokescreen. This system was not very effective and was replaced with turret-mounted smoke grenade launchers later in the war.

The Crew

The Panzer IV 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. This five-man crew configuration was a rarity at that time and provided the Germans with a huge advantage during the earlier stages of the war.

The Panzer IV commander (Kommandant) was positioned in the rear center of the turret. For observing the surroundings, he was provided with a cupola. For crew communication, the commander was provided with an intercom system in the form of a laryngophone.

During the early testing with the Grosstraktor (held in Kazan in the Soviet Union), the Germans noted that the commander should not be involved in any duties beside his intended role, such as loading or firing the gun. If the commander was distracted, the overall performance of the tank would be greatly reduced, as he could not pay proper attention to his surroundings (for example the position of friendly or enemy units). For this reason, the commander was provided with a cupola that had an all-around view and was tasked with directing the whole crew. This simple design feature gave the Germans a huge tactical advantage in the early stages of the war. For example, French and Soviet tank commanders also had to perform other roles like serving the gun and even loading, which greatly diminished the performance of their tanks despite having better armor and weapons than the German ones.

The gunner (Richtkanonier) was positioned to the left while the loader (Ladekanonier) 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 to the stored ammunition, he would simply fold the seat to the side and then stand on the turret basket floor.

The driver’s position (Fahrer) was on the front left side of the hull. The last crew member was the radio operator (Funker), who was positioned on the front hull’s right side. His main job was to operate the Fu 5 and Fu 2 transmitter-receiver radio set, which had an effective range of about 2 km. This radio was mounted just above the transmission. A folding 2 m long antenna rod with its wooden protective rail was placed on the Panzer IV’s right superstructure side. The secondary duty of the radio operator was to use either a 7.92 mm MP38/40 submachine gun or a pistol, which he could fire through the small frontal pistol port.

The radio’s wooden protective rail is visible here, just behind the Balkenkreuz painted on the superstructure. Source: warspot.ru

The Armament

The main armament of the Panzer IV Ausf.B/C was the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24. KwK (Kampfwagenkanone), can be translated as combat vehicle cannon or, more simply, as tank gun. The short barrel had 28 grooves, each 0.85 mm deep. It had a semi-automatic breech, which means that, after firing, the spent cartridge would be automatically ejected, thus increasing the overall rate of fire. The Panzer IV Ausf.B/C had an internal gun mantlet which was not too effective. Later Panzer IV versions had an external mantlet which provided better protection. The gun recoil cylinders that stood outside of the turret were covered by a steel jacket and a deflector guard. The Ausf.C version received an improved ‘V’ shaped gun mantlet to improve deflection. Additionally, the coaxial machine gun was also provided with a protecting mount. This is the only physical change in contrast to the Ausf.B. Despite this, identification is not always easy.

The Panzer Ausf.C’s new gun mantlet with the armored covering for the MG 34 is evident here. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

This gun had a muzzle velocity of 325 m/s and proved to have satisfactory precision in combat operations and was even used to arm the early series of the StuG III vehicles. The Panzer IV was primarily meant to destroy soft-skin targets, anti-tank positions and infantry emplacements and was thus mostly equipped with high explosive and smoke rounds. The armor-piercing (AP) round could penetrate 41 mm of armor sloped at 60° at 100 m. At ranges of 500 m, the penetration dropped to 38 mm. The elevation of this gun went from –10° to +20° (–10° to 30° depending on the source). The ammunition load on the Ausf.B and C was reduced from the previous 122 to only 80 rounds. This was done mostly to reduce the weight of the vehicle. The ammunition was stored in holding bins, with 26 stored in the superstructure and the remaining 54 in the chassis. For the gunner’s protection, a recoil shield was added to the rear of the gun. Most of the Ausf.B and C vehicles were equipped with a ‘Y’ shaped metal rod antenna guide placed under the gun. Its purpose was to deflect the antenna and thus avoid damaging it during turret rotation.

The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 with the external gun mantled added on the later versions of the Panzer IV. Source: world-war-2.wikia.org

This gun was equipped with a TZF5b ‘Turmzielfernrohr’ monocular telescopic gun-sight. This sight had a magnification of 2.5 and a field view of 25°. For aiming at the target, this gun sight had two engraved reticles. In the center of the first engraved reticle there was one large aiming triangle with smaller ones on both sides. The gunner had to aim the larger triangle at the enemy target, while the purpose of the smaller ones was to help in determining the target’s speed. This gun-sight was quite complicated to use and required that the gunner be well trained. The second reticle was used to help the gunner adjust the main gun to the necessary range. In combat, the gunners learned to simply use the turret coaxial machine gun to determine the range to the target. The Panzer IV was also provided with a clinometer for indirect fire support.

Under the telescopic sight, there were two mechanical handwheels for elevation and traverse of the main gun. The trigger for the 7.5 cm gun was located on the traverse handwheel. The turret was traversed via an electric motor located on the left side of the turret. The minimum traverse speed was 0.14° while the maximum speed was 14° per second. When the gunner engaged the traverse, the turret moved abruptly, which made it somewhat difficult to track moving targets. If for some reason (either combat damage or mechanical breakdown), this motor stopped working, the turret could also be manually traversed. There was a selector lever that switched between these two systems depending on the needs. While the gunner would operate the manual traverse of the turret, there was a larger hand crank that the loader could use. By using manual traversing, the gunner could rotate the turret by 1.9° per turn and the loader by 2.6°.

Besides the main gun, the Panzer IV was provided with one 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun for use against infantry. The machine gun was placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun and was fired by the gunner. The ammunition load for the single MG 34 was held in 18 belt sacks, each with 150 rounds, for a total of 2,700 rounds.

Organization and Tactics

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. Although these units were meant to be equipped with modern Panzer III and IV tanks, due to the slow rate of production, this was not possible. For this reason, the earlier Panzer Divisions had to be equipped with weaker Panzer I and II tanks, and even captured and foreign vehicles like the Panzer 35(t) and 38(t). In the case of the Panzer IV, the situation was so critical that each Panzer Division could only be equipped with 24 (on average) such vehicles. The few produced Panzer IVs were allocated to the so-called Heavy Companies, which were divided into two platoons, each with 3 vehicles.

