News from Heroes and Leaders mod

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Most of the Panther D's flaws were eventually rectified (although the later models' engines remained capricious), and in the Ausf G. The panzer force had one of the best tanks of World War II. Its combination of firepower, mobility, and armor made it an extremely formidable opponent. The U.S. Army judged that it generally took five Shermans to destroy a Panther. Although over 2,953 were built, and the 1944 Pz. Regiment establishment called for one battalion each of Panthers and PzKpfw IV (with the Panthers generally equipping the 1st battalion), there were—fortunately for the Allies—never enough to go around. Like the PzKpfw IV, the Panther—in other than favored Pz. divisions—was used in four-vehicle platoons rather than the five called for in the official establishment.
The last production model, the Panther Ausf.G (the denomination Pz.Kpfw V had by then been abandoned at Hitler’s request) made its appearance in 1944. This model contained significant modifications. Indeed the sides of the superstructure were modified to simplify manufacture, and the rear storage boxes now formed an integral part of the hull. The sides of the hull were characterized by the absence of the lower projections at the back ends of the superstructure, present on the D and A models. The armor plating on the sides was increased to 50 mm thickness.
The driver's slit present on Ausf.D and Ausf.A was removed and the driver’s fixed episcopes were replaced by a rotary periscope, much more practical and offering a considerably wider field of vision. New hatches with hinges (with spring openings) replaced the old swivelling hatches on the top of the driving compartment. The ammo boxes placed within the hull overhanging the tracks now had sliding armored walls doors in order to prevent fire hazard. The number of rounds carried increased from 79 to 82. The system for attaching of the armoured skirts was improved. In another notable change, a new mantlet, designed to eliminate the shot trap present on the old model, was developed and adopted by many of the Panther Ausf.G tanks.
The later Ausf.G Panthers included an innovation planned for the proposed Panther II and also adopted by the Tiger II. This was the use of road wheels with elastic steel binding. The Maybach HL 230 P30 engine was also re-worked, to address the serious overheating problems which plagued the early Panthers. A second pump was added to improve coolant distribution, along with improved bearings and cylinder head joints. As a result, reliability improved noticeably. In order to improve power output, it was proposed to change the engine into a fuel injection engine, increasing the compression ratio and adding superchargers. Prototypes were developed and tested but the war ended before production could commence.
The last, best and most prolific version came in the fall of 1943, the Ausf.G. It was the sum of battlefield experience and careful fixing of previous issues found on earlier models. The decision came in May 1943, during a reunion with officers at the MAN factory. There was a whole set of modifications for the hull, retaining an unchanged turret. The main concern was to increase the armor protection. As an example, the hull front glacis was raised to 80 mm. Other changes included the ball mount, suspensions, shock absorber locations, track sprocket, guard, adjustment, motor, fuel system, throttle linkage, brake & transmission, ventilation, floor plates, radio racks, ammo dust covers, electrical equipment, turret drive, both driver and radioman hatch, periscope and seats, steering brakes, external stowage, transmission, rear deck, foot controls, steering gear, clutch linkage, final driven, steering and brake linkages, cooling water heater and thermostat and the tracks. The side sloped mudguard shape was also distinctive. More rounds were also stored, up to 82. However, few changes were dictated with mass-production in mind, with simplified parts and processes, contrary to the late Panzer IV Ausf.H. It was all about excellence on the battlefield.
Production started in March 1944 and lasted until April 1945. Total deliveries were 1143 by MAN, 1004 by DB and 806 by MNH. In November 1944, a comprehensive array of correspondences between the Waffenamt and MAN was turned into a report, asking for a range of late modifications.
These included previously delayed modifications, and new ones, concerning the guards for the exhaust pipes, socket for 2-ton jib boom, handle on the rear turret access hatch, the commander’s cupola periscope mount, air intake cover, periscope observation mount, rain guard over the driver’s periscope and, later, gun sight aperture, jettisonable hatches, debris guard over gap behind the gun mantlet, factory-applied camouflage patterns and multicolored paints applied in patches on primer, to end the Zimmerit coating, infrared searchlight and scope, chin gun mantlet, steel rubber-clad roadwheels, modified ammunition stowage, radiator cooling fans, improved final drives, self-cleaning idler wheels, flame suppressor exhaust mufflers, crew compartment heater, elimination of the rear shock absorbers, an elevated seat for the driver, new instrument panel, defense against poison gas attacks, a cleaner for the gun sight, stencils, a new AA machine-gun mount, modified rear deck, loader’s seat, internal turret ivory paint finishing, rings for attached camouflage. Many of these changes had been previously authorized in the field by the Waffenamt.

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The PzKpfw M15/42(i) was the final version of the Italian M13/40 series of tanks. It was just coming into service when the Italian Army was disarmed by the Germans, and subsequently about 100 were used against the Allies. The Carro Armato M15/42 was the last Italian medium tank produced during World War II. It was based on the earlier M13/40 and M14/41 medium tanks, and was built with the lessons from the North African Campaign in mind. The tank was meant to be a stopgap until the heavier P26/40 tank could be produced in numbers. It did not serve in North Africa, the theatre in which it was intended to operate, but served in Italy and in Yugoslavia with the German Wehrmacht.
The M15/42 was equipped with a 47 mm M39 L/40 gun wit a 900 m/s initial speed, and a new gasoline 15TB engine developing 192 hp (170 hp in practice). The return to a gasoline engine is the consequence of the decrease of the reserves of diesel of Italy. M15/42 was slightly longer and broader than M13/40. This tank would be 12 centimeters longer than the original M14/41, and would mount a new gun originally meant for the M16/43, a new gasoline engine (the 12 litre FIAT 190 hp SPA 15TB M42, chosen due to a shortage of diesel fuel in Italy at the time) and a new drive. The vehicle, officially known as the Carro Armato M15/42 ("M" for medium tank, the weight in tones (15), and the year of adoption (1942)), incorporated improvements learned from the battles in North Africa; but development of the tank's main gun and ammunition meant that it could not enter production until 1 January 1943, when it was already obsolete. The main armament consisted of an improved version of the 47 mm/L32 main gun, known as the 47 mm/L40. It was mounted in a fully rotating, electrically driven turret, and had an elevation of 20 degrees, and a depression of 10 degrees. The gun was capable of firing hollow charge, high explosive, and armor piercing rounds. The secondary armament consisted of five Breda 38 machine guns (two mounted in the hull, another two in a coaxial mount, and the fifth on top of the tank in an anti-aircraft mount.)
Italy began producing the M15/42 on 1 January 1943, and Only 90 tanks were produced (from 1943) before the armistice in September 1943. After the armistice, Germany confiscated all remaining M15/42s. Under the Germans, a in 1944 an additional 28 incomplete M15/42s were manufactured by the German Army. After the armistice of Cassibile on 8 September 1943, Italian formations from the 135th Armoured Division Ariete II fought with German troops moving to disarm them in Rome. The M15/42s were among the tanks they used in this battle. In German service, the M15/42 fought mostly in Yugoslavia, with 85 tanks being stationed there by December 1944. Most remained in Italy, but in 1944 some saw combat with the 22nd Maria Theresa Freiwilligenkavalleriedivision der SS in Hungary.

