Good day, tankers and tankers, aces.gg is with you! Our guest today is a historically famous vehicle; at the beginning of World War II, Germany produced 96 of these tanks with their subsequent modification, in front of you Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E guide
.
The importance of this device has not diminished too much in our favorite game, because it stands at the origins of three entire development branches, that is, many players who decide to reach such tanks as Leopard 1, E 100 and E 50 M can start leveling up with the Pz. Kpfw. III Ausf. E WoT
. Let's take a closer look at the famous tank and determine what it is capable of in a virtual battle.
TTX Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E
Let's start with the fact that we have at our disposal a safety margin standard for third-level equipment, as well as a non-record, but at the same time very decent basic visibility with a range of 320 meters.
If we talk about what the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E characteristics
survivability, everything is very, very mediocre, since in most areas, both in the frontal and side projections, the thickness of the armor does not exceed 30 millimeters, which is easily penetrated even by classmates.
By and large, there are only two exceptions: 1. Due to the slope of the upper frontal part, here Pz. III E World of Tanks
in the given version it has approximately 49 millimeters of armor; 2. The streamlined gun mantlet, due to the same slopes in the thickest place (on top), boasts 54 and even 88 millimeters of armor, but the chance that an enemy shell will fly there is very small, so we can say that our German cannot rely on it at all on the armor.
Everything is aggravated by the fact that the German light tank Pz. III E
It has large dimensions, which is why camouflage suffers greatly. In addition, we have a huge commander’s cupola sticking out on the roof, and the transmission is located behind the large NLD, so get ready for constant engine crits.
However, the large size of the tank allowed it to accommodate a truly powerful engine, so the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E WoT
became the owner of an excellent maximum speed, excellent dynamics and with maneuverability we are all at the highest level, that is, survival is ensured due to high mobility.
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
DESIGN DESCRIPTION
The layout of the tank is classic, with a front-mounted transmission.
Inside, the tank hull was divided into three compartments: control (also known as transmission), combat and engine.
The control compartment was located in the bow of the tank. It housed control drives, instruments that controlled engine operation, a main clutch, a gearbox, a planetary rotation mechanism, a machine gun in a ball mount, a radio station, seats for the driver and radio operator.
The fighting compartment occupied the middle part of the tank. It housed weapons, ammunition, aiming and observation devices. There were also jobs for the tank commander, gunner and loader. A driveshaft covered with a casing passed over the floor of the fighting compartment.
The engine compartment was located behind the combat compartment, in the rear of the tank. It contained the engine, oil tank, fuel tank and radiators of the cooling system.
Management Department:
1 — heading indicator; 2 — final drive; 3 - triplex; 4 — control levers; 5 — instrument panel; 6 — gearbox; 7 — gear shift lever.
hull was welded from rolled armor plates of chromium-nickel steel with surface carburization. The individual parts of the body were connected with bolts and squares. On both sides of the hull, above the second and third road wheels, tanks of modifications E - L had evacuation hatches. On the roof of the engine compartment there were four hatches - two large and two small - for access to the power plant units, and in the bottom of the hull there were hatches for draining water, gasoline and oil and for access to the engine and gearbox. In the front upper part of the hull sides there were observation hatches with triplex glass, closed with armored flaps (the Ausf.A - D tanks had a hatch only on the left, near the driver’s seat).
In the frontal plate of the hull on the left there was a driver's viewing device, which included a triplex glass block, closed by a massive folding (Ausf.A - D) or sliding (Ausf.E - N) shutter, and a binocular periscope observation device KFF 1 (Ausf.A - D) or KFF 2 (E - N). The latter, if it was not necessary, moved to the right, and the driver could observe through the glass block.
TOWER - hexagonal, welded, placed symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the tank. In the front part of the turret, in the mantlet, a cannon, a machine gun (modifications A - G with a 37 mm cannon have two machine guns) and a telescopic sight were installed. On the right and left in the mask there were hatches for observation with triplex glass (for variants L - N there was a hatch only on the left). The hatches were closed with external armored flaps from inside the turret.
Reservation scheme for the Pz.III medium tank.
Layout of the Pz.III tank.
The turret rotation mechanism is mechanical, with a double control drive, connected to the loader (to the right of the gun) on a detachable handle and to the gunner (to the left of the gun) on the handwheel. In addition, there was a lever for switching the gears of the mechanism for accelerated or slow rotation of the turret.
A commander's cupola with a hatch closed by a double-leaf lid was installed in the rear part of the turret roof. Some Ausf.N vehicles of later production were equipped with a commander's cupola borrowed from the Pz.IV Ausf.G tank, which had a single-leaf cover. The turret was equipped with eight (Ausf.A - C) or five (D - N) viewing slits with triplex glass.
For boarding and disembarking crew members, there were hatches with single-leaf and double-leaf (starting with option E) covers on the sides of the turret. Inspection devices were installed in the hatch covers and sides of the turret (modifications L, M and N did not have instruments in the sides of the turret). On the rear plate of the turret there were two hatches for firing personal weapons.
