German tanks pz. Medium tank T-IV Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV, also Pz. IV), Sd.Kfz.161. Optical instruments, radio equipment and fire fighting devices

Pz Kpfw III (T-III)

Until the summer of 1943, the Germans divided theirs into light, medium and heavy armaments. Therefore, with approximately equal weight and armor thickness Pz. III was considered medium, and Pz. IV - heavy.
However, it was the tank Pz. III was destined to become one of the specific incarnations military doctrine fascist Germany. Not making up the majority in the Wehrmacht tank divisions either in the Polish (96 units) or in the French campaign (381 units), by the time of the attack on the USSR, it was already produced in significant quantities and was the main vehicle of the Panzerwaffe. Its history began simultaneously with other tanks. with which Germany entered World War II.
In 1934, the weapons service ground forces placed an order for combat vehicle with a 37-mm cannon, which received the designation ZW (Zugfuhrerwagen - company commander). from four firms. participating in the competition. only one - "Daimler-Benz" - received an order for the production of an experimental batch of 10 cars. In 1936, these tanks were transferred for military trials under the army designation PzKpfw III Ausf. A (or Pz. IIIA). They clearly bore the stamp of the influence of W. Christie's designs - five large-diameter road wheels.
The second experimental batch of 12 Model B units had a completely different undercarriage with 8 small road wheels, reminiscent of the Pz, IV. On the next 15 experimental Ausf C tanks, the undercarriage was similar, but the suspension was noticeably improved. It should be emphasized that all other combat characteristics on the mentioned modifications remained basically unchanged.
This cannot be said about the tanks of the D series (50 units), the frontal and side armor of which was increased to 30 mm, while the mass of the tank reached 19.5 tons, and the specific increased from 0.77 to 0.96 kg/cm2.
In 1938, the factories of three companies at once - Daimler-Benz, "" and MAN - began production of the first mass modification of the "troika" - Ausf. E. 96 tanks of this model received a chassis with six rubber-coated road wheels and a torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers. which has not been significantly changed since then. The combat weight of the tank was 19.5 tons. The crew consisted of 5 people. This is the number of crew members, starting with the PzKpfw III. became standard on all subsequent German medium and heavy tanks. Thus, already from the mid-30s, the Germans achieved functional separation duties of crew members. Their opponents came to this much later - only by 1943-1944.
The PzKpfw III E was armed with a 37 mm cannon with a barrel length of 46.5 calibers and three MG 34 machine guns (131 rounds and 4500 rounds). 12-cylinder carburetor "Maybach" HL 120TR with a capacity of 300 hp. at 3000 rpm allowed the tank to develop top speed on the highway 40 km/h; the cruising range at the same time was 165 km on the highway and 95 km - when driving over rough terrain.
The layout of the tank was traditional for the Germans - with a front-mounted transmission, which reduced the length and increased the height of the vehicle, simplified the design of control drives and their maintenance. In addition, prerequisites were created for increasing the dimensions fighting compartment.
Characteristic for the hull of this tank, as. however, for all German tanks of that period, there was an equal strength of armor plates on all main planes and an abundance of hatches. Until the summer of 1943, the Germans preferred the convenience of access to the units to the strength of the hull.
Deserves a positive assessment, which was characterized by a large number of gears in the gearbox with a small number of gears: one gear per gear. The rigidity of the box, in addition to the ribs in the crankcase, was provided by a "shaftless" gear mounting system. In order to facilitate control and increase the average speed of movement, equalizers and servo mechanisms were used.
The width of the tracks - 360 mm - was chosen based mainly on the conditions of traffic on the roads, while off-road patency was significantly limited. However, in the conditions of the Western European theater of operations, off-road still had to be looked for.
The PzKpfw III medium tank was the first truly battle tank of the Wehrmacht. It was developed as a vehicle for platoon commanders, but from 1940 to early 1943 it was the main medium tank of the German army. PzKpfw III different modifications were produced from 1936 to 1943 by Daimler-Benz, Henschel, MAN, Alkett, Krupp, FAMO, Wegmann, MNH and MIAG.
Germany entered World War II, having in service, in addition to light tanks PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II, medium tanks PzKpfw III versions A, B, C, D and E (see the chapter "Tanks of the interwar period. 1918-1939", section " Germany").
Between October 1939 and July 1940, FAMO, Daimler-Benz, Henschel, MAN and Alkett produced 435 PzKpfw III Ausf. F, which slightly differed from the previous modification E. The tanks received armored protection for the air intakes of the brake system and control system, access hatches to the mechanisms of the control system were made of two parts, the base of the turret was covered by special protection so that the turret would not jam when a projectile hit. Additional marker lights were installed on the wings. Three running lamps of the Notek type were located on the front of the hull and the left wing of the tank.
PzKpfw III Ausf. F were armed with a 37 mm cannon with a so-called internal mantlet, and 100 vehicles of the same version were armed with a 50 mm cannon with an external mantlet. 50 mm guns were built as early as June 1940.
Production of tanks of the G version began in April - May 1940, and by February 1941, 600 tanks of this type entered the tank units of the Wehrmacht. The initial order was 1250 vehicles, but after the capture of Czechoslovakia, when the Germans put into operation many Czechoslovak LT-38 tanks, received the designation PzKpfw 38 (t) in the German army, the order was reduced to 800 vehicles.
On the PzKpfw III Ausf. G rear armor thickness increased to 30 mm. The observation slot of the driver began to be closed by an armored flap. On the roof of the tower appeared electric in a protective casing.
The tanks were supposed to be armed with a 37 mm gun, but most of the vehicles left the assembly shops with a 50 mm KwK 39 L / 42 gun, developed by Krupp in 1938. At the same time, the re-equipment of previously released tanks of models E and F with a new artillery system began. The new gun consisted of 99 shots, 3750 rounds were intended for two MG 34 machine guns. After rearmament, the weight of the tank increased to 20.3 tons.
The location of the boxes with spare parts and tools on the fenders has changed. On the roof of the tower there was a hole for launching signal rockets. An additional box for equipment was often attached to the rear wall of the tower. jokingly called "Rommel's chest".
Tanks of a later production were equipped with a new type of commander's cupola, which was also installed on the PzKpfw IV and was equipped with five periscopes.
Tropicalized tanks were also built. They were designated PzKpfw III Ausf. G (trop) and featured an improved cooling system and air filters. Such machines were produced 54 units.
Version G tanks entered service with the Wehrmacht during the French campaign.
In October 1940, the company MAN, Alkett. Henschel, Wegmann, MNH and MIAG launched serial production of version H tanks. By April 1941, 310 (according to some sources 408) vehicles were built out of 759 ordered in January 1939.
The armor thickness of the rear wall of the PzKpfw III Ausf. H increased to 50 mm. The applied frontal armor was reinforced with an additional armor plate 30 mm thick.
Due to the increase in the mass of the tank and the use of tracks 400 mm wide, it was necessary to install special guides on the support and support rollers, which increased the diameter of the rollers by 40 mm. To eliminate excessive track sag, the front carrier roller, which on the G version tanks was located almost next to the spring damper, had to be moved forward.
Among other improvements, it should be noted a change in the position of the headlight on the wing, towing hooks, and the shape of the access hatches. The box with smoke bombs was moved by the designers under the canopy of the rear plate of the power compartment. An angular profile was installed at the base of the tower, protecting the base from a projectile.
Instead of the Variorex gearbox, the SSG 77 type (six gears forward and one back) was installed on version H machines. The design of the turret changed in such a way that the crew members who were in it rotated with the turret. The tank commander, as well as the gunner and loader, had their own hatches in the side walls and roof of the tower.
Baptism of fire tanks PzKpfw III Ausf. H received during Operation Barbarossa. In 1942-1943, the tanks were re-equipped with a 50 mm KwK L/60 cannon.
The next production version was the PzKpfw III Ausf. J. They were produced from March 1941 to July 1942. The forehead and stern of the car were protected by 50 mm armor. The armor of the sides and the turret was 30 mm. The armor protection of the gun mantlet has increased by 20 mm. Among other minor improvements, the most significant was new type machine gun MG 34.
Initially tanks PzKpfw III Ausf. J were armed with a 50 mm KwK 38 L/42 cannon, but starting from December 1941, they began to install a new 50 mm KwK 39 cannon with a barrel length of 60 calibers. A total of 1549 vehicles with the KwK 38 L/42 gun and 1067 vehicles with the KwK 38 L/60 gun were built.
The appearance of a new version -PzKpfw III Ausf. L - due to the unsuccessful installation of the PzKpfw III Ausf. J standard turret tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G. After the failure of this experiment, it was decided to start production of a new series of tanks with the improvements provided for the L version and armed with a 50 mm KwK 39 L / 60 cannon.
Between June and December 1942, 703 tanks of the L version were produced. Compared to previous versions, the new vehicles had reinforced cannon mantlet armor, which at the same time served as a counterweight to the elongated barrel of the KwK 39 L/60 gun. The forehead of the hull and turret was protected by additional 20 mm armor plates. The driver's viewing slot and the mask of the MG 34 course machine gun were located in the holes in the frontal armor. Other changes concerned the mechanism for tensioning the tracks, the location of smoke bombs on the stern of the tank under the bend of the armor, the design and location of navigation lights and the placement of tools on the fenders. The observation slot of the loader in the additional armor of the gun mask was eliminated. At the top of the armor protection of the mask there was a small hole for inspection and maintenance of the gun's recoil mechanism. Besides. the designers eliminated the armor protection of the base of the turret, which was located on top of the tank hull, and viewing slots on the sides of the turret. One tank of the L version was tested with the KwK 0725 recoilless rifle.
Of the ordered 1000 PzKpfw III Ausf. Only 653 L tanks were built. The rest were converted to N version tanks equipped with a 75 mm cannon.
The last version of the PzKpfw III tank with a 50 mm gun was the M. Tanks of this modification were a further development of the PzKpfw III Ausf. L and were built from October 1942 to February 1943. The initial order for new vehicles was 1,000 units, but given the advantages of Soviet tanks over the PzKpfw III with a 50 mm gun, the order was reduced to 250 vehicles. Some of the remaining tanks were converted to Stug III self-propelled guns and PzKpfw III (FI) flamethrower tanks, while the other part was converted to the N version, installing 75-mm guns on the vehicles.
Compared to the L version, the PzKpfw III Ausf. M had minor differences. Built-in 90 mm NbKWg smoke grenade launchers were installed on both sides of the turret, a counterweight for the KwK 39 L / 60 gun was mounted, and escape hatches were eliminated in the side walls of the hull. All this made it possible to increase the ammunition load from 84 to 98 shots.
The exhaust system of the tank allowed him to overcome water obstacles up to 1.3 m deep.
Other improvements related to changing the shape of tow hooks, running lights, installing a rack for mounting an anti-aircraft machine gun, and brackets for attaching additional armored screens. The price of one PzKpfw III Ausf. M (unarmed) amounted to 96183 Reichsmarks.
On April 4, 1942, Hitler ordered to study the feasibility of re-equipping the PzKpfw III tanks with the 50-mm Pak 38 cannon. To this end, one tank was equipped with a new cannon, but the experiment ended unsuccessfully.
The tanks of the latest production version received the designation PzKpfw III Ausf. N. They had the same hull and turret as the machines of the L and M versions. 447 and 213 chassis and turrets of both versions were used for their production, respectively. The main thing that distinguished the PzKpfw III Ausf. N from its predecessors, this is the 75 mm KwK 37 L/24, which was armed with the PzKpfw IV tanks of the A-F1 versions. Ammunition was 64 rounds. PzKpfw III Ausf. N had a modified gun mantlet and a one-piece commander's cupola, the armor of which reached 100 mm. The observation slot to the right of the gun was eliminated. In addition, there were a number of other minor differences from the machines of earlier versions.
Production of the N version tanks began in June 1942 and continued until August 1943. A total of 663 vehicles were produced, and another 37 tanks were converted to Ausf. N during the repair of machines of other versions.
In addition to combat, the so-called linear tanks, 5 types of command tanks were produced. total strength 435 pieces. 262 tanks were converted into artillery fire control vehicles. A special order - 100 flamethrower tanks - was carried out by Wegmann. For a flamethrower with a range of up to 60 meters, 1000 liters of fire mixture were required. The tanks were intended for Stalingrad, but they got to the front only at the beginning of July 1943 - near Kursk.
At the end of the summer of 1940, 168 tanks of the F, G and H versions were converted for movement under water and were to be used when landing on the English coast. The immersion depth was 15m; fresh was supplied with a hose 18 m long and 20 cm in diameter. In the spring of 1941, experiments were continued with a 3.5-m pipe - "snorkel". Since the landing in England did not take place, a number of such tanks from the 18th Panzer Division on June 22, 1941 crossed the Western Bug along the bottom.
From July 1944, the PzKpfw III was also used as an ARV. At the same time, a square cabin was installed in place of the tower. In addition, small batches of vehicles for transporting ammunition and carrying out engineering work were produced. There were prototypes of a minesweeper tank and options for converting a linear tank into a railcar.
PzKpfw IIIs were used in all theaters of operations - from the Eastern Front to the African desert, everywhere enjoying the love of German tankers. The amenities created for the work of the crew could be considered a role model. Not a single Soviet, English or American tank of that time had them. Excellent observation and aiming devices allowed the "troika" to successfully deal with the more powerful T-34, KB and "Matilda" in cases where the latter did not have time to detect it. Captured PzKpfw IIIs were the favorite command vehicles in the Red Army precisely because of the above reasons: comfort, excellent optics, plus an excellent radio station. However, they, like other German tanks, were successfully used by Soviet tankers for their direct, combat, purpose. There were entire battalions armed with captured tanks.
The production of PzKpfw III tanks was discontinued in 1943, after the production of approximately 6,000 vehicles. In the future, only the production of self-propelled guns based on them continued. Encyclopedia of technology

