How the improvement of the German T-4 tank should have made it a worthy opponent of the Soviet T-34

Guns and optics.

The 75 mm L/24 howitzer installed on early models of the PzKpfw IV tank had a barrel with 28 rifling 0.85 mm deep and a semi-automatic vertical sliding bolt. The gun was equipped with a clinometric sight, which, if necessary, allowed the tank to conduct targeted fire from closed positions. The barrel recoil cylinder protruded beyond the gun mantlet and covered most of the gun barrel. The gun cradle was heavier than required, resulting in a slight imbalance in the turret.

The tank gun's ammunition included high-explosive, anti-tank, smoke and grapeshot shells. The gunner aimed the cannon and the coaxial machine gun at the elevation angle, rotating a special steering wheel with his left hand. The turret could be deployed either electrically by switching a toggle switch, or manually, for which a steering wheel mounted to the right of the weapon vertical guidance mechanism was used. Both the gunner and the loader could deploy the turret manually; the maximum speed of manual rotation of the turret by the efforts of the gunner was 1.9 g/s, and by the gunner - 2.6 g/s.

The electric drive for turning the turret is mounted on the left side of the turret, the turning speed is controlled manually, the maximum turning speed using an electric drive reaches 14 g/s (about two times lower than on British tanks), the minimum is -0.14 g/s. Since the motor responds to control signals with a delay, it is difficult to track a moving target while rotating the turret using an electric drive. The gun is fired using an electric trigger, the button of which is mounted on the steering wheel of the manual drive for turning the turret. The barrel recoil mechanism after a shot has a hydropneumatic shock absorber. The tower is equipped with various instruments and devices that provide safe working conditions for crew members.

The installation of long-barreled L/43 and L/48 guns instead of the short-barreled L/24 led to an imbalance in the turret gun mount (the barrel outweighed the breech), and a special spring had to be installed to compensate for the increased weight of the barrel; the spring was installed in a metal cylinder in the right front segment of the tower. More powerful guns also had stronger recoil when fired, which required redesigning the recoil mechanism, which became wider and longer, but despite the modifications, the recoil of the barrel after a shot still increased by 50 mm compared to the recoil of the barrel of a 24-caliber gun. When making marches under their own power or when transporting by rail, in order to slightly increase the free internal volume, 43- and 48-caliber guns were raised to an angle of 16 degrees and fixed in this position with a special external folding support.

The telescopic sight of the long-barreled 75-mm cannon had two rotating scales and had a fairly high level of integration for its time. The first scale, the distance scale, rotated around its axis; aiming marks for firing from a cannon and machine gun were applied to the scale in different quadrants; the scale for firing high-explosive shells (Gr34) and for firing from a machine gun was graduated within the range of 0-3200 m, while the scales for firing armor-piercing shells (PzGr39 and PzGr40) were graduated, respectively, at distances of 0-2400 m and 0-1400 m The second scale, the sighting scale, shifted in the vertical plane. Both scales could move simultaneously, the sight scale raised or lowered, and the distance scale rotated. To hit the selected target, the distance scale was rotated until the required mark was positioned opposite the mark at the top of the sight, and the sight scale mark was superimposed on the target by turning the turret and pointing the gun in the vertical plane.

In many respects, the PzKpfw IV tank was a perfect fighting vehicle for its time. Inside the commander's turret of the tank, a scale was applied, graduated in the range from 1 to 12, in each sector it was divided by divisions into another 24 intervals. When the turret turned, due to a special gear transmission, the commander's cupola rotated in the opposite direction at the same speed so that the number 12 constantly remained on the center line of the vehicle body. This design made it easier for the commander to find the next target and point the direction towards it to the gunner. An indicator was installed to the left of the gunner's position, repeating the breakdown of the scale of the commander's cupola and rotating in the same way. After receiving a command from the commander, the gunner turned the turret in the indicated direction (for example, 10 o’clock), checking the repeater scale, and after visually detecting the target, he aimed the gun at it.

Changing the design of the PzKpfw IV tank turret

History of creation

The decision to develop the Pz.Kpfw.IV was made in 1934. The vehicle was primarily made to support infantry and suppress enemy firing points. The design was based on the Pz.Kpfw.III, a recently developed medium tank. When development began, Germany still did not advertise the work on prohibited types of weapons, so the project for the new tank was called Mittleren Tractor, and later, less secrecy, Bataillonfuhrerswagen (BW), that is, “battalion commander’s vehicle.” Of all the projects, the VK 2001(K) project presented by AG Krupp was selected.

The project was not accepted immediately - at first the military was not satisfied with the spring suspension, but the development of a new, torsion bar suspension could take a lot of time, and Germany was in dire need of a new tank, so it was decided to simply modify the existing project.

In 1934, the first model was born, still called the Bataillonfuhrerswagen. However, when the Germans introduced a unified tank designation system, it received its last name - the PzKpfw IV tank, which sounds exactly like Panzerkampfwagen IV.

The first prototype was made of plywood, and soon a prototype made of mild welding steel appeared. It was immediately sent for testing to Kummersdorf, which the tank successfully passed. In 1936, mass production of the machine began.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.A

Concept and design.

In 1930, two main types of tanks were presented as necessary weapons for tank forces:

a tank armed with a cannon designed primarily to fight enemy armored vehicles;
support tank armed with a large-caliber gun.