WEAPONS. The main armament of tanks of modifications A - G is a 3.7 cm KwK L/45 cannon of 37 mm caliber from Rheinmetall-Borsig. Barrel length - 45 calibers (1717 mm). Weight - 195 kg. Vertical aiming - from -10° to +20°. The shutter is wedge, vertical, semi-automatic. The descent is electric. Rate of fire 15–18 rds/min. The gun's ammunition included shots with armor-piercing PzGr (weight 0.685 kg, initial speed 745 m/s), sub-caliber PzGr 40 (0.368 kg, 1020 m/s) and high-explosive fragmentation SprGr 18 (0.615 kg, 725 m/s) shells. The ammunition consisted of 150 (Ausf.A), 121 (B - D) or 131 (E - G) rounds.
Tanks of modifications G - J were armed with a 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 cannon of 50 mm caliber, also developed by Rheinmetall-Borsig designers. Barrel length - 42 caliber (2100 mm). Weight - about 400 kg. Vertical guidance angles from -10° to +20°. The shutter is a vertical wedge, with a semi-automatic copy type. The trigger mechanism is electric, mounted on the handle of the rotary mechanism flywheel. Rate of fire 15 rds/min. The recoil devices consisted of a hydraulic recoil brake and a hydropneumatic knurl and were located on the sides of the barrel: on the right side there was a recoil brake, on the left there was a knurl. For firing from the KwK 38 cannon, unitary shots were used with armor-piercing shells PzGr and PzGr 39 (weight 2.06 kg, initial speed 685 m/s), sub-caliber PzGr 40 (0.925 kg, 1050 m/s) and high-explosive fragmentation SprGr 38 ( 1.823 kg, 450 m/s). The ammunition load of tanks of these modifications consisted of 97–99 rounds.
Turret layout of the Pz.III tank:
1 - 50 mm gun; 2 — MG 34 machine gun; 3 — telescopic sight; 4 — flywheel of the turret rotating mechanism; 5 — gunner’s seat; 6 — loader’s seat; 7 — commander’s seat; 8 — turret stop handle; 9 — flywheel of the gun lifting mechanism; 10—gun fencing.
Combat vehicles of variants J - M were armed with a 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 cannon of 50 mm caliber. Barrel length - 60 calibers (3000 mm). Weight - 435 kg. The type of shutter, the principle of semi-automatic operation, recoil devices, the trigger mechanism and many other components of the gun were identical to the KwK 38 cannon. The main difference was the longer length of the charging chamber, associated with the increased length of the cartridge case from 288 to 420 mm. Shots with armor-piercing shells PzGr KwK 39 and PzGr 39 KwK 39 (weight 2.06 kg, initial speed 835 m/s), sub-caliber PzGr 40 KwK 39 (0.925 kg, 1190 m/s) and PzGr 40/1 KwK were used for firing 39 (1.07 kg, 1130 m/s) and high-explosive fragmentation SprGr 38 KwK 39 (1.82 kg, 550 m/s). The number of rounds in the ammunition ranged from 84 (Ausf.J) to 92 (Ausf.L and M).
The crew of the Pz.III Ausf.F tank of the 16th Panzer Division cleaning the gun. 1941 The vehicle has undergone significant modernization, during which a 50-mm cannon was installed on it, and the armor of the frontal plate of the turret box and the upper and lower frontal plates of the hull was strengthened. Despite this, the crew attached track tracks to the vehicle wherever possible.
Pz.III Ausf.N tanks were armed with a 7.5 cm KwK 37 cannon of 75 mm caliber. Barrel length - 24 caliber (1765.3 mm). Weight - 490 kg. Vertical aiming - from -10° to +20°. The gun had a vertical wedge breech and an electric trigger. Its ammunition included shots with armor-piercing shells KgrRotPz (weight 6.8 kg, initial speed 385 m/s), cumulative Gr 38Н1/А, Gr 38Н1/В and Gr 38Н1/С (4.44:4.8 kg, 450 :485 m/s), smoke NbGr (6.21 kg, 455 m/s) and high-explosive fragmentation (5.73 kg, 450 m/s). The gun's ammunition consisted of 56 rounds for tanks converted from Ausf.L, and 62 rounds for tanks converted from Ausf.M.
Modifications A - G with a 37-mm cannon were paired with two Rheinmetall-Borsig MG 34 machine guns of 7.92 mm caliber. A third machine gun of the same type was installed in the front plate of the hull. The machine guns' ammunition consisted of 4425 rounds. Tanks of the G - M variants with a 50-mm cannon had only one MG 34 machine gun paired with it. The second was located in the front hull plate in a Kugelblende 30 (Ausf.E - N) or Kugelblende 50 (Ausf.J - N) ball mount. An anti-aircraft machine gun could be placed on the commander's turrets of tanks of variants L - N on a special device Fliegerbeschu?ger?t 41 or 42. The ammunition load of machine guns on vehicles with 50-mm cannons ranged from 2,700 to 4,950 rounds.