The Germans themselves did not have a high opinion about the combat qualities of the Pz.lV. Here is what Major General von Mellenthin writes about this in his memoirs (in 1941, with the rank of major, he served in Rommel's headquarters): "The T-IV tank gained the reputation of a formidable enemy among the British mainly because it was armed with a 75-mm cannon "However, this gun had a low muzzle velocity and poor penetration, and although we used the T-IV in tank battles, they were much more useful as an infantry support weapon." The Pz.lV began to play a more significant role in all theaters of military operations only after acquiring a "long arm" - a 75-mm KwK 40 cannon (F2 series). On the Eastern Front Pz.lV Ausf.F2 also appeared in the summer of 1942 and took part in the attack on Stalingrad and North Caucasus. After the production of the Pz.lll was discontinued in 1943, the "four" gradually became the main German tank in all theaters of operations. However, in connection with the start of production of the Panther, it was planned to stop production of the Pz.lV, however, due to the tough position of the General Inspector of the Panzerwaffe, General G. Guderian, this did not happen. Subsequent events showed that he was right.

The combat characteristics of the Pz.IV increased sharply after the installation of a long-barreled gun. Not inferior to enemy tanks in all other respects, the "four" proved to be capable of hitting Soviet and american tanks out of range of their guns. We are not talking about English cars - for four years of the war the British were marking time. Until the end of 1943, the combat characteristics of the T-34 remained virtually unchanged, Pz.IV took first place among medium tanks. Since 1942 performance characteristics Pz.IV did not change (except for the thickness of the armor) and during the two years of the war remained unsurpassed by anyone! Only in 1944, having installed a 76-mm long-barreled gun on the Sherman, did the Americans catch up with the Pz.IV, and we, having launched the T-34-85 into the series, surpassed it. The Germans had no time or opportunity for a decent response. Comparing the characteristics of WWII tanks, we can conclude that the Germans, before others, began to consider the tank as the main and most effective anti-tank weapon, and this is the main trend of post-war tank building.

In general, it can be argued that of all the German tanks during the Second World War, the Pz.IV was the most balanced and versatile. In this car various characteristics harmoniously combined and complemented each other. The "Tiger" and "Panther", for example, had a clear bias towards security, which led to their overweight and deterioration of dynamic characteristics. Pz.III, with many other equal characteristics with Pz.IV, did not reach it in armament and, having no reserves for modernization, left the stage. Pz.IV with a similar Pz.III, but a slightly more thoughtful layout, had such reserves in full measure. This is the only tank of the war years with a 75 mm cannon, whose main armament was significantly strengthened without changing the turret. The T-34-85 and Sherman had to change the tower, and, according to by and large They were almost new cars. The British went their own way and, like a fashionista outfits, they changed not towers, but tanks! But the Cromwell, which appeared in 1944, did not reach the Quartet, as, indeed, did the Comet, released in 1945. Bypass the German tank, created in 1937, could only post-war "Centurion".

From what has been said, of course, it does not follow that the Pz.IV was an ideal tank. For example, it had insufficient engine power and a rather rigid and outdated suspension, which adversely affected its maneuverability. To some extent, the latter was compensated for by the smallest L / B ratio of 1.43 among all medium tanks. The equipment of the Pz.lV (as well as other tanks) with anti-cumulative screens cannot be attributed to the successful move of the German designers. HEAT munitions were rarely used en masse, but the screens increased the dimensions of the vehicle, making it difficult to move in narrow aisles, blocked most of the observation devices, and made it difficult for the crew to board and disembark.
However, even more senseless and rather expensive was the coating of tanks with zimmerite (anti-magnetic painting, from magnetic mines). But perhaps the biggest mistake of the Germans was to try to switch to a new type of medium tank - the Panther. As the latter, it did not take place, making the company "Tiger" in the class of heavy vehicles, but played a fatal role in the fate of the Pz.lV. Having concentrated all efforts in 1942 on the creation of new tanks, the Germans ceased to seriously modernize the old ones. Let's try to imagine what would have happened if not for the "Panther"? The project of installing the "Panther" turret on the Pz.lV, both standard and "close" (Schmall-turm), is well known. The project is quite realistic in terms of dimensions - the inside diameter of the turret ring for the Panther is 1650 mm, for the Pz.lV-1600 mm. The tower rose without expanding the turret box. The situation with weight characteristics was somewhat worse - due to the large overhang of the gun barrel, the center of gravity shifted forward and the load on the front road wheels increased by 1.5 tons. However, it could be compensated by strengthening their suspension. In addition, it must be taken into account that the KwK 42 cannon was created for the Panther, and not for the Pz.IV. For the "four" it was possible to confine oneself to a gun with smaller weight and size data, with a barrel length, say, not 70, but 55 or 60 calibers. Such a gun, even if it would require the replacement of the turret, would still make it possible to get by with a lighter design than the "Panther" one. The inevitable increase (by the way, even without such a hypothetical re-equipment) of the tank's weight required the replacement of the Engine. For comparison: the dimensions of the HL 120TKRM engine, installed on the Pz.IV, were 1220x680x830 mm, and the "Panther" HL 230R30 - 1280x960x1090 mm. The clear dimensions of the engine compartments were almost the same for these two tanks. At the "Panther" it was 480 mm longer, mainly due to the slope of the rear hull plate. Therefore, equipping the Pz.lV with a higher power engine was not an unsolvable design problem. The results of such a, of course, far from complete, list of possible modernization measures would be very sad, since they would nullify the work on creating the T-34-85 for us and the Sherman with a 76-mm gun for the Americans. In 1943-1945, the industry of the Third Reich produced about 6 thousand "panthers" and almost 7 thousand Pz.IV. If we take into account that the labor intensity of manufacturing the Panther was almost twice that of the Pz.lV, then we can assume that during the same time German factories could produce an additional 10-12 thousand modernized "fours", which would be delivered to the soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition much more trouble than the Panthers.

On January 11, 1934, at a meeting of the Wehrmacht's Armaments Department, the basic principles for arming tank divisions were approved. Shortly thereafter, a prototype of the future PzKpfw IV tank was born, which, for the sake of secrecy, was called the definition of a “medium tractor” already familiar to us - the Mittleren Tractor. When the need for conspiracy disappeared and the combat vehicle began to be openly called the tank of the battalion commander - Batail-lonfuhrerswagen (BW).

This name lasted until the introduction of a unified designation system for German tanks, when the BW finally turned into a medium tank PzKpfw IV. Medium tanks were supposed to serve to support the infantry. The weight of the vehicle was not to exceed 24 tons, it was supposed to be armed with a short-barreled 75-mm cannon. It was decided to borrow the general layout scheme, the thickness of the armor plates, the principle of crew placement and other characteristics from the previous tank, the PzKpfw III. Work on the creation of a new tank began in 1934. The Rheinmetall-Borsig company was the first to present a plywood model of the future machine, and the following year a real prototype appeared, designated VK 2001 / Rh.