The primary function of the Panzer IV was to provide covering and suppressing fire for the advancing Panzer units. While they were used in Heavy Companies in combat situations, the battalion commanders would often reallocate the Panzer IV to other companies. These mixed units offered better cooperation between different types of Panzers, as the identification of targets could be achieved easier. Then, the Panzer IV crews could direct their firepower to destroy the marked target much quicker.

The usual German Panzer tactic was the use of the ‘Keil’ (wedge) formation. The tip of this attack would be formed by the Panzer III and Panzer 35 and 38 (t), while the Panzer I and II would advance on the flanks. The Panzer IVs were to follow up and would continue destroying any marked targets. The targets would usually be marked with tracer rounds or smoke marker shells. The Panzer IV’s 7.5 cm cannon was effective against all soft skin targets but was also effective against most tanks except for the better-armored ones, like the French Char B1 bis or British Matilda II.

In Combat

Due to the low production capabilities of the German war industry up to the outbreak of the war, only 211 Panzer IVs were available in September 1939. At the end of the Polish campaign, 19 Panzer IVs had been destroyed with 50 more being damaged or out of action either due to mechanical breakdowns or enemy fire. In Poland, the Panzer IV, despite its low numbers, performed well thanks to its gun, as it could easily destroy any Polish armored vehicle. Experience gained in this campaign showed the Germans that the concept of a support tank had merit. But as the Panzer IV was only available in limited numbers, it was not possible to distribute them to the Panzer Divisions in adequate numbers.

Panzer IV Ausf.B/C prior the war. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Depending on the source, between 278 and 296 Panzer IV tanks were available for the German invasion of western Europe. These were allocated to 10 Panzer Divisions. The 1st Panzer Division was provided with the largest number of Panzer IVs, with a total of 48, while the 9th Panzer Division had only 11. Here too, the Panzer IV proved to be effective in destroying most Allied tanks except for the heavier ones. The B1 bis’ front armor proved to be impenetrable to the German 3.7 and 7.5 cm tank guns.

A column of Panzer IV Ausf B. Source: warspot.ru

The ineffectiveness of the German guns against the B1 bis can be seen during the fighting at the village of Stonne near Sedan on 16th May. During this engagement, one Panzer IV managed to shoot 20 rounds against the frontal armor of a B1 bis without any success. But the Panzer IV managed to destroy the French tank’s track and render it immobile. At the same time, a second B1 bis was engaged by the same Panzer IV, but this time due a lucky hit jammed the second French tank’s cupola. The Panzer IV managed to fire another round to the rear, and this time the 7.5 cm gun managed to penetrate the rear armor of the B1 bis. Total losses of Panzer IV tanks during the campaign in the West were around 98 tanks.

A Panzer IV Ausf B/C during the French campaign. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

The Ausf.B and C would see service in the occupation of Yugoslavia and Greece. By the time of the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, the number of Panzer IVs was increased to 517, with each Panzer Division receiving, on average, 30 vehicles. While the Panzer IV proved to be effective against the lightly armored Soviet tanks (for example the T-26 or BT-series), the newer T-34 and KV-series proved to be too much for it.

Despite having been built in relatively small numbers, both the Ausf.B and C versions would remain in active service up to 1943. By that time, their numbers were reduced due to attrition. The surviving vehicles were given to training units. In June 1944, during the Allied invasion in Normandy, a small number of Panzer IV Ausf.Bs would be used in front line action, where they were probably all lost.

Panzer IV Ausf.B or C (at the back) somewhere in the Soviet Union. Source: Unknown
A destroyed Panzer Ausf.B or C. The increase in frontal armor protection was still insufficient for frontline use, especially from 1941 on. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info
A small number of Panzer IV Ausf.B tanks would see action during the German attempts to drive the Allies back to the sea in 1944. Source: warspot.ru

Other Modifications

The Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis would be used for testing different equipment and weapon systems. There were two versions with bridging equipment, a mobile rocket launcher, training vehicle, a mine roller and a proposed recoilless rifle-armed version.

Brückenleger IV

Prior to the war, the German army was interested in the idea of bridge carrying Panzers. In 1939, Krupp developed and built six Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis. While these saw deployment on the front, their overall performance was deemed insufficient and no more Brückenleger based on the Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis were ever built. At least three Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis would be rebuilt as standard tanks in July and August 1940, but using Ausf.E superstructures and Ausf.C turrets.

Overall, six Brückenleger IV based on the Panzer IV Ausf.C chassis were built, but their performance was unsatisfactory. Source: warspot.ru

Brückenleger IV s (Sturmstegpanzer)

The Brückenleger IV s (Sturmstegpanzer), also known (depending on the source) as the Infanterie Sturmsteg auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV, was the second version of a Panzer IV equipped with bridging equipment. In contrast to the previous version, instead of the bridges, this vehicle was equipped with ladders that could be extended. This vehicle, in essence, used slightly modified firefighting ladders to help infantrymen cross obstacles like rivers. Two or four (depending on the source) Panzer IV Ausf.C were modified for this purpose. The sources do not specify if these vehicles were modified from the original tanks or made using repaired vehicles.

Brückenleger IV s (Sturmstegpanzer) which had lost much of its suspension, probably to an enemy mine. Source: unknown

Panzer IV Ausf.C Raketenwerfer

One Panzer IV Ausf.C would be used to test the possibility of using this tank as a mobile rocket launcher. The modification included the removal of the Panzer IV turret and replacing it with a new turret with a fully rotatable rocket launching system. This system consisted of four 280 mm rockets placed in a movable and protected frame. For raising and lowering the rocket’s frame, a hydraulic drive was used. In front of the rocket frame, a small armored cabin was placed, where the gunner would sit. This cabin was also provided with a ball mounted machine gun. After testing of this new weapon system, it was not adopted for service, probably due to the high demand for Panzer IV tanks.

Panzer IV Ausf.C raketenwerfer Source: theminiaturespage.com

Fahrschulpanzer IV

As the Panzer IV Ausf.B/C tanks were recalled from front line service, a number of vehicles were modified to be used as training vehicles. This involved the removal of the turret with its armament and of the ammunition racks. A rail was placed around the turret hole.