Radio operator position:
1 — sight; 2 — MG 34 machine gun; 3 — head support; 4 — bags with machine gun belts; 5 - seat.
Tanks with 37 mm guns were equipped with TZF 5a monocular telescopic sights, with 50 mm KwK 38 - TZF 5d, with 50 mm KwK 39 - TZF 5e. Ausf.N tanks were equipped with TZF 5b sights. The latter had a 2.4-fold increase. The MG 34 course machine gun was equipped with a 1.8x KZF 2 telescopic sight.
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. The tanks were equipped with Maybach HL 108TR, HL 120TR and HL 120TRM engines, 12-cylinder, V-shaped (cylinder camber 60°), carburetor, four-stroke, with a power of 250 hp. (HL 108) and 300 hp. (HL 120) at 3000 rpm. Cylinder diameters are 100 and 105 mm. Piston stroke 115 mm. Compression ratio 6.5. Working volume 10,838 cm3 and 11,867 cm3. All engines are of the same design.
Engine and gearbox of the Pz.III Ausf.E tank.
Fuel is leaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 74. The fuel system of the Ausf.A - D tanks included two gas tanks with a total capacity of 300 liters. Vehicles of variants E - N had one gas tank with a capacity of 320 liters, located in the rear of the tank to the right of the engine. Fuel consumption per 100 km when driving on the highway is 287 liters. The fuel supply is forced, using two (for modifications G - N - three) fuel pumps of the Solex EP100 diaphragm type. There are two carburetors, Solex 40 JFF II.
The cooling system is liquid, with two radiators and two fans. Cooling system capacity - 70 l.
The transmission consisted of a cardan drive, main clutch, gearbox, turning mechanisms and final drives. Tanks of modifications A - C were equipped with a multi-disc main clutch and a five-speed gearbox. Ausf.D cars were equipped with a six-speed gearbox. On cars of other modifications, three types of transmissions were used:
— with a six-speed manual transmission and a dry main clutch of mechanical control and mechanical brake control;
— with a six-speed manual transmission and a dry main clutch of mechanical control and hydraulic brake control;
— with a ten-speed shaftless manual transmission and an oil-operated multi-disc main clutch with preselector pneumohydraulic control and hydraulic brake drive.
The ten-speed gearbox was equipped with a preselector (pre-selected) selector for setting the switching mechanism to the desired gear. Gear shifting was carried out pneumatically according to the settings made. At the same time, the choice of gears and their switching occurred at different times.
Layout of the Pz.III Ausf.L medium tank:
1 - headlight; 2 — MG 34 machine gun; 3 — KwK 39 gun; 4 — mask installation with additional armor protection; 5 — TZF 5e sight; 6 — fan armor; 7 — gun guard; 8 — commander’s cupola; 9 — box for equipment; 10 — air filter; 11 — fuel tank; 12 — engine; 13 - radiator; 14 — exhaust pipe; 15 — muffler; 16 - fan; 17 — fan drive; 18 — starter; 19 — cardan shaft; 20 — driveshaft casing; 21 — gunner’s seat; 22 — release pedal; 23 — driver’s seat; 24 — backstage; 25 — control lever; 26 — rotation mechanism.
Gear selection was carried out using the selector lever located to the right of the driver on the gearbox. When changing the position of the lever, the new gear was not engaged, only certain valves of the pneumatic system were opened - thus preparing the engagement of the selected gear. At the right moment, the driver engaged the gear by pressing the pedal. In addition to ten forward gears, the box with pneumohydraulic preselector control had four reverse gears. Switching from forward to reverse and engaging the neutral position was done using the reverse lever. To equalize the angular speeds of the gears, two central synchronizers were provided in the box.
When using mechanical control, the main clutch was engaged in the usual way - with a pedal connected by a rod to the release clutch, and transmissions - using a rocker when the main clutch was turned off.
The torque from the gearbox was transmitted to the final drives using right and left single-stage planetary gears mounted in one unit.
The chassis of modification A tanks consisted, for one side, of five large-diameter dual rubber-coated road wheels, two rubber-coated support rollers, a front drive wheel and a idler wheel. Individual suspension, spring.
The Ausf.B - D tanks had eight twin small-diameter rubber-coated road wheels on the side, interlocked in pairs into four bogies, suspended on quarter- or semi-elliptical leaf springs. The differences in the suspension of these tanks were mainly in the number and location of springs and shock absorbers. The number of support rollers was increased to three. The caterpillar had a width of 360 mm.
Shock absorber options.
Starting with modification E, the chassis consisted of six dual rubber-coated track rollers with a diameter of 520 mm and three support rollers with a diameter of 310 mm.