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The PzKpfw P26/40(i) was an Italian heavy tank whose design had been started in 1940 (although by Sept. 1943 none had yet become operational with the Italian Army). The irony of the Carro Armato Pesante P26/40 is that it never saw service with Italian forces, but supplemented the Wehrmacht during the bitter fighting of the Italian campaign, from November 1943 to May 1945. After the Italian armistice the Germans seized the few that had been built and, seeing that it was a fair design with production facilities already set up, they continued its manufacture. Slightly over 100 in all were built, and were used only in Italy. A persistent shortage of engines resulted in about forty being used as static fortifications around the Anzio beachhead and in the Gustav Line. On an initial order of 1200 tanks, only 3 to 5 were built by Ansaldo-FIAT before the armistice of September 1943. However the production will continue in profit of the Germans and a hundred specimens will still leave the lines of assembly. However much will be never operational because of the lack of adequate engines.
It originated from a General Staff (Stato Maggiore) specification of 1939 for a heavy tank with 60 mm of armor, a 75 mm gun, 25 ton weight and a diesel engine. It was called the P26/40, for “Pesante, 26 tons, model 1940”. But, by this time, FIAT-Ansaldo was far from being capable of producing a diesel engine powerful enough, nor found it easy to convert an aviation gasoline engine for a tank. Engine development was very slow, and if by 1940 the design was ready, there was no power-plant available. The first prototype of this tank heavy (Carro Armato Pesante) was drawn in 1940 but was not completed before 1942. On the level of the engine there was a dissension between military staff (Stato Maggiore) which wished a diesel engine and the manufacturers who wanted a gasoline engine. However with at the time no gasoline and diesel engines was able to get the necessary power of 330 hp to propel the 25 tons of the tank. Several armament were tested like an howitzer, a gun 75/18 with short barrel; but finally will be the 75/34 which will be selected for the model of production. The prototypes were equipped with a bow machine-gun of assembled in a barbette which was removed on the model of production. The 75 mm Ansaldo cannone da 75/34 was derived from the Model 37 divisional gun, and had a much better muzzle velocity than the 75/18 (700 m/s). The tank’s role shifted from infantry support to anti-tank warfare, requiring a redesign of the interior as well. Secondary armament comprised, at first, twin 8 mm Breda machine-guns in the hull barbette, and another coaxial. But the twin mount was later replaced by a single machine-gun with 600 rounds.
The crew of 4 comprised the driver and hull machine-gunner/radioman, with the commander/gunner and loader in the turret, which was rather cramped compared to the German standard, with no intercom. The turret had two periscopes (one for the gunner, one for the loader), a radio, a rear two-piece hatch and two sight slits on the rear side slopes. The rear engine deck had three slopes, the central one, equipped with a ventilation grid being larger at the base, and access hatches on the two side slopes. The rear end slope also had the large exhaust grids. The turret design was similar to a larger M13/40 turret, but still too cramped to accommodate a crew of three. In result, the commander was somewhat overloaded. The drivetrain was similar to previous models, although larger, still reliable, but it did not allow high speeds. The armor was a real improvement, despite still being riveted. A 420 hp (310 kW) petrol engine was first tested in 1941, giving an excellent power-to-weight ratio, but was not approved by the army. Eventually, in 1942, the FIAT company succeeded in providing a reliable V-12 SPA 342 diesel, which was eventually adopted.
By 1943, three prototypes had been successfully tested, and a production order for 1200 units was issued. It took a month to gear up, so much so that only a handful of pre-production models made it out of the factory floor at the time of the Italian armistice, in September 1943. The factory was seized by the German military, and production was resumed until 1944. Eventually, only 100 were delivered, and integrated into the Wehrmacht. It was known as the Panzerkampfwagen P40 737(i). The P40 was intended, originally, to support the mediums, with one company of heavy tanks with three medium companies in each battalion. In 1944, the Germans used the P40 in small Abteilungs, like a regular medium tank. But, apart their engagement at Anzio, they saw little action. Eventually, many turrets were re-used in strongpoints which composed the German defensive lines.

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The Tiger (PzKpfw VIE) is probably the most legendary AFV of World War II. At the time of its introduction, its "88" gun—used in a tank for the first time—combined with its heavy armor, made it a most deadly adversary. Indeed, at that time it could rarely be knocked out except by a close-range flank or rear shot—although its great weight, lack of mobility, and poor reliability (due to a very complicated drive train and suspension) diminished its overall effectiveness.
The Tiger of the beginning of production differed from the original model (VK 4501 (H)) by the presence on the sides of the turret of ports of shooting for light weapons, non-skid front mud-guards and a broad canister to the back of the turret. The other difference, it was also equipped with air prefilters "Feifel" to thwart the ingestion of fine dust by the engine. The Tigers sent in North Africa all were equipped with this system and were called Tigers(Tp) (Tp=Tropisch) or tropical Tigers. The filters will not be any more mounted later for reasons of economies.
Mudguards were also installed on the two sides of the hull. 6 generators of smoke of 90mm were assembled on each side of the turret sometimes replaced by launchers of grenade of 90 mm installed on the roof of the tank. The suspension consisted of 2 X 24 wheels of road with rubber bindings.
The Tiger of the beginning of production suffered from different problems which knew all the new vehicles. improvements will be so brought (in the demand notably crews on the battle zones). The most significant was the replacement of the commander's impressive cupola of style "drum" (the episcopes with armored glasses offered only a restricted vision) by a cupola (from July, 1943) with seven episcopes, a swiveling hatch and a support for antiaircraft machine gun, and the suppression of Feifel pre-air cleaners to simplify and relieve the production.
From September, 1943, " Zimmerit's " cover (anti-magnetic pate to prevent the pose of mines) will be applied to the vertical walls. A gun lock was installed on the rear deck of Tiger one month later to maintain immovable cannon during the transit. Both lighthouses placed on the front of the roof of the hull will be replaced by an unique lighthouse mounted on the center of the frontal plate of the superstructure. From the beginning of 1944, the stubbles of shot on the turret will be abolished. These Tigers preserved still the road wheels with rubber bandages, but mostly the outside road wheels were removed in battle zone (in everything 8 road wheels less) to decrease the risks of blocking caused by muds and the snow frozen on the eastern front. The other remarkable fact of the outside, on the mantlet, both holes of the binocular sight of the gunner were protected by an armored block. Tigers which were produced between July, 1943 and January, 1944, was classified in this category and about 470-480 copies of this type were realized and sent for the greater part to Russia. It is necessary to notice that this classification is not absolute indeed the intermediate Tigers presented the characteristics of two periods make difficult their classification.
Tigers were used in in-dependent heavy ("schwere") tank companies and battalions allot-ted as strategic reserves; although the Grossdeutschland had an organic Tiger company (7/43-8/43, and thereafter an entire battalion), as did the SS Leibstandarte, SS Das Reich, and SS Totenkopf divisions (1/43-3/44, 2/43-3/44, 7/43-3/44 respectively). A full-strength Tiger platoon consisted of four such AFV.

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The final version ("L" represents "late model") of the Tiger I (PzKpfw VIL), with modifications to increase reliability and close-defense. In all, 1,354 Tigers Ausf E were built, with production ceasing 8/44.
Because of the difficulties met by the war industry of Germany and the supply of raw materials or still the more and more urgent need of tanks of replacement, the production of Tiger was rationalized. The most remarkable change was the adoption of new flat road wheels with bandages of steel in an arrangement less complicated with only 16 road wheels by sides. The maintenance of the suspension was largely simplified. Other change, the sight of the gunner which on the previous models was binocular was replaced by a monocular sight with only a single hole on the mantlet.
The latest Maybach HL 210, rated for 650 hp, was envisioned for production. Cooling had to be completely redesigned, and new auxiliary fan drives were added. The engine compartment had to be totally sealed. Air ducts were connected to extraction pipes on the rear of the vehicle, which was ornate by two massive exhaust noise mufflers. Other modifications included the side drive shafts, final drive, brakes, return rollers (abandoned), road wheel arms, torsion bars, disc road wheels, rubber tires, shock absorbers, bump stops, idler axes, and idler wheels, borrowed or copied and adapted from previous designs.
The 100 mm thick turret front plates were angled at 5° from the vertical, but the 80 mm bent side plates were flat, taking the shape of a horseshoe, with the front closed by the upper and lower front plates. The leading edge of the turret roof was a 40 mm thick plate, extending the turret width behind the upper front plate. The cast mantlet thickness was ranging from to 85 to 200 mm depending of the angle.
The eight Tiger I produced in August were sent near Leningrad with Heeresgruppe Nord. They first saw action on September, 16, showing teething problems with their transmission. By December, all these problems were solved, and by early 1943, the monthly delivery rate was reached. With a completely overhauled supply chain, the production rate skyrocketed in January 1944 until May. The orders were reduced by the summer, as the new Tiger II production was set in.
As soon as it arrived on the battlefield in Russia, in the fall of 1942, the Tiger encountered many teething problems. However, once these were cleared by February-March 1943, there was nothing to compare. The Tiger was given the license to kill with impunity, well helped by the clear skies and wide expanses of the steppe. After Leningrad, the first units to receive Tigers were those operating at Kharkov from February to May 1943. After this, the greatest concentration of heavy battalions was prepared for Operation Citadel -the battle of Kursk.
Tactical base units, as defined then, were small independent battalions under army command, the Schwere Panzer-Abteilung (S.Pz-Abt). The first units were organized to comprise 20 Tigers and 25 Pz.Kpfw.IIIs (breakthrough formations). Later, these were re-organized and composed of a battalion commander with three command Tigers, several companies (generally three to four) of three platoons each, each counting four Tigers, and additional support and supply vehicles. An average sPz.Abt. comprised around 45 tanks, and was dispatched for counter-attacks or defending the most difficult spots of the front. Some elite units, favored by the high command, each received a company of Tigers for every regiment.
However, after Kursk (August-September 1943), tactical use changed from breakthrough operations to stopgap defensive actions, intensively moving from the hottest point of the front to another. These units maintained and even far exceeded an astonishing 10:1 kill ratio, until late into the war. Some units were especially successful, like the 13th company, SS-Panzerdivision GrossDeutschland, and the s.SS Abt. 103 and 502. On one occasion, at Kursk on July, 7, 1943, a single Tiger, commanded by SS-Oberscharführer Franz Staudegger (2nd Platoon, 13th Company, 1st SS-LSAH), engaged about 50 T-34s around Psyolknee (south of Kursk salient), used all his ammunition and claimed 22 Soviet tanks, making the rest retreat.

