Panzer IV, 1939–1945

Paul Thomas

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781526711281
• eBook ISBN: 9781526711304
• Topic: Historia
• Subtopic: Historia militar y marítima

With comprehensive captions and text this superb book tells the story of the production of the Panzer IV to the key battles in Poland, France, North Africa, Italy, Russia and North West Europe. Initially the Panzer IV was designed as an infantry support tank, but soon proved to be so diverse and effective that it earned a unique tactical role on the battlefield.The book shows how the Panzer IV evolved and describes how the Germans carefully utilized all available reserves and resources into building numerous variants that went into production and saw action on the battlefield. It depicts how these formidable tanks were adapted and up-gunned to face the ever increasing enemy threat.Between 1936 and 1945, over 8,000 Panzer IVs were built. For most of the war this tank was a match for its opponents heavy tanks and quickly and effectively demonstrated its superiority on the battlefield.The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in production during the war. Its chassis was converted into more models than any other Panzers that entered service. As well as the various prototype projects and command tanks, observation vehicles, ammunition carriers, recovery vehicles, amphibious armored ferry vehicles that saw service, the book will show a multiple of converted anti-tank propelled vehicles.

Panzerjager and Flak Vehicles

In spite of the terrible setbacks on the Eastern Front the PzKpfw IV continued to prove its worth on the battlefield. In order to increase the strength of the Panzerwaffe in the East a variety of modified tanks using the chassis of the PzKpfw IV were seen in action during the last year of the war. The Sturmgeschütz IV for instance was one vehicle that had entered service in Russia on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV.

Another tank to make its debut during the latter period of the war was the Jagdpanzer IV which reached the Panzerjäger battalions of the Panzer divisions in small numbers until the end of the war. The Jagdpanzer IV was a very effective Panzer hunter and scored considerable successes during a number of actions. However, like many of the vehicles that entered service during the latter stages of the war, they were too few or too dispersed to do more than temporarily halt the advancing Russian army.

During the last year of the war, as further setbacks beset the Panzerwaffe, more modified vehicles came off the production line, many of which were on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV. One such vehicle was the Sturmpanzer (assault tank), which was basically a heavy 15cm infantry gun mounted on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV. However, it soon became obvious that the vehicle, with an ammunition load of 38 shells, a five-man crew and a fighting weight of 28.2 tons, was heavily overloaded.

Apart from the building of tanks to repel the huge quantities of enemy vehicles on the battlefield, it was also apparent that there was an urgent need to protect the infantry from enemy aircraft attack, which was causing massive losses to both men and equipment. Armoured vehicles were defenceless against these enemy aircraft, and for that reason a new Flakpanzer entered service. It was known as the 2cm Flakvierling 38 Flakpanzer IV, which was mounted on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV. The vehicle was literally a self-propelled mount for the quadruple 2cm Flakvierling 38 or 3.7cm Flak 43 anti-aircraft gun protected by a steel box bolted to the chassis floor. Although the crew had sufficient room on board especially when the sides were folded down, it was still very prone to enemy attack. Other variations of the vehicle were also produced in small numbers such as the 3.7cm Flak 43 Panzer IV Mobelwagen. In 1944 some 240 of these vehicles were built.

Other tanks which saw active service in small numbers were the Wirbelwind, Ostwind and Kugelblitz, all of which were anti-aircraft tanks on the chassis of repaired or rebuilt PzKpfw IVs.

Two photographs showing another variant built on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV Ausf H called the Sturmpanzer. These vehicles were known as the ‘Brummbar’ (literally, growling bear). It mounted a powerful 15cm sIG gun. Note the extensive application of zimmerit.

Aside from anti-aircraft tanks was the increased use of self-propelled mounts on either the chassis of the PzKpfw III or IV. Back in 1942 there had been a drastic requirement for motorized artillery to be deployed in action at a moment’s notice. For this reason the Germans adopted the concept of self-propelled artillery mounts such as the heavy field 15cm howitzer mounted on a tank, known as the Hummel (Bumblebee) tank destroyer. The Hummel had an open-topped lightly armoured fighting compartment at the back of the vehicle which housed both the howitzer and the crew. The engine was moved to the centre of the vehicle to make room for this compartment. Late model Hummels had a slightly redesigned driver compartment and front superstructure, to offer more room to the radio operator and driver.

A new Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen (SdKfz 161/3) just out of production. This vehicle was armed with the 3.7cm Flak 43 which was mounted on a PzKpfw IV Ausf J chassis. The first 20 units were completed by March 1944. A total of 240 of these mobile flak vehicles were produced by March 1945.

The Flakpanzerkampwagen IV (2cm Flakvierling 38) (SdKfz 161/4) self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, known as the Wirbelwind. These were assembled on rebuilt PzKpfw IV chassis that had been returned to Germany. This one is based on the Ausf G variant and identifiable by the 30mm armour plates welded to the front and superstructure.

Two photographs showing the Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind somewhere on the Western Front in 1944. These vehicles were built on the PzKpfw IV Ausf G chassis and have standard three-colour camouflage paint scheme of green and brown patches on the dark sand base.

Flakpanzer IV Mobelwagen undergoing maintenance. This vehicle was built on the chassis of a PzKpfw IV Ausf J. It is painted in dark yellow RAL 7028 with a camouflaged scheme of small red-brown RAL 8017 and large olive green RAL 6003 patches.

A self-propelled artillery vehicle to see its debut in 1943 was the Hummel. The Hummel (Bumblebee) was gun adapted and mounted on the Geschützwagen III/IV chassis and armed with a 15cm howitzer. This Panzerfeldhaubitze 18M auf Geschützwagen III/IV (Sf) Hummel, SdKfz 165 entered service in 1943. Initially, designers had wanted to mount a 10.5cm leFH 18 howitzer on the chassis of a PzKpfw III, but it was rejected in favour of the more powerful and larger PzKpfw IV chassis.

Another variant to the Hummel, which mounted the self-propelled 8.8cm PaK 43/1, was the Nashorn (Rhinoceros). During the first half of 1943, this new model was introduced into production. The difference between this model and the Hummel was almost indistinguishable. Total production of the Nashorn amounted to some 494 vehicles, of which most were built in 1943. Since January 1944, the Germans, however, favoured the production of the newer tank destroyer, the Jagdpanzer IV, which had a much thicker armour plate if a less powerful 7.5cm gun. Production of the Nashorn continued until th...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Origins
• Blietkrieg Years
• On the Eastern Front
• Kursk and Beyond
• Camouflage and Markings
• Camouflage and Zimmerit
• Model showcase
• Modelling products
• Panzerjager and Flak Vehicles
• Panzer IV (PzKpfw IV) Variants