Individual suspension, torsion bar. Its features: fastening the fixed end of the torsion bar in a special pin inserted into the bracket; the presence of a guide device designed to unload suspension parts from lateral forces; the presence of hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers on the 1st and 6th road wheels.
The front drive wheels had two removable ring gears of 21 teeth each. Pin engagement.
The tracks are steel, small-linked, consisting of 93–94 single-ridge tracks each. The track width ranged from 360 mm for vehicles of modifications E - G to 400 mm for later versions. In the autumn-winter period, the so-called “eastern caterpillar” Ostkette with a width of 550 mm could be used.
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT was made according to a single-wire circuit. Voltage 12 V. Sources: Bosch GQL 300/12-900RS36 generators with a power of 300 W (Ausf.A - D and Ausf.G), or Bosch GTLN 700/12-1500 with a power of 700 W (Ausf.E - F), or Bosch GTLN 600/12-1500 with a power of 600 W (Ausf.H - N and Flammpanzer III); two Bosch batteries with a capacity of 105 Ah. Consumers: electric starter (a mechanical inertial type starter was used to manually start the engine), ignition system, tower fan (Ausf.G - N), control devices, sight illumination, sound and light signaling devices, internal and external lighting equipment, sound signal, trigger guns.
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. All Pz.III tanks were equipped with a FuG 5 radio station, located above the gearbox to the left of the radio operator. The range is 6.4 km by telephone and 9.4 km by telegraph.
Internal communication between crew members was carried out using a TPU and a signaling device.
Tactical and technical characteristics of Pz.III tanks
* Some Ausf.D vehicles had armor protection similar to Ausf.A - C, and, accordingly, a lower combat weight.
** In the numerator - for tanks converted from Ausf.L, in the denominator - from Ausf.M.
gun
From the point of view of weapons, our tank is quite good, even very dangerous. But as often happens, the gun has several serious drawbacks, which make the process of dealing damage much more difficult.
Let's start with the fact that the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E gun
, by the standards of our classmates, has a good alpha strike, but more importantly, it has an excellent rate of fire, thanks to which we can deal approximately 1680 units of damage per minute, which is an excellent result.
In terms of armor penetration of the Pz. III E tank
is also not bad, you will confidently pierce all your peers with standard armor-piercing shells, you will be able to adequately withstand fourth-level vehicles, but there will definitely be problems with fives, so take about 15-20 sub-calibers with you.
As for the shortcomings, we are talking about accuracy and I must say, the shortcoming is really serious. The problem is that the Pz. III E WoT
the gun has a huge dispersion, long-term stabilization, and all this is worsened by terrible stabilization, that is, it is very difficult to hit the target at long distances, but even at medium distances you will have to go all the way if you want to cause damage.
But let's return to the good news again, because the light tank Pz. III E
is the owner of excellent vertical aiming angles, the barrel bends down by 10 degrees and rises by 20, which is good news.
Combat use
Invasion of the USSR
By the time of the invasion of the USSR, the PzKpfw III was the main weapon of the Wehrmacht tank units. As of June 22, 1941, there were about 1,000 vehicles of this type in divisions sent to the USSR, which amounted to 25 to 34% of the total number of tanks sent to the USSR.
The PzKpfw III tank battalion included light tank companies (three platoons of five tanks of this type, plus two such tanks in the control platoon. There are two such companies in the tank battalion.)[25]. Thus, a typical Wehrmacht tank division during the invasion of the USSR with one tank regiment of two battalions had 71 PzKpfw III units for combat purposes plus 6 special commander units for control. In fact, the division into light and medium tank companies in 1941 was formal. Since the end of 1940, the tank divisions were reorganized (instead of a two-regiment tank brigade, they were left with one regiment of two or three battalions) and the Pz III became the main vehicle of a light tank company (17 Pz III and 5 Pz II in each), and the main vehicle of a light tank company was Pz IV (12 Pz IV and 7 Pz II). Thus, each tank battalion had 34 Pz III tanks. Another 3 Pz III tanks were in the regimental command platoon. So a typical tank division (not equipped with Czech tanks) had from 71 to 105 Pz III tanks, depending on the number of tank battalions in the tank regiment.
Pz.Kpfw tanks destroyed on the Kursk Bulge. III Ausf M of the SS Panzergrenadier Division "Totenkopf" (SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Totenkopf")
PzKpfw III in the Red Army
During the Polish campaign of 1939, the trophy of the Red Army was a damaged German tank PzKpfw III (in Soviet documents called the “20-ton Daimler-Benz medium tank”), which was secretly taken from the Germans to the USSR and transferred to the NIIBT for study.
