| Panzerkampfwagen III |
 PzKpfw III Ausf L | | Type | Medium tank | | Place of origin |
Nazi Germany | | Service history | | In service | 1939 - 1945 | | Used by |
Nazi Germany
Romania
Hungary
Bulgaria
Turkey
Norway | | Wars | World War II | | Production history | | Designer | Army Weapons Department | | Designed | 1935 | | Produced | 1939 - 1943 | | Number built | 5,774 (excluding StuG III) | | Specifications | | Weight | 22 tonnes | | Length | 5.52 m | | Width | 2.9 m | | Height | 2.5 m | | Crew | 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver and radio operator) |
| | Armor | 5 - 70 mm | Primary armament | 1× 3.7 cm KwK 36 Ausf. A-F 1x 5 cm KwK 38 Ausf. F-J 1x 5 cm KwK 39 Ausf. J/1-M 1x 7.5 cm KwK 37 Ausf. N | Secondary armament | 2× 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 | | Engine | 12-cylinder Maybach petrol 265 hp (197 kW) | | Power/weight | 12 hp/tonne | | Suspension | torsion bar | Operational range | 155 km | | Speed | 40 km/h (road) 19 km/h (off-road | Panzer III is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III (abbreviated PzKpfw III). It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside the infantry-support Panzer IV. However, it soon became obsolete in this role and for most purposes was supplanted by up-gunned Panzer IVs, though some Panzer IIIs would continue to be used for infantry support until late in the war. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...
This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ...
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ...
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...
File links The following pages link to this file: Axis Powers Flag of Romania Categories: Flag images ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Hungary_1940. ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria_(1878-1944). ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Turkey. ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ...
The 3. ...
The 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
The 7. ...
The 8 mm Mauser cartridge next to a United States 5 cent coin. ...
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, was a German machine gun that was first produced and accepted for service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. ...
Tank classification can be done either by weight or by role. ...
Face The 1930s (years from 1930â1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ...
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, protected by armour and armed with weapons. ...
Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ...
Development history
On January 11, 1934, following specifications laid down by Heinz Guderian, the Army Weapons Department drew up plans for a medium tank with a maximum weight of 24,000 kg and a top speed of 35 km/h. It was intended as the main tank of the German Panzer divisions, capable of engaging and destroying opposing tank forces. is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian (17 June 1888 â 14 May 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German Army during the Second World War. ...
Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall all produced prototypes. Testing of the prototypes took place in 1936 and 1937, leading to the Daimler-Benz design being chosen for production. The first Panzer III A came off the assembly line in May of 1937, and a total of ten, two of which were unarmed, were produced in 1937. Mass production of the tank, then in model III F, began in 1939. Daimler-Benz AG was founded on May 1, 1924 by the merger of Benz & Cie. ...
For the U.S. town, see Krupp, Washington. ...
MAN AG (formerly called Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG, ISIN: DE0005937007) is a German transportation company. ...
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defense company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and UnterlüÃ. It has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces. ...
1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Between 1937 and 1940, attempts were made to standardize parts between Krupp's Panzer IV and Daimler-Benz's Panzer III. Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
For the U.S. town, see Krupp, Washington. ...
Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ...
Much of the early development work on the Panzer III was a quest for a suitable suspension. Several varieties of leaf-spring suspensions were tried on Ausf A through D before the torsion-bar suspension of the Ausf E was standardized. The Panzer III, along with the Soviet KV heavy tank, was one of the first tanks to use this suspension design. Torsion beam suspension, also known as a torsion bar or torsion spring suspension, is a vehicle suspension system. ...
The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks were a series of Soviet heavy tanks, named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov. ...
The Panzer III was intended as the main battle tank of the German forces. It outclassed most of the tanks of the time However, when it initially met the Soviet KV and T-34 tank designs it proved to be inferior. To meet the growing need to counter the T-34 the Panzer III was upgunned with the 50mm KwK 39 L/60 and received more armor which made it a very formidable opponent for the T-34. This still failed to address the problem caused by the KV tanks though, so in 1942, several self propelled guns as well as the longer barreled 75mm Kwk 40 L/43 Panzer IV Ausf F2 and the Panzer IV Ausf G were developed and produced. The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank first produced in 1940. ...
