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Germany's Panzerkampfwagen III, (PzKpfw III) SdKfz 141^13,14:

PzKpfw III destroyed in North Africa: United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record, The War Against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and Adjacent Areas, 1951, pg 54	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:
PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III in North Africa
PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:
PzKpfw III:	PzKpfw III:	Tauchpanzer III of the 18th Panzer Division crossing the river Bug on June 22, 1941	Munitionspanzer auf Fahrgestell:

Design

In 1935 contracts were issued by the Germany Army Weapons Department for prototypes of 2 main battle tanks.^7,13 One would have a high velocity gun for battling tanks and the other carrying a large caliber gun to support it by firing HE ammunition. Guderian intended for this model to be the primary tank of the Panzer divisions. It was to be 15,000 kg, but this was later modified to 24,000 kg, which was the limit for many German bridges.

The Mechanized Troops Inspectorate wanted a 50 mm main gun but the Ordnance Department felt that the standard 37 mm infantry gun was sufficient and would ease supply.^8,12,14 A large turret ring was kept so that the tank could later have a larger gun installed.^12,13 By 1938 the Ordnance Department decided to ask Krupp to develop a turret to install the 50 mm into.⁸

To conceal the development of the vehicle it was called the Zugführerwage (ZW, platoon commander's vehicle).^7,14

The hull was divided into 4 prefabricated welded assemblies: hull, front & rear superstructure, and turret. The hull had three sub-assemblies: main hull, front superstructure carrying the turret, rear superstructure with the engine.⁸ These sections were welded, and then all the sections were bolted together.⁸ A bulkhead divided the hull section, with the front having the gearbox and steering.⁸ The hull machine gun was operated by the radio operator and was mounted in the front plate of the superstructure.⁸ Escape doors were mounted centrally on both sides of the hull, which was later eliminated in the last two models.⁸ The main hull also had doors that gave access to the brake mechanism and allowed for escape of the crew.⁸

The turret, which was welded, didn't have a rotating platform.⁸ The commander's and gunner's seats were suspended from the turret and rotated with it.⁸ There were large hinged doors on the turret sides.⁸ The turret also mounted two coaxial 7.92 mm machine guns in models PzKpfw III Ausf A through PzKpfw III Ausf E and one MG for the rest.⁸

Commander had cupola that allowed all round view and could communicate via throat microphone. He had a central raised seat between the gunner and loader. The driver, radio operator, and commander were connected to the external radio.

Prototype

Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall-Borsig created prototypes to the specifications.^7,13,14 Krupp designed a vehicle with a leaf spring and bogie wheel suspension based on it's experience with locomotive production.⁸ Daimler-Benz favored torsion bar springs due to it's experience with automobiles.⁸

In 1936 the first prototypes appeared and were tested at Kummersdorf and Ulm.⁷ Daimler-Benz model was selected by the Heereswaffenamt.⁷ In September 1939 it was adopted for mass production.

Ten pre-production, 1/ZW, vehicles were completed in 1936.⁷

Production

• Manufacturers:
  • Altmärkische Kettenfabrik GmbH (ALKETT)¹⁰
  • Daimler-Benz AG (Berlin-Marienfelde)¹⁰
  • Fahrzeug-und Motorenbau GmbH (FAMO, Breslau)¹⁰
  • Henschel & Sohn AG (Mittelfeld-Kassel, No. 111 plant)¹⁰
  • Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (Nürnberg)¹⁰
  • Mühlenbau-und Industrie AG (MIAG) (Amme Braunschweig)¹⁰
  • Waggonfabrik Wegmann AG (Kassel)¹⁰
  • Maschinenfabrik Niedersachsen-Hannover (MNH) (Hannover-Linden)¹⁰

