20. The initial name Begleitwagen would be replaced with Gesch.Kpfw. These engines produce very high torque at low speeds (1400 to 1600 rpm) which forced the Germans to use heavier drives than otherwise needed. E vehicles. The gun recoil cylinders that stood outside of the turret and the gun were covered by a steel jacket and a deflector guard. Some vehicles may have been returned from the frontline for repairs and were reused for this purpose too. Required fields are marked *. The Panzer IV Ausf. The Panzer IV Ausf. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In the case of an emergency, the crew could use the round escape hatch door located beneath the radio operator’s seat. By using manual traversing, the gunner could rotate the turret by 1.9° and the loader 2.6° per turn. IV and its variants, including photos, technical data, original technical manuals, bibliography, and more. The main armament of the Panzer IV Ausf. P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press. T. Anderson (2017) History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945. 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). About. Please don't call someone a Nazi unless they really are a Nazi. There were also four return rollers (250 x 65 x 135 mm) on each side. 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. For observing the surroundings, he was provided with a cupola. 5.92 x 2.83 x 2.68 m (17.7 x 6.11, 8.7 in), 5 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Radio Operator and Driver), front 30 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 20 and top 8-10 mm, front 30-50 mm, sides 20 mm, rear 14.5-20 mm and the top and bottom 10-11 mm, M. Kruk and R. Szewczyk (2011) 9th Panzer Division, Stratus, D. Nešić, (2008), Naoružanje Drugog Svetsko Rata-Nemačka, Beograd. The ammunition was stored in holding bins located on the hull sides and floor. Production of the first Panzer IV was carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. The second one was somewhat heavier (18.5 tons), having thicker 30 mm front and 20 mm side armor. Home. When activated, the Panzer would then drive backward to the safety of the smoke screen. 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. Doyle (2001) Panzer Tracts No.20-1 Paper Panzers 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. According to military historian, K. Hjermstad, some 224 Ausf. A was also provided with a clinometer for indirect fire support. The Panzer IV’s guns could do little to stop the Soviet tanks. The small opening between the turret and the superstructure was protected with angular shaped deflectors. These vehicles were also painted with a sand color to help with camouflage. 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. By 10th April, nearly all Yugoslav resistance in Macedonia was crushed. and was thus mostly equipped with high explosive and smoke rounds. 10 posts RFM Panzer IV ausf.J Last with interior. The elevation of this gun went from –10° to +20° (–10° to 30° depending on the source). One of the armored units allocated for this operation was the 9th Panzer Division, which had 20 Panzer IV’s. ‘Begleitwagen’, shortened B.W., can be translated as escort vehicle, or even as escort tank. 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.) 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. During April 1934, Krupp offered the German army two different projects for the B.W. This turret ring was provided with ball bearings which would allow the turret to rotate freely. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. P. Chamberlain and H. Doyle (1978) Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two – Revised Edition, Arms and Armor press. 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. was officially approved by In 6 on 25th February 1934. 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. Home | Features | Illustrations | Bibliography | Bookstore : Features Overview Technical Data Inside Munster's Ausf. S.T. 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. In Poland, the Panzer IV Ausf. D version. The last requirement regarded the ammunition capacity, calling forth 140 rounds for the main gun and 3000 rounds for the machine guns. E introduced some improvements by adding a new command cupola, increasing the armor protection and some other minor changes. The front plate was not flat, with the driver plate protruding out. Beside the main gun, the Panzer IV Ausf.A was provided with two 7.92 mm MG 34 machine guns for defense against infantry. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Panzer IV Ausf.A had a turret ring with a diameter of 1680 mm. Doyle (2001) Panzer Tracts No.20-1 Paper Panzers, B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, Osprey Publishing. The small number of Panzer IV Ausf. Kpfw. The American Armoured Foundation Tank Museum acquired the panzer by trading an M5 Stuart for it -- … An Africa Corp report described the Panzer IV “special” as having the best tank gun ever mounted on a Panzer, capable of penetrating the front armour of every Allied tank in North Africa at up to 1,500 meters, and of destroying light tanks at 2,000 meters if the visibility was good enough. "Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Panzer IV" Topic. 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. 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. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The second machine gun was placed in a coaxial configuration with the main gun and was fired by the gunner. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Were advancing one part after the other. II Kp prototype without the turret was also constructed. A round fuel supply opening for the DKW engine, was placed on the rear left of the superstructure roof. The second reticle was used to help the gunner adjust the main gun to the necessary range. 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). Mid Prod. When the operation began, the 9th Panzer Division still had 9 short barreled Panzer IVs, possibly some Ausf. 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. 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. Since this decision was taken too late, as the Panzer IV Ausf. At the front, two drive sprockets (with 18-teeth) were placed, and on the reinforced back hull two idlers were positioned. From March 1941 onward, all Ausf. The work on the B.W. Interestingly, the last five produced Panzer IV Ausf. It had five vision slits, each of which was protected by two (upper and lower) sliding armored covers. May 5, 2019 - Explore Paweł Rybak's board "Pz.Kpfw. The air was then sucked in by two large cooling fans which were driven by a ‘V’ shaped belt from the crankshaft. Current Tanks. The second concept was to act as a support vehicle for the Z.W., with a larger caliber gun firing mostly high explosive ammunition. This prompted the Yugoslav defenders to abandon their positions, and the 9th Panzer Division continued the drive toward Kumanovo and Skopje. Takashi. The driver’s position (Fahrer) was on the front left side of the hull. Other than that, the remaining armor thickness values were the same as on the Panzer Ausf. 