In 1942, the Ausf N model of the Panzer III was created with an L/24 75 mm gun, a low-velocity gun designed for anti-infantry and close-support work. For defensive purposes however, it did carry a few rounds of hollow charge ammunition which could penetrate 70-100mm of armor depending on the round's variant but these were strictly used for self-defensive purposes.
Armor The Panzer III A through C had 15 mm of slightly sloped homogeneous steel armor on all sides, with 10 mm on the top and 5 mm on the bottom. This was quickly determined to be insufficient, and was upgraded to 30 mm in the D, E, F, and G models, with the H model having a second 30 mm layer of face-hardened steel applied to the front and rear hull. The J model had a solid 50 mm plate on the front and rear, while the late J, L, M, models had an additional layer of 20 mm of armor on the front hull. This additional frontal armor meant the Panzer III during 1941 and 1942 was impervious to most British and Russian anti-tank guns at all but close ranges when shot at from the front. The sides were still vulnerable to many enemy weapons including anti-tank rifles. RHA stands for Rolled Homogeneous Armour. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
The unusually heavy rear armor of the Panzer III was a weight penalty that was not commensurate with its combat value. Although several tanks of the early war period had heavy rear armor, in general the design trend during the war was to thin the side and rear armor as much as possible, concentrating heavy armor in the frontal quadrant. For example, the Panther tank had very heavy frontal armor but thin side and rear armor. The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ...
Armament The Panzer III was intended to fight other tanks and a high-velocity 5 cm gun was initially called for. But the infantry were being equipped with the 3.7 cm anti-tank gun, and it was felt that in the interest of standardisation the tanks should carry the same. As a compromise, the turret ring was made large enough to accommodate a 50 mm gun should a future upgrade be required. This single decision would later assure the Panzer III a much prolonged life in the German army. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x647, 104 KB) Summary A Panzer III during the North African campaign of World War II. Note the spare treads on the front. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x647, 104 KB) Summary A Panzer III during the North African campaign of World War II. Note the spare treads on the front. ...
During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ...
Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...
The early models (Ausf A to Ausf E, and a few Ausf F) were equipped with a short barrelled 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5 which proved somewhat satisfactory during the campaigns of 1939 and 1940 but later models (Ausf F to Ausf M) were upgraded with the heavier 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 and 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 guns in response to increasingly better armed and armoured opponents. The 3. ...
Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
By 1942, it was decided to change the Panzer IV into Germany's main medium tank because of its impressive fire power and its stablemate the Panzer III was to continue production as a support vehicle. The Ausf N model mounted a low-velocity 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun - the same gun used by the early models of the Panzer IV. This tank was used for infantry support as a replacement for the StuG III assault gun, which was by then mainly used as tank destroyer. The 7. ...
Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ...
StuG III Ausf G The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was one of Germanys most produced AFVs during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually...
German StuG III with high-velocity 75 mm gun, 1943 An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions. ...
A self-propelled anti-tank gun, or tank destroyer, is a type of armoured fighting vehicle. ...
All early models up to and including the Ausf F had two 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 machine guns mounted coaxially with the main gun, and a 7.92 mm MG34 in the hull. Models from the ausf G and later had a single coaxial MG34 and the hull MG34. The 8 mm Mauser cartridge next to a United States 5 cent coin. ...
The Maschinengewehr 34, or MG 34, was a German machine gun that was first produced and accepted for service in 1934, and first issued to units in 1935. ...
A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ...