The last of the unresolved issues regarding the development and construction of armored vehicles and the organization of German tank forces were resolved in 1934.
According to the plan, a tank regiment of the German army of two battalions. Each of which has 1 company of support tanks and 3 companies of tanks (Pz. III) with a 37 mm gun. The armament of the support tank was to consist of a large-caliber gun and two machine guns, one of which was coaxial with the gun, and the other was placed in the bow of the hull. Which would allow it to solve problems inaccessible to the 37-mm guns of lighter class tanks.

The design work began in January 1943, when the technical specifications were announced and a competition for the creation of a fire support vehicle was opened. Representatives of companies - Rheinmetall, Krupp, MAN - announced their participation. Over the next eighteen months, the design was completed.

The Krupp project more strictly met the technical requirements for the future Pz.Kpfw IV:

total weight 18 tons;
engine power 320 l/hp;
the maximum speed was supposed to be 30 km/h;
geometric dimensions 5600 x 2900 x 2650 mm;
armor thickness 5 to 14.5 mm;
ability to climb 30 degrees;
cross trenches up to 2.2 m;
140 rounds for the main weapon and 3,000 rounds for the machine guns had to be placed in the tank.

However, the initial version still did not satisfy the military. The main complaints were caused by the spring suspension made from medium-diameter rollers, while the military seemed preferable to a torsion bar one. In their opinion, the latter potentially provided greater smoothness and also had a greater reserve of vertical movement of the skating rink.

In the process of jointly discussing the design of the Pz.Kpfw IV, representatives of Krupp and Heeres Waffenamt, it was considered possible to still settle on a spring suspension, an improved design, with eight road wheels per side.

The final version combined the turret and hull of the original Krupp design and a new chassis designed taking into account the requirements of the military.

The layout of the Pz.Kpfw IV is a classic design for German tanks with a rear-mounted engine compartment. The tank commander's workplace is along the axis of the tank turret, with an observation turret located above him. The other two crew members in the turret—the gunner and the infector—were located on both sides of the gun. The mechanic and gunner were located in the front part of the hull, the control compartment.

Chassis and suspension - 4 bogies with a pair of road wheels, leaf suspension, 4 small support wheels, a sloth in the front of the armored hull and a drive wheel at the rear. The design solution is very successful, and has not undergone any significant changes during the entire production period.

The experimental vehicle was made in Essen and underwent a test program during 1935-1936.

TTX

general information

Classification – medium tank;
Combat weight - 25 tons;
The layout is classic, transmission at the front;
Crew – 5 people;
Years of production: from 1936 to 1945;
Years of operation – from 1939 to 1970;
A total of 8686 pieces were produced.

Dimensions

Case length – 5890 mm;
Case width – 2880 mm;
Height – 2680 mm.

Booking

Type of armor – forged steel, rolled with surface hardening;
Forehead – 80 mm/degree;
Bead – 30 mm/degree;
Hull stern – 20 m/degree;
Tower forehead - 50 mm/degree;
Tower side – 30 mm/degree;
Feed cutting – 30 mm/degree;
Tower roof – 18 mm/degree.

Armament

Caliber and brand of gun - 75 mm KwK 37, KwK 40 L/43, KwK 40 L/48, depending on modification;
Barrel length - 24, 43 or 48 calibers;
Ammunition - 87;
Machine guns - 2 × 7.92 mm MG-34.

Mobility

Engine power – 300 horsepower;
Highway speed – 40 km/h;
Cruising range on the highway – 300 km;
Specific power – 13 hp. per ton;
Climbability – 30 degrees;
The ditch to be overcome is 2.2 meters

Modifications of the Pz.Kpfw IV tank.

