Global wiki. Wargaming.net:Current events : Différence entre versions
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| In concept, it was intended to be a support tank for use against enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications. Ideally, the tank battalions of a panzer division were each to have three medium companies of Panzer IIIs and one heavy company of Panzer IVs. On 11 January 1934, the German army highly influenced by Heintz Guderian wrote the specifications for a "medium tractor", and issued them to a number of defense companies. To support the Panzer III, which would be armed with a 37-millimetre anti-tank gun, the new vehicle would have a short barrelled 75-millimetre howitzer as its main gun, and was allotted a weight limit of 24 tonnes. Development was carried out under the name Begleitwagen ("accompanying vehicle"), or BW, to disguise its actual purpose and hide from the Treaty of Versailles limitations. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig each developed prototypes, with Krupp's selected for further development. | In concept, it was intended to be a support tank for use against enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications. Ideally, the tank battalions of a panzer division were each to have three medium companies of Panzer IIIs and one heavy company of Panzer IVs. On 11 January 1934, the German army highly influenced by Heintz Guderian wrote the specifications for a "medium tractor", and issued them to a number of defense companies. To support the Panzer III, which would be armed with a 37-millimetre anti-tank gun, the new vehicle would have a short barrelled 75-millimetre howitzer as its main gun, and was allotted a weight limit of 24 tonnes. Development was carried out under the name Begleitwagen ("accompanying vehicle"), or BW, to disguise its actual purpose and hide from the Treaty of Versailles limitations. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig each developed prototypes, with Krupp's selected for further development. | |||
| The chassis had originally been designed with a six-wheeled interleaved suspension, but the German Army amended this to a torsion bar system. Permitting greater vertical deflection of the roadwheels, this was intended to improve performance and crew comfort both on- and off-road. However, due to the urgent requirement for the new tank, neither proposal was adopted, and Krupp instead equipped it with a leaf spring double-bogie suspension. | The chassis had originally been designed with a six-wheeled interleaved suspension, but the German Army amended this to a torsion bar system. Permitting greater vertical deflection of the roadwheels, this was intended to improve performance and crew comfort both on- and off-road. However, due to the urgent requirement for the new tank, neither proposal was adopted, and Krupp instead equipped it with a leaf spring double-bogie suspension. | |||
| ? | The prototype required a crew of five men; the hull contained the engine bay to the rear, with the driver and radio operator, who doubled as the hull machine gunner, seated at the front-left and front-right, respectively. In the turret, the tank commander sat beneath his roof hatch, while the gunner was situated to the left of the gun breech and the loader to the right. The turret was offset 66.5 mm to the left of the chassis center line, while the engine was moved 152.4 mm to the right. This allowed the torque shaft to clear the rotary base junction, which provided electrical power to turn the turret, while connecting to the transmission box mounted in the hull between the driver and radio operator. Due to the asymmetric layout, the right side of the tank contained the bulk of its stowage volume, which was taken up by ready-use ammunition lockers. Production began in 1936 at Krupp-Grusonwerke AG's factory at Magdeburg. | + | The prototype required a crew of five men; the hull contained the engine bay to the rear, with the driver and radio operator, who doubled as the hull machine gunner, seated at the front-left and front-right, respectively. In the turret, the tank commander sat beneath his roof hatch, while the gunner was situated to the left of the gun breech and the loader to the right. The turret was offset 66.5 mm to the left of the chassis center line, while the engine was moved 152.4 mm to the right. This allowed the torque shaft to clear the rotary base junction, which provided electrical power to turn the turret, while connecting to the transmission box mounted in the hull between the driver and radio operator. Due to the asymmetric layout, the right side of the tank contained the bulk of its stowage volume, which was taken up by ready-use ammunition lockers. Production began in 1936 at Krupp-Grusonwerke AG's factory at Magdeburg. | |
| + | [[image:PzKpfw IV Ausf F1.jpg|thumb|140px|right|PzKpfw IV Ausf F1]] | |||
| == From Ausf A to Ausf J == | == From Ausf A to Ausf J == | |||
| ? | + | [[image:PzKpfw IV Ausf. E showing signs of multiple hits to the turret, including the gun barrel.jpg|thumb|140px|left|PzKpfw IV Ausf. E showing signs of multiple hits to the turret, including the gun barrel]] | ||