A training Panzer IV based on the Ausf.B or C chassis. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Panzer IV mit Minenrollern

One Panzer IV Ausf.C was used to test mine rollers. Two would be attached in front of the tracks and one to the rear to detonate mines which passed between the two front rollers. Due to problems with steering, it appears that these rollers were never adopted for service.

Panzer IV with experimental anti-mine rollers. Source: Pinterest

Panzer IV with 7.5 cm Recoilless Guns

During the war, there was a proposal to mount two 7.5 cm Rückstoßfreie Kanone 43 recoilless guns in the turret sides of a modified Panzer IV. Additionally, one more 3 cm MK 103 autocannon was to be used instead of the main 7.5 cm gun. The project led nowhere and only a wooden mockup was built. While the sources do not mention which precise Panzer IV version was to be used for this modification, the wooden mockup shows a Panzer IV Ausf.B or C hull and gun mantlet.

A wooden mockup of the unusual Panzer IV armed with recoilless rifles. It was based (at least this mockup) on the Panzer IV Ausf.B or C. Source: www.onthewaymodels.com

Conclusion

Viewed from today’s perspective, the development of two significantly different types of tanks which were to perform different roles on the battlefield seems odd at best. The development of one vehicle capable of performing both anti-tank and support roles (eventually two variants of the same vehicle) would have been a far easier solution. It would have made production faster and reduced the need for production of two types of spare parts.

Designed to improve the Panzer IV’s overall performance, the Panzer IV Ausf.B and C solved some shortcomings of the previous version, mostly in regard of their increased frontal armor protection and the installation of a stronger engine. Both versions served as an important element of the Panzer Divisions in the earlier war years. While nearly 200 of both versions were built, there was still room for future improvements and this would lead to the development of more Panzer IV versions.



A Panzer IV Ausf.B, possibly from 2.Kompanie 15.Panzer-Regiment, 5. Panzer-Division, Poland, September 1939. Notice the classical makeshift camouflage, with a hastily sprayed reddish-brown and yellow unit markings.


A Panzer IV Ausf.C, 8th Korps, IInd Abteilung, 35th Panzer Regiment, 4th Panzerdivision – France, May-June 1940.


A Panzer IV Ausf.B of the 21st Panzerdivision – Normandy, June 1944.

Whitewashed Panzer IV Ausf.B.
Whitewashed Panzer IV Ausf.C.

These illustrations were produced by Tank Encyclopedia’s own David Bocquelet.

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in)
Total weight, battle-ready 18 tonnes (39,683 lbs)
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 108TR 230 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off road) 32.4 km/h, 10 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel 210 km, 130 km (cross country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK L/24
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor front 16 mm, sides 14.5 mm, rear 14.5 and top 8-10 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.

Sources

K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication.
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV
D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, 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 (1993). Panzer IV and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
S.J. Zaloga (2011) Panzer IV vs. Char B1 Bis, Osprey publishing
A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books.
H. Scheibert, Die Deutschen Panzer Des Zweiten Weltkriegs, Dörfler.
P. P. Battistelli (2007) Panzer Divisions: The Blitzkrieg Years 1939-40. Osprey Publishing

Categories
WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.A

German Reich (1935)
Medium Support Tank – 35 Built

During the early development of the Panzer IV, no one involved in the program knew that this vehicle, designed to serve as a support Panzer, would become the Wehrmacht’s backbone for a good deal of the war. While today the Tiger and Panther are better known, the Panzer IV was produced in the greatest numbers and served on all fronts in many bloody engagements throughout the war. The development of this tank began in the mid-thirties, leading to the first model, the Panzer IV Ausf.A, being built. While this version was built in small numbers, it was more important as a starting point for the German designers in gaining valuable experience with this kind of vehicle.

Initial German Tank Developments

During the twenties, the German army began showing interest in the development and construction of tanks (Panzer in German), despite such a thing being banned by the Treaty of Versailles. One of the earlier attempts was the Leichttraktor (light tractor) armed with a 37 mm anti-tank gun. Beside this project, there was also a series of so-called ‘Grosstraktor’ (large tractor) built and tested in the late twenties which were armed with larger 7.5 cm guns. Another example was the ‘Neubaufahrzeug’ (new construction vehicle) built in 1934. The names of these vehicles may seem a little odd at first, but they were given in order to deceive the Western Allies about their actual purpose. The Germans were at this time still forbidden from developing and producing tanks. These vehicles were built in small numbers only and were used primarily for testing and gaining valuable experience in tank construction.

The Grosstraktor was one of the earlier German attempts to domestically design and produce tanks. Few were built and they were used mostly for evaluation and initial crew training. Source: warspot.rui

One of the main problems encountered with the development of these earlier vehicles (especially the Neubaufahrzeug) was the use of modified aircraft engines. These engines produce very high torque at low speeds (1400 to 1600 rpm) which forced the Germans to use heavier drives than otherwise needed. Due to restrictions in weight (in order to cross bridges), the armor had to be thinner, the crew had to be smaller and the size of the gun was limited. Other issues included the overcomplicated suspension and the position of the drive sprocket.

In order to solve these issues, Wa Pruef 6 (the German armor design office which was part of the ordnance department) insisted that, for the new series of medium Panzers initially named ‘Verbesserten Neubau Fahrzeug’ (Improved New Construction Vehicle), a specially designed engine would be used. The well known Maybach factory was chosen as it had experience in engine development from its production of Zeppelin airship engines. In addition, great attention would also be given to the development of an improved suspension system. From these demands appeared the Begleitwagen, from which the future Panzer IV would eventually arise.

The Neubaufahrzeug, despite being built in small numbers (only five vehicles), still saw limited service within the German Army during the invasion of Norway in 1940. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Name

‘Begleitwagen’, shortened B.W., can be translated as escort vehicle, or even as escort tank. Although it is quite common in modern sources to see B.W. being taken to mean ‘Bataillonfuehrerwagen’ (battalion commander’s vehicle), the use of this term dates from Rheinmetall wrongly designating the B.W. as ‘Bataillonwagen’ (battalion vehicle) in 1943. Post-war historians reused this term and added on the ‘fuehrer’ to create the incorrect ‘Bataillonfuehrerwagen’ designation. In any case, the initial use of the Begleitwagen designation was meant to hide the true purpose of this vehicle from the rest of the world, as the development of tanks was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles.