Ausf. A.
Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf. A. manufactured in 1936. The tanks were equipped with a 250-horsepower Maybach HL-108TR engine and a transmission of 5 forward speeds and one reverse.
The armament consisted of a 7.5 cm Kwk 37 TP and an MG machine gun in the turret, another MG in front of the shooter, in the armored hull. The ammunition load consisted of 122 rounds for TP and three thousand rounds of machine gun ammunition. There were observation devices in the frontal plate of the turret and evacuation hatches on the sides. In combat conditions, they could be closed with armored shutters.
In addition, there were ports on the sides of the turret for firing in self-defense of the tank. Above the commander's head, in the rear part of the roof, there is a commander's cupola. The rotation of the turret could be carried out either manually or by means of an electric motor; the rotation was controlled by the gunner. To power the electric motor, there was an additional electric generator located on the left side of the engine compartment.
The fighting compartment is separated from the engine compartment by a fire partition. It had an access hatch to the engine. There are three fuel tanks under the combat floor at the very bottom of the fighting compartment.
35 Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf were produced. A.
Ausf.B.
The second modification appeared at the beginning of the thirty-seventh year. The reason for its appearance was the need to make many improvements to the design of the tank. But still, the main improvement is the installation of a 320 horsepower Maybach HL-120TR engine and a new transmission.
The front armor of the tank was increased to 30 mm. Some of the Ausf.B "fours" received an improved commander's cupola, in which the observation slits were covered by armored shutters. The radio operator's field machine gun has been eliminated, and a pistol port has been installed instead. Ports similar in purpose appeared in the side escape hatches.
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If the weight of the car has increased to 17.7 tons, then at high speed, thanks to a more powerful engine and gearbox.
45 Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf were produced. IN.
Аusf. C.
A year later, in 1938, the next modification saw the light - Ausf. C. In appearance, all three options—A, B, and C—did not differ significantly from each other. Although it is possible to distinguish them. One of these differences was the armored casing of the coaxial machine gun that appeared in the Ausf. WITH.
Also on Ausf cars. Since late production, a special frame was installed under the gun barrel, which retracted the antenna when the turret was rotated. Later, similar devices were installed on Ausf. A and B. The tank's mass was 18.5 tons, its speed characteristics remained unchanged thanks to the newly developed HL-120TRM engine, which later became common for all Pz.Kpfw IVs.
Аusf. D.
The thickness of the stern and side of the tank's armored hull was increased to 20 mm; later vehicles in the series were equipped with additional armor plates. The internal gun mantlet was replaced with an external one, as it was less prone to jamming by fragments and bullet fragments.
The machine gun in the front plate was returned to its place. The mass of the tank was 20 tons. By the beginning of the war, they managed to produce 45 Ausf. D. Some of the tanks of this modification were re-equipped with 7.5 cm Kwk 40 L/48, but were used mainly for training purposes.
Аusf. E.
One of the lessons learned during the Polish campaign was the conclusion that German tanks had insufficient armor protection. In order to eliminate this drawback, the following modification of the Pz was born. IV - Аusf. E.
For this purpose, the frontal part of the vehicle was reinforced with applied armor to a total thickness of 50 mm, and the sides of the hull were reinforced with 20 mm screens. The commander's cupola was moved back, its thickness increased from 5 to 95 mm. The mass of the tank was 21 tons. Simplified drive wheels, new type of support rollers. A new type of mechanical drive observation device with an increased glass area, a smoke grenade launcher.
Serial production of Pz.IV Ausf. E started in '39 and continued until April '41. A total of 224 cars were produced.
Аusf. F1.
Modification with improved armor. The screens were abandoned in favor of increasing the thickness of the hull and turret sheets, which amounted to 50-30 mm. The weight of the car increased to 22.3 tons.
To compensate for the increased ground pressure, 38 cm wide tracks were abandoned in favor of 40 cm tracks, for which changes had to be made to the design of the idlers and drive wheels. The commander's cupola hatch has two doors instead of a hatch with a single door.
The ball mount is a Kugelblende 50; a “Rommel box” was installed on the rear of the turret for the crew’s belongings.
A total of 462 Pz.IV Ausf tanks saw the light of day. F1.
Аusf. F2.
Modification of the “four” armed with 7.5 cm KwK 40. Ausf tanks. F, which received this weapon began to be called Ausf. F2, and cars with KwK 37, respectively, are F1. The vehicle's ammunition load was significantly reduced from 122 to 87 rounds.
Another visible difference is that the surveillance devices in the evacuation hatches on the sides of the tower have been eliminated and the armor of the recoil devices has been increased in size.
Vehicles of the F2 modification began to arrive at the front at the beginning of the forty-second year. 25 vehicles were converted to this modification. Another 180 were built, after which, in the summer of this year, their production ceased.
Аusf. G.
Another attempt to enhance the combat capabilities of the Pz.IV by installing an additional 30 mm screen in the frontal area and mounted 5 mm “shurzen” screens on the sides. In addition to protection from hypothetical cumulative ammunition, 5-mm screens coped quite well with protection from PTR bullets, which was more relevant.
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The single-chamber DT gun was replaced with a double-chamber one. The smoke exhaust installation in the stern was replaced with twin blocks of smoke grenades on the sides of the turret. The signal hatches for launching signal flares in the driver's and gunner's hatches have been eliminated.
In the period from 05.1942 to 06.1943, the industry produced 1687 “fours” of this type.
Аusf. H.
Strengthening the armament with the use of 7.5 cm Kwk 40 led to an overload of the “four” in its bow. The car has acquired a tendency to sway even when driving on relatively flat areas. In the model Pz.IV Ausf. H an attempt was made to eliminate the deficiency.
The frontal armor was once again reinforced, this time to 80 mm. An anti-aircraft turret began to be installed under the MG. The shape of the drive wheels and sloths has changed.
Pz.IV Ausf. H is the first car in the series of fours to be coated with Zimmerit. This modification is the most widespread in the line of these tanks; a total of 3,774 of them were produced, until the summer of forty-four.

Аusf. J.

The latest serial modification of the “four” was the Pz.IV Ausf. J, the production of which was mastered on 06.1944. Structurally, this modification represented a step back in terms of combat capabilities, made in order to simplify the production process.

The electric drive for turning the turret had to be abandoned; the space freed up from the auxiliary electric generator was taken up by an additional fuel tank.

The track rollers have finally lost their rubber, and there are now three support rollers instead of four. In order to reduce weight, the “shurzen” side screens were replaced with mesh “Tom screens”, but only within the hull. The tower was covered by the same screens made of 5 mm steel.

Most of the observation slits were eliminated, and many other simplifications were introduced.

Ausf release. J was discontinued in March 1945, after the industry had produced 1,758 of these tanks.

Performance characteristics of early Pz.Kpfw.IV.

