Brummbär Self Propelled Guns:
As early as June 9, 1941, in a memo, a need of a 150 mm gun to be carried for infantry support was indicated.
On October 20, 1942, Hitler saw Alkett's plans and wanted 40-60 to be built as soon as possible. On February 7, 1943, it was decided that the first 40 were to be completed by May 12, 1943, with another 20 to be finished after that. Prototypes first appeared in 1943. The chassis was produced by Nibelungen, superstructure by Bismarckhütte, and assembled by Deutsche Eisenwerke of Duisburg.
The Sturmhaubitze 43 howitzer was a specially developed to go in a ball mount. Range of 6,400 meters. Late models installed a ball mounted MG in the hull. The commander sat towards the rear and used a roof mounted periscope to see. The driver sat on the left side. The first series had a sliding shutter visor for the driver. Later models had a periscope and a StuH 43/1 was installed. From April 1944 on it had a ball mounted MG in the left had corner of the superstructure and a cupola for the commander.
The last vehicles were produced on the PzKpfw IV Ausf J chassis with a redesigned superstructure and had a MG installed in the top right of the superstructure.5
The 150 mm gun could fire a 83.8 lb HE shell 4,675 yards at a muzzle velocity of 787'/sec.6
First saw action at Kursk with the Sturmpanzerabteilung 216. These also saw action near Zaparozhye up to October 1943. Three more Sturmpanzer detachments were formed during the war (217, 218, and 219). Most were used in support of Panzergrenadier and infantry units. They were used in the front waves of infantry destroying strong points. Also saw action in Italy and France.
The were deployed in company sized units.5 They saw action at Kursk.5
| Brummbär | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, gunner, loaders(2) 51,2,3,5,6 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 60,800 lb, 62,170 lb3 28,200 kg1,3 27.75 tons1, 28.2 tons2,4, 28.3 tons5, 30.4 tons6 |
| Length w/gun | 19'6, 19' 4"5, 19' 5.5"1,3 5.89 m5, 5.93 m1,2,3,4 |
| Length w/o gun | 19' 4"5 5.89 m5 |
| Height | 8'6, 8' 2", 8' 3.2"1,3, 11' 4"5 2.49 m, 2.52 m1,2,3,4, 3.45 m5 |
| Width | 9.4'6, 9' 8", 9' 5.4"1,3, 12' 3"5 2.88 m1,3,4, 2, 3.1 m, 3.73 m5 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | 15.8"6 40 cm |
| Ground contact length | 138.5"6 3.52 m |
| Ground pressure | 13.9 psi6 1 kg/cm2 |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 15cm StuH 43
L/122,5,6 150 mm1 150 mm sIG 33 L/123 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 7.92 mm MG34, coaxial,
internal 7.92 mm MG34, hull5 2: 7.92 mm MG1 2: 7.92 mm MG342, (only 1 in early production)2 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 365, 382,4,6 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 6002,5 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 1001,3 Front: 3.9"6, 1004 Side: 2"6, 504 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 101@38°, 100@40°2, 80@78°5 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 95@15°, 80@12°2, 50+50@75°5 |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 50@18°, 50@15°2, 20+20@90°5 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 30@0°2 |
| Hull Rear | 30@25°+0° & 20@10°2, 20@80-82°5 |
| Hull Top | 22@82°, 20@83° + 10@90°2 |
| Hull Bottom | 10@90°2 |
| Superstructure Front | 100@50°5 |
| Superstructure Sides | 20-60@65-88°5 |
| Superstructure Rear | 30@64-90°5 |
| Superstructure Top | 20@6°5 |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Maybach HL120TRM1,2,5,6 Maybach HL120TRM1122 Maybach3 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | Water6 |
| Cylinders | V-123,5,6 |
| Capacity | |
| Net HP | 2653, 3004,5 300@3,000 rpm6 |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | 6.5:16 |
| Transmission (Type) | ZF SSG 76 6 forward, 1 reverse2,6 Synchromesh6 |
| Steering | Clutch brake6 |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | Electric and inertia6 |
| Electrical system | Starting: 24-volt6 Running: 12-volt6 |
| Ignition | Magneto6 |
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline3,6 |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | 103 gallons5, 125 gallons6 470 liters5 |
| Road consumption | 1 mpg6 100 km/225 liters |
| Cross country consumption | 0.6 mpg6 |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 8° each way 10° left, 10° right.2,4 ±20°6 |
| Max speed | 25 mph5,6, 24.85 mph3, 24.9 mph1 40 kph1,2,3,4,5 |
| Cross country speed | 10 mph6, 15 mph5 24 kph5 |
| Road radius | 124 miles6, 130 miles3, 130.5 miles1, 131 miles5 210 km1,2,3,5 |
| Cross country radius | 78 miles6, 81 miles5 130 km5 |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | -8° to + 30°6 -5° to +30°2 -7° to +20°4 |
| Fording depth | 3' 3"3,6 0.9 m3 |
| Trench crossing | 7.6'6, 9' 2.2 m |
| Vertical obstacle | 23.6"6, 2' 6" 60 cm |
| Climbing ability | 30° (57%) slope6 |
| Suspension (Type) | Sprung in pairs on 1/4 elliptic springs6 |
| Wheels each side | 86, 8x2 |
| Return rollers each side | 46, 4x2 |
| Tracks (Type) | Dry pin6 |
| Length | |
| Width | 15.75"6 40 cm |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | 4.75"6 |
| Tire tread | |
| Track centers/tread | 8.1'6 2.46 m |
| Production | Deutsche Eisenwerke2 Chassis #s: 80801-84400, 86601-87100, 89101-.2 4/1943-3/1945: 2981,2, 3065 converted from PzKpfw IV: 82 Chassis: Krupp6 Superstructure: Alkett6 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
| Want to learn about a new vehicle? Select the random picture to learn about the vehicle. |
