Panzerkampfwagen III Medium Tank (SdKfz 141)

[David]

For a time, the Panzer III was king of the armored battlefield, able to outclass any armor in both terms of firepower and mobility. Ultimately, the system proved to suffer from being under-gunned as the war progressed, leading to better designs to supplant the III series. In any case, the Panzer III was a large part of German battlefield domination for a good portion of the Second World War.
The Panzer III was born to a German requirement for a medium class tank able to operate with larger groups of light/medium tanks with the difference between the two groups being that the Panzer III would feature better armor protection and armament. Contracts for development were issued for this cause by 1935 with Daimler-Benz, Rheinmetall-Borsig, MAN and Krupp vying for the big payday.
The initial design was to be fitted with the 37mm main gun, already in service with infantry units as an anti-tank weapon (Pak) though it was made clear that up-gunning of the system should be implemented into the new design so as to allow for a 50mm main gun to be fitted in the future. As such, the turret ring diameter was designed to this limitation which would come into direct play regarding the future use of the Panzer III series. The Daimler-Benz developmental model was selected for production, though several of the early marks of the Panzer III would be used simply for the testing of automotive functions (this would cover the Ausf A, Ausf B, Ausf C and Ausf D marks). The Panzer III saw first light in the PzKpfw III Ausf E in 1939, which showcased the finalized visual appearance of the tank. The Panzer III was now ready to take part in its first engagements encompassing the Poland Invasion. The PzKpfw Ausf F appeared a short time later with batter armor protection and a revised cupola along with an improved engine and one less road wheel per track side. In addition to these changes, the Ausf F model also featured the provisioned 50mm main gun.
The Panzer III was crewed by five personnel which was quick a diversion from traditional tank design of the time. Radio equipment was also provided to the crew and the system featured an impressive torsion bar suspension system for improved performance. Power was derived from a single Maybach HL 120 TRM gasoline engine of 12-cylinder and developing some 300 horsepower. Performance was respectable with a 25 mile per hour top speed on roads.
By 1942, it was found that even the larger caliber 50mm main gun was no match for the thick armor of the T-34 Soviet tanks. In response to this new threat, the Ausf J model was introduced with a longer high velocity barrel in the KwK 39 L/60 mold - making any previous 37mm or 50mm armed Panzer III practically obsolete by this time. The main armament for the Panzer III - it should be noted - was limited by the turret ring diameter limitation initially implemented during early design and trials. As such, the Panzer III was seemingly always lacking in impressive firepower capability. The Ausf M and Ausf N models appeared later, this time mounting the more effective 75mm main gun of the PzKpfw IV Light/Medium tanks. In addition to any main armament the base model tank fitted, two 7.92mm anti-infantry machine guns were also afforded the crew. One was a limited-arc bow-mounted machine gun and the other was a co-axial machine gun in the turret.
The Panzer III, it would seem, had already begun to run its course to the point that the system was now being concentrated in numbers as a mobile assault gun platform. To this end, the tank now appeared in a variety of battlefield forms to fulfill this role in effect making way for the newer series of tanks being developed to stem the tide of advancing Allied armor. Specialized tropical versions of the battle tank were also fielded in the North African campaign and dealt effectively against any armor the British were able to heave at it.

Specifications for the Panzerkampfwagen III Medium Tank:

Designation: Panzerkampfwagen (PzKpfw) III (SdKfz 141)
Selected Model: PzKpfw III Ausf M
Classification: Medium Tank
Service Date: 1939
Weight: 24.6 tons
Length: 21 feet, 0 inches (with main gun); 18 feet, 1.5 inches (hull)
Height: 8 feet, 2.5 inches
Width: 9 feet, 8 inches
Armor: 0.7 - 2.0 inches
Maximum Speed: 25 mph
Maximum Range: 110 miles
Engine: Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cylinder gasoline engine generating 300 horsepower.
Crew: 5
Armament: 75mm KwK L/24 main gun; 2 x MG 34 7.92mm machine guns
Ammunition: 64 rounds (75mm gun)
Production: 5,700
Notes: The Panzer III appeared in various other forms besides its intended main battle tank function. Among those included a flame thrower version, command model, amphibious types (in hoped-for support of Operation Sea Lion) and several major variants consisting of assault guns which were the role the Panzer III was featured in towards the end of the war. The Soviet Union, always willing to take on captured enemy vehicles as their own, devised the SU-76i assault gun from enemy Panzer III assault gun types.