German Reich (1943-1944)
Flame Tank – 10 Converted
The German Army entered the war with only one flamethrowing vehicle type based on the Panzer II chassis. Later, other types were introduced. These were mostly based on the Panzer III and some captured vehicles. At the end of 1942, Hitler proposed that some 10 StuG IIIs be modified for this specific role, creating the Sturmgeschütz III Flamm (StuG III Flamm for short). A few months later, these were delivered and tested, but none would be issued for frontline use, and all would be refurbished to their original configuration in 1944.
History
One of the many military innovations of the First World War was the use of flamethrowers. Their effectiveness in clearing out enemy trenches and fortified positions was undeniable, as they could quickly engulf targets in flames, causing chaos and panic among defenders. However, they had several drawbacks that limited their utility on the battlefield. Flamethrowers had limited range compared to other weapons, requiring operators to get dangerously close to enemy positions to effectively deploy them. This made the operators vulnerable to enemy fire and counterattacks. Flamethrower operators were highly exposed on the battlefield. They had to carry bulky fuel tanks and operate within relatively short distances of the enemy, making them prime targets for enemy snipers, artillery, and small arms fire. Carrying the fuel tanks necessary for the flamethrower was a logistical challenge. The tanks were heavy, limiting the mobility of the operator and requiring frequent resupply, which could be difficult in the chaos of trench warfare. While effective in certain situations, flamethrowers were not suitable for all battlefield scenarios. They were most effective in close-quarters combat, such as trench warfare, but less so in open terrain or urban environments, where their short range and vulnerability to enemy fire could be exploited.
The integration of flamethrowers into armored vehicles, particularly tanks, presented solutions to some of the inherent drawbacks of this particular type of weapon. Armored vehicles provide a layer of protection against small arms fire and shrapnel, enhancing the survivability of the flamethrower operator compared to infantry carrying standalone flamethrowers. Tanks, with their tracked chassis, offer superior mobility over infantry units, allowing the flamethrower-equipped vehicle to maneuver into advantageous positions more effectively. Lastly, the presence of a flamethrower on a tank can have a significant psychological impact on enemy troops. The fear of facing such a formidable weapon could disrupt enemy formations and morale. In the years before the outbreak of the Second World War, the development of such vehicles was relatively rare due to various factors, including limited funds and technological constraints. Italy and the Soviet Union were probably the best-known nations that built such vehicles in fairly great numbers.
Germany made some attempts in this direction, although initially, these efforts were quite limited in scope. Early experiments involved retrofitting flamethrowers onto existing tank chassis, such as the Panzer I and Panzer II. However, these early vehicles suffered from drawbacks, primarily due to their light armor protection, which made them vulnerable to enemy fire and less effective in combat. As development progressed, Germany introduced vehicles based on more capable platforms, like the Panzer III. These vehicles offered better success due to improved armor protection and firepower, making them more viable in combat scenarios. Another generally obscure and unknown project vehicle was based on a modified StuG III (Sturmgeschütz III, Eng. Assault gun vehicle) chassis.
StuG III in a New Role
In the last month of 1942, a conference between German army officials and Hitler was held to discuss various strategic issues, including the state of the armored formations and the potential need for new vehicles. During this conference, Hitler expressed interest in various military developments, including the modification of existing vehicles for specialized purposes. The proposal to develop flamethrowing vehicles based on a modified StuG III chassis aligns with the German efforts to innovate and adapt their military equipment to suit evolving battlefield conditions.
According to initial plans, 10 new vehicles were to be built and used for testing, to see if this approach was feasible. Given the chronic lack of new vehicles, it was instead decided to reuse those vehicles that were returned from the frontline. The decision to reuse vehicles returned for major repairs and overhauls instead of building entirely new ones reflects the resource constraints faced by Germany during the war. The German war machine was under increasing strain due to the demands of the conflict and shortages of materials and manpower, particularly as the war progressed.
Unfortunately, besides this meager information, not much else is known of their development history. In theory, this plan was sound. The StuG III was designed to closely cooperate with the infantry by providing effective and mobile fire support. Thanks to their short barreled 7.5 cm gun, targets, such as entrenched machine guns and anti-tank gun positions, could be effectively engaged. While they could not destroy concrete bunkers, thanks to their armor, mobility, and good marksmanship, the StuG III was able to take these out by engaging the firing port at close range. Having a flamethrowing weapon would provide an additional edge in dealing with such targets. It is unclear who was responsible for the design and final assembly of these vehicles. Given that Alkett was at that time solely responsible for StuG III production, an educated guess can be made that the company was at least responsible for its construction and possibly even design.
Name
Based on a few pieces of information that are available, this vehicle was simply designated Sturmgeschütz III Flamm (Eng. Assault gun vehicle III flame), sometimes shortened to StuG III Flamm, as this article will refer to it for the sake of simplicity.
Production
Despite the original order for the construction of 10 such vehicles being given in December 1942, actual delivery took some time. A group of nine vehicles were completed and delivered for service in May 1943. The last vehicle was delivered the following month. Besides these, no further production orders were given. Most of these vehicles were built using a modified StuG III Ausf.F/8 chassis. At least one vehicle (possibly the prototype or even a wooden mock-up) was constructed using the Ausf.F version, which, while similar to the F/8, lacked some features, most noticeably the absence of the ventilation port on the superstructure roof.
Design
This vehicle was based on the StuG III chassis, and while the overall design was left unchanged, some modifications to accommodate the flamethrower and fuel tanks were needed. It is important to note that, given no historical information on these changes are available, only some educated guesses can be made based on a few surviving photographs.