Variants

• PzKpfw III Ausf A: The PzKpfw III Ausf A had large road wheels with a coil spring suspension.¹⁴ The main armament had an internal mantlet.¹⁴ The suspension was the PzKpfw III Ausf A's weakness.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf B: The PzKpfw III Ausf B had smaller road wheels and a new suspension.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf C: The PzKpfw III Ausf C's suspension was also revised.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf D: There was an increase in armor and a new cupola.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf E: The suspension problems were fixed in the PzKpfw III Ausf E with its torsion bar suspension.¹⁴ The engine output was increased.¹⁴ The mantlet was moved to the outside of the turret.¹⁴ Later production models had a 5 cm gun.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf F: The Ausf F carried either a 37 mm or a 5 cm KwK 39 L/42 gun.¹⁴ A storage bin was added to the rear of the turret.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf G: The commander's cupola was modified.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf G (Tp): Some models were tropicalized for use in North Africa.¹⁴ Filters were added to the engines.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf H: Had wider tracks installed.¹⁴ The armor was made thicker.¹⁴ The drive transmission was improved.¹⁴ Some had the 5 cm L/60 installed.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf J: Thicker and spaced armor.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf J/1: The main armament was the 5 cm L/60.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf K: Did not see service.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf L: The 5 cm L/60 was standard armament.¹⁴ Spaced armor was added for additional protection.¹⁴ A few were sent to North Africa.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf M: Modifications made to simplify production.¹⁴
• PzKpfw III Ausf N:
• Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf N als Schienen-Ketten Fahrzeug SK1: 2 or 3 prototypes were produced during late 1942 and early 1943. The suspension was altered to allow railway bogie wheels to be mounted on the belly to allow travel on railroad tracks. These wheels could be retracted. Modified to allow for railway wheels to be used on rail lines.³ Prototypes could go 100 kph.³ The wheels could be retracted into hull to allow for normal cross country movement.³
• Bergepanzerwagen III: Did not have a turret and was used as an armored recovery tank.¹⁴
• Minenräumpanzer III: Had extended and raised suspension system for destroying mines.³
• Munitionspanzer auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III: In May 1943 several PzKpfw III Ausf E, PzKpfw III Ausf F, and PzKpfw III Ausf Gs had turrets removed and converted into ammunition carriers for Tiger units.
• PzKpfw III Flammpanzer III (SdKfz 141/3): Some Ausf H and Ausf M tanks had a flame thrower installed in place of their main armament.¹⁴
• Panzerbefehlswagen III (SdKfz 266, SdKfz 267, and SdKfz 268)¹⁴: Command conversions.¹⁴ Additional radios and aerials.¹⁴
• Panzerbeobachtungswagen III (SdKfz 143)¹⁴: Manufactured in 1941 to be a artillery observation tank.¹⁴ The gun in the turret was a dummy barrel offset to allow for a machine gun to fire through the mantlet.¹⁴ Additional radios and observation equipment was installed.¹⁴
• Panzerkampfwagen III Famo Suspension: Prototype produced in 1942 with interleaved road wheels.⁴
• Panzerkampfwagen III mit Schachtellaufwerk: Prototype to use large interleaved roadwheels.³
• Pionierpanzerwagen auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfawagen III: PzKpfw III Ausf L and PzKpfw III Ausf M had turrets removed and a wooden cargo area was made. On each side of the chassis a Pionierbruecken (bridge) piece was placed.
• Schlepper III¹⁴: Turrets replaced by a wooden platform.¹⁴ Used for transporting supplies.¹⁴
• Tauchpanzer III, PzKpfw III (Tauchfähig)¹⁴: "Diving tank." 168 PzKpfw III Ausf F, PzKpfw III Ausf G, PzKpfw III Ausf H, and PzBefWg III Ausf Es were converted from June to October 1940 for Operation Seeloewe (Sealion, invasion of Britain) by the 18th Panzer Regiment of the 18th Panzer Division. The air intakes were closed by rubber seals and the exhausts had non-return valves installed. An inflatable rubber seal was placed around turret ring. The hull MG and commander's cupola had rubber covers installed. There was a pump that removed excess water that got inside tank. When under water it would get air from a 59'⁷/18 m⁷ long and 8" diameter hose which was attached to a float that on later models had a radio antenna. It could operate to a depth of 49'⁷/15 m⁷ for around 20 minutes. Explosive charges were installed to the seals to be set off to remove the seals when tank reached dry land. A command vessel would communicate to the submerged tank via the radio to guide it.
  In August 1940 the first prototypes were tested. A landing test was done in late 1940 with a crane ship called "Viper" and the small freighter "Hans Herbert". They were fitted with ramps to allow the tanks into the water.
  Four sections of volunteers from existing regiments were trained on the Island of Sylt.
  After the cancellation of Seeloewe the Tauchpanzers were moved to training areas in early 1941. Tanks were modified by having an 11' long and 3" diameter steel snorkel installed over the commander's cupola which replaced the flexible tube. In April 1941 all Tauchpanzers of Panzer Regiment 18 were sent to Eberswalde and diving exercises were carried out at Werbelliner Lake.
  Used in crossing River Bug on June 22, 1941 by Panzer Regiment 18.⁷ After this the tanks were used by both the 6th and 18th Panzer Divisions.
  Four Tauchpanzer-Abteilung (A to D) were formed.
• SiG 33 auf Fgst PzKpfw III: Twelve PzKpfw III Ausf Hs were converted in 1941.¹⁴ These had 15 cm sIG 33 gun.¹⁴ Used in Russia.¹⁴

