German armored vehicles in World War II. Stug assault gun

StuG III is a German medium-weight self-propelled gun of the assault gun class. Was built on the basis tank PzKpfw III and was actively used in. It was the most popular representative of German armored vehicles and was produced in many modifications throughout the war.

History of creation

The history of the third Stug began in 1935, when the idea arose to create an “assault artillery” vehicle to support infantry. There is a possibility that this idea was accidentally suggested to the Germans by the Russians, while discussing with the Daimler-Benz company the creation prototype Self-propelled guns for the Red Army. The sketch was even developed, but the Soviet side was not satisfied with the price, and the deal did not take place.

In 1936, it was Daimler-Benz that was commissioned to design an armored vehicle to support infantry. It should have been armed with a 75 mm cannon, and also fully armored to protect the crew. At the same time, the height of the vehicle should have been no higher than the height of the average soldier.

Daimler-Benz decided to use the chassis of the Pz tank for development. III, then it was still quite new, and the gun was installed from the first modifications. After collecting several prototypes in 1937, they were sent to practice tactical techniques. But the development took a lot of time, so Sturmgeschütz III Polish campaign They didn’t have time to participate, and they went into production only in February 1940. But then they were modified and produced throughout the Second World War.

StuG III ausf A, first modification

TTX

General information

• Classification – assault weapon;
• Combat weight - 23.4 tons;
• Layout diagram - transmission compartment in front, engine compartment in the rear, controls and combat compartment in the center;
• Crew – 4 people;
• Years of development: 1937;
• Years of production – 1940-1945;
• Years of operation – 1940-1950;
• A total of 10,500 vehicles were produced.

Dimensions

• Hull length - 6770 mm, the same with the gun forward;
• Hull width – 2950 m;
• Height – 2950 mm;
• Ground clearance – 385 mm.

Booking

• Type of armor – cast and rolled steel;
• Body forehead, top - 25+30 / 85° mm/degree;
• Hull side – 30 mm;
• Hull stern, top - 30 / 30° mm/degree;
• Bottom – 19 mm;
• Hull roof - 16/78-87° mm/degree;
• Cutting forehead - 50+30 / 9° mm/degree;
• Gun mask - 50+30 / 5° mm/degree;
• Cabin side - 30 / 0° + 8 / 30° mm/degree;
• Cabin roof - 10/78-90° mm/degree.

Armament

• Gun - Stuk 40 L/48 caliber 75 mm;
• Gun type - rifled;
• Barrel length - 24 caliber;
• Gun ammunition - 54 rounds;
• BH angles - −10...+20° degrees;
• GN angles – 12 degrees;
• Sights - Periscopic sights SfI ZF 1a and RbIF 36;
• Machine gun - MG 34 caliber 7.92 mm.

Mobility

• Engine type: V-shaped 12-cylinder carburetor, liquid-cooled;
• Engine power – 300 horsepower;
• Speed ​​on highways and rough terrain – 38 km/h;
• Cruising range – 155 km;
• Specific power – 12.8 hp/t;
• Suspension type: Individual torsion bar, with hydraulic shock absorbers;
• Climbability – 30 degrees;
• The wall to be overcome is 0.6 m;
• The ditch to be overcome is 2.3 m;
• Fordability - 0.8 m.

Modifications

The StuG III was used extensively throughout the war and was regularly modified to keep it relevant.

• Ausf.A is the first production vehicle based on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.F chassis. 36 were created, 6 were converted from Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.G. They were used in May-June 1940, later sent to training units;
• Ausf.B - similar to the previous model, but with wide track tracks and road wheels, with a manual transmission. 300 were built and used until the end of 1942;
• Ausf.C - with new bow armor, without a gunner's sight and with an updated design of the driver's hatch for extending the sight behind a closed one. 50 machines created;
• Ausf.D - similar to the previous version, but had an internal intercom. 150 vehicles were built, some converted into command vehicles;
• Ausf.E - an updated version, with additional armor. 284 vehicles were built, some converted into command vehicles, with the addition of stroboscopic instruments;
• Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz 142/1) - had even more reinforced armor and a different gun - 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43. Due to this, it fought much more effectively against British and Soviet tanks. In 1942, 366 vehicles were created;
• Ausf.F/8 – a vehicle with the hull of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.J tank and attached armor plates. 250 built;
• Ausf.G - the latest Stug variant from MIAG and Alkett, was produced from 1942 to 1945. A total of 7,720 units were built. 142 were assembled on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. chassis, another 173 were converted from Pz.Kpfw.III. The hull was the same as the previous model, but the armor was improved, the commander was given a turret with a periscope;
• StuH 42 - self-propelled gun with a 105 mm howitzer;
• StuG (Fl) is a self-propelled flamethrower created in 1943. Not many vehicles were assembled; according to documents, they were not used in battle, and in 1944 they were converted into the StuG III Ausf.G.

StuG III Ausf.G

Vehicles based on Stug III

• Munitionspanzer auf StuG 40 Ausf. G – ammunition transporter. It did not have a cannon; sometimes a crane was placed on the roof to make it easier to load and unload ammunition. Was not very widespread;
• In the Soviet Union, several dozen SU-76Is were made from captured Stugs, with a higher deckhouse and inclined armor plates. The vehicles were actively used in 1943-1944, although captured StuG IIIs often fought on the side of the Red Army without modifications.

