Against the T-34 and the KV series, on the other hand, they could do little. Tropic). There were initially 40 Panzer IVs (only 10 were Ausf. Production of the first Panzer IV was carried out by Krupp-Grusonwerk from Magdeburg-Buckau. Each of these hatch doors had a small round port for the use of signal flares. While the gunner would operate the manual traverse of the turret, there was a larger hand crank that the loader could use. However, in December 1943, Krupp's factory was diverted to manufacture the Sturmgeschütz IV and, in the spring of 1944, the Vomag factory began production of the Jagdpanzer IV, leaving the Nibelungenwerk as the only plant still assembling the Panzer IV. In addition, the aforementioned Rheinmetall B.W. This sight had a magnification of 2.5 and a field view of 25°. In the following engagement, the British lost eight tanks and were forced to retreat. 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. The reason for this was the fact that each torsion bar had to be provided with a shock absorber. This would lead to the Panzer IV Ausf. At the rear of the turret, a commander’s cupola was placed. Based on this experience, the Panzer IV Ausf. This version introduced a new front drive sprocket design. 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. Originally, the ammunition load consisted of 140 rounds but was reduced to 122 rounds from December 1938 on in order to reduce weight. These vehicles were mostly used for crew training but also as replacement vehicles for active frontline units. Here are the chunks we worked on in weeks 45 to 48. Due to attrition, their numbers would dwindle during the war, but some would remain in service up to 1944. This turret ring was provided with ball bearings which would allow the turret to rotate freely. During the early testing with the Grosstraktor (held in Kazan in the Soviet Union), the Germans noted that the commander should not be involved in any duties beside his intended role, such as loading or firing the gun. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. This radio was mounted just above the transmission. The engine and the crew compartment were separated by a fire resistant and gas-tight armored firewall. While this suspension was tested, it was not adopted. I purchased the model online from the SBX Model Shop . For example, the 7th Panzer Division encountered the T-34 from the start of the Operation Barbarossa, during the crossroad near Alytus, a small town in Russia. While the Panzer IV Ausf. While not in combat, the loader could use a folding seat on the right side of the turret. G AAF's Ausf. It replaced the Panzer III as the most numerous German battle tank and fought alongside the later Panther, Tiger and Königstiger tanks until the end of the war. Panzer IV conceptual variants PzKpfw IV mit Schmalturm. Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf J in Finnish Tank Museum, Parola.Photo Balcer CC BY 2.5 . On a number of Panzer IV Ausf. Panzer IV Ausf H Korsun Pocket 1944 In 1941, an average of 39 tanks per month were built; this rose to 83 in 1942, 252 in 1943, and 300 in 1944. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV, T.L. The Panzer IV Ausf.A armor was designed primarily to provide protection from 7.92 mm armor piercing bullets usually fired from anti-tank rifles. Decals for four variants . A Panzer IV Ausf.A, Poland, 4th Company, 1st Abteilung, 1st Panzer Regiment, 1st Panzerdivision. 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. The armor plates were made using nickel-free homogeneous and rolled plates. It was an attempt to mount the Schmalturm “narrow-turret”, already under development for the Panther II project, on the chassis of a late model Panzer IV H. With the turret came a better gun. These vehicles were built in small numbers only and were used primarily for testing and gaining valuable experience in tank construction. Due to attrition and mechanical breakdowns, the number of operational Panzer IVs dropped down to only six vehicles by the beginning of October. For protection against infantry attack, the turret had two square shaped machine gun ports located on the rear curved armor plate. Military specialist Richard "The_Challenger" Cutland gives us the rundown of the Panzer IV, Germany's formidable medium tank. The turret design on the Ausf. This gun had a muzzle velocity of 325 m/s and proved to have satisfactory precision in combat operations and was even used to arm the early series of the StuG III vehicles. Your email address will not be published. Please don't call someone a Nazi unless they really are a Nazi. When this visor was closed (usually when in combat operations), the driver would then use the KFF binocular periscope to see through two small round ports located just above the visor port. In January of 1936, Krupp received orders