In March 1935, the German government officially decided to publicly renounce the Treaty of Versailles. For this reason, there was no more need to disguise the true nature of these vehicles. The initial name Begleitwagen would be replaced with Gesch.Kpfw. (75 mm) Vs.Kfz.618 (Geschütz Kampfwagen 75 mm Versuchs Kraftfahrzeug 618 – 75 mm Gun Tank Test Vehicle). On 3rd April 1936, the name was changed to Panzerkampfwagen IV (75 mm) Vs.Kfz.622. This vehicle would also receive the Ausführung (version or type) A (Ausf.A for short) suffix to distinguish it from later models. Most sources use the much simpler Panzer IV Ausf.A designation. This article will use this shorter term for the sake of simplicity.

Development of the Support Tank Concept

The development of the medium Panzers was already underway during the early thirties. In top military circles, which included Generalmajor Oswald Lutz and his Chief of Staff Oberstleutnant Heinz Guderian of In 6 (Inspektorat 6, the inspectorat for mechanization), two new Panzer concepts were being formed. One was to be developed to counter enemy tanks, named Z.W., ‘Zugführerwagen’ (platoon commander’s vehicle). Initially, this vehicle was to be armed with a 3.7 cm gun.

The second concept was to act as a support vehicle for the Z.W., with a larger caliber gun firing mostly high explosive ammunition. For this reason, the B.W. was to be equipped with one 7.5 cm gun which would enable it to destroy enemy bunkers, anti-tank guns and machine-gun nests. Additional requirements for the B.W. were an overall weight of 18 tons, armor thickness between 5 and 14.5 mm, being powered by a 320 hp engine, a top speed of at least 30 km/h, dimensions of around 5600 x 2900 x 2650 mm, the ability to cross 2.2 m-wide trenches and to climb a 30° slope. The last requirement regarded the ammunition capacity, calling forth 140 rounds for the main gun and 3000 rounds for the machine guns. The work on the B.W. was officially approved by In 6 on 25th February 1934. Two firms, Rheinmetall and Krupp, would compete to design this vehicle.

The Unsuccessful Rheinmetall Begleitwagen

Rheinmetall had been involved in the earlier Panzer development program and was, for unknown reasons, favored by Generalmajor Lutz. In 1932, he insisted that the development of Panzers should be given to one firm only: Rheinmetall. This company designed and built the Neubaufahrzeug, which proved to be an unsuccessful and outdated design. Despite this, Rheinmetall received a contract in February 1935 for building the first prototype for the new B.W. vehicle.

The resulting design weighed 18 tons, with 13 to 20 mm of armor. Its armament consisted of a 7.5 cm gun and two machine guns. With its 300 hp engine, the maximum speed was estimated to be around 35 km/h. This vehicle had a running gear which consisted of eight small road wheels connected in pairs, three return rollers (on each side), two front driver sprockets and two idlers. The suspension design was more or less taken from another Rheinmetall vehicle, the Neubaufahrzeug. One wooden model and one soft steel vehicle were built, but no production orders were given and the design was rejected.

While the German army initially showed interest in the Rheinmetall design, it was not accepted for service. Possibly to save time and resources, Rheinmetall simply reused the suspension of the earlier Neubaufahrzeug. Source: warspot.ru

The Krupp Design

The Krupp company was also involved in the initial steps of designing Panzers, but was also involved in designing and building the turret for the Rheinmetall Neubaufahrzeug. In later years, the Krupp company would be the chief turret designer for most German tanks during the war.

The B.W.I Kp prototype easily identified by its eight road wheels. Photo: valka.cz

During April 1934, Krupp offered the German army two different projects for the B.W. requirement. Both vehicles were to be armed with the same 7.5 cm main gun and two machine guns. The first was designed as a 17.2 ton tank with 20 mm of frontal and 14 mm of side armor. The second one was somewhat heavier (18.5 tons), having thicker 30 mm front and 20 mm side armor. There was also a proposal to add a secondary sub-turret (possibly armed with two machine guns), possibly on the right side of the superstructure, somewhat similar to the Rheinmetall prototype. Great attention was given to the development of the suspension and, after a series of trials, two models were proposed, using eight wheels or six larger ones.

While similar to the later Panzer IV Ausf.A, there were a number of changes that were made to the Krupp BW design seen here. The most obvious was the completely flat roof of the superstructure, while the Panzer IV had a sloping downwards design at the front, just above the driver and the radio-operator’s stations. Source: warspot.ru

In July of 1935, Krupp received an order to produce one B.W.I Kp (with eight road wheels) prototype vehicle. In October the same year, another order was given for the production of the B.W.II Kp (with six road wheels). In January of 1936, Krupp received orders for the production of the B.W. superstructure, main turret and smaller sub-turret.

A fully operational B.W.I Kp was completed by the end of April 1936. Shortly after, the B.W. II Kp prototype without the turret was also constructed. The fate of the sub-turret variant is not clear but it is possible that it was never implemented on any Krupp prototype. While neither of these two vehicles would enter serial production, the B.W.I Kp would, with a number of improvements and modifications, be used as base for the future Panzer IV. Both prototype vehicles would be used for testing and evaluation, including trials of bridge-laying equipment.

A side view of the unfinished B.W.I Kp prototype. Source: warspot.ru
The B.W. II Kp prototype can be easily identified by the six larger road wheels. While it was not accepted for service, it was still used for testing, including for bridge-laying equipment, as seen here. Source: Pinterest

Connection to the VK20.01 Series

In some sources (like D. Nešić, Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, for example), it is noted that the Panzer IV was actually based on a series of experimental armored vehicles called VK20.01 (VK is for Vollketten – fully tracked). It is important to note that this is not exactly true, mainly due to the fact that the VK20.01 project was initiated in 1938 as a replacement for the Panzer III and IV. In addition, the aforementioned Rheinmetall B.W. prototype was never called VK20.01(Rh) by the Germans at that time.