Chassis
Based on the surviving photographs of this vehicle, it appears that no change was made regarding the StuG III chassis. The StuG III Ausf. F/8 had a hull that was further extended to the back compared to previous ones. This was done to provide better ventilation to the engine compartment and, to some extent, facilitate the overall production. The suspension remained the same. It consisted of six small road wheels, three return rollers, the front drive wheel, and the rear-positioned idler on each side.
The StuG III Ausf.F/8, like its predecessor, was powered by a twelve-cylinder, water-cooled Maybach HL 120 TRM engine providing 265 hp @ 2,600 rpm. While the StuG III Ausf.F/8 weighed around 23.3 tonnes, it is unclear how much that would have changed on the Flamm variant. It can be assumed that the weight would have been slightly reduced, but the overall drive performance would have remained relatively the same, with a maximum speed of 40 km/h and a range of 160 km (on good roads).
Superstructure
The superstructure saw some of the only modifications being done to the StuG III Flamm. The original gun and its large and bulky box-shaped armored deflector guard for the recoil cylinders were removed. Instead, a larger box-shaped mantle was installed. In front of it, a large opening was left, providing the necessary working space for the flamethrower. Besides it, no other obvious change can be observed on the superstructure itself.
Armor Protection
The Ausf.F/8 was meant to have 80 mm thick frontal armor protection. As such thick single armor plates were not yet available, as a temporary replacement, additional 30 mm plates were welded, or more commonly, just bolted to the front 50 mm usual plate. This is the case with the StuG III Flamm vehicles. The sides were 30 mm thick, top 10 mm, and the engine top was 16 mm thick. The rear part of the engine compartment was 50 mm thick. The armor thickness of the box-shaped mantlet is unknown.
Armament
The armament consisted of a 14 mm Flammen-Anlage (Eng. Flame system) Schwade (name of the designer) flame projector. The fuel load, overall performance, and firing arc are unknown. A standard StuG III armed with the L/48 gun had an elevation from –6° to +20°, while the traverse was 10° to both sides. It cannot be assumed that it would have been similar to the StuG III Flamm variant, as it lacked the breech of the gun, but had various hoses and connectors possibly limiting firing angles. The Flampanzer III had a fuel load of some 1,000 liters, which gives at least some indication of what could be carried inside the StuG III hull. Interestingly the Germans added a small travel lock for the flame projector.
For self-defense, the StuG III Flam was provided with an MG 34 machine gun, The ammunition load for the MG 34 was 600 rounds.
Crew
While the sources list a crew of four, their precise roles are not mentioned. It would have needed a driver and a commander. Given its specialized weapon system, it did not need a loader. The flamethrowing variant based on the Panzer III had a crew of three, with the commander being the main armament operator. It can be assumed that this would be the same with the StuG III Flamm. If this is true, then the role of the remaining crew member is unclear. A possibility is that he was the radio operator who also operated the machine gun. On the other hand, this task may also have been allocated to the commander. This was a far from perfect solution, as he would have been severely overburdened.
Fate
Once all vehicles were completed, they were allocated to the Panzertruppenschule I (Eng. First Armored Troops School) at the end of June 1943. Shortly after that, one vehicle was involved in a fire accident, where it burned out. Luckily for the Germans, the vehicle was not a total loss and was sent back for repairs in July 1943. In September 1943, it was returned for service. Unfortunately, it appears that no surviving record of their service and performance is known to have survived the war. The only known fact is that, at the start of 1944, these were sent back to German Army inventory. From the period of February to April 1944, these were converted back to their original 7.5 cm armed configuration and sent to the frontlines. None of the flamethrowing StuG III were ever used in combat as such.
Conclusion
Given the lack of precise information, the overall performance of these vehicles is unclear. On paper, the StuG III Flamm variant had some merit and even advantages over other German flamethrowing vehicles. Thanks to their low silhouette and good frontal protection, these would have a good survivability rate. The lack of a turret was not a major hindrance to this kind of weapon, as it helped reduce the vehicle’s overall height and weight. In addition, the StuG III was relatively cheap, so producing a flamethrowing variant in great numbers was, at least in theory, possible.
Given the general lack of information, a proper conclusion can not be made, beyond that the design surely had some flaws or issues that led to their rejection for service, despite other later flamethrowing vehicles being used.
Sturmgeschütz III Flamm Specification |
|
|---|---|
| Crew | 2-4? (commander and driver, remaining two unknown) |
| Weight | 23 tonnes |
| Dimensions | Length 5.52 m, Width 2.92 m, Height 2.16 m |
| Engine | Maybach 120 TRM 265 hp @ 200 rpm |
| Speed | 40 km/h, 20 km/h (cross-country) |
| Range | 140 km, 85 km (cross-country) |
| Primary Armament | 14 mm Flammenwerfer |
| Superstructure armor | front 30+50 mm, sides 30 mm, rear 30, and top 10-16 mm |
| Hull armor | front 30+50 mm, sides 30 mm, rear 30 mm, and the top and bottom 15 mm |
Sources
D. Doyle (2005). German military Vehicles, Krause Publications.
D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd
L. Ledwoch (2007) Flammpanzer Tank Power 285, Militaria
T.L. Jentz and H.L. Doyle (1995) Flammpanzer German Flamethrowers 1941-1945, New Vanguard
Walter J. Spielberger (1993) Sturmgeschütz and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press.