In the course of subsequent military-technical cooperation with the Third Reich, an agreement was reached on the purchase of another PzKpfw III Ausf tank. F. Both German vehicles were subjected to a thorough study, including sea trials and firing from a 45-mm anti-tank gun mod. 1937 at an armored training ground in Kubinka near Moscow. The test results made a very big impression on the Soviet military leadership - in terms of their level of mobility, security and ease of operation for the crew of the PzKpfw III Ausf. F was recognized in the USSR as the best foreign tank in its class, surpassing the T-26 mod in many respects. 1931. The task was given to finalize the design of a new light tank, taking into account the information obtained during the study of the German tank:
…It is necessary to continue work on the “126” tank without delay for a minute in order to bring all its characteristics to the level of a German vehicle (or superior to it)…
From a letter from the head of GBTU Ya. N. Fedorenko to K. E. Voroshilov dated 13/IX/1940
This made it possible not only to identify their weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages in comparison with domestic tanks, but also to gain sufficient experience in their operation. It came in handy later, when in battles the Red Army began to capture serviceable or easily repairable PzKpfw IIIs. There were entire units ranging from individual tank battalions, entirely equipped with tanks of this type. Military Publishing House issued a “Service Manual for the Use of the Captured T-III Tank.” PzKpfw III tanks that failed due to technical reasons were subject to repair (but, compared to Soviet tanks, German tanks were difficult to repair). Comfortable working conditions for the crew, high-quality optics and a radio station (albeit incompatible with the frequency range adopted in the Red Army for inter-tank communications) led to the fact that captured PzKpfw IIIs became the favorite headquarters vehicles. In 1941-1942, the armament of the PzKpfw III was quite sufficient to combat any type of armored vehicles in service with the Wehrmacht. However, there was a shortage of captured 37 and 50 mm ammunition. And in 1943, guns of these calibers became insufficient against the armor of new and modernized German tanks. Therefore, at the end of 1942 - beginning of 1943, newly captured and surviving PzKpfw IIIs from previously operated ones began to be converted into self-propelled guns SU-76i, armed with a 76-mm S-1 cannon with 98 rounds of ammunition. In total, at least 100-130 SU-76i were manufactured. By the end of 1943, due to combat losses, non-combat damage and a lack of spare parts (“troikas” became rare even in the Wehrmacht), the SU-76i and the extremely few PzKpfw III disappeared from the ranks of the Red Army.
On April 4, 1944, at the Razdelnaya station in the Odessa region, a train with 25 T-III tanks became a trophy of the Soviet troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front.
The grave of German tank crews against the background of their destroyed Pz.Kpfw tank. III. The photograph was taken in the zone of action of the 9th German Panzer Division of the 1st Panzer Group, belonging to Army Group South. On the crosses - date of death August 2, 1941.
Machine evaluation
The PzKpfw III tank was generally a typical representative of the German school of tank building, but with some significant features characteristic of other design concepts. Therefore, in its design and layout solutions, on the one hand, it inherited the advantages and disadvantages of the classical “German type” layout, and on the other hand, it did not have some of its negative features. In particular, an individual torsion bar suspension with small-diameter road wheels was unusual for German cars, although it has proven itself very well in production and operation. Later “Panthers” and “Tigers” had a “checkerboard” suspension, which was less reliable in operation and repair and was structurally more complex, traditional for German tanks.
In general, the PzKpfw III was a reliable, easy-to-control vehicle with a high level of operating comfort for the crew; its modernization potential for 1939-1942 was quite sufficient. On the other hand, despite its reliability and manufacturability, the overloaded chassis and the volume of the turret box, insufficient to accommodate a more powerful gun, did not allow it to remain in production longer than 1943, when all the reserves for turning a “light-medium” tank into a full-fledged medium tank were exhausted.
Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J1 at the Armored Museum in Kubinka
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite a detailed analysis of the general characteristics of the tank and the parameters of its weapons, a separate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses is necessary, because this way you can better understand the vehicle and build combat tactics on it. Let's highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E World of Tanks
separately for easier understanding. Pros: • Good viewing range; • Excellent mobility (maximum speed, dynamics, maneuverability); • Decent alpha strike; • High rate of fire and damage per minute; • Comfortable vertical aiming angles. Cons: • Large dimensions of the machine; • Weak armor; • Frequent engine crits (front transmission); • Poor accuracy (spread, convergence, stabilization).
Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E
By installing additional modules, you can significantly improve some of the initial characteristics of the machine, gaining an advantage over the enemy. Even though there is not much choice at the third level, the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E equipment
you can choose a very suitable one: 1. – this choice will partially correct the problem with accuracy, because we will improve the aiming speed and will be able to aim faster. 2. is a good universal option, it will give more damage per minute, make aiming a little faster, and will also have a good effect on vision. 3. – by installing this module you will significantly improve your viewing range without losing mobility.
However, maximum visibility can only be achieved by installing a component such as. However, this choice should only be made by those who value maximum visibility and who prefer a passive playing style.