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In the autumn of 1943, Henschel proposed to the General Staff the interim solution of installing an add-on curved bow plate on the Tiger I, but the solution was rejected. Henschel’s development plans for the Tiger II were finished before Porsche’s, in February 1943. They presented a stretched-out Tiger hull with an extra pair of roadwheels and sloped front and sides, like the Panther. Commonality of parts with the Panther was also thought of, for better maintenance and cheaper manufacture. The engine was still the same V12 Maybach unit, conventionally rear-mounted. The nine steel-tired overlapping road wheels on each side were sprung by transverse torsion bars, the same system already used for the Tiger I. Maintenance issues from the previous design were fixed based on field reports, most notably that the roadwheels only overlapped, rather than being interleaved like for the Tiger I. Henschel’s mock-up was presented to Hitler on October, 20, 1943 at Orzysz, in East Prussia.
Henschel was awarded the contract for the successor of the Tiger, officially known as the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf.B (PzKpfw VIBh Tu 88LL HT). Preparations were made for production, and three production prototypes (V1, V2, V3) were built in November 1943. Serial production started in December 1943 at the Kassel plant, an order for 1,500 Tiger IIs being placed. The turret of Krupp was in short simpler and thus easier to produce in mass than that of Wegmann. This significant point coupled with impossibility to produce in mass the electric drive (because of the copper shortages) of Porsche precipitated the choice of the German decision makers in favor of the model of Henschel
The first recorded combat use was registered by Kings Tigers from the 1st Company, 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion, pitted against British Forces between Troarn and Demouville, on 18 July 1944. On 12 August 1944, the 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion (formerly in Tunisia, but reconstructed in July 1944 at Ohrdruf) participated in defensive actions alongside Army Group North Ukraine, during Operation Bagration. It later took part in the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, attached to the 16th Panzer Division, and attacked the Soviet bridgehead over the Vistula River, near Baranów Sandomiersk. On 15 October 1944, the 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion tanks supported Otto Skorzeny’s troops in taking Budapest (Operation Panzerfaust), to ensure the country stayed with the Axis until the end of the war. Later on, the unit took part in the Battle of Debrecen and stayed on the Hungarian front for 166 days, claiming 121 Soviet tanks, 244 anti-tank guns and artillery pieces, five aircraft and a train for the loss of 25 Tiger IIs. In December 1944, the Tiger II participated in the Soviet Vistula–Oder defense, and in the East Prussian defense in January 1945. Several units also participated in the Battle of the Seelow Heights in April 1945, and the Battle of Berlin thereafter. Most amazing was the deployment in December 1944 for operation Wacht am Rhein (Guard on the Rhine), Hitler’s last gamble to cut the Allied armies in half and throw them into the sea. For this major and totally surprising counter-offensive, Army Group B, under command of Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model, totaled 90 Tiger IIs mobilized with the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, attached to the 1st SS Panzerdivision, the 506th Heavy Panzer Battalion (sixth Panzer Army), reinforced by the 301st Heavy Panzer Battalion (9th Panzerdivision). One of the more important kampfgruppe commanders was Joachim Peiper, Himmler’s protégé, decorated with the Knight’s Cross. The 503rd was also famous for the world’s top tank ace, Kurt Knispel, that destroyed 162 enemy AFVs and was killed in action on 29 April 1945. Also in Hungary, Tiger IIs participated in the battle of Lake Balaton in March 1945. In total, King Tigers of the 103rd SS Heavy Panzer Battalion claimed approximately 500 kills from January to April 1945 for the loss of all their tanks, abandoned, destroyed after mechanical breakdowns or just for the lack of fuel and spare parts.

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As the successor to the Tiger the Koenigstiger (PzKpfw VIB) or Tiger II (also known to the Allies as the Royal or King Tiger) was used in the same manner that the Tiger I, but its even greater weight reduced its mobility and reliability to the point where it was effective only on the defense. Its use in the Ardennes offensive was not impressive; its ponderousness impeded the speed of advance across the hilly countryside, and even a minor breakdown could cause its loss through the inability of the recovery vehicles to tow it. The PzKpfw VIB was without question the most powerful tank put on line during the Second World War. This frightening armored monster was equipped with its excellent gun of 88 of a formidable weapon able to destroy any allied tank met on the battle fields of the end of the conflict.
It is from August 1942, at the request of Waffenamt, that a more modern version of the heavy tank Tiger is studied. Indeed the original Tiger was considered design point of view like exceeded with the sight of the new concepts of armored vehicles. The design and the completion of Tiger is finished before the appearance of Soviet T-34/76 on the Eastern front. The use of tilted walls was ballistic point of view a great improvement compared to the vertical walls used hitherto by the Germans, in particular on Tiger. It was thus also decided to develop a heavy tank equipped with these inclined walls to replace Tiger in the battalions of heavy tanks. This new machine was to be able to ensure supremacy for a good period of time on all the existing and future allied models.
Porsche and Henschel were once more put in competition on this project. Very trustful in him and his success, Porsche immediately undertook the construction of a series of 50 turrets (PzKpfw VIBp) developed by Wegmann for his model VK 4502(P). It was hardly careful with the sight of hard realities of the war on the level of provisioning of raw materials. Indeed, Germany at that time was already cut of all and the shortages was frequent. Copper necessary to any electric component did not escape this reality, make impossible the mass production of the model of Porsche. When Porsche was abandoned to the profit of the model of Henschel, the 50 turrets were sent at Henschel to be mounted on the hulls of the model of this last.
This turret had a very rounded front creating a chip trap that could be very dangerous for the front compartment the box welcoming the pilot and his assistant. Another striking feature, the projection produced on the left side by a cupola of commander mounted very left. At the rear the hinged access hatch was embedded in a thick bolted frame. Most Porsche turrets were equipped with a 88-piece tube. Some, however, had a tube in two parts which one or the other was replaced according to wear. Ultimately, this turret was too complicated because of these roundnesses, to produce in mass.
The Pz.Kpfw VI Ausf.B was ordered for July 1943, but the first specimen did not leave the lines of assembly of Henschel before the end of the year. This delay was caused by collaboration with the firm MAN, in charge of the production of the Panther for a maximum standardization of the hardware which was to be interchangeable between Tiger II and Panther II. The production began really only in February 1944 with the first 8 Tigers II (produced with 95 Tigers I). The score desired for the production had been estimated at 145 specimens per month. But because of the degradation of the German industry of war, the shortages, the delays and the hours of machining necessary to the manufacture of a so complex tank, this not very reasonable figure was never reached. If in September 1944, the manufacture of Tiger I were stopped to put all the means at the profit of Tiger II, the best performance never passed the 84 tanks (peak reached in August 44) and fell famously to 25 units in March 1945. Not astonishing that only 489 specimens could be built. Henschel was the only manufacturer responsible for the production of Tiger II. Let us note that the first 50 specimens were equipped with the turrets pre-produced by Porsche. The first Tiger II unit to see action against the Western Allies (the British to be specific) was the 1st Company of Schwerc Panzerabteilung 503.