Combat use

StuG III first saw action in Holland and France in the spring and summer of 1940. Overall they performed well, but it became clear that in order to effectively support the infantry the number of Stug units would need to be increased.

Typically, the Stugs were made up of batteries - six vehicles each, among which were combat self-propelled guns and a command semi-tracked armored vehicle Sd.Kfz.253, as well as an ammunition transporter Sd.Kfz.252.

By the end of autumn 1940, enough Stugs had been produced to create divisions. During this period they fought in Yugoslavia and Greece, and the Germans had only lost one Sturmgeschutz III before the Eastern Front campaign.

After 1941

In 1941, the situation changed seriously, and units with Stugs began to suffer losses, although their number in the army only increased due to active production. StuG III fought in Africa in 1942, and after the defeat at El Alamein they lost almost all of their self-propelled guns.

The StuG.III Ausf.F/8, specially prepared for desert conditions, was sent to Naples at the beginning of 1942, and then to Tunisia, where they actively fought, but eventually surrendered to the Allies.

Of course, the third Stugas actively participated in Operation Barbarossa, and quite large quantities. Then they constantly fought on the Eastern Front - they were mainly modification B vehicles. They were quite effective in storming fortified areas. Tanks and anti-tank guns It was difficult for the Red Army to penetrate the frontal armor, and the low silhouette made it difficult to hit. So by the end of 1941, the Wehrmacht had lost less than a hundred self-propelled guns on the Eastern Front. Around the same time, captured StuG IIIs began to be used by the Red Army.

StuG III Ausf E captured by the Soviet Army

The StuG III/40 played a very important role in the third assault on Sevastopol, after which the city fell. It was the Stug crews who broke through to the Panorama building and planted the flag of the Third Reich on it. True, losses in this battle were also heavy.

The Germans lost many Stugs during Battle of Stalingrad. After this, batteries began to be equipped with machines of various modifications, adding StuН 42 for effective fight with field fortifications.

In the battle on Kursk Bulge 455 StuG III/40 participated. Quite a lot of cars were lost, many of them beyond repair. Then Soviet troops began to create the SU-76I from captured Stugs, but soon they stopped doing this in favor of their own self-propelled guns due to the unstable flow of trophies and complex repairs.

In 1944-1945 military industry Germany could no longer produce enough Stugs to make up for their losses - the factories were destroyed by Allied aircraft. So in the end, by the end of World War II, very few of these machines remained.

In general, the StuG III self-propelled gun, according to experts, turned out to be very successful. It effectively fought tanks from ambush thanks to its low silhouette, and its armor allowed it to destroy enemy tanks much earlier than the enemy could knock out the self-propelled gun itself.

After World War II, StuG III was actively used in the Middle East and some European countries. Latest fighting, in which the Stugs participated - this is the Six Day War of 1967.

Destroyed StuG III

Tank in culture

The Stug 3 can be found in several games dedicated to World War II and tanks, for example, Behind Enemy Lines, Company of Heroes 2 and, of course, World of Tanks and War Thunder.

The car is also widely represented in bench modeling - plastic prefabricated models are produced in China, Japan and Russia by the Zvezda company.

Model StuG III from Zvezda

Memory of a tank

Not many StuG IIIs have survived to this day. Running vehicles can be found in the Parola Tank Museum in Finland, as well as in the private collection of John Phillips. Non-functional tanks are exhibited in France, Finland, Sweden, and Bulgaria. They are also in Russia - in the Kubinka Tank Museum and in the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. These are mainly cars of the Ausf, G modification.

StuG III Ausf.G in Kubinka

Photo and video

StuG III Ausf.B
StuG III Ausf. C
StuG III Ausf.D
StuG III Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz 142/1)
StuG III Ausf.F/8
StuG III Ausf.E
StuG III StuG (Fl), flame-resistant
StuH 42
StuG III cutaway

At the initial stage of World War II, German troops captured rich European trophies, including armored vehicles of the defeated countries. The Germans used some of the tanks practically without alterations, and on the chassis of some of them they created armored vehicles for various purposes: from ammunition transporters to self-propelled howitzers, which were often produced in very limited series. This article will focus on the self-propelled howitzers Sturmpanzer II (Bison II) (only 12 produced), G.Pz. Mk. VI (e) (18 built: 6 with 150 mm and 12 with 105 mm howitzers) and 10.5 cm leFH 18/3(Sf) B2(f) (only 16 built).

Sturmpanzer II (Bison II)

Somewhat unexpected, although quite natural success combat use improvised self-propelled guns, armed with a 150 mm sIG 33 howitzer and built on the base light tank Pz.Kpfw.I Ausf.B, opened a “second wind” for outdated types of tanks. Installation work for various artillery systems on tank chassis in Germany were continued. Since 1940, attempts to install heavy 150-mm howitzers, so necessary to support infantry on the battlefield, have been made in Germany many times.