History of creation and production
Zugführerwagen
Although Germany, which was defeated in the First World War, was prohibited from having armored forces under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty, work on the creation of armored vehicles had been carried out since 1925. The first tank eventually launched was the light tank PzKpfw I, then known under the code designation “small tractor” (German: Kleintraktor), which had been in development since 1930. At the same time, the shortcomings of the PzKpfw I, which had a crew of two, machine gun armament and bulletproof armor, were obvious even at the design stage, so soon the Reichswehr Armament Directorate formulated the need to develop heavier tanks. According to documents from 1933, the Armament Directorate planned the creation of two tanks - somewhat larger than the PzKpfw I and armed with a 20-mm cannon, the future PzKpfw II, the development of which was entrusted with both armed with a 37-mm cannon and weighing about 10 tons of tank, contract for which Krupp planned to develop. The final decision to begin the development of these two vehicles was made after a meeting of the leadership of the Armament Directorate on January 11, 1934 to determine priority programs in the face of a lack of funding. Formal permission to begin work on the tank (German: Gefechtskampfwagen) was issued to the Armored Inspectorate on January 27 of the same year.
German tank Pz.Kpfw. III from the 24th Panzer Division of the Wehrmacht (24. Panzer-Division), knocked out at Stalingrad
In February 1934, the Armament Directorate organized a competition to develop a new tank, codenamed "platoon leader's tank" (German: Zugführerwagen) or ZW. After researching the capabilities of various companies, four were invited to participate in the competition, Krupp, MAN and Rheinmetal." Technical requirements for the tank included:
– weight about 10 tons; – armament from a 37-mm cannon in a rotating turret; – maximum speed of at least 40 km/h; – use of the HL 100 engine with a power of 300 hp. With. production, SSG 75 transmission from Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen, Wilson-Cletrac type turning mechanism and Kgs.65/326/100 tracks.
After studying the preliminary designs submitted by Daimler-Benz, MAN and Rheinmetall, the Armament Directorate issued orders for the production of prototypes in the summer of 1934:
– “Daimler-Benz” - two chassis prototypes; – MAN – one chassis prototype; – “Krupp” - two prototypes of the tower; – “Rheinmetall” - one prototype of the tower.
Based on the results of testing prototypes, the Daimler-Benz chassis was chosen, the first copy of which was assembled in August 1935. In addition to the first chassis, designated ZW1 and ZW2, Daimler-Benz was contracted to build two more improved prototypes, the ZW3 and ZW4. Two prototypes of the Krupp turrets were completed back in August 1934, but they were finally selected only after comparative tests of them along with the Rheinmetall turrets on chassis prototypes.
PzKpfw III Ausf. D, Poland, September 1, 1939.
Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. A, B, C and D
The order for the production of the “zero series” of 25 tanks, intended for military testing, was issued by the Armament Directorate in December 1935, while the release of the first tanks was scheduled for October 1936 in order to transfer all 25 vehicles to the troops by April 1, 1937 of the year. By that time, the designation of the tank had changed several times, until by order of April 3, 1936 it was established in the final version - Panzerkampfwagen III.
A contract for the production of the first pre-production batch (1.Serie/ZW) of 10 vehicles was issued, and Krupp was to supply the turrets for the tanks. In addition to them, a number of other companies were involved in production, producing individual units and components of the tank. Thus, armored hulls and turret armor were manufactured, and a number of other companies supplied optical instruments and components of the power plant and chassis[9]. Ten cars of this series, later designated Ausführung A (Ausf. A - “model A”), were a development of the design of the ZW1 prototype. A characteristic feature of this modification was the chassis, with five large-diameter road wheels with individual suspension on vertical springs and two support rollers on each side. Mass Ausf. A was 15 tons, but the maximum speed was lower than the customer’s requirements and amounted to only 35 km/h. Daimler-Benz planned to complete the assembly of the two chassis by November 1936, but the actual start of production of the Ausf. A dragged on until 1937. The exact dates of production of vehicles of this modification are unknown, but their approximate period is known - between May 1, 1937, when, according to reports, not a single tank had yet been accepted, and October 1 of the same year, when 12 PzKpfw IIIs were already in service.
German tank landing on a T-III tank, 1941.
The second order, issued by Daimler-Benz and Krupp, provided for the production of a second pre-production batch (2.Serie/ZW) of 15 cars, which were a development of the ZW3 prototype and designated Ausf. B[6]. From Ausf. And they were distinguished primarily by the chassis, which had 8 small-diameter road wheels on each side, interlocked in pairs into bogies, suspended on two groups of leaf springs and equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. In addition, a number of less significant changes were made to the design of the tank. Five Ausf chassis. B were redirected for the production of the zero series of Sturmgeschütz III self-propelled guns, so as tanks, according to German documentation, only 10 of them were completed, although many sources nevertheless say 15 tanks of this modification were produced. After testing, all 5 vehicles of the zero series Sturmgeschütz III were used for training purposes until 1941. Production of tanks of this modification began after the completion of work on vehicles from the Ausf batch. Ah, and the latest Ausf tanks. B were delivered to the troops by the end of November - beginning of December 1937.