The Panzerkampfwagen IV

The German army officials were generally satisfied with Krupp’s B.W.I prototype and asked for a small series of improved ‘1.Serie/B.W.’ (1./B.W.) to be built. The new vehicle was visually the same as the B.W.I prototype, but with many improvements and modifications. Some of these included the almost complete use of welding for the armor, a different commander’s cupola, a modified superstructure, adding a stronger and larger 230 hp@ 2600 rpm Maybach HL108 TR engine, changing the shape of the drive sprocket and idler, and several other more minor adjustments.

A brand new Krupp-produced Panzer IV Ausf.A (chassis number 80113) in February 1938. Source: warspot.ru

Production

Production of the first Panzer IV was carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. It began in October 1937 and, by March (or June depending on the source) 1938, all 35 vehicles were completed. Despite the general misconception nowadays that the Germans had a well developed and advanced industry, in reality this was not exactly the case. The long time to build just 35 vehicles is proof of this, as Krupp simply had no capacity (at least prior to the war) for mass production of tanks. The chassis numbers of these vehicles run from 80101 to 80135.

Specifications

The Hull

The Panzer IV hull was divided into the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment. The lower part of the hull had 10 different sizes of openings to allow easier maintenance for the crew. In the case of an emergency, the crew could use the round escape hatch door located beneath the radio operator’s seat. 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, a square-shaped transmission hatch located in the middle of this plate and two rectangular steering brake inspection hatches were added.

The Superstructure

The superstructure was added atop the Panzer IV hull to provide sufficient protection for the crew members. To provide sufficient working space and ammunition storage, it was wider than the hull. It consisted of four welded plates (one at the front, one on each side and one at the rear) and the armored roof plates. The front plate was not flat, with the driver plate protruding out. This was done to provide the driver with a better view to the front and sides when driving. On the front side of this plate, a protective driver’s visor port was placed, which was provided with thick armored glass for extra protection. When this visor was closed (usually when in combat operations), the driver would then use the KFF binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor port. On the right side of the protruding driver plate, an observation hatch with no visor was placed. In front of the radio operator’s position to the right of the front plate was a ball mount for a machine gun.

The side armored plates were placed vertically and were curved inwards toward the front plate. A visor port was added on each side. On the left side, there was a ventilation opening for the steering brakes. To protect this vulnerable spot, an armored covering was added. The engine and the crew compartment were separated by a fire resistant and gas-tight armored firewall.

The roof armor plate was mostly flat, beside the front part (above the driver and radio operator), which was angled slightly downwards. To gain access to their position, the driver and the radio operator were each provided with a two-part hatch located on the front roof armor. Each of these hatch doors had a small round port for the use of signal flares.

Here we can observe the front superstructure with the machine gun ball mount and the open driver’s visor ports. Also we can also see the transmission and the two steering brake inspection hatches on the front hull. Source: unknown

Interestingly, the last five produced Panzer IV Ausf.A had a new redesigned Panzer IV Ausf.B hull, which had 30 mm of frontal armor. In February 1941, all surviving Panzer IV Ausf.As were reinforced with additional 30 mm thick front plate armor.

A wooden mockup of the redesigned superstructure that would be used on the last five Panzer IV Aus.A vehicles. Source: warspot.ru

The Turret

The Panzer IV Ausf.A turret had a front hexagonal-shaped armor plate with two small observation hatches placed on either side of the centrally positioned main gun. Each of the turret sides had observation vision ports and a one-piece hatch for the crew. For protection against infantry attack, the turret had two square shaped machine gun ports located on the rear curved armor plate. To provide a good ventilation for extraction of propellant fumes, a ventilation flap was installed on the turret top. Inside the Panzer IV Ausf.A, an auxiliary DKW gasoline engine was provided to power the electric engine that was used to traverse the turret. A round fuel supply opening for the DKW engine, was placed on the rear left of the superstructure roof. The turret was, from March 1941 on, provided with a large stowage box mounted on its rear.

At the rear of the turret, a commander’s cupola was placed. The commander’s cupola had a simple drum shape and eight small vision slits. These slits were protected with 12 mm thick armored glass which offered the commander limited protection from bullet splash. 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.

The Panzer IV Ausf.A had a turret ring with a diameter of 1680 mm. This turret ring was provided with ball bearings which would allow the turret to rotate freely. The small opening between the turret and the superstructure was protected with angular shaped deflectors.

Rear view of the Panzer IV turret, with the two machine gun ports. The simple drum shaped commander’s cupola is also easily visible. Source: warspot.ru

In order to implement a kind of standardisation between different Panzer vehicles, the Panzer IV Ausf.A used vision ports taken from the Panzer II Ausf.A. In addition, the commander’s cupola was taken from the Panzer III Ausf.B vehicle.

Suspension and Running Gear

During the development of the Krupp prototype that would eventually lead to the Panzer IV, at least five different suspension systems were tested, including a torsion bar suspension which was favored by some officials from the Wa Pruef 6. This suspension was tested on the B.W.II but proved to be a failure. The reason for this was the fact that each torsion bar had to be provided with a shock absorber. These absorbers were often prone to overheating, which led to problems with the suspension. For this reason, Krupp’s chief tank designer Ober.Ing. Woelfert insisted on using a self-dampening leaf spring suspension. While it was not perfect, it had a much simpler design and was easier to build. Another advantage of this leaf spring suspension was the ease of field repair in case of a malfunction or combat damage.

The suspension consisted of eight small (470 x 75 x 660 mm) wheels placed on each side, suspended in pairs and placed on four bogie assemblies. The small road wheels were suspended by leaf-spring units. The distance between each bogie shaft was 500 mm. There were also four return rollers (250 x 65 x 135 mm) on each side. At the front, two drive sprockets (with 18-teeth) were placed, and on the reinforced back hull two idlers were positioned. The tracks used on the initial production Panzer IVs were 360 mm wide and were connected using pins. The ground clearance of this vehicle was 40 cm. For a vehicle weighing 18 tonnes (or 17.3 tonnes depending on the source), this suspension system was considered adequate, but proved to be problematic later in the war due to the extra added weight of following upgrades.