The prototype was made of mild weldable steel and weighed approximately 18 tons. He did not have time to leave the walls of the manufacturer, as he was immediately sent for testing in Kummersdorf. (It was in Kummersdorf that Adolf Hitler first became acquainted with Wehrmacht tanks. During this study tour, Hitler showed great interest in the motorization of the army and the creation of armored forces. Guderian, Chief of Staff of the Armored Forces Directorate, arranged demonstration tests of motorized forces for the Reich Chancellor. Hitler was shown a motorcycle and anti-tank platoons , as well as platoons of light and heavy armored vehicles. According to Guderian, the Fuhrer was very pleased with the visit.)

Tanks PzKpfw IV and PzKpfw III at "Tankfest" in Bovington

Daimler-Benz, Krupp and MAN also built their prototypes of the new tank. "Krupp" presented a combat vehicle, almost similar to the prototype of the platoon commander's vehicle that they had previously proposed and rejected. After the tests, the technical department of the tank troops chose the VK 2001 / K variant for mass production, proposed by Krupp, making minor changes to its design. In 1936, the first prototype of the 7.5 cm Geschiitz-Panzerwagen (VsKfz 618) tank was built, an armored vehicle with a 75 mm gun (experimental model 618).

The initial order was 35 vehicles, which were produced by the factories of the Friedrich Krupp AG concern in Essen from October 1936 to March 1937. Thus began the production of the most massive German tank, which remained in service with the armored forces of the Third Reich until the very end of the war. The medium tank PzKpfw IV owes its high combat characteristics entirely to the designers, who brilliantly coped with the task of strengthening the armor and firepower of the tank without making significant changes to the basic design.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE PzKpfw IV TANK

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A became a model for the creation of all subsequent modifications. The armament of the new tank consisted of a 75mm KwK 37 L/24 cannon coaxial with a turret machine gun and a forward machine gun located in the hull. As a power plant, a 12-cylinder liquid-cooled Maybach HL 108TR carburetor engine was used, which developed a power of 250 hp. The hull also housed an additional engine that powered an electric generator that provided power to the turret's electric drive. The combat weight of the tank was 17.3 tons, the thickness of the frontal armor reached 20 mm.

A characteristic feature of the Pz IV Ausf A tank was a cylindrical commander's cupola with eight viewing slots covered with armored glass blocks.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A

The undercarriage for one side consisted of eight road wheels, interlocked in pairs in four bogies, suspended on quarter-elliptical leaf springs. Four small road wheels were provided on top. Drive wheel - front location. The idler wheel (sloth) had a track tensioning mechanism. It should be noted that this design of the undercarriage of the PzKpfw IV Ausf A tank was practically not subjected to significant changes in the future. Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A - the first production tank of this type.

The performance characteristics of the medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A (SdKfz 161)

Creation date ....................... 1935 (the first tank appeared in 1937)
Combat weight (t) .........................18.4
Dimensions (m):
length.........................5.0
width.........................2.9
height.........................2.65
Armament: ............ main 1 x 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 cannon secondary 2 x 7.92 mm MG 13 machine guns
Ammunition-main .............................. 122 shots
Reservation (mm): ..................... maximum 15 minimum 5
Engine type..............Maybach HL 108 TR (3000 rpm)
Maximum power (hp) .................250
Crew...................5 people
Maximum speed (km/h) .................32
Cruising range (km) ............... 150

Next modification of the tank: PzKpfw IV Ausf B- featured an improved Maybach HL 120TRM engine with 300 hp. at 3000 rpm and a new six-speed gearbox ZFSSG 76 instead of a five-speed SSG 75. The main difference between the PzKpfw FV Ausf B was the use of a straight hull plate instead of the broken one of its predecessor. At the same time, the course machine gun was dismantled. In its place was a radio operator's viewing device, which could fire from personal weapons through the loophole. Frontal armor increased to 30 mm, due to which the combat weight increased to 17.7 tons. The commander's turret was also changed, whose viewing slots were closed with removable covers. The order for the new "fours" (still called 2 / BW) was 45 cars, however, due to a lack of necessary parts and materials, Krupp was able to produce only 42.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf B

tanks PzKpfw IV version Ausf C appeared in 1938 and differed very little from the Ausf B vehicles. Outwardly, these tanks are so similar that it can be very difficult to distinguish them. An additional similarity with the previous version is given by a straight frontal plate without the MG machine gun, instead of which an additional viewing device appeared. Minor changes affected the introduction of an armored casing for the MG-34 machine gun barrel, as well as the installation of a special bumper under the gun, which bent the antenna when the turret turned, preventing it from breaking. In total, approximately 140 units of 19-ton Ausf C tanks were produced.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf C

Tanks of the next model - PzKpfw IVD- received an improved design of the gun mask. The practice of using tanks forced us to return to the original design of a broken frontal plate (as on the PzKpfw IV Ausf A tanks). The installation of the front machine gun was protected by a square armor casing, and side and aft armor increased from 15 to 20 mm. After the new tanks were tested, the following entry appeared in the military circular (No. 685 of September 27, 1939): "PzKpfw IV (with a 75-mm cannon) SdKfz 161 from this moment is declared suitable for successful use and military formations" "" .

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf D

A total of 222 Ausf D tanks were produced, with which Germany entered World War II. During the Polish campaign, several "fours" ingloriously returned from the battlefields to their homeland for repairs and improvements. It turned out that the thickness of the armor of the new tanks was insufficient to ensure their safety, so additional armor plates were urgently needed to protect the most important nodes. It is curious that the reports of the British military intelligence of that time contain the assumption that the strengthening of the combat armor of tanks often took place “illegally”, without an appropriate order from above, and sometimes even despite it. So, in the order of the German military command intercepted by the British, unauthorized welding of additional armor plates on the hulls of German tanks was strictly prohibited. The order explained that “handicraft* fastening of armor plates does not increase, but reduces the protection of the tank, so the Wehrmacht command ordered the commanders to strictly follow the instructions governing the work to strengthen the armor protection of combat vehicles.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf E

Soon the long-awaited "four" was born PzKpfw IV Ausf E, in the design of which all the previously identified shortcomings of the PzKpfw IV Ausf D were taken into account. First of all, this referred to the strengthening of armor protection. Now the 30 mm frontal armor of the hull was protected by additional 30 mm plates, and the sides were covered with 20 mm sheets. All these changes led to the fact that the combat weight increased to 21 tons. In addition, a new commander's turret appeared on the Pz-4 Ausf E tanks, which now almost did not go beyond the turret. The course machine gun received a Kugelblende 30 ball mount. A box for spare parts and equipment was mounted on the rear wall of the turret. The undercarriage used new simplified drive wheels and wider tracks of a new type with a width of 400 mm instead of the old ones, with a width of 360 mm.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf F1

Tank was the next option. PzKpfw IV Ausf F1. These tanks had a one-piece frontal plate 50 mm thick and 30 mm sides. The forehead of the tower also received 50 mm armor. This tank has become latest model, armed with a short-barreled 75 mm cannon with a low muzzle velocity.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf F2

Soon, Hitler personally ordered that this ineffective gun be replaced with a long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 L / 43 - this is how the medium tank was born PzKpfw IV F2. The new weapon required changes to the design of the turret's combat compartment in order to accommodate the increased ammunition load. 32 shots out of 87 were now placed in the tower. The initial speed of a conventional armor-piercing projectile has now increased to 740 m/s (against 385 m/s for the previous gun), and armor penetration has increased by 48 mm and amounted to 89 mm against the previous 41 mm (an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 460 meters at a meeting angle of 30 °) . The new powerful gun immediately and forever changed the role and place of the new tank in the German armored forces. In addition, the PzKpfw IV received a new Turmzielfernrohr TZF Sf sight and a different shaped cannon mask. From now on, the medium tank PzKpfw III fades into the background, being content with the role of a support tank and infantry escort, and the PzKpfw IV becomes the main "assault" tank of the Wehrmacht for a long time. In addition to Krupp-Gruson AG, two more enterprises joined the production of PzKpfw IV tanks: VOMAG and Nibelungenwerke. The appearance on the stage of the theater of operations of the modernized "fours" Pz IV significantly complicated the position of the allies, since the new gun allowed the German tank to successfully fight against most of the armored vehicles of the USSR and coalition member countries. In total, for the period up to March 1942, 1,300 "fours" of early Ausfs (from A to F2) were produced.

PzKpfw IV is called the main tank of the Wehrmacht. More than 8,500 "fours" formed the basis of the Wehrmacht's tank forces, its main striking force.

The next large-scale version was the tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G. From May 1942 to June 1943, they were created much more than the machines of previous modifications, more than 1600 units.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G

The very first Pz IV Ausf G practically did not differ from the PzKpfw IV F2, however, during the production process, numerous changes were made to the basic design. First of all, this concerns the installation of a 75-mm gun KwK 40 L / 48 with a two-chamber muzzle brake. The upgraded version of the KwK 40 tank gun had a muzzle velocity of 750 m/s. new model The Quartet tanks were equipped with additional protective 5-mm screens to protect the turret and sides of the hull, which received the joking nickname "apron" in the troops. The Pz Kpfw IV Aufs G tank, produced since March 1943, was armed with a 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of L / 48 instead of the previous one with a barrel length of 43 caliber. A total of 1700 machines of this modification were produced. Despite the enhanced armament, the PZ-4s still could not compete with the Russian T-34s.
Weak armor protection made them too vulnerable. In this photo you can see how the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G tank uses sandbags as additional protection. Of course, such measures could not substantially improve the situation.

Tank became the most massive series PzKpfw IV Ausf N, more than 4,000 units were produced, including various self-propelled guns created on the T-4 ("four") chassis.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf H

This tank was distinguished by the most powerful frontal armor (up to 80 mm), the introduction of 5 mm side screens for the hull and turret, the MG-34 -Fliegerbeschussgerat 41/42 anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the commander's turret, a new, improved ZF SSG 77 gearbox and minor changes in the transmission. The combat weight of this modification Pz IV reached 25 tons. The last version of the "four" was the tank PzKpfw IV J, which continued to be produced until March 1945. From June 1944 to March 1945, more than 1,700 of these machines were produced. Tanks of this type were equipped with high-capacity fuel tanks, which made it possible to increase the cruising range to 320 km. However, in general, the latest “fours” have been significantly simplified compared to previous models.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGN OF THE TANK PzKpfw IV

TOWER AND HULL OF TANK Pz IV

The hull and turret of the Pz-4 tank were welded. On each side of the tower for landing and disembarking crew members were evacuation hatches.

Tank Pz IV with protection against cumulative projectiles installed on it

The tower was equipped with a commander's cupola with five viewing slots equipped with armored glass blocks - triplex and protective armor covers, which were lowered and raised using a small lever located under each slot.