| ? | The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung, A in 1936. It was powered by Maybach's HL 108TR, producing 250 PS (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometres per hour. As main armament, the vehicle mounted the Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24 (KwK 37 L/24) 75 mm tank gun, which was a low-velocity gun designed to mainly fire high-explosive shells.[13] Against armored targets, firing armor-piercing rounds at the velocity of 430 metres per second the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimetres of armor, inclined at 30 degrees, at ranges of up to 700 metres. A 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main gun in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull. The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 mm of steel armor on the front plate of the chassis, and 20 mm (0.79 in) on the turret. This was capable only of stopping artillery fragments, small-arms fire, and light anti-tank projectiles. Variant from Ausf. B to Ausf F1 featured mostly armor improvements, new engine and suspenension witch combined with the wider tracks increased the weight to 22.3 tons. Main armament was still KwK 37 L/24 althow tests with the 5 cm PaK 38 L/60 were succesfull and the new gun was to be implemented in the next version. However, shocking expiriences against Soviet T-34 and KV tanks caused this idea to be dropped, and a new 75 mm gun was to be implemented.. Because the recoil length of the existing 7.5 cm PaK 40 L/46 gun was too long for the tank's turret, the recoil mechanism and chamber were shortened. This resulted in the 75-millimetre KwK 40 L/43. When firing an armor-piercing shot, the gun's muzzle velocity was increased from 430 m/s to 990 m/s. Initially, the gun was mounted with a single-chamber, ball-shaped muzzle brake, which provided just under 50% of the recoil system's braking ability. Firing the Panzergranate 39, the KwK 40 L/43 could penetrate 77 mm of steel armor at a range of 1,830 m. The Ausf. F tanks that received the new, longer, KwK 40 L/43 gun were named Ausf. F2. The tank increased in weight to 23.6 tonnes. One hundred and seventy-five Ausf. F2s were produced from March 1942 to July 1942.Three months after beginning production, the Panzer IV. Ausf. F2 was renamed Ausf. G. There was little to no difference between the F2 and early G models. | + | The first mass-produced version of the Panzer IV was the Ausführung, A in 1936. It was powered by Maybach's HL 108TR, producing 250 PS (183.87 kW), and used the SGR 75 transmission with five forward gears and one reverse, achieving a maximum road speed of 31 kilometres per hour. As main armament, the vehicle mounted the Kampfwagenkanone 37 L/24 (KwK 37 L/24) 75 mm tank gun, which was a low-velocity gun designed to mainly fire high-explosive shells.[13] Against armored targets, firing armor-piercing rounds at the velocity of 430 metres per second the KwK 37 could penetrate 43 millimetres of armor, inclined at 30 degrees, at ranges of up to 700 metres. A 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun was mounted coaxially with the main gun in the turret, while a second machine gun of the same type was mounted in the front plate of the hull. The Ausf. A was protected by 14.5 mm of steel armor on the front plate of the chassis, and 20 mm (0.79 in) on the turret. This was capable only of stopping artillery fragments, small-arms fire, and light anti-tank projectiles. Variant from Ausf. B to Ausf F1 featured mostly armor improvements, new engine and suspenension witch combined with the wider tracks increased the weight to 22.3 tons. Main armament was still KwK 37 L/24 althow tests with the 5 cm PaK 38 L/60 were succesfull and the new gun was to be implemented in the next version. However, shocking expiriences against Soviet T-34 and KV tanks caused this idea to be dropped, and a new 75 mm gun was to be implemented.. Because the recoil length of the existing 7.5 cm PaK 40 L/46 gun was too long for the tank's turret, the recoil mechanism and chamber were shortened. This resulted in the 75-millimetre KwK 40 L/43. When firing an armor-piercing shot, the gun's muzzle velocity was increased from 430 m/s to 990 m/s. Initially, the gun was mounted with a single-chamber, ball-shaped muzzle brake, which provided just under 50% of the recoil system's braking ability. Firing the Panzergranate 39, the KwK 40 L/43 could penetrate 77 mm of steel armor at a range of 1,830 m. The Ausf. F tanks that received the new, longer, KwK 40 L/43 gun were named Ausf. F2. The tank increased in weight to 23.6 tonnes. One hundred and seventy-five Ausf. F2s were produced from March 1942 to July 1942.Three months after beginning production, the Panzer IV. Ausf. F2 was renamed Ausf. G. There was little to no difference between the F2 and early G models. [[image:PzKpfw IV Ausf G.JPG|thumb|140px|right|PzKpfw IV Ausf G]] | |