An order for the third pre-production batch of PzKpfw III (3.Serie/ZW) of 40 tanks was also issued to Daimler-Benz and Krupp, and a number of both previous and new subcontractors for individual units and components of the tank were also involved in the production. 3.Serie/ZW included two batches - 3a.Serie/ZW of 15 vehicles and 3b.Serie/ZW of 25 vehicles, respectively designated Ausf. C and Ausf. D. Structurally Ausf. C tanks were different from Ausf tanks. First of all, a modified suspension, 8 rollers of which on each side were now arranged into three bogies - the outermost rollers of two and the middle of four rollers, still suspended on leaf springs, and the outer bogies also on shock absorbers. In addition, the power plant units were improved, primarily the turning mechanism and final drives. Produced by Ausf. C was conducted from mid-1937 to January 1938.
German tank PzKpfw III Ausf. H
The last pre-production modification of the PzKpfw III was the Ausf. D. Tanks of this modification were distinguished by a modified rear hull and a new commander's cupola design, as well as changes in the power plant and suspension elements. Many features of Ausf. D, for example, the design of the rear part, was subsequently adopted into production vehicles. Historians have differing opinions regarding the armor of tanks of this modification. The traditional version is about 30 mm vertical armor Ausf. D, as on the tanks of the first production modifications, according to various sources, all, or all except for the first 5 vehicles, Ausf. D. However, this version is disputed by historian T. Jentz, who points out that these data, like many others, come from British intelligence reports written during and shortly after World War II and are merely erroneous assumptions. Jentz himself, based on German documents from that period, claims that the armor of all Ausf tanks. D remained unchanged compared to previous modifications, and only the new commander's cupola had 30 mm armor. Produced by Ausf. D began in January 1938, immediately after the completion of the Ausf. C. According to German documents, in the report for July 1, 1938, 56 Ausf tanks were listed in service. A—Ausf. D, but, according to historians, the last Ausf. D were issued back in June or July 1938. Initial order Ausf. D amounted to 25 vehicles, however, due to the fact that 5 Ausf chassis. B were previously allocated for the construction of self-propelled guns, the upper parts of the hull and turret already manufactured for them remained unclaimed, and the Armament Directorate ordered Daimler-Benz to manufacture 5 additional chassis in 3b.Serie/ZW (No. 60221-60225). However, by that time the production of subsequent series of PzKpfw III had already become a priority, so the assembly of these five vehicles, designated in some documents as 3c.Serie/ZW, took place only in October 1940. It was these 5 tanks, which entered the 40th Special Purpose Tank Battalion in Norway, that took part in the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in northern Finland. In total, 30 tanks of the Ausf modification were manufactured. D, although some sources also give figures of 29 or even 50 cars.
German tank Pz.Kpfw. III, hit and overturned on the Eastern Front.
Production
Modifications
At the end of the summer of 1940, 168 Panzerkampfwagen III tanks of versions F, G and H were converted for movement under water and were to be used during the landings on the English coast. The immersion depth was 15 m; fresh air was supplied by a hose 18 m long and 20 cm in diameter. In the spring of 1941, experiments were continued with a 3.5-m pipe - a “snorkel”. Since the landing in England did not take place, a number of such tanks from the 18th Panzer Division crossed the bottom of the Western Bug on June 22, 1941. Most of the 600 tanks of versions F and G built before the end of 1941 were armed with a new 50 mm cannon and, accordingly, could withstand the armor of the T-34 (sides) at distances of less than 500 meters. And partially KV (bottom of the forehead of the hull).
Tauchpanzer III
Design
The PzKpfw III had a layout with the engine compartment located in the rear, the transmission compartment in the front, and the control and fighting compartments in the middle part of the tank. The crew of the PzKpfw III consisted of five people: a driver and gunner-radio operator, located in the control compartment and a commander, gunner and loader, located in a three-seat turret.
Armament
The armor-piercing effect of armor-piercing shells was not always effective since the projectile was severely damaged; sub-caliber shells generally have an unpredictable armor-piercing effect. This further reduces the effectiveness of the fire. Taking into account the caliber, these factors were of sufficient importance (caliber of the level of a hand-held offensive (light) grenade). On the other hand, in a confined space and dense layout, any action causes damage. By the end of the war, with an increase in calibers, the effect of shells on armor reached a destructive effect (after a series of hits without penetration, the IS-2 lost the strength of its hull and began to fall apart; under the influence of its larger-caliber shells, the German armor, which had become fragile, was destroyed even from the first hit in large volumes (turret shift from the shoulder strap by 20 cm or more)).
Surveillance and communications equipment
All PzKpfw III tanks were equipped with a FuG 5 radio station, located above the gearbox, to the left of the radio operator. Range: 6.4 km by telephone and 9.4 km by telegraph. Internal communication between crew members was carried out using a TPU and a signaling device.
Red Army soldiers inspect German Pz tanks. Kfpw. III, knocked out near Mogilev. The vehicles were hit by units of the 388th Infantry Regiment.