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The GSW 3911(f) was a 105mm Howitzer mounted on a modified French Hotchkiss H39 chassis. This Geschutzwagen was armed with one of either the 10.5cm 1eFH18 or the older 10.5cm leFH16. For game purposes, these are identical. Forty-eight of these conversions were produced and were still in action during 1944.
The 10.5 cm leFH 16 gun was a German light howitzer used in World War I. It had a shorter range than the WW2 10.5 cm leFH 18 gun. Its maximum firing range was 9,225m. As the same caliber weapon was used, it could fire the same ammunition. Its muzzle velocity was 395 m/s.
There were a few disadvantages of an open topped vehicle. The crew was exposed to the elements and were also at risk of injury from enemy thrown hand grenades, mortars and shrapnel from air burst enemy shells. Rain covers were produced. They covered both the crew compartment and the gun. The canvas was attached to the upper protective armor using the small D shaped rings welded to the upper part of the structure.
Because the French Hotchkiss H39 tank chassis was small, there was limited space for the storage of ammunition. Only thirty six 10.5 cm HE two part shells could be carried. The propellant charges were kept on the left of the vehicle whilst the projectile shells were stored on the right.
Shells were carried in the crew compartment via the rear of the vehicle. There were two large hinged armored doors with a small protruding metal step ladder underneath them at the back.
When the ammunition supply lorries reached each battery they would unload two different types of packing boxes. The propellant charges, that looked like giant tin cans, were transported in protective wooden hinged boxes. The front projectile part of the shell was wrapped in its own individual open wooden crate
A MG 34 machine gun was attached to top right side of the armor casement, on a swivel mount. Spare ammunition 50 round drums were stored underneath the mount. It fired 7.96 mm bullets.
Putting the 10.5cm leFH 18 howitzer on top of the Hotchkiss tank chassis was a more efficient use of manpower from the traditional form of German artillery battery transportation. Even in WW2, horse power was still widely used although tracked vehicles were also used when available.
At least twenty four 10,5 cm LeFH 16 and 10,5 cm leFH 18 (Sf.) auf Geschutzwagen 39H(f) self-propelled guns went into action in Normandy in June 1944. They were part of the German Army assault gun battalion Sturmgeschuetz-Abteilung 200, of the 21.Panzer-Division. The last ones were knocked out when they were caught in the Falaise Pocket and subjected to intense bombing, shelling and gun fire in August 1944.

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The Wespe was officially called “10.5 cm Leichte Feldhaubitze 18 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II” by the Wehrmacht, but known by every foot soldier as the “Wespe” (“Wasp”). This self-propelled artillery was the most famous and durable in service in the German Army throughout the war, but not the most produced. The Wespe (PzA II) consisted of a field howitzer on a much-modified PzKpfw IIF chassis.
The withdrawal of Panzer II as of 1942 of the units of combat of Panzerdivisions represented an excellent advisability to provide to all kinds of anti-tank weapons or other pieces of artillery a mobility which was missing to them. Moreover the chassis of Panzer II was produced in very great number, more than the real number of completed tanks. Wespe based on the chassis of Panzer II is included in this category of weapons, more precisely in that of mobile armoured artillery or Panzerartillerie. The German field artillery was primarily made up of the light howitzer of 105 mm and of the heavy howitzer of 150 mm. The last will be assembled on a hybrid chassis of Panzer III/IV (GW III/IV) to give rise to Hummel. For the light howitzer of 105 mm, the chassis of Panzer II was thus selected since it was abundantly available and very powerful. Alkett carried out the design of this motorized howitzer towards the semione. It was thus armed with the leichte Feldhaubitze 18/2 of 105 mm and was indicated officially leichte Feldhaubitze 18/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf) Wespe (Wasp) and accepted the material number of Sd.Kfz.124. It was equipped with piercing projectiles in the event of bad meetings.
Wespe was equipped with 300 mm broad trakcs (108 links per track). The power plant was standard model assembled on Panzer II Ausf.F made up of the six-cylinder (gasoline) Maybach HL 62TR developing 140 hp and of the gear box ZF Aphon SSG46 (forward: 6 speeds - reverse: 1 speed). Like Panzer II Ausf.F, Wespe embarked 170 gasoline L in two tanks what allowed it an autonomy of 220 km. Wespe could reach on road the 40 km/h.
Wespe was produced by FAMO with 676 specimens although an initial order envisaged 1000 machines of this type, between February 1943 and July 1944. The first specimens realized will be versed in the motorized artillery batteries of Panzerdivisions as of spring 1943. A battery was made up in theory of 6 Wespe and 2 Ammunition Wespe. Two batteries of six Wespe each were usually allotted to a Panzer division.
The biggest part of the Wespe production went on the Eastern Front and the first Panzerartillerie Abteilung equipped with this vehicle appeared in March 1943. They saw extensive service alongside the Hummel. A great number was used in particular at the time of the battle of Kursk during July 1943, his first and major action, and then in all three Eastern fronts groups. They were so successful that, after reading reports, Hitler ordered all other conversions based on the Panzer II chassis to be stopped and all work to go on the Wespe. By the summer of 1944, some Abteilungen were sent to Normandy as reinforcements. They fought in Italy as well, taking part in the pounding of Allied forces in the Anzio pocket and defending the Caesar and Gustav lines. No less than 36 Panzer divisions, including SS and special units, received Wespes, seeing active service on all fronts after 1943.
The authorised establishment of the Panzer Artillery Regiment of the Heer Panzer Division that took part in the Battle of the Bulge, Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 had three Abteilungs (Battalions). By March 1945, 307 were still in service. The crews praised its reliability and mobility, but despised the lack of protection, both in thickness and height. The fighting compartment was also very cramped. The loaders working at the back end of the superstructure were the most exposed.

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The PzA III/IV or Hummel (German: "bumblebee") used the same PzKpfw III/IV chassis as the Nashorn, but mounted a heavy field howitzer. The full name was Panzerfeldhaubitze 18M auf Geschützwagen III/IV (Sf) Hummel, Sd.Kfz. 165. On February 27, 1944, Hitler ordered the name Hummel to be dropped as it was deemed inappropriate for a fighting vehicle. It was used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War from early 1943 until the end of the war.
Towards the end of 1941, the need for support vehicles of artillery was felt. It was a question to provide the front units, with a mobile vehicle of artillery. In July of 1942, a powerful howitzer, the 150 mm sFH 18 L/30 (without muzzle break) was assembled on a special chassis produced by Alkett, Geschützwagen III/IV. This chassis combined components of PzKpfw III (Ausf J - engine, pump of gasoline and steering mechanism) and PzKpfw IV (Ausf.F - suspension). The chassis of Panzer IV was slightly lengthened, to provide a vaster compartment of combat to the back and the engine was placed in the center. One of the defects of Hummel was its low storage capacity of ammunition (18 rounds). To compensate, a carrier of ammunition on the basis of Hummel was built (roughly 157). It was about disarmed Hummel provided with additional ammunition boxes and whose station of combat was covered with an armor-plate of 10 mm. Munitionsträger Hummel could still be reconverted in Hummel so necessary. At the beginning of 1944, the front compartment of pilot was reorganized and increased. The exhaust was also modified.
In the beginning, Hummel (bumblebee) was to be only one temporary solution while waiting for that a more specific chassis is developed. Hummel with its open superstructure offered only little protection to its crew against the bad weather and fire of enemy. Another defect Hummel did not have a machine-gun of hull, thus a traditional MG34 or MG42 was transported inside of the compartment of combat for local defense. Hummel had in more one high silhouette which made an easy target of it.
First Hummels were produced towards the end of 1942 by Alkett and Deutsche Eisenwerke. Their production finished in 1944 with a total of 714 specimens produced like 150 Munisionsträger Hummel (produced by Deutsche Eisenwerke, 1943-1944). February 27, 1944, Hitler ordered the abandonment of Hummel which it considered inadequate like fighting vehicle.
First Hummels (8) entered in service in March of 1943 follow-ups by 46 other specimens in April. They will know their baptism of fire at the time of the operation "Zitadelle" (Citadel), in Russia, during the summer 1943, with 100 specimens. A Pz. Division was usually allotted one battery of six. Hummels were versed in Panzerartillerie Abteilungen of Panzerdivisions of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Each battery consisted of six Hummels and a Munitionsträger Hummel. Hummels will remain in service until the end of the war. Although being a temporary solution, Hummel proved to be a very useful weapon but numbers some too restricted to be really effective.