Inside the Pz IV Ausf G tank. The photo was taken from the side of the right hatch (loader).

The floor of the tower rotated with it. The armament consisted of a 75-mm (short-barreled KwK 37 or long-barreled KwK 40) cannon and a coaxial turret machine gun, as well as an MG machine gun mounted in the frontal armor of the hull in a ball mount and intended for the gunner-radio operator. This armament scheme is typical for all modifications of the "fours" with the exception of tanks of version C.

Inside the Pz IV Ausf G tank. The photo was taken from the side of the left hatch (gunner).

The layout of the tank PzKpfw IV- classic, with a front-mounted transmission. Inside the tank hull was divided by two bulkheads into three compartments. In the rear compartment was the engine compartment.

As in other German tanks, a cardan shaft was transferred from the engine to the gearbox and drive wheels, passed under the turret floor. An auxiliary engine for the turret rotation mechanism was located next to the motor. Because of this, the tower was shifted to the left along the axis of symmetry of the tank by 52 mm. On the floor of the central fighting compartment, under the floor of the tower, three fuel tanks with a total capacity of 477 liters were installed. The turret of the fighting compartment housed the remaining three crew members (commander, gunner and loader), weapons (cannon and coaxial machine gun), observation and aiming devices, vertical and horizontal guidance mechanisms. The driver and gunner-radio operator, firing from a machine gun mounted in a ball bearing, were located in the front compartment of the hull, on both sides of the gearbox.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A. View of the driver's seat.

The thickness of the armor of the tank PzKpfw IV constantly increased. The frontal armor of the T-4 was welded from rolled armor plates with surface carburizing and was usually thicker and stronger than the side armor. Additional protection with the help of armor plates was not used until the creation of the Ausf D tank. To protect the tank from bullets and cumulative projectiles, a zimmerite coating was applied to the lower and side surfaces of the hull and the side surfaces of the turret. The British testing of the T-4 Ausf G using the Brinell method gave the following results: front end plate in an inclined plane (outer surface) - 460-490 HB; front vertical plate (outer surface) - 500-520 HB; inner surface -250-260 HB; tower forehead (outer surface) - 490-51 0 HB; hull sides (outer surface) - 500-520 HB; inner surface - 270-280 HB; sides of the tower (outer surface) -340-360 HB. As mentioned above, on the "fours" latest versions additional armored "screens" were used, produced from steel sheets, 114 x 99 cm in size and mounted on the sides of the hull and turret, at a distance of 38 cm from the hull. The tower was protected by armor plates 6 mm thick, fixed around the rear and sides, and in the protective screen there were hatches located exactly in front of the tower hatches.

ARMAMENT OF THE TANK.

On the PzKpfw IV Ausf A - F1 tanks, a short-barreled 75-mm KwK 37 L / 24 cannon was installed with a barrel length of 24 calibers, a vertical shutter and an initial projectile velocity not exceeding 385 m / s. The PzKpfw III Ausf N tanks and StuG III assault guns were equipped with exactly the same guns. The gun ammunition included almost all types of shells: armor-piercing tracer, armor-piercing tracer sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation and smoke.

View of the double-leaf evacuation hatch in the turret of the Pz IV tank

To carry out the rotation of the gun at the prescribed 32 ° (from - 110 to + 21, 15 full revolutions were required. In the Pz IV tanks, both an electric drive and a manual drive for turning the turret were used. The electric drive was powered by a generator driven by a two-cylinder two-stroke water-cooled engine. For rough For this purpose, the angle of horizontal fire of the tank's turret gun, equal to 360 °, was divided into twelve divisions, and the division corresponding to the traditional position of the number 12 on the watch dial indicated the direction of movement of the tank. the notched ring in the commander's turret was set into motion.

View of the stern of the tank PZ IV

Thanks to this device, the commander could determine the approximate location of the target and give appropriate instructions to the gunner. The driver's seat was equipped with a turret position indicator (with two lights) on all models of the PzKpfw IV tank (except Ausf J). Thanks to this device, the driver knew the location of the turret and tank gun. This was especially important when driving through the forest and in settlements. The gun was mounted together with a coaxial machine gun and a TZF 5v telescopic sight (on tanks of early modifications); TZF 5f and TZF 5f/l (on tanks starting from PzKpfw IV Ausf E). The machine gun was powered by a flexible metal tape, the shooter fired using a special foot pedal. The telescopic 2.5-fold sight was supplied with scales of three ranges (for the main gun and machine gun).

View of the frontal part of the Pz IV tank turret

The MG-34 course machine gun was equipped with a KZF 2 telescopic sight. The full ammunition load consisted of 80-87 (depending on modification) artillery rounds and 2700 rounds for two 7.92-mm machine guns. Starting with the Ausf F2 modification, the short-barreled gun is replaced by a more powerful long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 L / 43 cannon, and the latest modifications (starting with the Ausf H) receive an improved L / 48 gun with a barrel length of 48 calibers. Short-barreled guns had a single-chamber muzzle brake, long-barreled guns had to be equipped with two-chamber ones. The increase in barrel length required a counterweight. To do this, the latest Pz-4 modifications were supplied with a heavy pressure spring installed in a cylinder attached to the front of the turret's rotary floor.

Engine and transmission

The first versions of the PzKpfw IV were equipped with the same engine as the tanks of the PzKpfw III series, the 12-cylinder Maybach HL 108 TR with a power of 250 hp, which required gasoline with an octane rating of 74. Subsequently, they began to use improved Maybach HL 120 TR and HL 120 TRM engines with 300 hp The engine as a whole was distinguished by high reliability and resistance to temperature extremes, but this did not apply to the conditions of the African heat and sultry regions of southern Russia. To avoid boiling the engine, the driver had to drive the tank with all possible caution. In winter conditions, a special installation was used, which made it possible to pump a heated liquid (ethylene glycol) from a running tank to a tank that needed to be started. Unlike tanks PzKpfw III engine the T-4 was located asymmetrically, on the right side of the hull. Fine-linked tracks of the T-4 tank consisted of 101 or 99 links (starting from F1) with a width (options) PzKpfw IV Ausf A -E 360 mm, and in Ausf F-J- 400 mm, their total weight approached 1300 kg. The track tension was regulated using a rear guide wheel mounted on an eccentric axle. The ratchet mechanism prevented the axle from turning back and the track from sagging.

REPAIR OF TRACKS.
Each crew of the Pz IV tank had at its disposal an industrial belt of the same width as the tracks. The edges of the belt were perforated so that the holes matched the teeth of the drive wheel. If the caterpillar failed, a belt was attached to the damaged area, passed over the support rollers and attached to the teeth of the drive wheel. After that, the engine and transmission were started. The drive wheel turned and pulled the caterpillar with the belt forward until the caterpillar did not cling to the wheel. Anyone who has ever pulled off a heavy long caterpillar in the “old-fashioned way” - with a piece of rope or fingers, will appreciate what a salvation this simple scheme has become for the crew.

BATTLE CHRONICLE OF TANKS Pz IV

The "four" began its combat path in Poland, where, despite a small number, they immediately became noticeable strike force. On the eve of the invasion of Poland, there were almost twice as many "fours" in the Wehrmacht troops than "triples" - 211 against 98. The fighting qualities of the "fours" immediately attracted the attention of Heinz Guderian, who from now on will constantly insist on increasing their production. Of the 217 tanks lost by Germany during the 30-day war with Poland, there were only 19 "fours". In order to better imagine the Polish stage of the PzKpfw IV's combat path, let's turn to the documents. Here I want to acquaint readers with the history of the 35th Tank Regiment, which took part in the occupation of Warsaw. I present to your attention excerpts from the chapter on the assault on the Polish capital, written by Hans Schaufler.

“It was the ninth day of the war. I have just joined the brigade headquarters as a liaison officer. We were in the small suburb of Okhota, which lies on the Rawa-Russkaya-Warsaw road. Another attack on the Polish capitals was coming. The troops are on full alert. Tanks lined up in a column, behind - infantry and sappers. We are waiting for the order to advance. I remember the strange calm that reigned in the troops. Neither rifle shots nor machine-gun bursts were heard. Only occasionally the silence was broken by the rumble of a reconnaissance aircraft flying over the convoy. I was sitting in the command tank next to General von Hartlieb. To be honest, it was a bit crowded in the tank. The brigade adjutant, Captain von Harling, carefully studied the topographic map with the applied situation. Both radio operators clung to their radios. One listened to the message of the division headquarters, the second kept his hand on the key in order to immediately begin transmitting orders in parts. The engine rumbled loudly. Suddenly, a whistle cut through the silence, drowned out by a loud explosion the next second. First it exploded to the right, then to the left of our car, then to the rear. Artillery came into play. The first groans and cries of the wounded were heard. Everything is as usual - the Polish gunners send us their traditional "hello".
Finally received the order to go on the offensive. The engines roared, and the tanks moved to Warsaw. Quite quickly we reached the suburbs of the Polish capital. Sitting in the tank, I heard the chirping of machine gun bursts, the explosions of hand grenades and the clatter of bullets on the armored sides of our vehicle. Our radio operators received one message after another. “Forward - to the street barricade *,” he also transmitted from the headquarters of the 35th regiment. "Anti-tank gun - five tanks destroyed - a mined barricade ahead," the neighbors reported. "Order to the regiment! Turn straight south!" rumbled the general's bass. He had to yell over the infernal roar outside.

“Give a message to the division headquarters,” I ordered the radio operators. -Come to the outskirts of Warsaw. The streets are barricaded and mined. Turn right*. After some time, a short message comes from the headquarters of the regiment: -The barricades have been taken *.
And again the sound of bullets and loud explosions to the left and right of our tank ... I feel someone pushing me in the back. “The enemy positions are three hundred meters straight ahead,” the general shouted. - We turn right! * A terrible rattle of caterpillars on a cobblestone pavement - and we drive into a deserted square. - Faster, damn it! Even faster! * - the general shouts in a rage. He's right, you can't linger - the Poles shoot very accurately. “We came under heavy shelling,” reports from the 36th regiment. * 3rd regiment! the general replies immediately. “Request artillery cover immediately!” You can hear the drumming of stones and shell fragments on the armor. The blows are getting stronger. Suddenly, a monstrous explosion is heard very close by, and I smash my head into the radio with a swing. The tank throws up, throws to the side. Motor stalls.
Through the manhole cover I see a dazzling yellow flame.

