This commission proposed the simple solution of rearming the already existing tanks with more potent guns.
#Pz 4 track how to
Given the experience gained during the heavy fighting of the first year in the Soviet Union, a Panzer Commission was formed to examine possible solutions on how to effectively counter the new Soviet tanks. This gun would be tested on a Panzer IV Ausf.E/F hybrid at the end of 1941. At that time, the Army did not want a gun that could be damaged while moving by accidentally bumping into an obstacle and requested that its length be shortened to L/33. In March 1941, they began working on a longer barreled 7.5 cm L/40 gun that was initially to be used for the StuG III vehicles. While the previously mentioned projects lead nowhere, Krupp engineers had one more ace up their sleeve. The Panzer IV Ausf.D armed with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. Installing the smaller caliber gun in the larger Panzer IV was seen somewhat as a waste of resources, as the heavier Panzer IV could possibly allow the installation of a larger caliber gun. One of the reasons for this was the fact that this gun could easily be installed in the Panzer III.
While the installation of this gun proved to be feasible and there was even a planned production run of 80 vehicles by the spring of 1942, the whole project was canceled. This gun greatly improved the Panzer IV’s anti-tank firepower compared to the original short-barrel 7.5 cm gun. Krupp engineers simply rearmed one Panzer IV Ausf.D with the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. Source: Īnother project was developed by Krupp in late 1941. The Panzer IV Ausf.F with a Waffe 0725 75/55 mm gun wooden mock-up. Due to a shortage of tungsten, this particular gun was never introduced into service. This was actually an experimental taper-bore gun with a 75/55 mm caliber firing a tungsten round. One such project included rearming a Panzer IV Ausf.F with the experimental Waffe 0725. It was for these reasons that the German Army initiated a number of projects in the hope of increasing the firepower of their Panzers. The Panzers’ 5 cm and 7.5 cm short-barrelled guns could do little against these tanks.
The German Panzer thrust through the Soviet Union in 1941 sprung a nasty surprise when they came into contact with enemy T-34 and KV tanks. But, by 1940 standards, this proved barely enough, as bigger and more armored tanks such as the B1 bis and Matilda II were almost immune to this gun. This proved quite prudent on the German side as, during the battles in the west in May and June 1940, the Panzer IV was able to defeat most Allies tanks. Thus, the Germans focused on developing an anti-tank round for the 7.5 cm gun that could effectively pierce this kind of armor at ranges of some 700 m. In the mid-1930s, the Germans came into possession of information that the French were planning to produce large quantities of tanks that were frontally protected by some 40 mm of armor. The main German pre-war enemy was deemed to be France, so German officials were quite keen to spy on France to keep track of the development of enemy military technology, such as tanks. However, it is often forgotten that they could also be effective against armored targets.
Once the target was identified, the 7.5 cm high-explosive rounds were more than enough to successfully neutralize these threats. These were usually marked by other tanks using smoke grenades. Their targets were usually fortified enemy positions or machine gun nests. For this role, they were armed with the 7.5 cm K.w.K.
#Pz 4 track series
Prior to the war, the Panzer IV series was primarily designed to act as a fire support vehicle for other slightly weaker armed Panzers. Source: The Long-Barrel Panzer IV Genesis The production of such vehicles began in 1942, which greatly helped the German armored divisions to more effectively fight against the well-armored enemy tanks that were being fielded on the Eastern Front and in North Africa. Besides its rearmament, very little in the form of other changes were introduced to its overall design compared to the previous version. While all previous versions were primarily intended as support tanks that were to engage fortified positions in support of the Panzer Divisions, the Ausf.G was to receive a huge increase in firepower against armored targets. The introduction of the Panzer IV Ausf.G version basically changed the Panzer IV’s overall combat role.
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