Performance characteristics of early Pz.Kpfw.IV
Ausf.A	Ausf.B	Ausf.C	Ausf.D	Ausf.E
Dimensions
Combat weight, t	18,4	18,8	19,0	20,0	21,0
Length, m	5,60	5,92	5,92	5,92	5,92
Width, m	2,90	2,83	2,83	2,84	2,84
Height, m	2,65	2,68	2,68	2,68	2,68
Reservation, mm
Body forehead	15	30	30	30	30—50
Sides and stern of the hull	15	15	15	20	20—20+20
Tower forehead	15	30	30	30—35	30—35
The sides and stern of the tower	15	15	15	20	20
Roof	10—12	10—12	10—12	10—12	10—12
Bottom	5	5	5	10	10
Armament
A gun	7.5 cm KwK.37	7.5 cm KwK.37	7.5 cm KwK.37	7.5 cm KwK.37	7.5 cm KwK.37
Machine guns	2 × MG-13	1 × MG-34	1 × MG-34	2 × MG-34	2 × MG-34
Ammunition, shots/cartridges	122 / 3000	80 / 2400	80 / 2400	80 / 2700	80 / 2700
Mobility
Engine	Maybach HL 108TR 250 hp	Maybach HL 120TR 300 hp	Maybach HL 120TR 300 hp	Maybach HL 120TRM 300 hp	Maybach HL 120TRM 300 hp
Specific power, hp/t	13,6	16,0	15,8	15,0	14,3
Maximum speed on the highway, km/h	31	40	40	40	42
Average speed on a country road, km/h	17	20	20	20	20
Cruising range on the highway, km	150	200	200	200	200
Cruising range on a country road, km
Specific ground pressure, kg/cm²	0,69	0,70	0,75	0,77	0,79
Ditch to be overcome, m	2,6	2,3	2,3	2,3	2,3
Wall to be overcome, m	0,71	0,60	0,60	0,60	0,60
Fordability, m	0,80	0,80	0,80	1,00	1,00

Modifications

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. A. – with bulletproof armor and weak protection for surveillance devices. In fact, this is a pre-production modification - only 10 of them were produced, and an order immediately came in for an improved model;
PzKpfw IV Ausf. B - a hull of a different shape, the absence of a frontal machine gun and improved viewing devices. The frontal armor has been strengthened, a powerful engine and a new gearbox have been installed. Of course, the mass of the tank increased, but the speed also increased to 40 km/h. 42 were produced;
PzKpfw IV Ausf. C is a truly massive modification. Similar to option B, but with a new engine and some changes. Since 1938, 140 pieces have been manufactured;
Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. D – model with an external turret mantlet, thicker side armor and some improvements. The last peaceful model, 45 were produced;
Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. E is a model that took into account the experience of the first war years. Received a new commander's tower and reinforced armor. The chassis, design of inspection devices and hatches were improved, as a result, the weight of the vehicle increased to 21 tons;
Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F2 – with a 75 mm cannon. Still had insufficient protection compared to Soviet tanks;
Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G - a more protected tank, some were equipped with a 75-mm cannon with a length of 48 calibers;
Ausf.H is a 1943 vehicle, the most popular. Similar to Model G, but with thicker turret roof and new transmission;
Ausf.J - an attempt to simplify and reduce the cost of tank production in 1944. There was no electric drive for turning the turret; soon after release, the pistol ports were removed and the design of the hatches was simplified. Tanks of this modification were produced until the end of the war.

Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf.H

The end of the story of the German “support tank”

Pz.Kpfw.IV tank began its career as an auxiliary vehicle. As conceived by the military customer, it was intended to support the main medium tank Pz.Kpfw.III. However, the Pz.Kpfw.III was not the main one for long: it turned out that the 50 mm 5 cm KwK 39 gun was not enough to fight the new Allied tanks, and the more powerful 75 mm 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 gun no longer fit in its turret . Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G modification , equipped with this formidable weapon, changed the fate of the Pz.Kpfw.IV - it became the main medium tank. However, Soviet, British and American vehicles developed rapidly, and German designers constantly had to look for new solutions to maintain the combat effectiveness of the “four”.

From Africa to Europe

A comprehensive report from British armored specialists about the new version of the “four,” which the British called Pz.Kw.4 Special, was released in August 1943. More than a year has passed since the appearance of tanks with the 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun at the front - given the rapid technological progress of wartime, this was an eternity. British intelligence officers did not miss the fact that the tank was no longer “special”. During the year of the war, Pz.Kpfw.IVs with long-barreled guns became common, and in updated German technical descriptions they were now listed as the main medium tanks.

Picture of Pz.Kpfw.IV from Tactical & Technical Trends magazine. The “four” lost the “Special” designation by 1944

The tanks the Allies fought against in Italy were different from those they had previously seen in Africa. By the end of 1943, intelligence reported that the Germans had begun installing shields made of non-armored steel 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and 120 Brinell hardness on the Pz.Kpfw.IV. British experts decided that such screens were installed to combat sub-caliber shells.

It was also noted that a tank with a long 75-mm cannon is difficult to distinguish from the Tiger in appearance, since the screens give the turret a rounded shape. According to experts, the Germans could have done this deliberately. Some of the screens had a thin layer of rough coating applied to them, believed to be intended to protect against magnetic anti-tank mines or for camouflage. The coating interested the British, who tested similar materials until 1946, but they did not find any real application.

Screens remained the main topic when discussing the PzIV in reports until the spring of 1944. It was noted that they help little against armor-piercing shells, but they work very effectively against cumulative shells. It was not possible to establish the effectiveness of the side screens, since not a single tank was found on which they would have survived. Scouts reported that the screens were being plundered by infantry on both sides to build improvised fortifications and furnaces.

In correspondence, the British mentioned that due to the limited use of tanks by the Germans in Italy, most information about the new enemy armored vehicles came from the USSR. The second reason for the paucity of information is also quite simple: against the background of the Tigers, Panthers and even the Elephants, which were used in Italy in significant quantities, the old Pz.Kpfw.IV was not something outstanding, especially given the fact that the car did not radically change its appearance for quite a long time.