Tank PzKpfw IV

In the fighting compartment, everything is turned upside down, gas masks, fire extinguishers, camping bowls, other trifles are scattered everywhere ... A few seconds of terrible stupor. Then everyone shakes themselves, looks at each other anxiously, quickly feels themselves. Thank God, alive and well! The driver turns on the third gear, we wait with bated breath for a familiar sound and take a breath with relief when the tank obediently moves off. True, there is a suspicious tapping from the right track, but we are too happy to take into account such trifles. However, as it turned out, our troubles were far from over. Before we had time to drive a few meters, a new strong push shook the tank and threw it to the right. From every house, from every window, we were showered with furious machine-gun fire. From rooftops and attics, the Poles threw hand grenades and incendiary bottles of condensed gasoline at us. There were probably a hundred times more enemies than we passed, but we did not turn back.

We stubbornly continued to move in a southerly direction and could not be stopped by a barricade of overturned trams, twisted barbed wire and rails dug into the ground. Every now and then our tanks came under fire. anti-tank guns. "God, make sure they don't knock out our tank!"- we silently prayed, perfectly aware that any forced stop would be the last in our life. Meanwhile, the sound of the caterpillar became louder and more menacing. Finally we drove into some Orchard and hid behind the trees. By this time, some units of our regiment managed to break through to the outskirts of Warsaw, but further advance became more and more difficult. Disappointing messages kept coming over the radio: "The offensive was stopped by heavy enemy artillery fire - the tank was blown up by a mine - the tank was hit by an anti-tank gun - artillery support is urgently required".

We also did not manage to take a breath under the canopy of fruit trees. The Polish gunners quickly took their bearings and unleashed a flurry of ferocious fire on us. Every second the situation became more and more frightening. We tried to leave the shelter, which had become dangerous, but then it turned out that the damaged caterpillar was completely out of order. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't even move. The situation seemed hopeless. It was necessary to repair the caterpillar on the spot. Our general could not even temporarily leave command of the operation, he dictated message after message, order after order. We sat idle ... When the Polish guns fell silent for a while, we decided to take advantage of this short respite to inspect the damaged undercarriage. However, as soon as we opened the hatch cover, the fire resumed. The Poles settled somewhere very close and, remaining invisible to us, turned our car into an excellent target. After several unsuccessful attempts, we nevertheless managed to get out of the tank and, hiding in thorny brambles, were finally able to inspect the damage. The results of the inspection were the most disappointing. The inclined frontal plate bent by the explosion turned out to be the most minor of all the damage. The undercarriage was in the most deplorable state. Several sections of the tracks fell apart, and small metal parts were confused along the way, the rest kept on parole. Damaged were not only the tracks themselves, but even the road wheels. With great difficulty, we somehow tightened the loose parts, removed the tracks, fastened the torn tracks with new fingers ... It was obvious that even with the most favorable outcome, these measures would give us the opportunity to go another couple of kilometers, but nothing else to do in such conditions was impossible. I had to climb back into the tank.

Even worse news awaited us there. From the headquarters of the division reported that air support was impossible, and the artillery was not able to cope with the superior forces of the enemy. Therefore, we were ordered to return immediately.

The general led the retreat of his units. Tank after tank, platoon after platoon, ours retreated, and the Poles rained down on them with the ferocious fire of their guns. In some sectors, the advance was so difficult that for some time we forgot about the deplorable state of our tank. Finally, when the last tank made it out of the suburbs that had become hell, it was time to think about yourself. After conferring, they decided to retreat along the same route they had come in. At first everything went quietly, but in this calmness some kind of hidden danger was felt. The ominous silence acted on the nerves much stronger than the familiar sounds of cannonade. None of us doubted that the Poles were hiding not by chance, that they were waiting for a convenient moment to finish us off. Slowly moving forward, we felt with our skin the hating glances of an invisible enemy directed at us ... Finally, we reached the place where we received the first damage. A few hundred meters away lay the highway leading to the location of the division. But another barricade blocked the path to the highway - abandoned and silent, like all the surroundings. We carefully overcame the last obstacle, entered the highway and crossed ourselves.

And then a terrible blow hit the weakly protected stern of our tank. It was followed by another and another ... Only four blows. The worst thing happened - we came under the aimed fire of an anti-tank gun. Roaring the engine, the tank made a desperate attempt to escape from the shelling, but the next second we were thrown aside by a strong explosion. Engine stalled.
The first thought was - it's all over, the Poles will destroy us with the next shot. What to do? Jumped out of the tank, rushed to the ground. We are waiting for what will happen ... A minute passes, then another ... But for some reason there is no shot and no. What's the matter? And suddenly we look - there is a column of black smoke above the stern of the tank. My first thought is that the engine is on fire. But where does this strange whistling sound come from? We took a closer look and couldn't believe our eyes - it turns out that a shell fired from the barricade hit the smoke bombs located at the stern of our car, and the breeze blew the smoke to the skies. We were saved by the fact that a black cloud of smoke hung just above the barricade and the Poles decided that the tank was on fire.

Animated tank PzKpfw IV

* The headquarters of the brigade - the headquarters of the division * - the general tried to get in touch, but the radio was silent. Our tank looked terrible - black, rumpled, with a mangled stern. The caterpillar, which had finally flown off, was lying nearby ... No matter how hard it was, you had to face the truth - you had to leave the car and try to get to your people on foot. We pulled out machine guns, took walkie-talkies and folders with documents and looked at the mutilated tank for the last time. My heart sank with pain... According to the instructions, the wrecked tank was supposed to be blown up so that the enemy would not get it, but none of us could decide on this... Instead, we masked the car with branches as best we could. Everyone hoped in their hearts that, if the circumstances were favorable, we would soon return and tow the car to our...
Until now, I recall with horror the way back ... Covering each other with fire, short dashes, we moved from house to house, from garden to garden ... When we finally reached our own in the evening, we immediately fell down and fell asleep .
However, I never managed to get enough sleep. After some time, I opened my eyes in horror and turned cold, remembering that we had abandoned our tank ... I could see how it was standing, defenseless, with an open turret, directly opposite the Polish barricade ... When I woke up again from sleep, then I heard the hoarse voice of the driver above me: “Are you with us?” I didn’t understand waking up and asked: “Where?” "I found a repair vehicle," he explained curtly. I immediately jumped to my feet, and we went to rescue our tank. It will take a long time to tell how we got there, how we busied ourselves over the resuscitation of our mutilated car. The main thing is that on that night we still managed to put our commander’s “four” into motion (The author of the memoirs is most likely mistaken when he calls his tank “four”. The fact is that Pz. Kpfw. IV tanks began to convert commander’s vehicles only since 1944. Most likely, we are talking about a command tank based on the Pz.Kpfw.III version D.)
When the awakened Poles tried to stop us with fire, we had already finished the work, so we quickly climbed into the tower and left. We were happy in our hearts... Even though our tank was hit and badly damaged, we still could not leave it to the joy of the triumphant enemy! A month-long campaign in the conditions of bad Polish roads and loose marshy soil had the most unfavorable effect on the condition of German tanks. The cars were in urgent need of repair and restoration. This circumstance, among others, influenced the postponement of the Nazi invasion to Western Europe. The Wehrmacht command was able to learn from the experience of the war in Poland and made significant changes to the hitherto existing scheme for organizing repairs and Maintenance combat vehicles. About efficiency new system repair and restoration of Wehrmacht tanks can be judged from a newspaper article published in one of the German newspapers and reprinted in England in May 1941. The article was called "The Secret of the Combat Power of German Tanks" and contained a detailed list of measures to organize the smooth operation of the repair and restoration service, which included in each tank division.
“The secret of the success of German tanks is largely determined by the impeccably organized system of evacuation and repair of damaged tanks, which makes it possible to carry out all the necessary operations in the shortest possible time. The more distances that tanks have to cover during the march, the more important is the impeccably debugged mechanism for the repair and maintenance of failed vehicles.
1. Each tank battalion has at its disposal a special repair and restoration platoon for emergency assistance in case of minor damage. This platoon, being the smallest repair unit, is located in close proximity to the front line. The platoon consists of engine repair mechanics, radio mechanics and other specialists. The platoon has at its disposal light trucks for transporting the necessary spare parts and tools, as well as a special armored recovery vehicle, converted from a tank, to transport these parts to the failed tank. A platoon is commanded by an officer who, if necessary, can call for help from several such platoons and send them all together to the area where emergency assistance is required.

It should be emphasized that the efficiency of the repair and restoration platoon directly depends on the availability of the necessary spare parts, tools and appropriate vehicles. Since in combat conditions time is worth its weight in gold, the chief mechanic of a repair platoon always has at his disposal a supply of basic components, assemblies and parts. This allows him, without losing a second, to be the first to go to the damaged tank and get to work, while the rest of the supply of necessary materials is being transported by truck. If the damage received by the tank is so serious that it cannot be repaired on the spot, or repairs require long time, the machine is sent back to the factory.
2. Each tank regiment has at its disposal a repair and restoration company, which has all the necessary equipment and tools. In the mobile workshops of the repair company, experienced craftsmen carried out battery charging, welding work and complex engine repairs. Workshops are equipped with special cranes, milling, drilling and grinding machines, as well as special tools for metalwork, carpentry, painting and tin work. Each repair and restoration company includes two repair platoons, one of which can be assigned to a specific battalion of the regiment. In practice, both platoons are constantly moving around the regiment, ensuring the continuity of the recovery cycle. Each platoon had its own truck for the delivery of spare parts. In addition, a repair and recovery company necessarily included a platoon of emergency repair and recovery vehicles that deliver failed tanks to a repair shop or to a collection point, where a tank repair platoon or the entire company was then sent. In addition, the company also includes a weapons repair platoon and workshops for the repair of radio stations.
In practice, both platoons constantly move around the regiment, ensuring the continuity of the recovery cycle. Each platoon had its own truck for the delivery of spare parts. In addition, a repair and recovery company necessarily included a platoon of emergency repair and recovery vehicles that deliver failed tanks to a repair shop or to a collection point, where a tank repair platoon or the entire company was then sent. In addition, the company also includes a weapons repair platoon and workshops for the repair of radio stations.

3. In the event that well-equipped repair shops exist behind the front lines or in territory occupied by us, the troops often use them to save transport and reduce rail traffic. In such cases, all the necessary spare parts and equipment are ordered from Germany, and a staff of highly qualified craftsmen and mechanics is also issued.
It can be said with all certainty that without a well-thought-out and well-functioning scheme for the work of repair units, our valiant tankers would not have been able to cover such vast distances and win such brilliant victories in a real war*.