German designers worked with various chassis of both light and medium tanks: from Pz.Kpfw.I to Pz.Kpfw.IV. Even before the Sturmpanzer I Bison went into production, German designers had plans to create something more efficient, built on the chassis and components of the Pz.Kpfw.II tanks. In October 1940, Alkett assembled the first prototype based on the chassis Panzer tank II Ausf B, which, as it turned out, did not provide enough space to accommodate such a massive gun, and also could not sufficiently dampen the recoil of the gun when fired. At the same time, the 150-mm infantry howitzer sIG 33 was installed on the tank without a carriage and wheels.

On February 18, 1941, the decision was made to build the Sturmpanzer II (sometimes called the Bison II) on a modified Pz.Kpfw.II tank chassis. The layout was left the same, but the tank's hull was lengthened by 600 mm and widened by 330 mm. One additional support roller was added to the chassis, resulting in a total of six. Unlike many German self-propelled guns, the same model Sturmpanzer I Bison, which resembled a birdhouse on tracks, or the Wespe self-propelled gun, the new self-propelled howitzer did not have armor plates protecting the crew along the entire length of the superstructure. Due to practically complete absence armored tanks, the height of the self-propelled guns was small.

The armament remained unchanged. The infantry 150 mm howitzer sIG 33 was used, which the Germans installed on no tank chassis. The gun was equipped with a standard Rblf36 telescopic sight, which provided double magnification. The carried ammunition consisted of 30 rounds, almost entirely high-explosive fragmentation, but cumulative ammunition could also be used to combat armored targets. The pack carried a 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun, designed for protection against enemy infantry.

The driver-mechanic of the self-propelled gun was located in a small armored cabin in front of the fighting compartment. Unlike the base tank, it had a hatch for boarding and disembarking from the combat vehicle. Power point, the chassis elements and transmission were borrowed from the production tank without fundamental changes. The engine remains the same. It was a 6-cylinder petrol Maybach HL62 TRM, developing 140 hp. at 2800 rpm. According to other data, the Büssing-NAG L8V engine with a maximum power of 150 hp could be used on serial self-propelled guns. also at 2800 rpm.

The fuel was placed in two tanks with a total capacity of 200 liters. To ensure better cooling, two large hatches were cut into the roof of the engine compartment. This was also done because the self-propelled guns were originally planned to be used in North Africa, where the Afrika Korps under the command of General Rommel had already been transferred. The transmission was inherited from the tank and included a manual gearbox (5 forward speeds and one reverse) of the ZF Aphon SSG46 type, main and side clutches, as well as band brakes.

After all the changes, the weight of the self-propelled gun increased to 11.2 tons, which was 2.3 tons more than the base version of the tank. However, this fact did not have a serious impact on the driving performance of the car. The Sturmpanzer II could still reach 40 km/h when driving on the highway. But the power reserve decreased slightly from 200 km (for the tank) to 180 km when driving on paved roads.
The production of self-propelled guns was carried out by the Alkett company in December 1941 - January 1942; a total of 12 self-propelled howitzers were assembled during this period. From these the 707th and 708th companies of heavy infantry guns were formed, which were sent to the North African theater of operations. Here they were quite actively used in battles, taking part in the battle of El Alamein. The last Sturmpanzer II (Bison II) were captured by the Allies in May 1943 after the surrender of German forces in Tunisia.

Performance characteristics Sturmpanzer II:
Overall dimensions: length - 5410 mm, width - 2600 mm, height - 1900 mm, ground clearance - 340 mm.
Combat weight - 11.2 tons.
The power plant is a Büssing-NAG L8V liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 150 hp.
Maximum speed - 40 km/h (on the highway), about 20 km/h (over rough terrain).

Power reserve - 180 km.
Armament is a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry howitzer and one stowed 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun.
Ammunition - 30 shots.
Crew - 4 people.

10.5 cm leFH 18/3(Sf) B2(f)

After the capture of France, German troops received a wide variety of captured tanks from the most different years releases, which were in different technical condition. Among other things, the Germans got about 160 heavy French tanks Char B1 bis. Most of them were used by the Germans without any special modifications, approximately 60 tanks were converted into flamethrowers, and 16 became 105-mm self-propelled howitzers, full name 10.5-cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18/3 (Sf.) auf Geschützwagen B2 (f) 740 (f).

The decision to create self-propelled artillery units based on the chassis of captured French tanks was made in Germany in March 1941. They were planned to be used to support the Flammenwerfer Auf Pz.Kpfw.B2 flamethrower tanks being created on the same tank chassis. The task posed to the designers was quickly solved by installing a 105-mm leFH18 light field howitzer in the open wheelhouse. To do this, the tank's turret with a 47-mm gun, as well as a 75-mm howitzer in the hull, were dismantled. On the roof of the fighting compartment there was a fixed wheelhouse, in the front plate of which a new gun was mounted. The thickness of the deckhouse armor was 20 mm, there was no roof. Pointing angles in the vertical plane ranged from -4 to +20 degrees, in the horizontal plane 15 degrees to the left and right. The carried ammunition consisted of 42 rounds.

It is worth noting that the 105-mm light field howitzer leFH 18 formed the basis of the Wehrmacht field artillery throughout the Second World War, so its choice was not accidental. The howitzer was in service with light divisions of artillery regiments and was the basis of all German divisional artillery. According to official data, the Wehrmacht had up to 7076 howitzers of this type in service. Naturally, in different times German designers considered various options to increase the mobility of this artillery system by installing it on various tank chassis.