The Panzer IV Ausf.A suspension can be clearly seen here. While not perfect, it was easy to build and to replace damaged parts. Source: warspot.ru

The Engine and Transmission

The engine used on this vehicle was the Maybach HL 108TR which produced 230 [email protected] rpm. The maximum speed was 32 km/h (or 10 km/h cross-country) with an operational range of 210 km and 130 km cross country. The fuel load of 470 l (or 453 l or depending on the source) was stored in three fuel tanks placed under the crew fighting compartment. If needed, there was a valve system that allowed the crew to use the fuel of each tank individually by closing the fuel supply from the other two.

The Panzer IV’s engine cooling system consisted of two coupled radiators placed at a 25° angle. The air was then sucked in by two large cooling fans which were driven by a ‘V’ shaped belt from the crankshaft. This cooling system was designed to provide effective cooling in temperatures of up to +30° Celsius. The engine and the crew compartment were separated by a fire resistant and gas-tight armored firewall. The crew could, if needed, gain access to the engine through a door placed at this firewall.

The ‘Allklaunen SFG 75’ five-speed (and one reverse) transmission was connected to the engine by a drive shaft that ran through the bottom of the fighting compartment. The steering mechanism used in the Panzer IV Ausf.A was of the ‘Wilson’ type, which was designed and produced by Krupp.

The Panzer IV Ausf.A turret was not centrally positioned and was actually offset to the left side of the superstructure by around 6.67 cm. The engine was also offset some 15 cm to the right. This arrangement was done so that the driveshaft did not interfere with the electrical supply system of the turret.

The Armor Protection

The general armor protection of the first Panzer IV Ausf.A was rather weak, ranging between 8 to 16 mm. For the lower hull, the upper front armor plate was 10 mm thick at a 72° angle, and the lower plate was 14.5 mm placed at a 14° angle. The side armor was 14.5 mm thick, the rear was 10-14.5 mm and the bottom was 8 mm.

The front hull armor was 14.5 mm placed at a 9° angle. The sides of the crew compartment were 14.5 mm placed vertically. The engine compartment was protected by 10 mm thick armor (at a 35° angle) at the sides and 14.5 mm (at 10° angle) to the rear.

The front turret armor was 16 mm (at a 10° angle), while the sides and rear were 14.5 mm (at 25° angle) and the top was 10 mm (at 83-90° angle). Depending on the source, the front armor thickness of the turret varies between 15 to 20 mm. The commander’s cupola had all-around 14.5 mm of armor, with the two hatch doors being 8 mm thick.

The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous and rolled plates. The Panzer IV Ausf.A armor was designed primarily to provide protection from 7.92 mm armor piercing bullets usually fired from anti-tank rifles. The anti-tank rifles were a typical infantry weapon to fight tanks in the thirties and in the earliest stages of the war. The Panzer IV Ausf.A armor provided almost no protection from any larger caliber anti-tank guns.

From August 1938 on, nearly all German Panzers were equipped with a Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung (a smoke grenade rack system). This device was placed on the rear of the hull. This rack contained five grenades which were activated with a wire system by the Panzer IV’s commander. When activated, the Panzer would then drive backward to the safety of the smoke screen. This system was not very effective and was replaced with turret mounted smoke grenade launchers later in the war.

The rear hull mounted Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung smoke grenade rack, seen here mounted on a Panzer III. Source: panzerserra.blogspot.com

The Crew

The Panzer IV 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. This five man crew configuration was a rarity at that time and provided the Germans with a huge advantage during the earlier stages of the war.

The Panzer IV commander (Kommandant) was positioned in the rear center of the turret. For observing the surroundings, he was provided with a cupola. For crew communication, the commander was provided with an intercom system in the form of a laryngophone.

During the early testing with the Grosstraktor (held in Kazan in the Soviet Union), the Germans noted that the commander should not be involved in any duties beside his intended role, such as loading or firing the gun. If the commander was distracted, the overall performance of the Panzer would be much reduced, as he could not pay proper attention to his surroundings (for example the position of friendly or enemy units.). For this reason, the commander was provided with a cupola that had an all-around view and was tasked with directing the whole crew. This simple innovation gave the Germans a huge tactical advantage in the earlier stages of the war. For example, French and Soviet tank commanders also had to perform other roles like serving the gun and even loading, which greatly diminished the performance of their tanks despite having better armor and weapons than the Germans.

All Panzer IVs had a crew of five, which provided the German Panzer units with a significant tactical advantage, as each crew member had a precise job to accomplish. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

The gunner (Richtkanonier) was positioned to the left while the loader (Ladekanonier) 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 turret basket floor.

The driver’s position (Fahrer) was on the front left side of the hull. The last crew member was the radio operator (Funker), who was positioned on the front hull’s right side. His main job was to operate the Fu 6 and Fu 2 transmitter-receiver radio set, which had an effective range of about 2 km. This radio was mounted just above the transmission. A folding 2 m long antenna rod with its wooden protective rail was placed on the Panzer IV’s right superstructure side. The secondary duty of the radio operator was to use the hull mounted 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun.

The Armament

The main armament of the Panzer IV Ausf.A was the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24. KwK stands for ‘Kampfwagenkanone’ which could be translated as combat vehicle cannon or, more simply, as tank gun. The short barrel had 28 grooves, each 0.85 mm deep. It had a semi-automatic breech, which means that, after firing, the spent cartridge would be self-ejected, thus increasing the overall firing rate. The Panzer IV Ausf.A had an internal gun mantlet which was not too effective. Later Panzer IV versions had an external mantlet which provided better protection. The gun recoil cylinders that stood outside of the turret and the gun were covered by a steel jacket and a deflector guard. For the gunner’s protection, a recoil shield was added to the rear of the gun. On a number of Panzer IV Ausf.A (and even later models), a ‘Y’ shaped metal rod antenna guide was added under the gun. Its purpose was to deflect the antenna and thus avoid damaging it during turret rotation.