Before the invasion of Western Europe, the "fours" were still an absolute minority of Panzerwaffe tanks - only 278 out of 2574 combat vehicles. The Germans were opposed by more than 3,000 Allied vehicles, most of which were French. Moreover, many French tanks at that time significantly surpassed even the "four" so beloved by Guderian both in terms of armor protection and weapon efficiency. However, the Germans had an undeniable advantage in strategy. In my opinion, the essence of "blitzkrieg" is best expressed in a short phrase by Heinz Guderian: "Do not feel with your fingers, but beat with your fist!" Thanks to the brilliant implementation of the "blitzkrieg" strategy, Germany easily won the French campaign, in which the PzKpfw IV slippers operated very successfully. It was at this time that German tanks managed to create for themselves a formidable glory, many times superior to real opportunities these poorly armed and not well armored vehicles. There were especially many PzKpfw IV tanks in Rommel's Afrika Korps, but in Africa they were assigned an auxiliary infantry support role for too long.
In February 1941, in a review of the German press, regularly published in the British press, a special selection was published dedicated to the new PzKpfw IV tanks. The articles indicate that each tank battalion of the Wehrmacht has at its disposal a company of ten PzKpfw IV tanks, which are used, firstly , as an assault artillery gun, and secondly, as the most important element of rapidly advancing tank columns. The first purpose of the PzKpfw IV tanks was explained simply. Since field artillery is not able to instantly support armored forces in one direction or another, the PzKpfw IV took over its role with its powerful 75-mm cannon. Other advantages of using the "four" stemmed from the fact that its 75-mm gun with a maximum range of more than 8100 m could dictate the time and place of the battle, and the speed and maneuverability of the tayk made it an extremely dangerous weapon.
The articles, in particular, contain examples of how six PzKpfw IV tanks were used as an artillery formation against an advancing Allied column, how they were also used as weapons for counter-battery combat, and also acted from an ambush into which British tanks were lured by several German armored vehicles. In addition, PzKpfw IVs were also used in defensive operations, an example of which may be the next episode of the African campaign. On June 16, 1941, the Germans surrounded the British troops in the Capuzzo area. This was preceded by an unsuccessful attempt by the British to break through to Tobruk and recapture the fortress besieged by Rommel's troops. On June 15 they rounded the mountain range southeast of the Halfaya pass and advanced northward through Ridot ta Capuzzo almost to Bardia. Here is how a direct participant in the events from the British side recalls this:

“Armored vehicles stretched out along a wide front. They moved two or three, and if they met serious resistance, they immediately turned back. The vehicles were followed by infantry on trucks. This was the beginning of a full scale attack. Tank crews fired to kill, the accuracy of fire was 80-90%. They positioned their tanks so that they looked in front and sides at our positions. This allowed the Germans to effectively hit our guns, while remaining motionless. On the move, they rarely fired. In some cases, PzKpfw IV tanks suddenly opened fire from their guns, and they did not shoot at any specific target, but simply, creating a wall of fire in the course of their movement at ranges of 2000-3600 m. All this was done in order to terrify the our defenders. To be honest, they succeeded quite well.”

The first clash between American and German troops in Tunisia took place on November 26, 1942, when the troops of the 190th tank battalion of the African Corps in the area of ​​​​Mater came into contact with the 2nd battalion of the 13th regiment of the 1st tank division. The Germans in this area had about three PzKpfw III tanks and at least six new PzKpfw IV tanks with long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 guns. This is how this episode is described in the book Old Ironsides.
“While the enemy forces were gathering from the north, the Waters battalion wasted no time in vain. Having dug deep lines of defense, camouflaged their tanks and made another necessary work, they not only managed to prepare for a meeting with the enemy, but even found themselves an extra day of respite. The next day, the head of the German column appeared. Siglin's company prepared to rush towards the enemy. A platoon of assault guns under the command of Lieutenant Ray Wasker moved forward to intercept and destroy the enemy. Three 75-mm howitzers on the chassis of half-track armored personnel carriers, located on the edge of a dense olive grove, let the Germans in about 900 m and opened fire. However, hitting the enemy tanks was not so easy. The Germans quickly withdrew and, almost completely hidden by clouds of sand and dust, responded with volleys of their powerful guns. The shells were bursting very close to our positions, but for the time being they did not cause any serious harm.

Soon Wasker received an order from the battalion commander to set fire to smoke bombs and withdraw his self-propelled guns. artillery mounts to a safe distance. At this time, Siglin's company, consisting of 12 light tanks M3 "General Stuart", attacked the western flank of the enemy. The first platoon managed to break through closest to the enemy positions, but the Italo-German troops did not lose their heads, quickly found the target and brought down the full power of their guns on it. In a matter of minutes, Company A lost six of its tanks, but despite this, it still managed to push back the enemy vehicles, deploying them behind the positions of Company B. This played a decisive role in the battle. Company B brought down the fire of its guns on the most vulnerable places of German tanks and, without letting the enemy come to their senses, disabled six PzKpfw IVs, one PzKpfw III. The rest of the tanks retreated in disarray (In order for the reader to feel the urgency of the situation in which the Americans found themselves, it makes sense for comparison to cite the main performance characteristics of the M 3 Stuart light tank: combat weight - 12.4 tons; crew - 4 people; booking - from 10 to 45 mm; armament - 1 x 37-mm tank gun; 5 x 7.62-mm machine guns; engine "Continental" W 670-9A, 7-cylinder, carbureted power of 250 hp; speed - 48 km / h ; cruising range (on the highway) - 113 km.).
In fairness, it should be noted that the Americans did not always emerge victorious from duels with German tank forces. Much more often, the circumstances developed in the opposite way, and the Americans had to suffer serious losses in military equipment and in people. However, in this case, they really won a convincing victory.

Despite the fact that on the eve of the invasion of Russia, Germany significantly increased the production of PzKpfw IV tanks, they still accounted for no more than one sixth of all Wehrmacht combat vehicles (439 out of 3332). True, by that time the number of obsolete light tanks PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II had significantly decreased (thanks to the actions of the Red Army) and most the Panzerwaffe began to make up the Czech LT-38 (PzKpfw 38 (1) and German "troikas". With such forces, the Germans began to implement the Barbarossa plan. Some superiority of the Soviet Union in military equipment did not confuse the OKW strategists too much, they had no doubt that the German the machines would quickly deal with this gigantic fleet of obsolete Russian tanks.At first it happened, but the appearance on the theater stage of the new Soviet medium tank T-34 and the heavy KV-1, radically changed the situation.Before the creation of the Panthers and Tigers not a single German tank could compete with these magnificent tanks.At close range, they literally shot down weakly armored German vehicles.The situation changed somewhat with the advent of the new "four" in 1942, armed with a long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 cannon.Now I want to acquaint you with an excerpt from the memoirs of a former tankman of the 24th tank regiment, "which just describes the duel of the new" four "with the Soviet tank le volume 1942 near Voronezh.
“There were bloody street battles for Voronezh. Even by the evening of the second day, the valiant defenders of the city did not lay down their arms. Unexpectedly, Soviet tanks, which were the main defense force, made an attempt to break through the ring of troops that had closed around the city. A fierce tank battle ensued. The author then cites a detailed
Sergeant Freyer's report: “On July 7, 1942, on my PzKpfw IV, armed with a long-barreled gun, I took up a position at a strategically important crossroads of Voronezh. Well disguised, we hid in a dense garden near one of the houses. A wooden fence hid our tank from the side of the street. We received orders to support the advance of our light combat vehicles with fire, protecting them from enemy tanks and anti-tank guns. At first everything was relatively calm, except for a few clashes with scattered groups of Russians, nevertheless, the battle in the city kept us in constant tension.

The day was hot, but after sunset it seemed to get even hotter. At about eight o'clock in the evening, a Russian T-34 medium tank appeared to our left, clearly intending to cross the intersection guarded by us. Since the T-34 was followed by at least 30 other tanks, we could not allow such a maneuver. I had to open fire. At first luck was on our side, with the very first shots we managed to knock out three Russian tanks. But then our gunner, non-commissioned officer Fisher, radioed: “The gun is jammed!” here it must be clarified that our front sight was completely new, and there were often problems with it, which consisted in the fact that after shooting every second or third projectile, an empty sleeve stuck in the breech. At this time, another Russian tank ferociously poured fire all over the space around it. Our loader, Corporal Groll, was seriously wounded in the head. We pulled him out of the tank and laid him on the ground, and the radio operator took the vacant place of the loader. The gunner extracted the spent cartridge case and resumed firing... A few more times, NCO Schmidt and I had to feverishly pick at the barrel with an artillery banner under enemy fire in order to pull out the stuck cartridge cases. The fire of Russian tanks blew the wooden fence to pieces, but our tank still did not receive any damage.

In total, we knocked out 11 enemy vehicles, and the Russians managed to break through only once, at the moment when our gun jammed again. Almost 20 minutes passed from the beginning of the battle before the enemy was able to open aimed fire at us from their guns. In the descending twilight, shell explosions and roaring flames gave the landscape some kind of eerie, supernatural look... Apparently, it was precisely by this flame that they found us. They helped us get to the location of the regiment stationed on the southern outskirts of Voronezh. I remember that, despite being tired, I could not sleep because of the exhausting heat and stuffiness ... The next day, Colonel Rigel noted our merits in the order for the regiment:
"The Fuhrer and the Supreme High Command award the Sergeant of the 4th Platoon Freyer with the Knight's Cross. In the battle near Voronezh, Sergeant Freyer, the commander of the PzKpfw IV tank, destroyed 9 medium Russian T-34 tanks and two T-60 light tanks. This happened at the moment when a column of 30 Russian tanks tried to break through to the city center.Despite the overwhelming majority of the enemy, Sergeant Freyer remained faithful to his military duty and did not leave his post.He allowed the enemy to approach and opened fire on him from his tank.As a result, the Russian tank column was scattered and In the meantime, our infantry, after heavy bloody battles, managed to occupy the city.
In front of the entire regiment, I would like to be the first to congratulate Sergeant Freyer on his high award. The entire 24th Panzer Regiment is proud of our Knight's Cross holder and wishes him continued success in future battles. I would also like to take this opportunity to express special thanks to the rest of the brave tank crew:
Gunner non-commissioned officer Fischer
To the driver, non-commissioned officer Schmidt
Charging Corporal Groll
Radio operator corporal Muller

and convey my admiration for their actions on July 7, 1942. Your feat will go down in the golden annals of the glory of our valiant regiment.

