German tanks in World War II
developed numerous tank designs used in World War II. In addition to domestic designs, Germany also used various captured and foreign-built tanks.
German tanks were an important part of the Wehrmacht and played a fundamental role during the whole war, and especially in the blitzkrieg battle strategy. In the subsequent more troubled and prolonged campaigns, German tanks proved to be adaptable and efficient adversaries to the Allies. When the Allied forces technically managed to surpass the earlier German tanks in battle, they still had to face the experience and skills of the German tank crews and most powerful and technologically advanced later tanks, such as the Panther, the Tiger I and Tiger II, which had the reputation of being fearsome opponents.
The ''Panzer'' name
Panzer is a German word that means "armour". It derives through the French word pancier, "breastplate", from Latin pantex, "belly".The word is used in English and some other languages as a loanword in the context of the German military. In particular, it is used in the proper names of military formations, and in the proper names of tanks, such as Panzer IV, etc.
The dated German term is Panzerkampfwagen, "tank" or "armoured combat vehicle". The modern commonly used synonym is Kampfpanzer, or "fight panzer". The first German tank, the A7V of 1918, was referred to as a Sturmpanzerwagen.
History
Development and performance
The German tank forces were a success especially due to tactical innovation. Using so-called Blitzkrieg tactics, Heinz Guderian, Ewald von Kleist and other field commanders such as Erwin Rommel broke the hiatus of the Phoney War in a manner almost outside the comprehension of the Alliedand, indeed, the GermanHigh Command. Basically, as a coherent unit, the combined arms tactic of the blitzkrieg shocked the Allies.Despite this, the German Panzer forces at the start of World War II appeared not especially impressive. Only 4% of the defense budget was spent on armored fighting vehicle production. Guderian had planned for two main tanks: the Panzer III equipped with a gun for engaging other tanks and the Panzer IV with a short barreled howitzer to be used in support of the infantry, with production starting in 1936 and 1937 respectively. The design work for the Panzer IV had begun in 1935 and trials of prototypes were undertaken in 1937, but by the time of the invasion of Poland only a few hundred 'troop trial' models were available. Development work was then halted and limited production was begun by Krupp in Magdeburg, Essen and Bochum in October 1939 with 20 vehicles built. However, even that low number could not be sustained, with production dropping to ten in April 1940. Such low production numbers were due to tanks being given a low priority for steel relative to the more conventional needs of an army, such as artillery shells.
Panzer III
Nevertheless, the number of available Panzer IVs was still larger than that of the Panzer III. There were also technical problems with the Panzer III: it was widely considered to be under-gunned with the 3.7 cm KwK 36 gun and production was split among four manufacturers with little regard for each firm's expertise, and the rate of production was initially very low, taking until December 1940 to reach 100 vehicles a month. The panzer force for the early German victories was a mix of the Panzer I, Panzer II light tanks and two models of Czech tanks and the Panzer 35. By May 1940 there were 349 Panzer III tanks available for the attacks on France and the Low Countries.Though the Anglo-French forces appeared numerically and technically superior, with a greater quantity of medium and heavy vehicles, German crews were trained and experienced in the new combined tactics of tanks, anti-tank guns and dive bombers. In particular the Wehrmacht exploited the advantages of the Panzer III, with its modern radio communications system and a crew of three men in the turret, resulting in greater efficiency in the field and winning the Battle of France.
The objections to the limited gun armament of the Panzer III were recognized during its conception, and its design was altered to include a large turret ring to make it possible to fit a 2250 ft/s muzzle velocity 5 cm KwK L/42 gun on later models. In July 1940, too late to see action in the final weeks of the Battle of France, the first 17 of these models were produced. Designated the Panzer III Ausf. F, the other changes included an upgraded Maybach engine and numerous minor changes to ease mass production.
The Ausf. F was quickly supplanted by the Ausf. G with an up-armored gun mantlet, which was the main tank of the Afrika Korps in 1940–41 and also saw action in Yugoslavia and Greece. Around 2,150 Panzer IIIs were produced, of which around 450 were the Ausf G. These tanks were still under-gunned, poorly armored and mechanically overly-complex in comparison to equivalent British tanks. After fighting in Libya in late 1940 the Ausf. H was put into production with simpler mechanics, wider tracks, and improved armor. In April 1941 there was a general 'recall' of the Panzer III to upgrade the main gun to the new 50 mm KwK L/60, with the new Panzergranate 40 projectile, and muzzle velocity was pushed to 3875 ft/s. New tanks produced with this gun were designated Ausf. J.