The first prototype of the new self-propelled gun with a wheelhouse made of non-armored steel was ready by June 1941. Moreover, by the time work began, fully serviceable French chassis heavy tanks there was quite a bit. According to the production plans of the Armament Directorate, in 1941, only 10 of these self-propelled howitzers were produced in two batches of 5 vehicles. In 1942, 6 more tanks were converted in this way. Thus, the Rheinmetall Borsig company, located in Düsseldorf, assembled only 16 self-propelled artillery units of this type.

The dimensions of the new self-propelled howitzer were very impressive (height almost 3 meters, length - 6.5 meters), it appearance could be called absurd. But if the size of the self-propelled gun was not such a serious drawback, then heavy weight had a stronger impact. The combat weight of the vehicle was inherited from the heavy tank and was no less than 32.5 tons, which was quite a lot for the 307-horsepower engine that remained unchanged. Even when driving on a highway, the self-propelled gun did not reach a speed of more than 28 km/h, and its range was relatively small - 150 km.

All self-propelled guns produced received a letter designation in alphabetical order- from A to P. All vehicles entered service with the 93rd Artillery Regiment of the 26th tank division. The regiment consisted of three batteries of 4 self-propelled howitzers each, and 4 more vehicles were above standard. During the operation of this military equipment, shortcomings were almost immediately identified, which included low maneuverability and overloaded chassis, which often led to breakdowns. As of May 31, 1943, 14 vehicles remained combat-ready in the regiment. At the same time, they were transferred to a training unit located in Le Havre, and were replaced by 12 Wespe self-propelled guns. However, later, as the situation at the front became more complicated, self-propelled guns were returned to service. They were assigned to the 90th Panzer Division, which operated in Sardinia.

Performance characteristics of the 10.5 cm leFH 18/3(Sf) B2(f):
Overall dimensions: length - about 6.5 m, width - 2.4 m, height - about 3 m.
Combat weight - 32.5 tons.
Powerplant - 6-cylinder gasoline engine Renault with 307 hp
Maximum speed - up to 28 km/h (on the highway).
Power reserve - 135-150 km.
Armament is a 105 mm leFH 18/3 light field howitzer and one stowed 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun.
Ammunition - 42 rounds.
Crew - 4 people.

G.Pz. Mk. VI(e)

Unlike numerous French armored vehicles, British tanks were never used or converted en masse by the Germans. The only exceptions to some extent were the lungs. British tanks Mk VI. Apparently, for the reason that they formed the basis of the tank fleet of the British Expeditionary Force in France and were captured by the Germans in at least some significant quantities. On the chassis of these tanks, the Germans manufactured two types of self-propelled guns, armed with a 105-mm light field howitzer leFH 16 and a 150-mm heavy field howitzer 15 cm sFH 13.

In both cases, we were talking about the use of outdated artillery systems dating back to the First World War. A version of the self-propelled howitzer with the full designation 10.5cm leFh16 auf Fgst Geschutzwagen Mk.VI(e) was ready in the summer of 1940. Modifications to the vehicle were primarily related to the installation of a 105-mm howitzer on a special carriage on a tank chassis. An artillery gun with a barrel length of 22 caliber and without muzzle brake received vertical guidance angles ranging from -8 to +41 degrees. The crew of the self-propelled gun included 5 people: a driver, a commander, a gunner and two loaders.

The howitzer was located in an armored cabin, open at the top and rear, which appeared in place of a tank turret at the rear of the combat vehicle. The thickness of the cabin armor ranged from 12 to 20 mm; the cabin armor plates were located at slight angles and provided protection from bullets and shrapnel. As alternative option installation of a 150-mm howitzer sFH 13 was also considered. However, the gun is so large caliber for the chassis of a light British tank it was too powerful, which led to problems when shooting. However, several captured tanks (up to 6) were still armed with such a weapon.

In total, the Germans collected 12 self-propelled units, armed with a 105 mm howitzer, and 6 - 150 mm howitzer. For their production, the best-preserved British tanks Mk.VIb and Mk.VIc were used, which were stored at collection points for captured equipment in France. Essentially, these were wedges with rotating turrets, weighing just over 5 tons. Based on these lungs British tanks The Germans also created an ammunition transporter (12 vehicles) and a mobile observation post (4 vehicles). All self-propelled guns and related equipment entered service with the 227th artillery regiment, as well as the 1st battery of assault guns newly formed within this unit.

Most likely, the self-propelled guns and the regiment departed for the Eastern Front in October 1941. Baptism of fire data self-propelled howitzers accepted in the battles near Leningrad. Moreover, according to the Germans, they could even be used to fight Soviet tanks. Self-propelled guns on an English chassis fought in the USSR until the end of 1942, when the last vehicles of this type were lost in battle.

Tactical and technical characteristics of G.Pz. Mk. VI(e):
Combat weight - 6.5 tons.
Powerplant - 6-cylinder Meadows ESTE petrol engine with 88 hp.
Armament is a 105 mm leFH 16 field howitzer and one 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun.
Crew - 5 people.