Modern battle tanks of Russia and the world photos, videos, pictures to watch online. This article gives an idea of ​​the modern tank fleet. It is based on the principle of classification used in the most authoritative reference book to date, but in a slightly modified and improved form. And if the latter in its original form can still be found in the armies of a number of countries, then others have already become a museum exhibit. And all for 10 years! To follow in the footsteps of the Jane's guide and not consider this combat vehicle (quite by the way, curious in design and fiercely discussed at the time), which formed the basis of the tank fleet of the last quarter of the 20th century, the authors considered it unfair.

Films about tanks where there is still no alternative to this type of armament of the ground forces. The tank was and probably will remain for a long time modern weapons due to the ability to combine such seemingly contradictory qualities as high mobility, powerful weapons and reliable crew protection. These unique qualities of tanks continue to be constantly improved, and the experience and technologies accumulated over decades predetermine new frontiers of combat properties and military-technical achievements. In the age-old confrontation "projectile - armor", as practice shows, protection from a projectile is being improved more and more, acquiring new qualities: activity, multi-layeredness, self-defense. At the same time, the projectile becomes more accurate and powerful.

Russian tanks are specific in that they allow you to destroy the enemy from a safe distance, have the ability to perform quick maneuvers on impassable roads, contaminated terrain, can “walk” through the territory occupied by the enemy, seize a decisive bridgehead, induce panic in the rear and suppress the enemy with fire and caterpillars . The war of 1939-1945 became the most difficult test for all mankind, since almost all countries of the world were involved in it. It was the battle of the titans - the most unique period that theorists argued about in the early 1930s and during which tanks were used in large numbers by almost all the warring parties. At this time, a "check for lice" and a deep reform of the first theories of the use of tank troops took place. And it is the Soviet tank troops that are most affected by all this.

Tanks in battle that have become a symbol last war, the backbone of the Soviet armored forces? Who created them and under what conditions? How did the USSR, having lost most of its European territories and having difficulty recruiting tanks for the defense of Moscow, be able to launch powerful tank formations on the battlefield already in 1943? This book, which tells about the development of Soviet tanks "in the days of testing ", from 1937 to the beginning of 1943. When writing the book, materials from the archives of Russia and private collections of tank builders were used. There was a period in our history that was deposited in my memory with some depressing feeling. It began with the return of our first military advisers from Spain, and stopped only at the beginning of forty-third, - said the former general designer of self-propelled guns L. Gorlitsky, - there was some kind of pre-stormy state.

Tanks of the Second World War, it was M. Koshkin, almost underground (but, of course, with the support of "the wisest of the wise leader of all peoples"), who was able to create that tank that, a few years later, would shock German tank generals. And what’s more, he didn’t just create it, the designer managed to prove to these stupid military men that it was his T-34 that they needed, and not just another wheeled-tracked “highway”. The author is in slightly different positions that he formed after meeting with the pre-war documents of the RGVA and RGAE. Therefore, working on this segment of the history of the Soviet tank, the author will inevitably contradict something "generally accepted". This work describes the history of Soviet tank building in the most difficult years - from the beginning of a radical restructuring of all the activities of design bureaus and people's commissariats in general, during a frantic race to equip new tank formations of the Red Army, the transfer of industry to wartime rails and evacuation.

Tanks Wikipedia the author wants to express his special gratitude for the help in the selection and processing of materials to M. Kolomiyets, and also to thank A. Solyankin, I. Zheltov and M. Pavlov, the authors of the reference publication "Domestic armored vehicles. XX century. 1905 - 1941" because this book helped to understand the fate of some projects, unclear before. I would also like to recall with gratitude those conversations with Lev Izraelevich Gorlitsky, the former Chief Designer of UZTM, which helped to take a fresh look at the entire history of the Soviet tank during the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. Today, for some reason, it is customary to talk about 1937-1938 in our country. only from the point of view of repressions, but few people remember that it was during this period that those tanks were born that became legends of the wartime ... "From the memoirs of L.I. Gorlinkogo.

Soviet tanks, a detailed assessment of them at that time sounded from many lips. Many old people recalled that it was from the events in Spain that it became clear to everyone that the war was getting closer to the threshold and it was Hitler who would have to fight. In 1937, mass purges and repressions began in the USSR, and against the background of these difficult events soviet tank began to turn from a "mechanized cavalry" (in which one of its combat qualities was emphasized by lowering others) into a balanced combat vehicle, possessing at the same time powerful weapons sufficient to suppress most targets, good maneuverability and mobility with armor protection, capable of maintaining its combat capability under shelling the most massive anti-tank weapons of a potential enemy.

It was recommended that large tanks be introduced into the composition in addition only special tanks - floating, chemical. The brigade now had 4 separate battalions of 54 tanks each and was reinforced by the transition from three-tank platoons to five-tank ones. In addition, D. Pavlov justified the refusal to form in 1938 to the four existing mechanized corps three more, believing that these formations are immobile and difficult to control, and most importantly, they require a different rear organization. The tactical and technical requirements for promising tanks, as expected, have been adjusted. In particular, in a letter dated December 23 to the head of the design bureau of plant No. 185 named after. CM. Kirov, the new chief demanded to strengthen the armor of new tanks so that at a distance of 600-800 meters (effective range).

The latest tanks in the world when designing new tanks, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of increasing the level of armor protection during modernization by at least one step ... "This problem could be solved in two ways: First, by increasing the thickness of the armor plates and, secondly," by using increased armor resistance". It is easy to guess that the second way was considered more promising, since the use of specially hardened armor plates, or even two-layer armor, could, while maintaining the same thickness (and the mass of the tank as a whole), increase its resistance by 1.2-1.5 It was this path (the use of specially hardened armor) that was chosen at that moment to create new types of tanks.

Tanks of the USSR at the dawn of tank production, armor was most massively used, the properties of which were identical in all directions. Such armor was called homogeneous (homogeneous), and from the very beginning of the armor business, the craftsmen strove to create just such armor, because uniformity ensured stability of characteristics and simplified processing. However, at the end of the 19th century, it was noticed that when the surface of the armor plate was saturated (to a depth of several tenths to several millimeters) with carbon and silicon, its surface strength increased sharply, while the rest of the plate remained viscous. So heterogeneous (heterogeneous) armor came into use.

In military tanks, the use of heterogeneous armor was very important, since an increase in the hardness of the entire thickness of the armor plate led to a decrease in its elasticity and (as a result) to an increase in brittleness. Thus, the most durable armor, other things being equal, turned out to be very fragile and often pricked even from bursts of high-explosive fragmentation shells. Therefore, at the dawn of armor production in the manufacture of homogeneous sheets, the task of the metallurgist was to achieve the highest possible hardness of the armor, but at the same time not to lose its elasticity. Surface-hardened by saturation with carbon and silicon armor was called cemented (cemented) and was considered at that time a panacea for many ills. But cementation is a complex, harmful process (for example, processing a hot plate with a jet of lighting gas) and relatively expensive, and therefore its development in a series required high costs and an increase in production culture.

Tank of the war years, even in operation, these hulls were less successful than homogeneous ones, since for no apparent reason cracks formed in them (mainly in loaded seams), and it was very difficult to put patches on holes in cemented slabs during repairs. But still, it was expected that a tank protected by 15-20 mm cemented armor would be equivalent in terms of protection to the same, but covered with 22-30 mm sheets, without a significant increase in mass.
Also, by the mid-1930s, in tank building, they learned how to harden the surface of relatively thin armor plates by uneven hardening, known since the end of the 19th century in shipbuilding as the "Krupp method". Surface hardening led to a significant increase in the hardness of the front side of the sheet, leaving the main thickness of the armor viscous.

How tanks shoot videos up to half the thickness of the slab, which was, of course, worse than carburizing, since despite the fact that the hardness of the surface layer was higher than during carburizing, the elasticity of the hull sheets was significantly reduced. So the "Krupp method" in tank building made it possible to increase the strength of armor even somewhat more than carburizing. But the hardening technology that was used for sea armor of large thicknesses was no longer suitable for relatively thin tank armor. Before the war, this method was almost never used in our serial tank building due to technological difficulties and relatively high cost.

Combat use of tanks The most developed for tanks was the 45-mm tank gun mod 1932/34. (20K), and before the event in Spain, it was believed that its power was enough to perform most tank tasks. But the battles in Spain showed that the 45-mm gun could only satisfy the task of fighting enemy tanks, since even the shelling of manpower in the mountains and forests turned out to be ineffective, and it was possible to disable a dug-in enemy firing point only in the event of a direct hit . Shooting at shelters and bunkers was ineffective due to the small high-explosive action of a projectile weighing only about two kg.

Types of tanks photo so that even one hit of a projectile reliably disables an anti-tank gun or machine gun; and thirdly, to increase the penetrating effect of a tank gun on the armor of a potential enemy, as in the example French tanks(already having an armor thickness of the order of 40-42 mm), it became clear that the armor protection of foreign combat vehicles tends to be significantly strengthened. There was a right way to do this - increasing the caliber of tank guns and simultaneously increasing the length of their barrel, since a long gun of a larger caliber fires heavier projectiles at a higher muzzle velocity over a greater distance without correcting the pickup.

The best tanks in the world had a gun large caliber, also has a large breech, significantly more weight and increased recoil response. And this required an increase in the mass of the entire tank as a whole. In addition, the placement of large shots in the closed volume of the tank led to a decrease in the ammunition load.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that at the beginning of 1938 it suddenly turned out that there was simply no one to give an order for the design of a new, more powerful tank gun. P. Syachintov and his entire design team were repressed, as well as the core of the Bolshevik Design Bureau under the leadership of G. Magdesiev. Only the group of S. Makhanov remained free, who from the beginning of 1935 tried to bring his new 76.2-mm semi-automatic single gun L-10, and the team of plant No. 8 slowly brought the "forty-five".

Photos of tanks with names The number of developments is large, but in mass production in the period 1933-1937. not a single one was accepted ... "In fact, none of the five air-cooled tank diesel engines, which were worked on in 1933-1937 in the engine department of plant No. 185, was brought to the series. Moreover, despite the decisions on the highest levels of the transition in tank building exclusively to diesel engines, this process was held back by a number of factors.Of course, diesel had significant efficiency.It consumed less fuel per unit of power per hour. Diesel fuel less prone to ignition, since the flash point of its vapors was very high.