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There were two main types of self-propelled guns in the German Army during WW2. One was fitted with an anti-tank gun and the other with an artillery howitzer, like the 15cm s.FH 13/1 (Sf) auf Geschützwagen Lorraine Schlepper(f) Sd.Kfz.135/1. The vehicle fitted with the artillery howitzer was called a ‘Geschützwagen’, which is literally translated as a ‘gun vehicle’. The letters ‘SF’ stand for ‘Selbstfahrlafette’ – self-propelled carriage. The letter (f) indicates that the chassis was of French origin. The PzA LrS(f) was a World War I German howitzer mounted on the French Lorraine Schlepper. It was first issued to the Afrika Korp's 21st Pz. Division. 94 were built. Its normal ammo stowage was only eight rounds.
Improvised self-propelled artillery guns were developed to enable fast moving attacks to have artillery support that could keep up with the speed of advancing Panzer Divisions. They could use direct fire mode at targets they could see or, more commonly, use indirect fire at targets plotted on a map. They were not designed to be in the front line or engage in combat with tanks. They were motorized artillery guns that could fire high explosive HE shells over the heads of friendly troops. Most targets would have been given to the crew as map grid references by forward observation officers or infantry units under attack.
Putting the 15cm. FH 13/1 howitzer on top of captured French Army Lorraine 37L tracked armored transporter chassis was a more efficient use of manpower from the traditional form of German artillery battery transportation. Even in WW2, horse power was still widely used although tracked vehicles were also used when available.
On the 23rd of May 1942, Hitler attended a demonstration of newly constructed, self-propelled guns, where captured enemy vehicles had been converted to carry artillery howitzers and anti-tank guns. A decision was made to build 160 Selbstfahrlafette (self-propelled guns) based on the Lorraine 37L Schlepper tractor. Sixty would carry the 10.5cm leFH howitzer, forty would carry the 15 cm sFH 13 howitzer and sixty would be armed with the 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun. This conversion was intended for North Africa. In July 78 chassis approximately were available and Keitel held 30 of them to be equipped with 15 cm sFH whereas the remainder were to be useful for Panzerjäger Marder I. The mounting of this weapon was very heavy and overloaded the chassis somewhat but the machine generally was very appreciated and effective.
These machines were versed in Panzerartillerie Abteilung of the 21st Pz-Division in North Africa. The initial batch of thirty Alkett built 15 cm s.FH 13/1 (Sf) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) sent to North Africa was divided up between three different Panzer Divisions. Twelve were going to be sent to the 21st Panzer Division. Another twelve were going to be sent to the 15th Panzer Division and the remaining six were to be issued to the 90th Leicht Division. After the German withdrawal of Africa, they were still 54 in service at the beginning of 1944 on western front. A new batch of sixty 15 cm s.FH 13/1 (Sf) auf GW Lorraine Schlepper(f) was built in France in the summer of 1942 by Baukommando Becker for the “Schnelle (quick) Brigade West”. By June 1944, only had twelve 15 cm s.FH 13/1 SPGs it was issued with in 1942. They went into action in Normandy in June 1944. Six were issued to the 6th Battery, 2nd Battalion (II. Abteilung (sf)) and six were issued to the 9th Battery, 3rd Battalion (III. Abteilung (sf)). The Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 125 had six 15 cm s.FH 13/1 SPGs and the Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 192 also had six. The last ones were knocked out when they were caught in the Falaise Pocket and subjected to intense bombing, shelling and gun fire in August 1944.

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The StuG 75/18(i) was the Italian Semovente M42 75/18 (the assault gun version of the M15/42 tank). The Semovente 75/18 was an Italian self-propelled gun of the Second World War. It was built by mounting the 75 mm Obice da 75/18 modello 34 mountain gun on the chassis of a M13/40, M14/41 or M15/42 tank. The first 60 were built using the M13/40 chassis and a subsequent 162 were built on the M14/41 chassis from 1941 to 1943, when the M15/43 chassis were introduced. The Semovente 75/18 was intended to be an interim vehicle until the heavier P40 tank could be available.
After the Italian surrender in 1943, some 131 Semovente 75/18 were seized by the Germans and the production of another 55 was authorized. They were, in combination with other Semovente models, issued to 12 divisions (9 infantry, one mountain, one Jäger and one Grenadier) and 3 assault-gun brigades as well as to the 12th SS Polizei Panzer Company. All units were intended for service in Italy or the Balkans. They were designated StuG M42 mit 7,5 KwK L 18(850)(i). In the aftermath of the Italian surrender in November 1943, the Semovente 75/18 replaced the much-needed StuGs in the same role. The most heavily equipped unit being the Austrian 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresa and one Gebirgsdivision soldiering in Northern Italy and the Balkans. The last Semoventes saw action until the capitulation of all German forces in Italy.
With the StuG, the Germans had devised a way to assist infantry with motorized artillery fire at divisional level, mostly due to General Guderian’s ideas before the war. Following the French campaign, an artillery colonel of the Regio Esercito was impressed by the StuG and lobbied for the production of a similar vehicle, based on an existing chassis. This man was Sergio Berlese, who had designed the successful Obice da 75/18 mod.34. Under his supervision, a prototype was quickly built at FIAT, and delivered for trials in February 1941. It was based on the latest M13/40 chassis. After successful trials, the Army ordered a first batch of 60 Semovente da 75/18s, to be delivered before mid-1941. However, it was not before January 1942 that these machines saw action in North Africa.
Despite its limitations (namely its cramped interior and the insufficiently powerful engine in the M40 and M41 variants), the Semovente 75/18 proved successful both in the direct support role and in anti-tank fighting; its main advantages, other than their sheer firepower, was in its thicker armour (relative to the medium tanks) and lower silhouette that made it more difficult to hit. Due to these features, the Semovente 75/18 has been regarded as the only Italian armored fighting vehicle to be seriously feared by Allied tank crews, and despite the fact that it was originally conceived for a totally different role, the 75/18 often ended up replacing the standard M13/40. However, it was never employed en masse, and the low number of Semoventi on the field (no more than 30 at the time of the Second Battle of El Alamein) was not enough to turn the tide in Italy's favor. In 1943, production shifted to the M42 variant, with the M15/42 tank chassis and engine. It was also decided to address the shortcomings of the M14/41 tank by bolstering each unit with some Semoventi, even outside the three armored divisions fielded, even though very few Italian divisions actually received any. The necessity for a longer and more powerful gun led to the development of the 75/34, 75/46 and 105/25 self-propelled guns.