Sources of information:
http://www.aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/germany/15cm_sig33_pz2.htm
http://www.aviarmor.net/tww2/tanks/gb/light_mk6.htm
http://wiki.wargaming.net/ru/Tank:G93_GW_Mk_VIe/
http://wiki.wargaming.net/ru/Tank:F28_105_leFH18B2/History
http://stalinhdtv.livejournal.com/21397.html
Open source materials

In this article I will tell you about German anti-tank self-propelled guns. Accurate guns, high rate of fire, good armor. Here are the most outstanding characteristics of the Germans.

Panzerjager I

Small and remote. This anti-tank weapon has a very accurate weapon for its level. The 5 cm gun on this tank is capable of hitting opponents almost every time. And coupled with low visibility, this anti-tank weapon is capable of causing chaos on the battlefield. By playing this tank you will acquire the basic skills of commanding German anti-tank self-propelled guns.

Marder II

The same Panzerjäger I but larger, the top gun of this tank makes the enemy very nervous, it is ahead of it by a couple of levels, however, there was no nerf to this tank, which in principle works to our advantage. I advise you not to go to the front line on this PT, since the armor is made of cardboard. Among the advantages, it should be noted a wide horizontal firing sector (among all ATs it is the largest), excellent visibility, and a good turning speed. The downside is that the top gun has a fairly high spread.

Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer

And here the armor is more serious, and the low silhouette makes this tank an excellent vehicle for ambushes, but nevertheless, the power of the top 7.5 cm is too low, and the horizontal aiming angles are small. The 10.5 cm gun nevertheless penetrates everything with a land mine, but low accuracy forces it to climb forward, which often leads to exposure and destruction of this vehicle. So you have 2 weapons to choose from, which one you use is up to you to decide.

StuG III Ausf. G

Here it is, the workhorse of the Germans, on which you can earn silver (the Stug is second only to premium tanks in terms of profitability), and which usually remains in hangars even when tanks become its neighbors higher levels to earn credits for repairs. After pumping this tank into the top, you will be able to easily hit enemy tanks from long distances - all this thanks to the very accurate top gun (its spread is only 0.33), which makes this tank a dangerous enemy, also thanks to its high maneuverability you will have time to turn to to the enemy in front faster than any other tank destroyer. When pumping from the drain, you can install a 10.5 cm high explosive, which penetrates everything and everyone.

Jagdpanzer IV

But with this tank tank things are worse in stock, I advise you to immediately install the engine and gun from shtuga 3. Then we pump in the chassis and pump up the 8.8 cm gun, with it you will get more experience. Opinions about this tank tank are mixed; the advantages include a larger safety margin and the installation of an 8.8 cm gun. Of the minuses, I would like to note its slightly low maneuverability compared to Stug 3. The tactics are simple, we swing up to the Jagpanther.

Jagdpanther

But this is a very fun thing in the top, since you can make a choice - either 88mm L/71 or 105mm. The 88 mm gun is very accurate, and the 105 mm has solid damage and the accuracy has been increased to 0.3. If you race without a premium account, then set it to 8.8cm L/71, if with a premium account, then set it to 105 mm. There is also a question about the mobility of this tank, after you have bought a yaga - immediately install top engines if you have studied them on another tank. Then we pump up the chassis, the 88mm L/71 gun, then the top engine (if you didn’t install it right away, although you can go straight to the gun and pump up the engine last), and the 105mm gun and start pumping up to Ferdinand.

Ferdinand

This German PT was thoroughly entrenched Slavic name Fedya, whether this is connected with Field Marshal Fedor von Bock or not is not known for sure. Here it is - a tank that, when used correctly, allows you to bend on the battlefield. The armor in the forehead is strong and a powerful cannon in the top - these are the main advantages. After purchasing, do not be surprised if the tank is slow; I advise you to immediately install the engines if you have previously upgraded them on other tanks. The tactics for using this tank are simple: don’t poke your nose into the front lines of the offensive, use cover in defense. After you have fully studied the habits of this tank, you will be able to freely go on the attack and knock out 7 tanks per battle (because the top gun is awesome).

Jagdpanther II

This tank destroyer is not very different from the Jagdpanther - the dynamics remained at approximately the same level, and from Ferdinand the self-propelled gun received a powerful top gun, making this tank destroyer a dangerous ambush fighter. However, the armor of the self-propelled gun is significantly inferior to that of the Ferdinand, so it is necessary to play the assault tank destroyer with great caution if necessary.

Jagdtiger

Translated from German - Tiger hunter. Truly an ideal tank for hunting tanks of any level, both from cover and in a frontal attack. Very strong armor combined with a powerful and accurate weapon make this vehicle deadly in the right hands. Since the vehicle is thrown into high-level battles, it is necessary to hunt tanks of the 9th and 10th levels, which this tank does excellently. However, it also has plenty of disadvantages - the hull is armored much weaker than the deckhouse, it penetrates the lower armor plates, and its huge dimensions and low mobility make the JagdTiger a very desirable target for artillery.