A British officer examines a burnt-out Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H. Italy, September 1943. A rare case: a tank carries a complete set of not only turret, but also side screens. The open flap of the commander's cupola hatch of the new design is also clearly visible.

The laconic text of the British intelligence report eloquently speaks about this: “Pz.Kpfw.IV are still appearing at the front. Further comments are unnecessary."

.
Another contained a little more: “Despite the large amount of material devoted to the Tigers and Panthers, the Pz.Kpfw.IV remained the standard vehicle in service with the German divisions
. Installing a new gun in a tank almost completely exhausted the modernization resource, and there was simply no new material for scouts.

The last four

The battles in Normandy were fought with the use of a large number of tanks, which provided a whole array of new information about German armored vehicles, gleaned both from the inspection of damaged vehicles and captured documents. Thus, the British learned about another feature of the new type of Pz.Kpfw.IV: it was equipped with a new 48-caliber gun instead of the old one, 43-caliber long. However, British experts doubted that such a slight elongation would significantly affect the ballistics of the gun.

It seems that the old tanks were also modernized, since the British came across a Pz.Kpfw.IV with a long 75 mm gun, but which had 30 mm frontal armor with an additional 30 mm shield - the same as was used on the old Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.D . A tank with monolithic 60 mm frontal armor was also inspected. It is not entirely clear which direction the researchers made a mistake: it could have been the Ausf.G with 50 mm frontal armor or the Ausf.H with 80 mm. Judging by captured documents, the “fours” were gradually replaced in the niche of the main medium tank of the German army by “Panthers”. The task of the PzIV was now reduced to covering the vulnerable sides of the Panthers and the tank destroyers at their base.

Modernized Pz.Kpfw.IV from the collection of the Bovington Tank Museum. The vehicle has the turret front and shielding characteristic of the Ausf.D, but along with them there is a long-barreled 75 mm gun and shields on the turret

It seems that no documents were found in the damaged tanks, since the name of the new modification became known only some time later. The new tank was called Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H, but the British were not sure of this, even when the captured vehicle arrived at the School of Tank Technologies. This happened towards the end of 1944. A preliminary description was drawn up only by December - by that time the Allied troops had had enough time to fight with the new machine, but with a trophy in their hands, the British could confirm what they had only guessed before.

The most noticeable changes compared to the previous model were the lengthened 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 cannon, a new commander's cupola, and the installation of screens on the sides of the vehicle.

The armor of the commander's cupola has changed: the armor thickness has reached 100 mm compared to 95 mm on the Ausf.E; the roof of the turret with a single-leaf hatch with a diameter of 480 mm had a thickness of 12 mm. Unlike the Ausf.G, there was no turret rotation indicator on the cupola. The main armor of the vehicle remained at the level of the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G, with the exception of the 85 mm front hull plate and turret box with a nominal thickness of 80 mm. The frontal armor of the turret remained at 50 mm.

Captured by the British 27th Tank Brigade Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H. Normandy, July 1944. The tank looks typical: it has screens on the turret, but there are no side screens, which are easier to use around the house.

This time the main armor was supplemented by spaced screens installed on the sides of the hull and around the turret. The thickness of the sheets was 5–9 mm; they were separated from the main armor by a distance of up to 400 mm. The turret screens had hinged flaps to allow the crew to use the side turret hatches. The side screens were missing, but the mountings for them remained on the car. The screens also had an anti-magnetic coating, but by this time British intelligence had already figured out the meaning of the word "zimmerit", so the researchers knew what they were dealing with.

The new L/48 gun was longer than its predecessor L/43: 3610 mm versus 3230 mm. The initial velocity of the projectile increased to 2600 feet per second (790 m/s). The British did not draw up new penetration tables for L/48, deciding that it had not changed radically compared to L/43.

The changes were not limited to the barrel length: the L/48 had a uniform right-hand rifling with a steepness of 7°, in contrast to the progressive rifling steepness of the L/43, varying from 6 to 9°. The barrels of the L/43 and L/48 guns had 32 rifling, compared to 28 rifling for the shorter 7.5 cm KwK. The muzzle brake has changed compared to those previously used on the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G. This was the third variant of the muzzle brake that the British noted on the 7.5 KwK 40 guns. Some simplifications of the breech were noted.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H armor thicknesses and angles

All the changes made the extended gun a little heavier, from 472 to 496 kg. The barrel became 49 kg heavier, but this was partially compensated by the lighter weight of other components. The balancing spring was replaced by a hydropneumatic mechanism, and a mount for a clinometer was added to the cradle. The trigger mechanism remained the same, but this time there was no battery mount. The tank had an EMF electric generator, just like the Panther. The ammunition consisted of 85 rounds, as well as 1950 rounds of ammunition for two MG 34 machine guns.

The chassis has also changed somewhat. The support rollers were now made of steel, without rubber bands, and the suspension travel stops were simplified compared to those used on the Ausf.G. The drive wheel was also different. Since the tank was faulty, no sea trials were carried out.

In the fall of 1944, intelligence reported a new version of the "four" - Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J. At the same time, they managed to capture a document from which the British learned about the command version of the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H and Ausf.J tanks. Such vehicles weighed 24.1 tons, their armament did not differ from linear “fours”, but the ammunition was only 20 high-explosive fragmentation shells. A smoke mortar with all-round fire was installed on the roof of the tower.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H from the collection of the tank museum in Saumur. The vehicle has lightweight screens typical for Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J

Already in the spring of 1945, one such tank, designated Pz.Beob.Wg.IV Ausf.J, was captured by the Americans and examined in Belgium. An examination of the trophy also provided information about the design of the linear Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J, since it differed little from it. The armor of the tank did not differ from the armor of the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H; even the fastenings for lightweight steel mesh screens were absent on this example - instead of them there were fastenings for the first version of the apron screens (“Schurzens”).