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In September 1943 the Italians signed an armistice with the Allies, ending hostilities and bringing to end their alliance with the Germans. The Germans quickly took control of northern Italy and the Italian arms industry. Many captured vehicles and we quickly put into service fighting in Italy, as well as in the Balkans against Tito’s Partisans. The Germans quickly assessed the state of Italian vehicle production and soon put the choice fighting vehicles back into production, including some new designs that had not yet seen service in the war. The Semovente 75/34 was an improved vehicle armed with the new 75/34 gun and based on the M15/42 hull with the more powerful petrol engine. The StuG 75/34(i) was the same vehicle as the StuG 75/18(i), but using the same gun as the PzKpfw P26/40(i). It was an Italian design that had not yet become operational when the Germans seized control of Italy. The Germans continued its manufacture, with 116 eventually being built, plus another 11 using the chassis of the StuG105/25(i). The StuG 75/18(i) and StuG 74/34(i) were the most common Italian AFV in German service in both Italy and the Balkans. In December 1943 they were in service with six infantry divisions, two panzer divisions, three Panzergrenadier divisions and one Gebirgsdivision in Italy and the Balkans. By 1944 most were supporting Infantry, Gebirgs, Jäger or Fallschirmjäger Divisions.
Because of delayed production, lack of manpower and training time, only a few were used by Italian troops in Italy before the 8th September Armistice.After armistice of September 8, 1943, the Germans captured 36 Semoventi 75/34 M42M. However the production continued on behalf of Wehrmacht and 80 specimens of StuG M42 M 851 (i) were still produced between on September 9 and on December 31, 1944. Still let us note that the Ansaldo firm equipped 29 M43 (or M42T) hulls with a gun da 75/34 which was used by the Germans under the name of StuG M43 mit 75/34 851 (i). Only one specimen of Semoventi 75/34 M42M was used by the RSI (gruppo squadroni corazzati San Giusto). They also ordered a second production run, which lasted until 1944, with 80 more SPGs being turned over. In German service these were called Sturmgeschütz M42 mit 75/34 851(i).
The Italians were in major part very satisfied with the anti-tank behavior of Semovente 75/18 M40 or M41 but made the decision however to improve it by replacing the gun da 75/18 by the gun da 75/34 in June 1941. However this gun not being yet operational, it was decided to install on the prototype based on the chassis of Semovente M41 the gun da 75/32 modello 37. Esercito was hardly filled with enthusiasm by this temporary solution and in October 1942 ordered to Ansaldo to mount the gun da 75/34 on the hull of Semovente M42 (similar to Semovente da 75/18 M40 or M41 but based on the chassis of the medium tank M15/42). Semovente da 75/34 M42M (M for Modificato) was accepted on April 29, 1943 and an order of 280 specimens had placed. The first vehicles left the lines of assembly in May 1943. In July 1943,93 specimens had been produced and 60 already delivered to their units. The gun of 75 mm L/34 had a muzzle velocity of 557 m/sec and a maximum range of 12500 m.

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The Ansaldo 105/25 M43, also known as Semovente 105/25, was an Italian self-propelled gun used during World War II and designed by Fiat-Ansaldo. It was the most powerful self-propelled gun built by Italy during World War II.
The StuG 105/25(i) was the Italian Semovente M43 105/25, of which 26 were confiscated from the Italian Army in Sept. 1943. The Germans subsequently continued its manufacture, with 91 more being built in 1943-44. They were used only in Italy and the Balkans. It was designated StuG M43 mit 75/34 (851) (i) by the Germans.
Designed by Ansaldo, the version mounted the 75/34 Mod. S.F. gun used on the semovente 75/34 M42M. It was only employed by the German army. The armistice came after only 30 of these vehicles were built.
Only 5 gruppi (DC, DCIst, DCIInd, DCIVth and DCVth gruppi) of 12 Semoventi could be formed before armistice of September 8, 1943. Only DCIst and DCIInd based at Nettunia had their complete equipment. The first took part in the defence of Rome on September 9, 1943 within the 235th Reggimento Artiglieria Corazzata Ariete II.
The days following the armistice, these Italian SPGs saw action with the 135ª Armored Division “Ariete II”, against German troops near Rome. However, the factory and all vehicles were later taken over by German forces, and the Semovente 105/25 was renamed Sturmgeschütz M43 mit 105/25 853(i). The production line was reactivated and 60 more of these were delivered until 1944, for the German forces. Most were used for the defence of the Gothic line and some were passed on to the Italian forces of the puppet republic of Salo, and stayed in service until May 1945 in northern Italy. The Semovente 105/25 was nicknamed “Bassotto”, and the crews generally liked it. It was the most heavily armed SPG in Italian service, presented a low silhouette, and was well protected and reliable. Surviving German vehicles ended stripped of their main guns, which were recycled into the Alpine Valley bunkers. Bassotto will also furnish strength of Squadrone Comando of the gruppo corazzato Leoncello between February and April 1945 in Polpenazze but was never used in the combat.

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The Sturmpanzer IV ( StuPz IV), dubbed the Grizzly Bear or Brummbaer, was designed in light of experiences at Stalingrad, where the smaller-caliber assault guns had been only marginally effective against well-fortified buildings.
At the beginning of 1942, Alkett with Krupp was commissioned to carry out new Sturmpanzer. Alkett was to design a tilted superstructure armed with the assault howitzer of 150 mm StuH 43 L/12 (developed by Skoda for the assault gun sIG 33). This superstructure was to be assembled on standard chassis of Panzerkampfwagen IV modified by Krupp. The vehicle was officially designed (Sd.Kfz.166- Sturmgeschütz IV put 15 cm StuH 43).
In March 1943, the first six specimens were carried out and towards the end April, 40 others were produced. The 14 last will be carried out in May 1943, to satisfy the initial order. The mass production was to begin in May 1943, but the first vehicles were delivered only as from November of 1943 because of a delay of delivery of chassis. From December 1943, a new version of the 150 mm, lighter, StuH 43/1 L/12 will be installed and the superstructure reduced to gain weight. The same month the production of the second series began and 80 specimens were built. The position of the pilot had been worked over again but the big problem of Sturmpanzer IV, the weight had not been truly corrected. In January 1944, Sturmpanzer IV was officially baptized Sturmpanzer IV Brummbär (Grizzly). The production continued until March 1945 and one third and fourth series were produced with a total of 166 specimens. The last models or Abschlusserie were equipped with a MG 34 of hull assembled on ball (Kugelblende 80 mount for shielding of 80 mm) mounted on a bulge in the left higher corner of the frontal plate of the superstructure. The collar of the gun was also modified, a cupola coming from StuG III Ausf G (with support for anti-aircraft MG 34 ) and Schürzen will be also installed and the antimagnetic paste Zimmerit used. These vehicles was smaller than the models of origin.
Sturmpanzers were versed in Sturmpanzerabteilungen composed with 45 Sturmpanzers accompanied by 85 other vehicles and 611 officers and soldiers. The first unit was formed in April 1943. Sturmpanzerabteilung 216 was transferred in the area from Amiens in France to ensure the training of the crews. The unit was sent on June 10, 1943 on the Eastern front and known its baptism of fire within the 656th sPanzerjäger as an element of the group of army Mitte (center) at Kursk (summer 1943). The majority of Sturmpanzer IV of early production will be lost at the time of the battle of Kursk salient like in Kharkov and Dneprstroy. After Kursk, the unit will be reconstituted and returned to the combat in September 1943. Sturmpanzerabteilung 216 fought in Russia until mid December 1943, and will again be returned to Germany to be reconstituted. In February 1944, the unit will be transferred in Italy, in the area of Anzio and Nettuno. The 216 remained Italy until April 1945, when the last Brummbärs were destroyed by their crews close to Lake Garda.
Sturmpanzerabteilung 217 was formed from April to June 1944 in Grafenwohr. In July 1944, it was sent in Normandy to the south-east of Caen. A part was destroyed in Falaise, and survivors withdrew in Holland and took part in the defense of Aachen. Sturmpanzerabteilung 217 also took part in the offensive in the Ardennes (winter 44-45). The 217 made finally rendering in Rhür in April 1945.
In August 1944, two independent companies were formed, Sturmpanzer-Kompanie z.b.V. 218 and Sturmpanzer-Kompanie z.b.V. 2/218. These two companies were equipped with 10 Brummbärs each one. The 218 was sent in Warsaw on August 13 within the combat group of Reinefarth and was opposed to the revolt of the city. The unit remained in Poland and was to again form in theory part of Sturmpanzerabteilung 218 from which the constitution had begun in January 1945. However a new Soviet offensive put at evil the company and the remainders of the unit were versed in Kampfgruppe Grossdeutschland.