Usage

Invasion of Poland

98 were available.⁷ 26 of those were lost in action.⁷

The Ausf B, C, and D versions were used.¹²

Invasion of France

349 were available.⁷

After campaign in France, Hitler ordered the up gunning to the 50 mm L/60. However, the army continued to fit the L/42 version to speed up production. After the invasion of Russia Hitler found out that his orders were not followed and immediately a L/60 version was designed (Ausf J/1). The L/60 had a muzzle velocity of 2,700 ft/sec with AP rounds and 3,835 ft/sec with PzGr (Panzergranate) 40 round.

Invasion of Russia

965 PzKpfw IIIs were deployed to fighting units out of a total of 3,332 tanks used in the opening days of Operation Barbarossa.⁷

On October 4, 1941, at Mtsensk (near Orel), the 4th Panzer Division established a bridgehead over the River Lisiza near Kamenewa when the Soviets attacked.⁷ Approximately 50 T-34s and KV-1s were waiting in a wood near Woin.⁷ This attack destroyed 10 PzKpfw IIIs and sent the 4th Panzer Division back across the river.⁷ All fire from the 50 mm L/42 guns bounced off the KV-1 armor.⁷

By October 1943, only 5 Panzer Divisions still had PzKpfw IIIs.⁷ By mid 1944 there were nearly no PzKpfw IIIs in front line units.⁷ There were still almost 700 in training and garrison units.⁷

The 12th Panzer Division did have nine on June 27, 1944, at the beginning of the Russian Operation Bagration.⁷

North Africa

The Afrika Korps was supplied with PzKpfw III Ausf J/1s in April 1942.⁷ These were the top tank in the theater.⁷ They were used in June 1942 at the Gazala battles.⁷ Soon, with the arrival of the American Sherman's these became outclassed.⁷

Battle of the Bulge

Bergepanzer IIIs and Panzerbefehlswagens were used during the operation, with one command tank being destroyed by allied aircraft.⁷

The End

By April 1, 1945, there were still 166 PzKpfw IIIs with German forces, and of those 50 were in Norway.⁷

Other Countries

Turkey received some Ausf Js in 1942. In North Africa some captured tanks were used by Free Polish Forces for training.

Sources:

1. 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
2. Panzer Truppen The Complete Guide to the Creation and Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1933-1942, Thomas L. Jentz, 1996
3. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
4. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
5. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
6. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
7. German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
8. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
9. Battle Winning Tanks, Aircraft & Warships of World War II, David Miller, 2000
10. AFV 2: Panzerkampfwagen III, Walter Spielberger
11. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
12. Panzers At War, Michael and Gladys Green, 2005
13. Tanks - Over 250 of the World's Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles, Chris Chant, 2004
14. Airfix Magazine Guide #8 German Tanks of World War 2, Terry Gande and Peter Chamberlain, 1975

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