for the production of the B.W. A for short) suffix to distinguish it from later models. The tracks used on the initial production Panzer IVs were 360 mm wide and were connected using pins. The steering mechanism used in the Panzer IV Ausf. In the case of an emergency, the crew could use the round escape hatch door located beneath the radio operator’s seat. In addition, sand filters were also added to prevent sand getting into the engine. The air was then sucked in by two large cooling fans which were driven by a ‘V’ shaped belt from the crankshaft. The Panzer IV Ausf. They proved to be extremely popular, and as a result more than 6000 Panthers were built for the German military. This rack contained five grenades which were activated with a wire system by the Panzer IV’s commander. Panzer IV and its Variants, Schiffer Publishing Ltd. A, an auxiliary DKW gasoline engine was provided to power the electric engine that was used to traverse the turret. E introduced some improvements by adding a new command cupola, increasing the armor protection and some other minor changes. When the operation began, the 9th Panzer Division still had 9 short barreled Panzer IVs, possibly some Ausf. E performed the same firing support role as the previous version. One was mounted in a ball mount in the hull and was operated by the radio operator. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Last updated 11/24/2004. The surviving Panzer IV Ausf. E would see action in the Balkans, Africa and more notably in Soviet Union. One wooden model and one soft steel vehicle were built, but no production orders were given and the design was rejected. Both vehicles were to be armed with the same 7.5 cm main gun and two machine guns. As expected they will release interior kit. This is, of course, an expansion on their other excellent Panzer IV series. In front of the radio operator’s position to the right of the front plate was a ball mount for a machine gun. G Page 1 Page 2 AAF's Ausf. H Krupp-Grusonwerk. Contact. The elevation of this gun went from –10° to +20° (–10° to 30° depending on the source). To provide sufficient working space and ammunition storage, it was wider than the hull. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. For the lower hull, the upper front armor plate was 10 mm thick at a 72° angle, and the lower plate was 14.5 mm placed at a 14° angle. 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. Panzer IV Ausf.E of the Afrika Korps, 15th Panzerdivision, Libya, the fall of 1941. Get all 4 Tank Encyclopedia Magazine issues for 25% off! The first chatter about Panzerfabrik re-producing a Panzer IV began in 2012. The next day, elements of the 9th Panzer Division were confronted by British Cruiser Mk II (A10) tanks. Inside the cupola of Munster's Ausf. For completely open vehicles, like a SdKfz 251/1, etc., everything visible inside would be painted the same as the exterior, except the gauges, seat covers, steering wheel, and various knobs. In any case, the initial use of the Begleitwagen designation was meant to hide the true purpose of this vehicle from the rest of the world, as the development of tanks was forbidden by the Treaty of Versailles. 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. The Year is 1944. A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books. "Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Panzer IV" Topic. A. Lüdeke (2007) Waffentechnik im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Parragon books. superstructure, main turret and smaller sub-turret. While they were used in Heavy companies in combat situations, the battalion commanders would often reallocate the Panzer IV to other companies. 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. The resulting design weighed 18 tons, with 13 to 20 mm of armor. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. The fate of the sub-turret variant is not clear but it is possible that it was never implemented on any Krupp prototype. All members in good standing are free to post here. 20. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This system was not very effective and was replaced with turret mounted smoke grenade launchers later in the war. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. During the Polish Campaign, the Germans noted that the enemy 37 mm guns could effectively destroy any tank that they had in their inventory, including the Panzer IV, without much trouble. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. While neither of these two vehicles would enter serial production, the B.W.I Kp would, with a number of improvements and modifications, be used as base for the future Panzer IV. Mid Prod. The Ausf. This was intended to be the “final form” of the Panzer IV. Base Colour: Dark Green (German Camo Dark Green 979) I hope this helps provide some inspiration when it comes to painting your Panzer IV … This simple innovation gave the Germans a huge tactical advantage in the earlier stages of the war. Crew Positions Inside the Panzer IV Crew responsibilities fell across five individuals made up of the tank commander, gunner and loader (positioned in the turret) and the driver and radio operator/bow gunner (in the forward hull). It was attached to the XIV Motorised Army Corps of Army Group South. It was an attempt to mount the Schmalturm “narrow-turret”, already under development for the Panther II project, on the chassis of a late model Panzer IV H. With the turret came a better gun. Doyle (1997) Panzer Tracts No.4 Panzerkampfwagen IV, T.L. In the centre of the first engraved reticle there was one large aiming triangle with smaller ones on both sides. The Panther was the third most-produced German armored fighting vehicle, after the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun/tank destroyer at 9,408 units, and the Panzer IV tank at 8,298 units. On the right side of the protruding driver plate, an observation hatch with no visor was placed. Panzer IV Ausf.E of the Afrika Korps, 15th Panzerdivision, Libya, the fall of 1941. The development of a support tank led to the Panzer IV Ausf. The chassis of the PzKpfw IV was used for other, more specialized vehicles including the StuG IV, Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, self-propelled antiaircraft gun systems of various types (including Wirbelwind with four 20-mm cannon and Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen with one 37-mm … Some of these included the almost complete use of welding for the armor, a different commander’s cupola, a modified superstructure, adding a stronger and larger 230 [email protected] 2600 rpm Maybach HL108 TR engine, changing the shape of the drive sprocket and idler, and several other more minor adjustments. IV H/J Features: Driver's visor; Chassis number: Radios in AAF's Pz. What were the colours of the interiors of German tanks of WWII? Previously, it was slightly to the back, with one part protruding from the turret rear. Illustration by Tank Encyclopedia’s own David Bocquelet. IV H/J Features: Ammo stowage: Driver's Visor in AAF's Pz. A had an internal gun mantlet which was not too effective. There was a selector lever which switched between these two systems depending on the needs. IV Research . The chassis numbers of these vehicles run from 80101 to 80135. There was an option for installing an anti-aircraft machine gun mount on the Panzer IV Ausf.A, but its use was discarded in early 1938 and it was never used in combat. Initially, this vehicle was to be armed with a 3.7 cm gun. 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. By the time of the German Invasion of the Soviet Union, the number of Panzer IVs was increased to 517 (or 531 depending on the source), with each Panzer Division receiving, on average, 30 vehicles. S.T. Prior to the German invasion of Poland, the general organization of a Panzer Division consisted of two regiments each having two Panzer Battalions. In the case of the Panzer IV, the situation was so critical that each Panzer Division could only be equipped with 24 (on average) such vehicles. On 12th April, the Germans engaged the Allied forces in Greece. The small road wheels were suspended by leaf-spring units. T. Anderson (2017) History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945. Its short barrel gun (despite primarily not being designed for it) still had enough firepower to pose a danger to most lightly armored tanks during the first half of World War II. A in November 1937, probably nobody realized that they had developed a vehicle what would become the mainstay of the German Panzerwaffe (Armoured Corps) well into the Second World War. Kpfw. One was to be developed to counter enemy tanks, named Z.W., ‘Zugführerwagen’ (platoon commander’s vehicle). A folding 2 m long antenna rod with its wooden protective rail was placed on the Panzer IV’s right superstructure side. The side armored plates were placed vertically and were curved inwards toward the front plate. Kpfw. The Panther was born out of a project started in 1938 to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks. To protect this vulnerable spot, an armored covering was added. One of the armored units allocated for this operation was the 9th Panzer Division, which had 20 Panzer IV’s. D version. 