According to intelligence, only the manual mechanism for turning the turret was preserved in this tank. Unlike the manual mechanism on the PzIV Ausf.H, it had two gears. The high gear rotated the turret 360° in 220 revolutions of the flywheel, the low gear in 352 revolutions. In place of the auxiliary engine for turning the turret on tanks of this modification, an additional 166-liter gas tank was installed, but on the specimen under study only the mountings remained from the tank. A generator driven by an auxiliary gasoline engine was installed in the right sponson. The engine exhaust was discharged from the stern through a flexible pipe laid through the engine compartment. For operations at night, the exhaust pipes were covered with flame arresters.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H from the collection of the Overlord Museum. The door in the side screen for using the turret hatch and the single-leaf hatch of the commander's cupola are open. The tank lacks not only screens on the hull, but also mounts for them

In addition to the standard radio station mount next to the radio operator's seat, mounts for two more radio stations were found in the turret. The output for their antennas was located at the rear of the tower. The tank also had mounts for a commander's periscope, similar to the one used on the Panther.

The British also became aware of the “hybrid” tank Pz.Kpfw.III/IV and the self-propelled gun Pz.Jag.III/IV based on it. A report from April 1945 mentioned that the vehicle was different from the previously described GWIII/IV chassis used for the Hummel and Nashorn self-propelled guns. It was noted that, judging by German documents, such tanks were supposed to go into production in November 1944, but they were never seen on the battlefield.

Behind enemy lines

After the end of the war, the British military had a chance to inspect the German (DHHV - Dortmund-Hörder Hütten-Verein) in the territory occupied by the Western Allies. This made it possible to answer many questions that British specialists asked themselves during their research into the armoring and welding of German tank hulls. It turned out that changes in the assembly of the Pz.Kpfw.IV, the purpose of which was to increase production rates, began in March 1942. To simplify the design, even the connections of the front plates were changed - the British thought that this was done to strengthen the armor. German designers explained that with a thickness of inclined frontal armor of 20 mm, the plate was in any case pressed into the hull when a projectile hit it, regardless of the type of connections.

The hull of the Pz.Kpfw.IV tank on (Nibelungenwerke). Allied strategic bombing had both direct and indirect effects on the production volume of German armored vehicles

The new connection of armor plates provided one noticeable advantage: welding became less labor-intensive and of higher quality. According to employees of both companies, problems with weld cracks were not observed until January 1944, when the transition to new electrodes sharply reduced the quality of welding. Workers had to spend a lot of time re-welding cracked seams.

The quality of work also dropped due to the bombing, since by the winter of 1944 the heating system at both factories stopped working. The armor sheets that arrived at the plant were exposed to the cold for about two weeks, which also led to the spread of cracks. Probably, the quality of welding left much to be desired due to the involvement of foreign citizens, prisoners of war and German prisoners in the work. Perhaps the manufacturers simply had other priorities - for example, Dr. Vazmakht, head of the quality department at DHHV, responded during interrogation that his main goal was production volume, and 100% quality work was not required from the plant.

“Bathtub” of the Pz.Kpfw.IV hull in the slipway at the Krupp plant

In fact, the fate of the PzIV was decided by June 1944. It was impossible to endlessly increase the thickness of the armor, and even the most advanced version of the “four” was penetrated in the forehead by an armor-piercing shell from a British 6-pounder from 1,600 yards (1,460 meters). The armor-piercing shell of the more powerful 17-pounder penetrated the thickest tank armor from 2000 meters, even at an angle of 30°. The American vehicles also had something to oppose to the Pz.Kpfw.IV: the 76-mm cannon penetrated the frontal armor from 1,800 yards (1,650 meters).

The gun of the German tank is also long outdated: in the table entitled “main tank guns and their shells,” compiled by the Americans for the British mission in the fall of 1945, the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48 is missing. It is not surprising that the Germans wanted to completely get rid of the “fours” in favor of the “Panthers,” but the “support tank” remained in service from the beginning to the end of the war.

Sources and literature:

Canadian Military Headquarters Archive, London (1939–1947) RG 24 C 2
ETO Ordnance Technical Intelligence Report No.172, German Pz.Kpfw.IV Model J Observation Tank
Tactical & Technical Trends Magazine

Vehicles based on Pz. IV

Several special vehicles were also built on the basis of the Panzerkampfwagen IV:

StuG IV – medium self-propelled gun of the assault gun class;
Nashorn (Hornisse) – medium anti-tank self-propelled gun;
Möbelwagen 3.7 cm FlaK auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw. IV(sf); Flakpanzer IV "Möbelwagen" - anti-aircraft self-propelled gun;
Jagdpanzer IV - medium self-propelled gun, tank destroyer;
Munitionsschlepper - ammunition transporter;
Sturmpanzer IV (Brummbär) - medium self-propelled howitzer/assault gun class;
Hummel - self-propelled howitzer;
Flakpanzer IV (3.7cm FlaK) Ostwind and Flakpanzer IV (2cm Vierling) Wirbelwind are self-propelled anti-aircraft guns.

The PzKpfw IV Hydrostatic with a hydrostatic drive was also developed, but it remained experimental and did not go into production.