The 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 with the external gun mantled added on the later versions of the Panzer IV. Source: world-war-2.wikia.org

This gun had a muzzle velocity of 325 m/s and proved to have satisfactory precision in combat operations and was even used to arm the early series of the StuG III vehicles. The Panzer IV Ausf.A was primarily meant to destroy soft skin targets, anti-tank positions etc. and was thus mostly equipped with high explosive and smoke rounds. The armor piercing (AP) round could penetrate 41 mm of armor sloped at 60° at 100 m. At ranges of 500 m, the penetration dropped to 38 mm. The elevation of this gun went from –10° to +20° (–10° to 30° depending on the source). Originally, the ammunition load consisted of 140 rounds but was reduced to 122 rounds from December 1938 on in order to reduce weight. The ammunition was stored in holding bins located on the hull sides and floor.

This vehicle had a metal antenna guide installed under the gun. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

This gun was equipped with a TZF5b ‘Turmzielfernrohr’ monocular telescopic gun-sight. This sight had a magnification of 2.5 and a field view of 25°. For aiming at the target, this gun sight had two engraved reticles. In the centre of the first engraved reticle there was one large aiming triangle with smaller ones on both sides. The gunner had to aim the larger triangle at the enemy target, while the purpose of the smaller ones was to help in determining the target’s speed. This gun-sight was quite complicated to use, and required that the gunner be well trained. The second reticle was used to help the gunner adjust the main gun to the necessary range. In combat, the gunners learned to simply use the turret coaxial machine gun to determine the range to the target. The Panzer IV Ausf.A was also provided with a clinometer for indirect fire support.

Under the telescopic sight there were two mechanical hand wheels for elevation and traverse of the main gun. The trigger for the 7.5 cm gun was located on the traverse handwheel. The turret was traversed via an electric motor located on the left side of the turret. Minimum traverse speed was 0.14° while the maximum speed was 14° per second. When the gunner engaged the traverse, the turret moved abruptly, which made it somewhat difficult to track moving targets. If, for some reason (either combat damage or mechanical breakdown), this motor stopped working, the turret could also be manually traversed. There was a selector lever which switched between these two systems depending on the needs. While the gunner would operate the manual traverse of the turret, there was a larger hand crank that the loader could use. By using manual traversing, the gunner could rotate the turret by 1.9° and the loader 2.6° per turn.

Beside the main gun, the Panzer IV Ausf.A was provided with two 7.92 mm MG 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 second machine gun was placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun and was fired by the gunner. The ammunition load for the two MG 34’s was 3000 rounds. There was an option for installing an anti-aircraft machine gun mount on the Panzer IV Ausf.A, but its use was discarded in early 1938 and it was never used in combat.

Organization and Tactics

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. Although these units were meant to be equipped with modern Panzer III and IV tanks, due to the slow rate of production, this was not possible. For this reason, the earlier Panzer Divisions had to be equipped with weaker Panzer I and II tanks, and even captured vehicles like the Panzer 35 and 38(t). In the case of the Panzer IV, the situation was so critical that each Panzer Division could only be equipped with 24 (on average) such vehicles. The few produced Panzer IV were allocated to the so-called Heavy companies, which were divided into two platoons each with 3 vehicles.

The primary function of the Panzer IV was to provide covering and suppressing fire for the advancing Panzer units. While they were used in Heavy companies in combat situations, the battalion commanders would often reallocate the Panzer IV to other companies. These mixed units offered better cooperation between different types of Panzers, as the identification of targets could be achieved easier. Then, the Panzer IV crews could direct their firepower to destroying the marked target much quicker.

The usual German Panzer tactic was the use of the ‘Keil’ (wedge) formation. The tip of this attack would be formed by the Panzer III and Panzer 35 and 38 (t), while the Panzer I and II would advance on the flanks. The Panzer IV were to follow up, and would continue destroying any marked targets. The targets would usually be marked with tracer rounds or smoke marker shells. The Panzer IV’s 7.5 cm cannon was effective against all soft skin targets, but was also effective against most tanks except for the better-armored ones like the French Char B1 or British Matilda II.

In Combat

The first two completed Panzer IV Ausf.A were given to the Waffenamt inspectors by the end of November 1937, with the last vehicle being accepted in June 1938. Before the war, the Panzer IV Ausf.A was used on military parades. They were also employed during the Anschluss of Austria and the occupation of Sudetenland.

Panzer IV Ausf.A on a pre-war military parade. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Due to the low production capabilities of the German war industry by the time of the outbreak of the war, only 211 Panzer IVs were available in September 1939, including 30 Ausf.A, the remaining 5 being used for testing. At the end of the Polish campaign, 19 Panzer IV had been destroyed with 50 more being damaged or out of action either due to mechanical breakdowns or enemy fire. In Poland, the Panzer IV Ausf.A, while effective in its original role, proved to be vulnerable to nearly all enemy anti-tank weapons because of its weak armor. On the other hand, the gun could easily destroy any Polish armored vehicle, being themselves only lightly armored.

The Panzer IV Ausf.A saw action in Norway and also participated during the German offensive in the West in May 1940. The surviving Panzer IV Ausf.A remained in use up to the spring of 1941, when they were (mostly due to the very weak armor) removed from service and given to training units.

Panzer IV Ausf.A during the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. Source: https: www.worldwarphotos.info
Due to its weak armor, the Panzer IV Ausf.A was easy prey to almost any anti-tank weapon. Source: www.worldwarphotos.info

Conclusion

Viewed from today’s perspective (with the hindsight of what happened during the war), the development of two significantly different types of tanks which were to perform different roles on the battlefield seems odd at best. The development of one vehicle capable of performing both anti-tank and support roles (eventually two variants of the same vehicle) would have been a much easier solution. It would have made production faster and reduced the need for production of two types of spare parts.

The development of a support tank led to the Panzer IV Ausf.A being built. While it was lightly armored, it had a five man crew, good mobility, solid firepower and, with modern tactics, showed that this concept had merit in the earlier years of the war. Despite the fact that the later versions of the Panzer IV would become capable of filling both roles, the first model Panzer IV Ausf.A was one of the earlier first steps in the development of the famous Panzer Formations.



A Panzer IV Ausf.A, Poland, 4th Company, 1st Abteilung, 1st Panzer Regiment, 1st Panzerdivision. Illustration by Tank Encyclopedia’s own David Bocquelet

A Panzer IV Ausf.A in whitewash camouflage.