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. Before the war, the Panzer IV Ausf.A was used on military parades. The Krupp company was also involved in the initial steps of designing Panzers, but was also involved in designing and building the turret for the Rheinmetall Neubaufahrzeug. On 22nd June, this Division had 20 Panzer IVs in its inventory. Rheinmetall had been involved in the earlier Panzer development program and was, for unknown reasons, favored by Generalmajor Lutz. The superstructure was added atop the Panzer IV hull to provide sufficient protection for the crew members. The turret was traversed via an electric motor located on the left side of the turret. E vehicles. The Panzer IV commander (Kommandant) was positioned in the rear center of the turret. For aiming at the target, this gun sight had two engraved reticles. In addition, great attention would also be given to the development of an improved suspension system. Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. A saw action in Norway and also participated during the German offensive in the West in May 1940. This cooling system was designed to provide effective cooling in temperatures of up to +30° Celsius. to be built. The Panzer IV hull was divided into the rear engine compartment, the central crew compartment and the forward-mounted transmission and enclosed driving compartment. 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. According to military historian, K. Hjermstad, some 224 Ausf. Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. Inside the Cupola in AAF's Pz. If needed, there was a valve system that allowed the crew to use the fuel of each tank individually by closing the fuel supply from the other two. This vehicle would also receive the Ausführung (version or type) A (Ausf. Another advantage of this leaf spring suspension was the ease of field repair in case of a malfunction or combat damage. The last crew member was the radio operator (Funker), who was positioned on the front hull’s right side. Despite this, Rheinmetall received a contract in February 1935 for building the first prototype for the new B.W. From March 1941 onward, all Ausf. The ammunition load for the two MG 34’s was 3000 rounds. Each guy gets assigned a component and then stays on it until its done. Your email address will not be published. IV H/J Features: Radio: MG 34 Top View in AAF's Pz. Nevertheless, the Germans lost at least four Panzer IV, with at least one Ausf. Aug-Sep 1943 kit. Since this decision was taken too late, as the Panzer IV Ausf. 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). Purchasing The Model . The suspension consisted of eight small (470 x 75 x 660 mm) wheels placed on each side, suspended in pairs and placed on four bogie assemblies. The lower part of the hull had 10 different sizes of openings to allow easier maintenance for the crew. This arrangement was done so that the driveshaft did not interfere with the electrical supply system of the turret. The first was designed as a 17.2 ton tank with 20 mm of frontal and 14 mm of side armor. Before Durchbruchwagen I was completed, a request was issued for a heavier 30-tonne class vehicle with thicker armour; this was the Durchbruchwagen II, which would have had 50 mm (2 in) of frontal armour and … requirement. An unknown number of Panzer IV Ausf. This is, of course, an expansion on their other excellent Panzer IV series. Were advancing one part after the other. Notice the bolted armor. At the front, two drive sprockets (with 18-teeth) were placed, and on the reinforced back hull two idlers were positioned. Randy, Panzerfabrik. One of the main changes that was originally planned was to use 50 mm thick frontal armor, but this was not implemented by the time of production. For observing the surroundings, he was provided with a cupola. The Panzer IV’s engine cooling system consisted of two coupled radiators placed at a 25° angle. Following the harsh Russian winter and enemy counter offensive, the Division suffered losses. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. D. Doyle (2005). More than 160,000,000 players. Their tanks were used to stop numerous Soviet infantry and tank counter attacks. 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. While it was lightly armored, it had a five man crew, good mobility, solid firepower and, with modern tactics, showed that this concept had merit in the earlier years of the war. For this reason, there was no more need to disguise the true nature of these vehicles. 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. Kpfw. Each of the turret sides had observation vision ports and a one-piece hatch for the crew. Es would be modified to be used as submersible tanks (Tauchpanzer) for Operation Sealion. This offering from MiniArt, is one of their Panzer IV releases in 1/35thscale with interior. Beside these changes, nothing else was changed on the Panzer IV Ausf. Captured Panzer IV H in Soviet Service, 1944. The last requirement regarded the ammunition capacity, calling forth 140 rounds for the main gun and 3000 rounds for the machine guns. Luckily for the Germans, a nearby battery of 105 mm field howitzers helped defend their position while damaging many of the incoming Soviet tanks.