Jagdpanzer E 100

The most powerful vehicle that won laurels in the category “Top tank with the highest damage per shot” with the introduction of 10 levels of ST and AT for object 704. Frontal armor has been significantly strengthened, now from vulnerabilities it contains only the lower armor plate, because the “cheeks” of the wheelhouse can only take paid ST and TT 10 shells. This self-propelled gun is capable of literally crushing enemy defenses or stopping enemy attacks, because any tank with less than 1000 HP is a potential frag for it. However, the disadvantages also make themselves felt - large sizes, low dynamics and maneuverability make the “Overgrown Yaga” quite vulnerable to flank attacks, and it is practically impossible to fight off a nimble ST or LT that has approached closely.

The TOP 10 best self-propelled artillery units of the Second World War period included models of German, Soviet and American production. The evaluation criteria were the power and efficiency of weapons, rate of fire, maneuverability, crew protection and mass production.

10. Marder III - lightly armored German anti-tank self-propelled gun. Entered service at the end of 1942. It was mass-produced until mid-1944. High accuracy and rate of fire were offset by low crew protection. The 75 mm Pak 40 gun was installed in the open wheelhouse.

9. M36 Jackson -American self-propelled gun. It was mass-produced from November 1943 to September 1945, with a total of 2,324 units produced. Thanks to the powerful long-barreled 90-mm cannon, it turned out to be the only American ground weapon capable of effectively fighting the heavy tanks of the Wehrmacht,

8. Sturmgeschütz III - the most mass self-propelled gun Wehrmacht Serially produced in various modifications from 1940 to 1945. Equipped with a 75 mm cannon. Serious shortcomings were the lack of a machine gun and low initial speed projectile. The self-propelled gun was defenseless in close combat and against tanks with good armor.

7. Panzerjager Tiger (P) Ferdinand - German heavy self-propelled gun. Armed with an 88 mm cannon. Developed in 1942-1943. One of the most heavily armed and heavily armored representatives of German armored vehicles.

6. ISU-152 - Soviet heavy self-propelled gun. Index 152 indicates the caliber of the vehicle's main armament. Developed in 1943. The main use of the ISU-152 was fire support advancing tanks and infantry, the 152.4 mm howitzer gun had a powerful high-explosive fragmentation projectile. These shells were very effective against both unsheltered infantry and fortifications. Due to its low rate of fire, it was inferior to specialized self-propelled guns - tank destroyers.

5. Jagdpanzer 38 Hetzer - German light self-propelled gun. Developed in 1943 - 1944. as a cheaper and more widespread replacement for the Sturmgeschütz III assault guns, but was later reclassified as a tank destroyer. The main armament was a 75 mm Panzerjägerkanone PaK 39/2 L/48 rifled gun.

4. SU-100 - Soviet anti-tank self-propelled artillery installation. Created at the end of 1943 - beginning of 1944. The armored hull was constructed structurally as a single unit with the deckhouse and was assembled by welding from rolled sheets and plates of armor steel with a thickness of 20, 45 and 75 mm. The main weapon of the SU-100 was the 100-mm D-10S rifled gun.

3. Panzerjager Tiger Ausf.B - German anti-tank self-propelled gun. Used from the beginning of World War II to 1943. A total of 202 such machines were built. Effectively used against Soviet tanks T-34 and KV 1 s from distances of 500-600 m. Older models of Soviet armored vehicles were confidently hit from 700 meters. The armor effect of the 47-mm projectile was very weak, and even if it penetrated the armor, the projectile did not cause damage to the crew and equipment.

2. M18 Hellcat - American self-propelled gun. During production from July 1943 to October 1944, 2,507 tank destroyers were produced. The frontal armor was 2.54 cm. It was equipped with 75 mm and 76 mm guns.

1. Jagdpanzer - heavy German self-propelled gun. Developed in 1943. Equipped with a powerful 88-mm Pak.43/3 (L/71) cannon. It had good speed and maneuverability. It was characterized by low mechanical reliability and relatively thin side armor.

We wish you good health, comrade tankers, and our High Explosive Messenger is with you again! Last time we studied the first experimental tank destroyers in Germany and touched on the Wehrmacht terminology. We learned how a tank destroyer differs from a tank destroyer.

For those who have previously sat in “Mouse”, I will repeat. Tank destroyers are special heavy self-propelled guns, designed primarily to effectively counter tanks with thick armor. They stood out among other equipment with powerful weapons, including the monstrous 128-mm PaK 44 guns. These “Gargantuas” from tank weapons Even the crews of ISs were horrified, let alone less armored vehicles.

Today we will look at the “furry trinity” of tank destroyers Marder, which replaced the Panzerjager I, as well as self-propelled guns that appeared after the Martens.

Soon after the start of Operation Barbarossa (invasion of the USSR), the captured 47-mm guns used on the first Wehrmacht tank destroyers showed that they were not as effective against Soviet tanks as the leadership of the German army believed.

The “fluffy” self-propelled gun did not have epic dimensions, which did not negate its effectiveness. Eh, if only the party leadership hadn’t interfered with its “ideologically correct” giants...

However, there were other interesting trophies in the storerooms. For example, a 76.2 mm gun F-22 Soviet made. It was the first development of the design bureau of V. G. Grabin on the project of anti-aircraft divisional weapons. In Germany known under the factory marking Pak 36(r). Until 1942, it served as an alternative to a gun that had not yet been created. PaK 40, which subsequently received the most flattering reviews and wide popularity. Since Panzerjager I is not in the best possible way showed himself in extreme conditions, the Wehrmacht needed an alternative in the class of light tank destroyers. This became the Marder family.