StuG IV

Use in combat

The Wehrmacht received the first three Pz tanks. IV in January 1938. A total of 113 cars were produced in 1938. The first operations of these tanks were the Anschluss of Austria and the capture of the Judiciary region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. And in 1939 they drove through the streets of Prague.

Before the invasion of Poland, the Wehrmacht had 211 Pz. IV A, B and C. All of them were superior to Polish vehicles, but anti-tank guns were dangerous for them, so many tanks were lost.

By May 10, 1940, the Panzerwaffe had 290 Pz.Kpfw.IV tanks. They successfully fought with French tanks, winning with fewer losses. However, so far the troops still had more light Pz.l and Pz.ll than Pz. IV. In subsequent operations they suffered virtually no losses.

After 1940

By the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the Germans had 439 Pz.lV. There is evidence that at that time the Germans classified them as heavy tanks, but they were significantly inferior to the Soviet heavy KVs in terms of combat qualities. However, the Pz.lV was inferior even to our T-34. Because of this, about 348 Pz.Kpfw.IV units were lost in battles in 1941. A similar situation occurred in North Africa.

Even the Germans themselves did not speak very well of the Pz.Kpfw.IV, which was the reason for so many modifications. In Africa, the vehicles were clearly defeated, and several successful operations involving Pz.lV Ausf.G and Tigers ultimately did not help anything - in North Africa the Germans had to capitulate.

On the Eastern Front, Ausf.F2s took part in the attack on the North Caucasus and Stalingrad. When the Pz.lll ceased production in 1943, it was the four that became the main German tank. And although after the start of production of the “Panther” the four wanted to stop producing them, they abandoned this decision, and for good reason. As a result, in 1943, Pz.IVs made up 60% of all German tanks - most of them were modifications G and H. They were often confused with Tigers due to their armored screens.

It was the Pz.lV that actively participated in Operation Citadel - there were many more Tigers and Panthers. At the same time, it seems that the Soviet troops just accepted many Pz. IV for the Tigers, since according to reports they knocked out many more Tigers than were present on the German side.

In all these battles, a lot of fours were lost - in 1943 this number reached 2402, and only 161 were repaired.

Shot down Pz. IV

End of the war

In the summer of 1944, German troops were constantly losing both in the East and in the West, and Pz.lV tanks could not withstand the onslaught of enemies. 1,139 vehicles were destroyed, but the troops still had enough of them.

The last major operations in which the Pz.lV participated on the German side were the counter-offensive in the Ardennes and the counter-attack on Lake Balaton. They ended in failure, many tanks were knocked out. In general, the fours participated in hostilities until the very end of the war - they could be found in street battles in Berlin and on the territory of Czechoslovakia.

Of course, the captured Pz. IV were actively used by the Red Army and allies in various battles.

After World War II

After the surrender of Germany, a fairly large batch of fours was transferred to Czechoslovakia. They were repaired and were in service until the 50s. The Pz.lV was also actively used in Syria, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Turkey and Spain.

In the Middle East, Pz.Kpfw.IV fought in 1964, in the “water war” over the Jordan River. Then the Pz.lV Ausf.H fired at Israeli troops, but were soon destroyed in large numbers. And in 1967, during the “six-day” war, the Israelis captured the remaining vehicles.

Pz. IV in Syria

The Germans themselves did not have a high opinion of the fighting 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 on Rommel’s headquarters): “The T-IV tank gained a reputation among the British as a formidable enemy 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 T-IVs in tank battles, they were much more useful as infantry fire support." The Pz.lV began to play a more significant role in all theaters of war only after acquiring the “long arm” - the 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 the North Caucasus. After production of the Pz.lll "four" ceased in 1943, it gradually became the main German tank in all theaters of combat. However, in connection with the start of production of the Panther, it was planned to stop production of the Pz.lV, however, thanks to the tough position of the Panzerwaffe Inspector General, 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” turned out to be capable of hitting Soviet and American tanks beyond the 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, with the Pz.IV taking first place among medium tanks. Since 1942, the tactical and technical characteristics of the Pz.IV have not changed (except for the thickness of the armor) and during the two years of the war they 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 production, overtook it. The Germans no longer had the time or opportunity to give a worthy response. Comparing the characteristics of WWII tanks, we can conclude that the Germans, earlier than others, began to consider the tank as the main and most effective anti-tank weapon, and this is the main trend in post-war tank building.

In general, it can be argued that of all the German tanks of the Second World War, the Pz.IV was the most balanced and versatile. In this car, various characteristics were harmoniously combined and complemented each other. The Tiger and Panther, for example, had a clear bias towards protection, which led to their overweight and deterioration in dynamic characteristics. The Pz.III, with many other characteristics being equal to the Pz.IV, did not match it in armament and, having no reserves for modernization, left the stage. The Pz.IV, with a similar Pz.III, but a slightly more thoughtful layout, had such reserves in full least. This is the only wartime tank with a 75 mm cannon, whose main armament was significantly strengthened without changing the turret. The turret of the T-34-85 and Sherman had to be replaced, and, by and large, these were almost new vehicles. The British went their own way and, like a fashionista, changed not the towers, but the tanks! But “Cromwell,” which appeared in 1944, never reached the “four,” as did “Comet,” released in 1945. Only the post-war Centurion was able to bypass the German tank, created in 1937.