Mobility The Panzer III models A through C were powered by a 230 hp, 12-cylinder Maybach HL 108 TR engine, giving a top speed of 32 km/h (20 mph) and a range of 150 km (95 mi). All later models were powered by the 320 hp, 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM engine. Top speed varied among models, depending on the transmission, armor, and gun, but was around 40 km/h (25 mph). The range was generally around 150 km (95 mi). Several Maybach 57 and 62 models at the 2005 Concours dElegance in Pebble Beach, CA. Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH (IPA: ), founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl, was a German manufacturer of engines for Zeppelins and later, large and luxurious automobiles. ...
Combat usage The Panzer III was used in the campaigns against Poland, France, the Soviet Union and in North Africa. Some were still in use in Normandy and Arnhem in 1944. During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ...
During World War II, the Western Front was the theater of fighting west of Germany, encompassing France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemberg, and Denmark. ...
Arnhem ( ) (South Guelderish: Ãrnem) is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands, and capital of province Gelderland. ...
1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...
In the Polish and French campaigns, the Panzer III formed a small part of the German armored forces. Only a few hundred ausf A through F were available in these campaigns, most armed with the 37 mm gun. They were the best medium tank available to the Germans and outclassed most of their opponents such as the Polish 7TP, French R-35 and H-35 light tanks. The 7TP was the Polish light tank of the Second World War. ...
The R 35, short for Char léger Modèle 1935 R or Renault R35 was a French light infantry tank of the Second World War. ...
Char léger modèle 1935 H modifié 39 in Israel The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French light tank developed prior to WWII. // Development In 1926 it had been decided to provide armour support to the regular infantry divisions by creating autonomous...
By the time of the German invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), the Panzer III was numerically the most important German tank. By this time the majority of the available tanks (including re-armed ausf E and F, plus new ausf G and H models) had the L/42 50 mm gun. The tanks used in North Africa also had the 50 mm L/42. The Panzer III was initially outclassed by the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks in 1941 before the upgrade to the longer 50mm gun. However, most of the Soviet tank units were mainly composed of the much lighter-armed and armored such as the T-26 and BT tanks. This, along with superior German tactical skill[citation needed], crew training, and the good ergonomics of the Panzer III all contributed to a rough 6:1 favorable kill ratio for German tanks of all types in 1941[citation needed]. Combatants Germany, Romania, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb Fedor von Bock Gerd von Rundstedt Heinz Guderian Günther von Kluge Franz Halder Maresal Ion Antonescu C.G.E. Mannerheim Giovanni Messe, CSIR Italo Gariboldi, ARMIR Joseph Stalin Kliment Voroshilov Semyon Timoshenko Fyodor...
The T-34 is a Soviet medium tank first produced in 1940. ...
KV, kV, or kv may refer to: kilovolts, see volt Komi language ((ISO 639 alpha-2) Köchel Verzeichnis, a chronological catalogue of all the compositions of Mozart: see Ludwig von Köchel KV (Egypt), an acronym referring to tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt the IATA...
General characteristics Length: 4. ...
The Fast Tank (Russian: ), was a series of Soviet cavalry tanks which were produced in large numbers between 1932 and 1941. ...
With the appearance of the T-34, rearming the Panzer III with a more powerful L/60 50 mm gun was prioritized. The ausf J and L versions had this longer gun, thicker armor, and some simplified features. These versions were available throughout 1942 and into 1943. In addition, to counter Soviet antitank rifles as well as Hollow charge attacks, in 1943 the ausf M version began the use of spaced armor skirts ("schurzen") around the turret and on the hull sides. By then, however, the Panzer III was beginning to be relegated to secondary roles, and it was replaced as the main German medium tank by the Panzer IV and Panther. The final version, ausf N, mounted a short 75 mm howitzer for use in Infantry support. Panzer IV is the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the late 1930s by Nazi Germany and used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen IV (abbreviated PzKpfw IV) and the tank also had the ordnance inventory designation SdKfz 161. ...
The Panther ( ) was a tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. ...