| During its production run from May 1942 to June 1943, the Panzer IV Ausf. G went through further modifications, including another armor upgrade. Given that the tank was reaching its viable limit, to avoid a corresponding weight increase, the appliqué 20-millimetre steel plates were removed from its side armor, which instead had its base thickness increased to 30 millimetres. The weight saved was transferred to the front, which had a 30-millimetre face-hardened appliqué steel plate welded (later bolted) to the glacis—in total, frontal armor was now 80 mm thick. This decision to increase frontal armor was favorably received according to troop reports on November 8, 1942, despite technical problems of driving system due to added weight. At this point, it was decided that 50% of Panzer IV productions would be fitted with 30 mm thick additional armor plates. Subsequently on January 5, 1943, Hitler decided to make all Panzer IV with 80 mm frontal armor. To simplify production, the vision ports on either side of the turret and on the right turret front were removed, while a rack for two spare road wheels was installed on the track guard on the left side of the hull. Complementing this, brackets for seven spare track links were added to the glacis plate. For operation in high temperatures, the engine's ventilation was improved by creating slits over the engine deck to the rear of the chassis, and cold weather performance was boosted by adding a device to heat the engine's coolant, as well as a starter fluid injector. A new light replaced the original headlight, and the signal port on the turret was removed. On March 19, 1943, the first Panzer IV with Schurzen skirts on its sides and turret was exhibited. The double hatch for the commander's cupola was replaced by a single round hatch from very late model Ausf. G. and the cupola was up-armored as well. In April 1943, the KwK 40 L/43 was replaced by the longer 75-millimetre KwK 40 L/48 gun, with a redesigned multi-baffle muzzle brake with improved recoil efficiency. | During its production run from May 1942 to June 1943, the Panzer IV Ausf. G went through further modifications, including another armor upgrade. Given that the tank was reaching its viable limit, to avoid a corresponding weight increase, the appliqué 20-millimetre steel plates were removed from its side armor, which instead had its base thickness increased to 30 millimetres. The weight saved was transferred to the front, which had a 30-millimetre face-hardened appliqué steel plate welded (later bolted) to the glacis—in total, frontal armor was now 80 mm thick. This decision to increase frontal armor was favorably received according to troop reports on November 8, 1942, despite technical problems of driving system due to added weight. At this point, it was decided that 50% of Panzer IV productions would be fitted with 30 mm thick additional armor plates. Subsequently on January 5, 1943, Hitler decided to make all Panzer IV with 80 mm frontal armor. To simplify production, the vision ports on either side of the turret and on the right turret front were removed, while a rack for two spare road wheels was installed on the track guard on the left side of the hull. Complementing this, brackets for seven spare track links were added to the glacis plate. For operation in high temperatures, the engine's ventilation was improved by creating slits over the engine deck to the rear of the chassis, and cold weather performance was boosted by adding a device to heat the engine's coolant, as well as a starter fluid injector. A new light replaced the original headlight, and the signal port on the turret was removed. On March 19, 1943, the first Panzer IV with Schurzen skirts on its sides and turret was exhibited. The double hatch for the commander's cupola was replaced by a single round hatch from very late model Ausf. G. and the cupola was up-armored as well. In April 1943, the KwK 40 L/43 was replaced by the longer 75-millimetre KwK 40 L/48 gun, with a redesigned multi-baffle muzzle brake with improved recoil efficiency. | |||
| The next version, the Ausf. H, began production in April 1943. This variant saw the integrity of the glacis armor improved by manufacturing it as a single 80-millimetre plate. To prevent adhesion of magnetic anti-tank mines, which the Germans feared would be used in large numbers by the Allies, Zimmerit paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tank's armor. The vehicle's side and turret were further protected by the addition of 5-millimetre side-skirts and 8-millimetre turret skirts. During the Ausf. H's production run its rubber-tired return rollers were replaced with cast steel; the hull was fitted with triangular supports for the easily-damaged side-skirts. There modifications meant that the tank's weight jumped to 25 tonnes, reducing its speed, a situation not improved by the decision to adopt the Panzer III's six-speed SSG 77 transmission, which was inferior to that of earlier-model Panzer IVs. | The next version, the Ausf. H, began production in April 1943. This variant saw the integrity of the glacis armor improved by manufacturing it as a single 80-millimetre plate. To prevent adhesion of magnetic anti-tank mines, which the Germans feared would be used in large numbers by the Allies, Zimmerit paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tank's armor. The vehicle's side and turret were further protected by the addition of 5-millimetre side-skirts and 8-millimetre turret skirts. During the Ausf. H's production run its rubber-tired return rollers were replaced with cast steel; the hull was fitted with triangular supports for the easily-damaged side-skirts. There modifications meant that the tank's weight jumped to 25 tonnes, reducing its speed, a situation not improved by the decision to adopt the Panzer III's six-speed SSG 77 transmission, which was inferior to that of earlier-model Panzer IVs. | |||
Version du 17 mai 2011 à 16:54
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