Engine and transmission
All modifications were equipped with twelve-cylinder gasoline carburetor Maybach engines. Modifications Ausf.A-Ausf.D - HL108TR engine with a volume of 10.8 liters and a power of 250 hp. Modifications Ausf.E-Ausf.N - HL120TR engine with a volume of 11.9 liters, power 300-320 hp. Structurally, the second motor was a development of the first; The engines differed in cylinder diameter and compression ratio.
Gearboxes: modifications Ausf.A-Ausf.D - six-speed (+5;-1); modifications Ausf.E-Ausf.G - fourteen-speed (+10;-4); modifications Ausf.H-Ausf.N - seven-speed (+6;-1). The fourteen-speed gearbox of the Ausf.E-Ausf.G modifications was a rare type of the so-called shaftless preselective gearbox of the Maybach Variorex model.
The rotation mechanism is single-speed planetary. It consisted of two identical differential gearboxes, one for each side, which performed a dual function - the function of the turning mechanism itself and the function of one of the reduction stages of the main gear. Each differential gearbox had its own rotation brake. The turning mechanism is controlled by two levers, each of which is connected to both its own turning brake and the stopping brake of its side. Group drive of stopping brakes - pedal.
The main gear had three stages of reduction. The first stage consisted of a bevel gear reducer for transmitting torque from the gearbox to the common drive shaft of the turning mechanism. The second is from a pair of differential gearboxes for the rotation mechanism. The third is from a pair of onboard spur gearboxes. The general gear ratio on different modifications is 7-9 depending on the engine and gearbox type.
Chassis of various modifications of the tank
Chassis
The chassis of the tank was distinguished by significant diversity. There were still common features - the traditional arrangement of the drive wheels in the front for German tank building and the idlers in the back, the presence of support rollers. The road wheels were rubberized. Modifications (German “Ausfuehrung” or “Ausf.”) differed in the number of rollers, their sizes, and shock-absorbing structure. It should be noted that during the evolution, three fundamentally different depreciation options were used.
Ausf. A: the only modification with a spring suspension (one spring for each roller), two support rollers (all others have three), five support rollers of increased diameter.
Ausf. B, C, D: eight reduced-size road wheels, spring suspension. At Ausf. B two semi-elliptic springs rested with their ends on rollers interlocked in pairs, Ausf. C, D already had three springs, and the latter had springs located at an angle.
Ausf. E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N: torsion bar suspension, six medium-sized road wheels. The modifications differed from each other mainly in the sizes of the rollers and rubber tires, the design and design of the drive wheel and idler.
Flammpanzer III (Sd.Kfz. 141/3), Eastern Front 1943/1944.
Vehicles based on Panzerkampfwagen III
On the basis of the linear PzKpfw III, specialized tanks and armored vehicles were built:
in Germany:
– Panzerbefehlswagen III – command tank; – Flammpanzer III - flamethrower tank; – Tauchpanzer III - underwater tank; – Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III - observation armored artillery vehicle (vehicle of advanced artillery observers); – Sturmgeschütz III - self-propelled guns; – Sturmhaubitze 42 – self-propelled guns; – Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33 Ausf.B;
in the USSR (based on captured tanks):
– SU-76i – self-propelled guns; – SU-85i – self-propelled guns; – SG-122 – self-propelled guns.
StuG III Ausf. G Finnish Tank Division
Crew training
The second and more complex stage of evolution, that is, again improving your combat vehicle, is the correct prioritization of learning skills. Here we have an excellent bonus, which is that the crew consists of 5 people. As already mentioned, the choice must be made correctly, so for Pz. III E perks
It’s better to download as follows: • Commander – , , , . • Gunner – , , , . • Driver mechanic - , , , . • Radio operator – , , , . • Charger – , , , .
Tactics of playing Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E
When playing on any machine in our game, you must try to use its strengths and weaknesses as intended. However, in our case, everything is not so simple, because for close combat the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E WoT
you don’t get armor, but accuracy for long-range combat, so what to do in this case?
The point is to find some kind of compromise, acting according to the situation and trying to adhere to some recommendations. Primarily for Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E tactics
combat really cannot consist of getting closer to the enemy. Moreover, you should try to protect your safety margin as much as possible, and for this you need to take advantage of the excellent mobility of the tank, using ingenuity and cunning.
German light tank Pz. III E
is a support vehicle that has very good firepower. It is best to stay a little away from what is happening, so you will not only isolate yourself from receiving damage, but will also be able to better navigate the situation on the battlefield.
While the allies are clashing heads with the opponents of the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E World of Tanks
gains the ability to fire effectively, so you can not only support your teammates, but also enjoy the battle more, making a very significant contribution to victory.
In addition to dealing damage to Pz. III E tank
is a very good scout. But we shouldn’t shine passively, after all, we don’t have enough camouflage for this, but we can rush around the battlefield at full speed and provide the team with intelligence data; our German firefly shows itself especially well in this role, being at the bottom of the list.