Even the most advanced of them, the MT-5 tank engine, required reorganization of engine production for serial production, which was expressed in the construction of new workshops, the supply of advanced foreign equipment (there were no machine tools of the required accuracy yet), financial investments and strengthening personnel. It was planned that in 1939 this diesel engine with a capacity of 180 hp. will go to serial tanks and artillery tractors, but due to investigative work to find out the causes of tank engine accidents, which lasted from April to November 1938, these plans were not fulfilled. The development of a slightly increased six-cylinder gasoline engine No. 745 with a power of 130-150 hp was also started.

Brands of tanks with specific indicators that suited the tank builders quite well. Tank tests were carried out according to a new methodology, specially developed at the insistence of the new head of the ABTU D. Pavlov in relation to combat service in wartime. The basis of the tests was a run of 3-4 days (at least 10-12 hours of daily non-stop traffic) with a one-day break for technical inspection and restoration work. Moreover, repairs were allowed to be carried out only by field workshops without the involvement of factory specialists. This was followed by a "platform" with obstacles, "bathing" in the water with an additional load, simulating an infantry landing, after which the tank was sent for examination.

Super tanks online after the improvement work seemed to remove all claims from the tanks. And the general course of the tests confirmed the fundamental correctness of the main design changes - an increase in displacement by 450-600 kg, the use of the GAZ-M1 engine, as well as the Komsomolets transmission and suspension. But during the tests, numerous minor defects again appeared in the tanks. The chief designer N. Astrov was suspended from work and was under arrest and investigation for several months. In addition, the tank received a new improved protection turret. The modified layout made it possible to place on the tank a larger ammunition load for a machine gun and two small fire extinguishers (before there were no fire extinguishers on small tanks of the Red Army).

US tanks as part of modernization work, on one serial model of the tank in 1938-1939. the torsion bar suspension developed by the designer of the Design Bureau of Plant No. 185 V. Kulikov was tested. It was distinguished by the design of a composite short coaxial torsion bar (long monotorsion bars could not be used coaxially). However, such a short torsion bar did not show good enough results in tests, and therefore the torsion bar suspension did not immediately pave its way in the course of further work. Obstacles to be overcome: rises not less than 40 degrees, vertical wall 0.7 m, overlapping ditch 2-2.5 m.

YouTube about tanks work on the production of prototypes of D-180 and D-200 engines for reconnaissance tanks justifying his choice, N. Astrov said that the wheeled-tracked non-floating reconnaissance aircraft (factory designation 101 or 10-1), as well as the amphibious tank variant (factory designation 102 or 10- 2), are a compromise solution, since it is not possible to fully satisfy the requirements of ABTU.Option 101 was a tank weighing 7.5 tons with a hull like a hull, but with vertical side sheets of cemented armor 10-13 mm thick, since : "Sloping sides, causing a serious weighting of the suspension and hull, require a significant (up to 300mm) broadening of the hull, not to mention the complication of the tank.

Video reviews of tanks in which the power unit of the tank was planned to be based on the 250-horsepower MG-31F aircraft engine, which was mastered by the industry for agricultural aircraft and gyroplanes. Gasoline of the 1st grade was placed in a tank under the floor of the fighting compartment and in additional onboard gas tanks. The armament fully met the task and consisted of coaxial machine guns DK caliber 12.7 mm and DT (in the second version of the project even ShKAS appears) caliber 7.62 mm. The combat weight of a tank with a torsion bar suspension was 5.2 tons, with a spring suspension - 5.26 tons. The tests were carried out from July 9 to August 21 according to the methodology approved in 1938, and Special attention given to tanks.

4-02-2017, 21:43

Hello to all lovers of innovation, the site is with you! Friends, update 0.9.17 is coming pretty soon, which will bring a lot of new things, and now everyone has access to a test client, on which a new German heavy tank of the tenth level has appeared and is now in front of you Pz.Kpfw. VII guide.

The fact is that with the advent of the patch, an alternative branch of the development of German strands will appear in the game. The cars already familiar to you moved into it and, well, the new one will be the logical conclusion Pz.Kpfw. VII tank WoT. Let's take a closer look at this innovation so that you can understand whether it is worth downloading.

But I hasten to remind you that now there is an open testing stage, respectively, by the time of release, the parameters of this machine may still change. In addition, in its appearance Pz.Kpfw. VII has a twin brother - this is also a top German heavy, but they gave him out as a reward for battles on the global map, his name is, or as the players like to say, "tapkolev". However, in terms of performance characteristics, these machines are also similar, but there are quite a few differences.

TTX Pz.Kpfw. VII

As always, we will start with the fact that this German received at his disposal not a record, but very worthy margin of safety by the standards of the TT-10, as well as a good basic viewing range of 400 meters.

In the case of heavy tanks, their security always deserves special attention, and in our case this issue is no less important. At Pz.Kpfw. VII characteristics reservations, on the one hand, are very good, but on the other hand, there are some serious nuances.

For starters, the hull is heavily armored in the frontal projection, here the thickness of the armor plates is 240 millimeters everywhere, and even at a good angle, which is 40 millimeters more weighty than that of the VK 72.01(K). In general, you can tank really effectively, but you should be afraid of the gold and shots of the top tank destroyers.

The tower of our hero is identical to the one installed on the "tapkolva" and from the forehead Pz.Kpfw. VII World of Tanks protected somewhat worse than the body. However, almost the entire front part is covered by a huge mask of the gun, which has a very favorable ricochet shape, and the cheeks are perfectly sloping, thanks to which you can catch a lot of ricochets and non-penetrations.

But with the sides heavy tank Pz.Kpfw. VII has serious problems and now you will understand what in question. Nominally 160 millimeters of armor is very bad, with the rear turret it would be possible to tank perfectly with a reverse diamond. But due to the fact that the front part of the hull is narrow, when turning the base of the tower opens to the enemy, shooting there, they will pierce us very easily.

In terms of driving characteristics, we can immediately say that we are practically the best among German top heavyweights, but this does not mean that the tank is very mobile. Pz.Kpfw. VII WoT has a good maximum speed (which is inferior to the maximum speed VK 72.01 (K)), but received weak dynamics and maneuverability. That is, we are not moving frankly slowly, rather a little tight, so that in general mobility is weak.

gun

The cannon is a fundamental feature of every tank, and looking ahead I will say that in our case the armament turned out to be truly formidable. In addition, this barrel has nothing to do with the one installed on the VK 72.01 (K), but it's better or worse, judge for yourself.

So, at Pz.Kpfw. VII gun has a really powerful alpha strike, and, importantly, a good rate of fire, thanks to which it is possible to deal about 2100 pure level units per minute.

In addition to good firepower, German heavy tank Pz.Kpfw. VII has outstanding penetration parameters. You will be able to pierce most of the enemies you meet with a regular armor-piercing projectile, but for a confrontation with heavies, it is worth carrying about 10-15 sub-calibers with you.

In terms of accuracy, again everything is fine, since Pz.Kpfw. VII World of Tanks received a very pleasant dispersion for its caliber, good aiming speed and enviable stabilization, which makes us an extremely dangerous opponent.

The only parameter that is not quite comfortable is the vertical declination angle of the gun, but with the rear turret, the ability to lower the gun by 7 degrees is also a very worthy indicator.

Advantages and disadvantages

For most of the characteristics known to this moment, we can conclude that this German heavy is really good. But in order to realize the potential inherent in Pz.Kpfw. VII WoT, you need to clearly understand its advantages and disadvantages, so it is worth focusing on these details.
Pros:
Good frontal armor;
Powerful alpha strike and decent DPM;
High penetration even in BB;
Excellent accuracy parameters;
Good vertical angles.
Minuses:
Weak mobility;
Vulnerable side armor;
Quite large dimensions.

Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. VII

To correctly equip the machine with additional modules, you need to know its strengths and weaknesses. In our case, it will be necessary to focus on increasing existing advantages, so that on tank Pz.Kpfw. VII equipment it is better to put it like this:
1. - this is the optimal and most demanded module for most tanks, because thanks to it the rate of fire and DPM increase.
2. - with the already existing excellent accuracy, this choice will allow you to deal damage very efficiently and comfortably.
3. - with the viewing parameters of our German, everything is also in order, and with optics you can easily achieve maximum "vision".

But as often happens, there is a worthy replacement for the third paragraph, and in our case it will be. A 5% boost to all the necessary characteristics is almost never superfluous, and if your crew has perks for visibility, then you won’t sag much by this parameter either.

Crew training

It makes no sense to remind you of the importance of pumping the crew, everyone understands perfectly well that a lot depends on the chosen skills. You just have to understand that you have a real heavy tank in your hands, which should hold back the enemy, but at the same time can deal tons of damage. So for Pz.Kpfw. VII perks learn the following:
Commander - , , , .
Gunner - , , , .
Driver mechanic - , , , .
Radio operator - , , , .
Loader - , , , .

Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. VII

The purchased equipment also plays an important role in the battle, and not only the saved margin of safety may depend on your choice. However, in cases where silver reserves are small, you can get by with a set of , , . Otherwise, it is much safer to carry on Pz.Kpfw. VII equipment in the form , , , and if you wish, you can replace the last option with .

Game tactics on Pz.Kpfw. VII

Judging by what this heavyweight is at the moment, we have a really strong car in our hands, although not without flaws. Taking mobility into account Pz.Kpfw. VII World of Tanks, we can say that this is a tank of one direction, so if you are unsure of your team, it is better not to go far from the base.

At the same time, we have a place on the front line, because for Pz.Kpfw. VII tactics is built on holding back the enemy, pushing through directions and inflicting a lot of damage, thanks to its excellent weapons. Speaking of tanking, you need to take a position where art can’t shoot at you and take damage only with your forehead, slightly dancing. It is dangerous to turn the hull, as we show the vulnerable base of the tower, into which we will be pierced.

At the same time, do not constantly be under fire, Pz.Kpfw. VII tank WoT has a really formidable gun and even despite its rate of fire, it is better to play from the alpha. We roll out of the shelter, substituting only the forehead of the hull or turret, make a shot and hide, everything is quite simple.

Otherwise, as already mentioned, look around and at the mini-map, beware of artillery shots, hide the sides and don't let yourself be carouseled. Heavy tank Pz.Kpfw. VII has low mobility, which means that any mobile ST can kill us without difficulty if it has room to maneuver.

Summing up, I would like to say that this device has quite a lot common features with a special tank VK 72.01 (K), especially in terms of appearance (the bands are almost twins) and armor parameters. However, at the moment it is clear that the Pz.Kpfw. The VII tank is slightly better protected and, in my opinion, its weapons are more versatile and formidable. What will happen in practice and what will be the final performance characteristics of our today's guest, time will tell.