Specifications

Dimensions (l-w-h) 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in)
Total weight, battle-ready 18 tonnes (39,683 lbs)
Crew 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver)
Propulsion Maybach HL 108TR 230 HP @ 2600 rpm
Speed (road/off road) 32.4 km/h, 10 km/h (cross country)
Range (road/off road)-fuel 210 km, 130 km (cross country)
Primary Armament 7.5 cm KwK L/24
Secondary Armament Two 7.92 mm MG 34
Elevation -10° to +20°
Turret Armor front 16 mm, sides 14.5 mm, rear 14.5 and top 8-10 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.

Sources

K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication.
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (2001) Panzer Tracts No.20-1 Paper Panzers
D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, 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 (1993). Panzer IV and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
S.J. Zaloga (2011) Panzer IV vs. Char B1 Bis, Osprey publishing
A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books.

Categories
WW2 German Panzer IV

Panzerkampfwagen IV mit Hydrostatischem Antrieb

German Reich (1944)
Prototype Medium Tank – 1 Built

In 1943, an alternative drive system for the Panzer IV entered development. This was the Hydrostatischem Antrieb or Hydrostatic Drive, also known as the “Thoma” drive.
It was designed and produced in the Augsburg plant of ZF Friedrichshafen, and tested on a turret-less Panzer IV Ausf.G chassis that had been badly damaged during combat operations.

Pz IV Hydro 2
Surviving Panzerkampfwagen IV mit Hydrostatischen Antrieb in the US. Note the now sloped engine deck, and the smaller rear drive wheels. Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Hydraulics

The Thoma system operated in a similar way to the petrol/electric drive system produced by Porsche for his Tiger I concept vehicle that would later become the Ferdinand/Elefant. This system was a lot safer, however, as it was a petrol/hydraulic system. This gave the benefits of the Porsche system without the fire risk that plagued it so badly.
The Panzer IV chassis underwent heavy modifications to be able to mount this new drive system. The engine compartment of the tank was almost completely removed and rebuilt. The drive was placed in the rear of the tank under a large sloping engine deck. Two oil pumps were installed behind, and connected directly to the normal Maybach HL 120 TRM engine. These powered two hydraulic motors. A swash plate drive sent the power through a reduction gear into the newly added rear drive wheels, which replaced the traditional idler wheel.

The new controls added to the Panzer, note the new control “wheel” and the many new dials. Source: Spielberger Publishing

Inside the crew compartment, the old drive shafts were removed along with the large gearbox and final drive assembly at the bow end of the vehicle. The traditional steering tillers were replaced with a crescent-like wheel, similar to the one found on Tiger I. Directional movement was achieved by two control cylinders. These cylinders regulated the volume of the oil inside the pump. This governed the amount of power the drive wheels would receive. Two large 780mm adjustable toothed idlers replaced the original Panzer IV drive sprockets.
Later in 1944, the vehicle was tested with a hydraulically powered turret. Unfortunately, more information on this modification is unavailable.

The Hydrostatic Drive system outside of the vehicle. Source: Spielberger Publishing

Fate

Only one prototype of the vehicle with this drive system was built by the time the Allies were knocking on Germany’s door. In April 1945, the US 3rd Infantry Division was advancing through southern Germany and into Bavaria. They broke into Augsburg on the 27th and had the whole city secured by the 28th. With the city, they captured the Zahnradfabrik plant, and the test vehicle.

The Turretless hull of the Panzer in the Zahnradfabrik plant. Source: Spielberger Publishing

After the war, the vehicle was shipped back to the United States, where it was subjected to thorough tests by Vickers Inc. Detroit, Michigan until at least 12th April 1946, when a report stating how the drive worked was drafted:

“The powertrain consisted of two staggered-plate oils pumps that are assembled as a unit and are driven by a 12-cylinder Maybach engine. Oil is pushed by the pumps to two separate oils engines which power the drive wheels of the tracks. The oil engines are attached to the final drive housings. The engine and power aggregate are located in the rear of the vehicle, and the vehicle is moved by rear mounted drive wheels. The volume of the pumps is controlled by the driver, who thereby controls the torque of the various pressure conditions that are created by the steering and stopping of the vehicle. In the same manner, the forward and backward movement of the vehicle is achieved by directing oil flow. Pressurized oil to activate the pumps and engines and for the high-pressure connections was advanced by a geared-wheel pump that was connected to the vehicle’s engine by direct drive.”

Pz.Kpfw IV mit hydrostatischen antrieb
This Pz.Kpfw IV mit hydrostatischen antrieb was stored in the U.S. Army Center for Military History Storage Facility, Anniston, AL, USA. It was later moved to Benning. Source: Masa Narita

Unfortunately, the German test data has been lost to history. The vehicle was left in the open, exposed to the elements, at the U.S Army Ordnance Proving Grounds, Aberdeen in Maryland. In 2015 it was moved to the U.S. Army Center for Military History Storage Facility, Anniston, AL, USA, where it has the officially long-winded designation of “Tank, Medium, Full Track, Experimental Transmission, German Army, Steel, Tan, PzKpfw IV, 75mm Gun, German, 1945, World War II”.

Tanks Encyclopedia’s own rendition of the Panzer IV with Hydrostatic Drive, by Jarosław Janas.

An article by Mark Nash

Panzer IV mit Hydrostatischem Antrieb

Dimensions 5.41 x 2.88 x 2.68 m (17.7×9.4×8.8 ft)
Total weight, battle ready 25 tons
Crew 5
Armament Rheinmetall 75 mm (2.95 in) KwK 40
2-3 MG 34/MG 42 7.92 mm (0.31 in) machine-guns
Armor From 15 to 65 mm (0.59-2.56 in)
Propulsion Maybach V12 gasoline HL 120 TRM
(220 kW) 300 [email protected] rpm
Suspension Leaf springs
Speed on /off road 42 km/h (26 mph)
Total production 1

Links & Resources

Panzer IV und seine Varianten (Panzer IV and its Variants) Spielberger and Doyle.
Panzer Tracts No. 4, Panzerkampfwagen IV, Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV
Panzer Tracts No. 4-3, Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.H and Ausf.J, 1943 to 1945
Germans Tanks of ww2
German Tanks of ww2