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. M1A2 Abrams from Trumpeter in 1/35 – TE Modelling Video #12, Schwerer-Flammpanzer auf Tiger I (Flammanlage auf Tiger I – ‘Flammpanzer VI’’). Pz.Kpfw-IV in Belgrade Military Museum, Serbia.Photo PetarM CC BY-SA 4.0 . A had an internal gun mantlet which was not too effective. Rheinmetall had been involved in the earlier Panzer development program and was, for unknown reasons, favored by Generalmajor Lutz. 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.). It would once again see action during Operation Blue, the German drive toward the oil rich Caucasus. In addition, the commander’s cupola was taken from the Panzer III Ausf.B vehicle. During the most part of early 1942, it was subject to refitting and recovery. IV's remained in their positions along the Golan Heights until the 1967 "Six Day War" when they were captured by Israel and placed in storage at the Latrun Museum. When the gunner engaged the traverse, the turret moved abruptly, which made it somewhat difficult to track moving targets. And alongside the Shermans, Tigers and T-34 came this Panzer IV Ausf. The turret was, from March 1941 on, provided with a large stowage box mounted on its rear. A fully operational B.W.I Kp was completed by the end of April 1936. Home | Features | Illustrations | Bibliography | Bookstore : Features Overview Technical Data Inside Munster's Ausf. The positions of the 7th Panzer Division were attacked by a group of 44 T-34s. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Panzer IV Universe: An in-depth study of the Pz. E was also equipped with the smoke grenade rack system (Nebelkerzenabwurfvorrichtung), but it was protected by an armored shield. B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, Osprey Publishing The ammunition load for the two MG 34’s was 3000 rounds. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. While the Panzer IV Ausf. The allies struggle to breakout of the beachhead at Normandy. E vehicles would be equipped with the storage bin placed on the turret’s rear. K. Hjermstad (2000), Panzer IV Squadron/Signal Publication. Shortly after, the B.W. A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books. One of the earlier attempts was the Leichttraktor (light tractor) armed with a 37 mm anti-tank gun. The Panzer IV Auf J: The late, simplified Panzer IV... the Ausf.J, began to roll off the factory line at Nibelungenwerke (at St Valentin, Austria) and Vomag, as Krupp was now involved with other tasks, and incorporated more mass-production oriented simplifications, rarely welcomed by the crews. The resulting design weighed 18 tons, with 13 to 20 mm of armor. One was mounted in a ball mount in the hull and was operated by the radio operator. Aug-Sep 1943 kit. These mixed units offered better cooperation between different types of Panzers, as the identification of targets could be achieved easier. Coming to September 2020. T.L. This simple innovation gave the Germans a huge tactical advantage in the earlier stages of the war. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The usual German Panzer tactic was the use of the ‘Keil’ (wedge) formation. Complete Lunacy | Moon ‘Tanks’ and Lunar Combat. This kit has four marking choices and also a full interior for those who want to see all of the details inside once the turret is off. In the following engagement, the British lost eight tanks and were forced to retreat. 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. Additional 20 mm of armor would also be placed on the turret front and superstructure sides on some of the Ausf. Doyle (2014) Panzer Tracts No.8-1 Sturmpanzer, B, Perrett (2007) Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank 1936-45, Osprey Publishing. The Panzer IV Ausf. Nevertheless, the Germans lost at least four Panzer IV, with at least one Ausf. An unknown number of different Panzer IV chassis (including the Ausf. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. The tracks used on the initial production Panzer IVs were 360 mm wide and were connected using pins. Was the Panzer IV (F2 or H) a good tank against the Sherman M4A1 and T 34-85? Prior to the German invasion of Poland, the general organization of a Panzer Division consisted of two regiments each having two Panzer Battalions. Most sources use the much simpler Panzer IV Ausf.A designation. Another advantage of this leaf spring suspension was the ease of field repair in case of a malfunction or combat damage. May 5, 2019 - Explore Paweł Rybak's board "Pz.Kpfw. Both prototype vehicles would be used for testing and evaluation, including trials of bridge-laying equipment. Depending on the source, the front armor thickness of the turret varies between 15 to 20 mm. German military Vehicles, Krause Publications. The development of this tank began in the mid-thirties, leading to the first model, the Panzer IV Ausf. The Panzer IV could destroy lightly armored T-26 and BT series tanks. 11 Posts. The suspension design was more or less taken from another Rheinmetall vehicle, the Neubaufahrzeug. (75 mm) Vs.Kfz.618 (Geschütz Kampfwagen 75 mm Versuchs Kraftfahrzeug 618 – 75 mm Gun Tank Test Vehicle). The well known Maybach factory was chosen as it had experience in engine development from its production of Zeppelin airship engines. Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. This cooling system was designed to provide effective cooling in temperatures of up to +30° Celsius. Here are the chunks we worked on in weeks 45 to 48. E also had a 50 mm thick lower frontal hull plate from the beginning of production. The Panzer IV hull was divided into the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment. This particular vehicle can be seen at the Australian Armour and Artillery Museum in Smithfield, Queensland. D version, there were some differences. Another change was the replacement of the hinge design of the glacis hatch doors, which increased protection. Walter J. Spielberger (1993). For more information, see the TMP FAQ. The Panzer IV A was powered by a 230 hp (172 kW), 12-cylinder Maybach HL 108 TR engine, giving a top speed of 30 km/h and a range of 150 km.