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-185-0139-20, Polen, Russland, Panzer in Bereitstellung.jpg|thumb|right|A German Panzer III tank, of the 13th Panzer Division, during the first days of Operation Barbarossa
The invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa signaled a very important change in German tank development. In June 1941 Panzer III tanks first encountered the Soviet T-34 medium tank. Initially the Germans had 1,449 Panzer III tanks ready for combat, about 950 of which were versions equipped with the 50 mm L/42 gun, which constituted the Wehrmacht's main tank force. In July 1941 36 Panzer and motorized infantry divisions were assigned to the invasion, fielding over 3000 AFVs.
While German tanks were inferior in armor, armament, and numbers, the Soviet armored forces were almost annihilated during the first months of the campaign by the German Panzer divisions, which proved to be much more experienced and efficient: over 17,000 Soviet tanks were destroyed or abandoned. The Soviets complained of serious mechanical deficiencies and design flaws in their T-34 tanks. Also, the crews were inexperienced and the logistical support was insufficient. On the battlefield, the Panzer III's 50 mm gun was able to seriously damage T-34 tanks and at the typical combat distances to the German tank was not really inferior. It was more difficult for Panzer III tanks to counter KV-1 heavy tanks with their armor being nearly impenetrable at the front.
During the North African campaign Panzer III tanks, especially older models, had troubles in direct fights against British Matilda II infantry tanks, due to the superiority of their armor and powerful 40mm QF 2-pounder gun. Despite this, the Panzer III tanks managed to obtain important victories, such as in the Battle of Gazala, where the tank, skilfully employed by experienced German crews and supported by anti-tank formations, achieved the most brilliant results of its deployment in Africa, despite some difficulties against the Allied heavy tanks. The British armored forces, on the other hand, were almost destroyed.
The Panzer III's armor was upgraded to 70 mm by additional plates, and spaced armor was introduced to protect against shaped charge attacks. However the first Panzer IV tanks with 75 mm L/48 cannon marked the end of the Panzer III's role as the German main tank. Eventually, Panzer III production was ended in August 1943 with the Ausf. M, the vehicle having been fitted with a short barrelled 75 mm KwK 51 gun and downgraded to a support role. The Panzer III chassis continued in production until the end of the war as the base for a range of vehicles chiefly the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun.
Panzer IV
Although slow, production of the Panzer IV had continued; by the end of 1940 386 Ausf. D models were in service and in 1941 a further 480 were produced, despite an order from the army for 2,200. The short L/24 gun was the main advantage of the Panzer IV; the weight and armor of early models were close to that of the Panzer III.With an upgrade of the Panzer IV's 75 mm L/24 short gun to a longer high-velocity 75 mm gun, suitable for anti-tank use, the tank proved to be highly effective. This new 43 caliber long gun could penetrate a T-34 at a variety of impact angles beyond and up to range. On the Eastern Front the shipment of the first model to mount the new gun, the Ausf. F2, began in spring 1942, and by the Case Blue offensive there were around 135 Panzer IV's with the L/43 tank gun available. They played a crucial role in the events that unfolded between June 1942 and March 1943, and the Panzer IV became the mainstay of the German Panzer divisions.
On the Western Front the American M4 Sherman's 75 mm M3 gun had troubles facing the Panzer IV late model. Panzer IV late models' frontal hull armor could easily withstand hits from the 75 mm weapon on the Sherman at normal combat ranges. The British up-gunned the Sherman with their highly effective 76mm QF 17-pounder gun resulting in the Sherman Firefly, which was the only Allied tank capable of dealing with all German tanks, at normal combat ranges, in time for the Normandy landings. It was not until July 1944 that American Shermans fitted with the 76 mm gun M1 gun achieved parity in firepower with the Panzer IV.
Later Panzer IV variants further improved the gun to the 75 mm L/48 but were mainly characterized by increasing the main armor and adding spaced and skirt armor to protect against anti-tank weapons. Zimmerit paste to prevent magnetic charges being attached was also introduced on the Panzer IV from December 1943 to October 1944.
About 8,500 Panzer IV tanks were produced overall.