Due to its French origins, the Marder I's chassis were mostly found in France. True, its crews could not boast of any special feats on the battlefield.

Marder I is an adaptation of captured French chassis for the upcoming PaK 40. Tanks were chosen as the basis FSM-36, H35 "Hotchkiss" and armored tractor "Lorraine" 37L. The felling was entrusted to specialists Baukommando Becker, famous for its conversions of French equipment, and the Alkett company which had relevant experience after the production of Panzerjager I.

Unfortunately, there weren't enough 75mm PaK 40s for everyone. Every tanker wanted such a weapon, and Germany would not have been able to make it in such quantities even at the peak of its productivity. An alternative was the 50mm PaK 38 L/60. Marder I was produced in the amount of 170 units, most of which went to France. Practical Germans sensibly believed that technology should be used where it was easier to get parts.

Marder II, in turn, continued the practice of using outdated technology for the benefit of the Reich. By the time the war with the USSR began, the light PzKpfw II had exhausted itself. Its 20mm cannon was useless and its armor was too weak to hold its own against the T-34 and KV. The Wehrmacht, without unnecessary sentimentality, allowed the old man to overproduce.

“Marten” visited all the fronts where the Reich fought the war. Not every armored vehicle has traveled so much.

The resulting Marder II, produced in 651 units, became a fairly successful vehicle. The 7.5 cm PaK 40, unlike 47 mm guns, perfectly penetrated all but the heaviest vehicles. The IS-2 and its technical class brothers were not of its caliber. Nevertheless, “Kunitsa-2” turned out to be one of the most good luck with your lungs Tank destroyer. It was used until the very end of the war.

But both models were surpassed in their effectiveness and popularity Marder III. Created on the basis of the Pz 38(t) H and M tanks, it was distinguished by the location of the conning tower. Field tests have shown that option H with a pilothouse located in the middle of the hull is inconvenient.

The aft location of the conning tower made it possible to strengthen the armor. For tank destroyer crews, safety is one of the most pressing issues.

The choice was made at Marder III Ausf.M. The aft conning tower made it possible to increase the protection of the crew by increasing the armor. And it was much more convenient to work with the weapon. Both were produced by BMM. A total of 418 were born Marder III Ausf.H and 975 Marder III Ausf.M. The last “marten” traveled a glorious path from the West to the East and participated in many battles on all fronts, right up to the end of the Second World War.

This “fluffy” trio, coupled with self-propelled guns used to fight tanks, offered the Wehrmacht such variety that the army supply department was ready to lynch the prolific designers. Inventing and building a new engineering miracle is certainly an achievement, but what to do next? The car must not only be released from the assembly line and delivered to the location. For its full functioning, it needs a ton of things that brilliant engineers and much less brilliant party leaders didn’t think about in a single way. Standard spare parts, oil, fuel, ammunition and unique parts - they became the stumbling block.

The Marder III model based on the Pz 38(t) H was not liked by tankers due to the location of the wheelhouse. Compared to the version based on the Pz 38(t) M there was more space for the crew, but the thickness of the armor is less. Better in a cramped cabin than in a grave!

If you believe that tyrant bosses exist in warehouses only in our time, you are greatly mistaken. Human factor has played a leading role since the Stone Age. Diversity in technology led to an even greater variety of parts.

Now imagine that you are a young storekeeper in a 1943 Army depot. The war is in full swing. To feed your family, you had to quit school and go to work in a warehouse for rations. The father is at the front in Africa, and three sisters and a mother working two or three shifts need to be protected and helped.

And then your nervous warehouse manager comes in from the morning and gives you a task. In the evening they will come for spare parts for Marder III, Marder II, StuG III, Panzerjager, Pz Kpfw III, sIG 33 and several other vehicles. We need this much for everyone. How you search is none of my business. What's it like?

Yesterday's unfortunate schoolboy has to figure out how the oil for the Pz Kpfw III differs from the oil for the StuG III and how to separate it, because there is not enough for both requests. And here are the tiers with spare parts for “Martens” of all three types. But the problem is, the labels with the model name are not visible. Well, which skating rink is for Marder III?!

The diversity in parts for self-propelled guns and tanks more than once or twice caused problems not only for suppliers, but also for the tankers themselves. The track segments from Dicker Max will only stick to the thing. Difficulties in supply and repair forced all parties to the conflict to abandon valuable equipment. The USSR had a similar problem in this area, although not as comprehensive as the Reich.

This nice light tank served as the basis for several vehicles, including the Hetzer.

The need to unify anti-tank self-propelled guns was in the air, but Heinz Guderian was the first to express it in 1943. He proposed creating a fairly powerful, but easy to manufacture and repair tank destroyer, called Hetzer ("Huntsman").

This is how it appeared Panzerjager program, also known as G-13. It consisted of gradually reducing a lot of models of anti-tank and conventional self-propelled guns to a few universal machines. Considering that production could not provide the Wehrmacht with the necessary amount of equipment, the relevance of this project is difficult to overestimate.