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The Sturmtiger, known as the Sturmmorser (assault mortar), Sturmpanzer VI (assault tank VI), Sturintiger or Sturmmörser (assault mortar), owed its existence to Hitler's requirement of August 1943 that the 38cm naval anti-submarine rocket launcher Gerrit 652 be mounted on the Tiger I chassis. At the beginning the gun of 210mm was chosen, but there was not model which can be appropriate for such a conversion. Its complete denomination is 380mm Mörser RW 61 auf Sturmtiger (mortar of 380mm Type 61 on assault chassis of Tiger). The idea was to create a more potent version of the Sturmpanzer IV, which had just entered service. It was intended to provide for the needs of Wehrmacht seriously abused in the streets of Stalingrad and other Russian cities transformed into fortresses. The huge mortar required a special crane fitted on the vehicle roof for loading the rounds that weighed 726 lbs. each; only 13-14 were carried. A. special shape-charged round was available for use against fortifications.
October 20, 1943, the first model of Sturmtiger was presented to Hitler and in August 1944, the mass production could begin. Alkett used the chassis of 10 Tigers of late production to carry out the first models in Berlin-Spandau, the superstructures were manufactured by Brandenburger Eisenwerke. For its use against fortified positions and gatherings of troops, Sturmtiger was strong armored. If the suspension, the transmission, the engine and the hull into general were those of the Tiger, an imposing armored superstructure was assembled to the front one. This one consisted of welded rolled armor-plates. The side plates (80mm) were encased with that of front (150mm) and that of behind (also 80mm). A thick tape still reinforced the outside of the joint between the frontal plates and the glacis.
The crew of Sturmtiger was composed of 5 men: the commander, the pilot, the gunner and two chargers. The projectiles used by Sturmtiger were with hollow-charge and explosive with great power. The R Sprenggranät 4581, gauges 380 had a total length of 1.42m and weighed 345kg. The maximum range of shooting of Sturmtiger was of 5670m. The armament of Sturmtiger was supplemented by a MG34 assembled on ball being on the frontal plate to the right of the rocket launcher. To evacuate the smoke at the interior of the station of combat a ventilator was laid out on the roof.
Sixteen to eighteen Sturmtiger were completed between August and December 1944. Two were used in the Warsaw Uprising during August 1944, but most entered service long after the need for siege vehicles had ended. Sturmtigers were versed in three Panzer Sturmmörser Kompanien (PzStuMrKp)-1000, 1001 and 1002 were especially used on the Western front. With the origin each company was to be equipped with 14 Sturmtigers, but because of the very limited production the number was limited to four per company (two by group). The first company, PzStuMrKp 1000, was formed on August 13, 1944, was followed of PzStuMrKp 1001 in September and PzStuMrKp 1002 in October-November. Sturmtigers will be used for the first time in Warsaw, August 19, 1944, where two vehicles were used during the revolt of the city in street battles. PzStuMrKp 1000 and PzStuMrKp 1001, had a total of seven Sturmtigers, and were sent to the West to take part in the ultimate German offensive in the Belgian Ardennes. These units went into action west of the Rhine in March 1945 against U.S. and British troops, later retreating across the river into the Ruhr area. They took part in the battle on the German territory in 1945, and were used for the final defense of the Reich.

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The Ferdinand (PzJg Tiger), also known as the Elephant, was a conversion of the 90 Porsche I Tigers—which had not been accepted for production. The Ferdinand (his name was in homage to its designer Ferdinand Porsche) was one of the most imposing realization of the German war industry. Its complete appellation was Panzerjäger Tiger(P) Ferdinand mit 8.8cm Pak 43/2 then Jagdpanzer Tiger(P) Ferdinand mit 8.8cm Pak 43/2 L/71 (Sd.Kfz.184). When the Tiger of Henschel was selected to the detriment of the Tiger of Porsche (VK 4501(P)) or Tiger(P), the famous German industrialist found himself with 90 hulls of Tiger(P) already manufactured. Such a waste of materiel and working hours were unacceptable. It was thus decided to use these hulls as bases for a new heavy hunter of tank armed with the anti-tank gun of 88mm Pak 43.
The Ferdinand preserved of Tiger (Porsche) only the bottom of hull, the suspension and the frontal plate of the lower hull. Indeed it was practically a new vehicle. The petrol-electric traction of Tiger(P) was preserved but modified partly. The old engines with air cooling " Porsche " were replaced by two Maybach HL 120 of 300 hp with liquid cooling. Those were placed in the medium to allow the installation of a vast compartment of combat to the back. The drive of the tracks was done by means of back sprocket-wheels. The pilot and the radio-machine gunner were installed in front of the engines. The pilot had at his disposal a hydro pneumatic direction. The fuel tanks were laid out on each sides of the engine compartment. The combat compartment to the back were protected by an imposing superstructure with tilted walls and accommodated the commander, the gunner like two loaders. The Pak 43/2 L/71 of 88mm (anti-tank version of Flak 36) got for Ferdinand a formidable fire power. The first specimens only have that this only weapon. Thereafter the machine-gun of 7.92mm MG34 of hull will be reinstalled to ensure a brought closer defense. The shielding was largely reinforced by bolted plates of 100mm and reached the 200mm on the nose of the machine.
Assigned to Panzerjaegerabteilungen 653 and 654 (at the origin equipped with 45 Ferdinands), they were first used in the northern pincer of the Kursk offensive on the salient of Kursk (Operation " Citadel "), in July of 1943. These two units formed part of Panzerjäger regiment 656 also equipped with Brummbärs attached to the 41st Panzer corps of the General Harpe forming part of the Central group of army. But instead of being employed as long range TDs, they were put in the forefront of the attack as super heavy assault guns. Their thick armor allowed them to drive deep into the Russian defenses where, without infantry support and lacking MGs, they were overwhelmed by Russian tank-hunter teams using FT and DC. 39 were lost during the Kursk fighting, and the remainder fought on for the rest of the year but, finally, being pulled out from the Nikopol area in late 1943. Ferdinands from sPzJagAbt 653 destroyed approximately 320 Soviet tanks at the price of 13 Ferdinands. On the whole, Panzerjäger Regiment 656 destroyed approximately 502 tanks and 100 other vehicles.
The 48 Ferdinands survivors were modernized and modified by the addition of a BMG and a re-designed superstructure roof. Then were grouped in the schwere Heeres Panzerjager Abteilung 653 of which a part was transferred in Italy in February of 1944. In Italy, it took part in the combat of Nettuno, Anzio and Cisterna from March 1, 1944. The sPzJagAbt 654 was redeployed in France at end of 1943 and was rearmed with Jagdpanthers. In April 1944, elements of the sPzJagAbt 653 were again retransferred in Russia.
The last Ferdinands were incorporated in new schwere Heeres Panzerjager Kompanie 614, and the sPzJagAbt 653 reequipped with Jagdtigers. The sPzJagAbt 614 having at the beginning 13-14 vehicles fought on the Eastern front late 1944-early 1945. They also fought in 12/44 south of Bastogne against the U.S. 4th Armored Division. The last survivors were seen in service within Kampfgruppe "Ritter" in Zossen area (southern Berlin) about mid April 1945.