The Panzer III was well-designed in that it had a three-man turret crew (gunner, loader and commander), leaving the commander free to concentrate on commanding the tank and maintaining situational awareness. Although other medium tanks of the time also had this feature, most tanks of the late 1930s had fewer than three men in the turret crew. These other tanks, which may look impressive on paper, lacked this key element of "fightability". The French Somua S-35 was a classic example of a tank that appeared to be the equal of the Panzer III on paper, with a good gun and strong armor, but with its one-man turret crew it was hopelessly outclassed by the Panzer III. The Somua S-35 was a French cavalry tank of the Second World War. ...
The Panzer III chassis was the basis for the Sturmgeschutz III assault gun, probably the most important German self-propelled gun of the war. StuG III Ausf G The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was one of Germanys most produced AFVs during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually...
Variants - Panzer III Ausf A, B, C, D - pre-production models in 1937-1938. 75 produced.
- Panzer III Ausf E, F - Production models 1939-1940. Armed with 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5 (later 5 cm KwK 38 L/42) guns. 531 produced.
- Panzer III Ausf G - More armour on gun mantlet. Armed with 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 gun. 600 produced in 1940-1941.
- Panzer III Ausf H - Minor modifications. Bolt-on armor added to front hull (30 mm + 30 mm plates). 308 produced in 1940-1941.
- Panzer III Ausf J - The hull was lengthened. Front armor modified again (50 mm single plate). 482 produced in 1941
- Panzer III Ausf J/1 - longer/more effective 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. 1067 produced in late 1941 to mid 1942.
- Panzer III Ausf L - Uparmored to 50 mm + 20 mm plates. 653 produced in 1942.
- Panzer III Ausf M - Minor modifications such as deep-wading exhaust and schurzen; 250 produced in 1942-1943.
- Panzer III Ausf N - Armed with a 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun. 700 re-equipped J/L/M models in 1942-1943.
Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The 3. ...
The 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ...
The 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 38 L/42) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
For the movie, see 1941 (film). ...
The 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 (5 cm Kampfwagenkanone 39 L/60) was a German 5 cm cannon used primarily as the chief weapon of variants of the German medium tank the SdKfz. ...
Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
The 7. ...
Designs based on chassis - Tauchpanzer III - Some tanks were converted to "diving tanks" for Operation Sealion.
- Panzerbefehlswagen III - Command tank. Heavier armor, dummy gun, and long-range radios.
- Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III - Forward artillery observer tank. 262 produced.
- Flammpanzer III Ausf M/Panzer III (F1) - Flamethrower tank. 100 converted from existing Panzer III M.
- Bergepanzer III - In 1944 some Panzer IIIs were converted to armoured recovery vehicles.
- Sturmgeschütz III - Assault gun with 75 mm StuK.
The Soviet SU-76i self-propelled gun was based on captured German Pz Kpfw III and StuG III chassis. About 1,200 of these vehicles were converted for Red Army service by adding an enclosed superstructure and ZiS-5 76.2 mm gun. Operation Sealion (Unternehmen (Undertaking) Seelöwe in German) was a World War II German plan to invade the United Kingdom. ...
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Nazi Germanys most produced armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III tank. ...
German StuG III with high-velocity 75 mm gun, 1943 An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions. ...
Soviet redirects here. ...
The SU-76 (Samokhodnaja Ustanovka 76) was a Soviet self-propelled gun used during World War II. // History The SU-76 was based on a lengthened version of the T-70 tank chassis. ...
StuG III Ausf G The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was one of Germanys most produced AFVs during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually...
For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ...
The F-34 76. ...
See also Categories: World War II tanks ...
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Panzerkampfwagen III - AFV Database
- Surviving Panzer III tanks - A PDF file presenting the Panzer III tanks (PzKpfw. III, Flammpanzer III, StuIG33B, SU-76i, Panzerbeobachtungswagen III tanks) still existing in the world
Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
References - Germany's Panzerkampfwagen III, SdKfz 141. World War II Vehicles. Retrieved on June 10, 2004.
- PzKpfw III. Achtung Panzer!. Retrieved on June 12, 2007.
- Pz. Kpfw.III. Panzerworld. Retrieved on April 19, 2005.
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