Outdated German tanks Most of the designers have already used it on other equipment, such as the Shtuga. Therefore, the Czech “lightweight” was chosen as the basis for the new tank destroyer. PzKpfw 38(t). The engineers of the Henschel company, which was entrusted with the development, did not share the enthusiasm. Taking as a model of technical excellence "Panther", the designers were supposed to begin production soon, but the process stalled for a variety of reasons.

From the ambush on the Jaeger, the Germans shot no less than in tank duels.

As often happens, His Majesty Chance intervened in the situation. The massive air raid on Berlin not only pleased German housewives with one and a half thousand tons of explosive overseas gifts, but also stalled production at the Alkett plant, where the production of StuG III assault guns was concentrated. The Wehrmacht leadership was puzzled by the search for alternatives. The war constantly required replenishment of equipment, and the army could not wait for the restoration of full production.

Then they remembered about “Jager”. The BMM plant, also known as CzKD. Since Czechoslovakia was not bombed as vigorously as Germany, production there was not affected. But it was not possible to redirect the process to StuG III, as originally planned. And time was running out. But you could do the light Hetzer right away. Hitler was informed about the current situation on December 17, 1943. He did not feel joy about this. The small car did not impress the Fuhrer, who suffered from gigantism, but there was no time for frills.

Already on January 24, 1944, a model was made, and on the 26th it was shown to military experts. Four months later the car was ready, although it failed some of the tests. WITH light tank "Prague"(PzKpfw 38(t)) was not the first time the military had worked, so the gain in time was welcome. The main problem in production was the required number. At least a thousand cars per month were required, but CzKD could not cope. A plant was connected to help him Skoda. Yes, now you ride Octavia and Fabia, but at that time only the Wehrmacht boasted Czech Hetzers.

If the Wehrmacht had been puzzled by the creation of a unified anti-tank self-propelled gun from the very beginning, the outcome of many battles, and even the war, could have been different.

The Jaeger has become something of an innovative machine. For the first time, armor plates were attached not by riveting, but by welding. This allowed us to cut the time in half. Hetzer's welded body became monolithic and sealed. Riveted structures could not boast of such things.

Despite this, “jaegers” should not be sent to examine the seabed. A 75mm gun against mussels is somehow overkill. The thickness of the armor was 60 millimeters (10 millimeters more than the legendary Stuga), and the level of inclination of the front plates was 40° at the bottom and 60° at the top. With such a thickness, the percentage of ricochets was considerable, and the crew felt at ease under fire from 45-mm artillery, anti-tank rifles and high-explosive fragmentation shells. Fans of shopping during the discount season would definitely not refuse this.

A machine gun was used to protect against infantry MG-42 caliber 7.92. According to many modern experts, it is considered the best machine gun World War II and served as a prototype for many machine guns in other countries. German troops had more machine guns than other armies, and their military doctrine emphasized them. MG-42 was so terrible weapon, that special films were produced for the American military who suffered psychologically from it. As they said soviet soldiers, "lawn mower" left no one indifferent.

The low profile of the Jaeger, as in the case of the Stuga, allowed the crews of these vehicles to emerge victorious from battles more than once.

75 mm gun RaK39/2 covered with an armored mask of the “pig snout” class. Considering the size of the tank destroyer itself, the placement of such a large gun was simply a mini-miracle of tank building. And it became possible thanks to a special gimbal frame instead of a standard gun mounting.

But not all Jaegers were used as tank destroyers. Two hundred of them had flamethrowers instead of guns. The effect of flamethrower self-propelled guns, to which anti-tank rifles were like pellets to an elephant, made an indelible impression on the infantry. In total, 2,600 vehicles were produced during the war. A tiny part of them went to the allies. The Bulgarians and Romanians received fifteen each, and the Hungarians received seventy-five.

The engine used was the Czech version of the Swedish Scania-Vabis 1664. The model was called Prague A.E. and differed from the original by the presence of a second carburetor. Thanks to him, the speed was increased to 2500, and the number of “horses” to 176. The speed of the “Jaeger” can already be compared with the speed of the “Stuga”. The latter had a 300-horsepower engine. The difference in the weight of the self-propelled gun and engine power, as you can see, did not play a role.

The Jaegers proved to be excellent machines. The low profile and powerful gun, second only to the guns of the IS-2 and other heavy tanks, would make it an ideal tank destroyer, if not for several shortcomings. The gun was positioned terribly poorly. Because of it, Hetzer had the smallest horizontal aiming angle among all tank destroyers - only 16 degrees. The limited angle of the commander and his seat, located apart from the crew seats, made it difficult for people to work and prevented them from properly seeing the battlefield. The smoke from the shots obscured the entire picture. And there’s nothing to say about the side armor. Compared to all the anti-tank self-propelled guns of the Reich, the side of the Jaeger in terms of the fortress was like a snail without a shell.

Despite this, the car was used until the end of the war. Its advantages, effectiveness of close combat and ambush attacks gave the Wehrmacht a lot. The “jaegers” were even formed into separate companies! Few Reich vehicles have received such an honor.

In the next issue we will tackle Nashorn And Jagdpanzer IV, in the meantime, our “High Explosive Messenger” says goodbye to you!