From the above, of course, it does not follow that the Pz.IV was an ideal tank. Let's say it had insufficient engine power and a rather rigid and outdated suspension, which negatively affected its maneuverability. To some extent, the latter was compensated for by the lowest L/B ratio of 1.43 among all medium tanks. The equipping of the Pz.lV (as well as other tanks) with anti-cumulative screens cannot be considered a successful move by German designers. HEAT ammunition was rarely used en masse, but the screens increased the dimensions of the vehicle, making it difficult to move in narrow passages, blocked most surveillance devices, and made it difficult for the crew to board and disembark.

However, an even more pointless and rather expensive measure was coating the tanks with Zimmerit (anti-magnetic painting, against magnetic mines). But perhaps the biggest mistake the Germans made was trying to switch to a new type of medium tank - the Panther. As the latter, it did not take place, being included in the class of heavy vehicles, but it played a fatal role in the fate of the Pz.lV. Having concentrated all their efforts on creating new tanks in 1942, the Germans stopped seriously modernizing the old ones. Let's try to imagine what would have happened if not for the Panther? The project of installing a “Panther” turret on the Pz.lV is well known, both standard and “close” (Schmall-turm). The project is quite realistic in terms of dimensions - the clear diameter of the turret ring for the Panther is 1650 mm, for the Pz.lV it is 1600 mm. The tower stood up without expanding the turret box. The situation with weight characteristics was somewhat worse - due to the long reach 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 limit ourselves to a gun with smaller weight and dimensions, with a barrel length of, say, not 70, but 55 or 60 calibers. Even if such a weapon would require replacing the turret, it would still make it possible to get by with a lighter design than the Panther one. The inevitably increasing (by the way, even without such a hypothetical rearmament) weight of the tank required replacing the Engine. For comparison: the dimensions of the HL 120TKRM engine installed on the Pz.IV were 1220x680x830 mm, and the Panther HL 230P30 - 1280x960x1090 mm. The clear dimensions of the engine compartments were almost identical for these two tanks. The Panther's was 480 mm longer, mainly due to the slope of the rear hull plate. Consequently, equipping the Pz.lV with a higher power engine was not an insurmountable design task. The results of this, 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 in our country and the Sherman with a 76-mm cannon in 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 as much as 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.

Tank in culture

Tank Pz. IV was one of the most popular German tanks, so it has a strong presence in modern culture.

In bench modeling, 1:35 scale plastic kits are produced in China, Japan, Russia and South Korea. The most common models in the Russian Federation are the late shielded tank and the early short-barreled tank with a 75 mm gun.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.A, model

A tank is very common in games. Pz. IV A, D and H can be found in the game Word of Tanks, in Battlefield 1942 it is the main German tank. He can also be seen in both parts of Company of Heroes, in Advanced Military Commander, in the games “Behind Enemy Lines”, Red Orchestra 2 and others. Modifications of Ausf. C, Ausf. E, Ausf. F1, Ausf. F2, Ausf. G, Ausf. H, Ausf. J are presented in the game War Thunder. On mobile platforms Pz.IV Ausf. F2 can be seen in the game "Armored Aces".

Memory of a tank

The PzKpfw IV was produced very en masse, so many of its modifications, especially the later ones, are presented in various museums around the world:

Belgium, Brussels – Museum of the Royal Army and Military History, PzKpfw IV Ausf J;
Bulgaria, Sofia - Museum of Military History, PzKpfw IV Ausf J;
UK – Duxford War Museum and Bovington Tank Museum, Ausf. D;
Germany – Museum of Technology in Sinsheim and Tank Museum in Munster, Ausf G;
Israel – Israel Defense Forces Museum in Tel Aviv, Ausf. J, and the Israeli Armored Forces Museum in Latrun, Ausf. G;
Spain, El Goloso – Museum of Armored Vehicles, Ausf H;
Russia, Kubinka – Armored Museum, Ausf G;
Romania, Bucharest – National War Museum, Ausf J;
Serbia, Belgrade – Military Museum, Ausf H;
Slovakia – Museum of the Slovak Uprising in Banska Bystrica and the Museum of the Carpathian-Dukele Operation in Svidnik, Ausf J;
USA - Military Vehicle Technology Foundation Museum in Portola Valley, Ausf. H, US Army Armament Museum at Fort Lee: Ausf. D, Ausf. G, Ausf. H;
Finland, Parola – Tank Museum, Ausf J;
France, Saumur – Tank Museum, Ausf J;
Switzerland, Thun – Tank Museum, Ausf H.

Pz.Kpfw.IV In Kubinka

Description of the PzKpfw IV tank

Armor protection . In 1942, consulting engineers Mertz and McLillan conducted a detailed examination of the captured PzKpfw IV Ausf.E tank, in particular, they carefully studied its armor.

— Several armor plates were tested for hardness, all of them were machined. The hardness of the machined armor plates on the outside and inside was 300-460 Brinell. — The 20 mm thick applied armor plates, which reinforce the armor of the hull sides, are made of homogeneous steel and have a hardness of about 370 Brinell. The reinforced side armor is unable to "hold" 2 pound shells fired from 1000 yards.

On the other hand, shelling of a tank carried out in the Middle East in June 1941 showed that a distance of 500 yards (457 m) can be considered as the limit for effectively hitting a PzKpfw IV in the frontal area with fire from a 2-pounder gun. In a report prepared in Woolwich on a study of the armor protection of a German tank about

At the same time, the method of joining the armor plates was criticized; a specialist commented on his research: “The quality of the welding is poor, the welds of two of the three armor plates in the area where the projectile hit came apart.”

Changing the design of the frontal part of the tank hull

Photo and video

Flakpanzer IV "Möbelwagen"

Hummel

Jagdpanzer IV

Nashorn

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