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The JgdPz 38(t) or Hetzer (Agitator) was a light SP AT gun on the proven chassis of the PzKpfw 38(t), and was used to replace the many makeshift conversions (Marders, etc.) of earlier years. In March 1943, Heinz Guderian suggested the replacement of all the old models of Panzerjägers with open superstructure and light shielding by a very new race of tank destroyers better protected by a thicker shielding and especially a structure completely armoured.
The chassis of Pz.Kpfw 38(t) was initially selected to carry out the first model of this series called Jagdpanzer. This machine was initially known under the name of Leichtes Sturmgeschüte 38(t) then like Jagdpanzer 38(t) für 7.5 cm Pak 39 L/48, then finally Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer (Troublemaker) and receives its Sd.Kfz.138/2 number. The production directly begins April 1944 at BMM and 5 months later at Skoda. A total of 2584 specimens was produced in three series until the end of the war.
The new engine was the 6 cylinders Praga AC/2 developing 160 HP coupled to a gear box Praga-Wilson (5 forward speeds and a reverse speed). The chassis itself was modified to accomodate a gun of large gauge and a more consequent shielding. Two fuel tanks of a total capacity of 320 liters allowed it an autonomy of 177 km on its characteristic carburizing. The total weight was approximately 16 tons, which did not limit thanks to the new more powerful engine, the maximum speed on road which was always of 42 km/h. The tracks of Hetzer were made up each of 96 links of 350 mm for a contact on the ground of 2.72 m. The silhouette of Hetzer was really low thanks to a superstructure with the very tilted walls (welded). The shielding was in front of 60 mm, on the roof and on the back of 8 mm and 20 mm on the sides. Short armoured skirts of 5 mm will be also installed on the sides. The principal armament was consisted of the anti-tank 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 which was equipped with a limited traverse of 5° on the left and 11° on the right. The gun was assembled on the right part of the glacis (38 cm of the center). This provision was hardly happy, considering canon was designed to be loaded by the right side, which strongly reduced the rate of shooting. The Hetzer transported a MG 34/42 mounted on the roof, and rare fact, controlled from the interior of the compartment of combat.
Hetzers were to equip the units with tank destroyers (Panzerjäger Abteilung) of divisions of infantry, Panzergrenadier and various independent units. Hetzers will be used thereafter for the replacement of Marders and other Jagdpanzers in all kinds of units of tank destroyers. In the last months they will fill even the role of battle tank because the increasingly significant holes in strenght of (true) tanks of battle. They will be also versed in the famous heteroclite groups of combat (Kampfgruppen) assembled of all parts at the end of the war. Hetzers equipped all the types of units of Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS within a total of 10 divisions.
The first 45 entered service with the Heeres Panzerjäger-Abteilung 731 on 4-13 July 1944 (Army Group North, Eastern Front, later Mitte). One of the first engagement occurred in Warsaw in August 1944, during the famous uprising. They will be used during the offensive in the Belgian Ardennes during the winter 1944-1945. The first units equipped with Hetzers were the 731st and 743rd Heeres Panzerjäger Abteilungen in May-June 1944 with an identical strenght of 45 unit, on the Eastern front. By after they equipped 3 independent units, the 741st, 561st and 744th Heeres Panzerjäger Abteilungen in 1945. First unit SS equipped with this Jagdpanzer was the 3rd Division SS of Cavalry "Florian Geyer" in September 1944. A total of 200 specimens maximum will be allocated with units SS, especially units of Panzergrenadier. By March 1945, only 359 Hetzers were reported operational, out of 529 still in the registry. From 1944 and until the end of the war, it became the most current German tank hunter, not counting the heavier StuG III.

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With its gun, armor, and speed, the Jagdpanther was one of the most potent TD of the war. Its greatest drawback was its rarity; only about 425 were built.
August 3, 1942, the committee of Panzers, Waffenamt, decided that the chassis of the Panther would be used to conceive a new hunter of tank which can combine the excellent mobility and shielding of the Panther, to very effective 88 mm Pak 43 anti-tank gun. This weapon had already assembled on Jagdpanzer Tiger(P) Elefant but it was hardly a result, too heavy, not very mobile and not very reliable. Nashorn (Rhinoceros), on hybrid chassis of Pz.Kpfw III/IV, was also equipped with Pak 43 but its open and light superstructure offered only little protection to its crew, Nashorn being however more mobile than Elefant which known rout at Koursk (Russia) in July 1943 as of its launching.
One assembled on upper hull a superstructure covering all the roof except the back deck. The frontal part of this superstructure prolonged simply the glacis. Idem for the side parts. This assembly will provided to the new tank a broad space of combat well protected by a consequent shielding. The main armament of this new tank was the 88 mm Pak 43/3 L/71 (able to destroy any enemy tank from 3000 m) installed in "pig nose" mantlet or saukopf. A coaxial MG34 was mounted on ball mount on the right of the gun supplemented the armament. To acquire a target the gunner had a binocular periscope "SflZF5" on the roof of the superstructure. The crew of Jagdpanther was composed of the driver sitting on the left-front of the hull, the radio-machine gunner sitting on the right-front of the hull, the gunner sitting behind and to the top of the pilot in the superstructure, the loader sitting behind and to the top of the radio-machine gunner in the superstructure and the commander sitting in the corner back-left of the superstructure.
The production of Jagdpanther began officialy in December 1943, but really did not start that at the beginning of January 1944 on the assembly lines of MIAG. In November 1944 a second production unit was established at MNH in Hanover and thereafter a third was created at MBA at Potsdam. An objective of 150 specimens per month was initially specified but was never reached. The peak of production was carried out in January 1945 with only 72 tanks. It is thus normal that only 392 Jagdpanthers were built between December 1943 and March 1945.
Jagdpanthers were versed in independent heavy anti-tank battalions , the schwere Panzerjäger Abteilungens which were composed as follows: 3 companies of 14 Jagdpanthers + 3 Jagdpanthers attached to the HQ. First Jagdpanthers will be versed in two battalions, the 559 and the 654 which will battle on the Western front. Use of the Jagdpanther in Normandy was limited to the 12-14 vehicles of 2nd Company, schwere Panzerjaegerabteilung 654. Only the 654 had its complete strenght whereas the 559 does not have that 10 to 14 specimens in all. Many Jagdpanthers were sent to the east but the most significant use of Jagdpanther was during the offensive of the Ardennes in December 1944 when 51 specimens distributed in 6 battalions were used in the combat. Jagdpanthers were used little by the SS, and only within 2nd SS-Pz.Divisions " Das Reich ", 9th SS-Pz.Divisions " Hohenstaufent " and 10th SS-Pz.Divisions " Frundsberg " at a rate of a company of 14 specimens per division, 42 Jagdpanthers in all. They will be especially used to counter the revolt of Budapest in January 1945. Some took part (?) in the defense of Vienna. The produced Jagdpanthers last will be versed as a tank of replacement in Pz.Abteilungens of 7th Pz.Division, the Grenadier Regiment of Führer and in a special armored brigade.

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The JgdPz IV was the intended replacement for the StuG III. Designed specifically as a TD, it used the PzKpfw IV chassis and had well-sloped armor. In December 1942, a new hunter of tank having a frontal shielding of 100 mm, armed with the 75 mm Pak 42 L/70 (based on the gun of the Panther) and was based on PzKpfw IV was required by German army. A low silhouette and a superstructure with tilted walls were required for this machine initially baptized StuG auf Fahrgestell PzKpfw IV (Sd.Kfz.162) mit 7.5 cm PaK L/48 or Jagdpanzer IV Its design begin at 1943 and the first vehicle of production was produced in January of 1944, on modified chassis of PzKpfw IV Ausf.F under the designation of (leichter) Jagdpanzer IV Ausf.F (Sd.Kfz.162). It was armed with the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 (with muzzle brake with double deflector) and with two machine-guns MG42 of 7.92 mm.
The lower hull of Panzer IV had been maintained, only front had been modified by the adoption of oblique walls forming a very pointed nose. The shielding of the higher part of the nose was 60 mm whereas that of the lower part was of 50 mm. A the interior the fuel tanks, the boxes of ammunition were changed place, the hatch of help of the floor and the engine of rotation of the turret was removed. Moreover one new system of heating and ventilation was installed. The superstructure was composed of tilted walls. All the walls of the superstructure were made up of large armor plates being encased and welded between them, which facilitated the manufacturing process. The side shielding of the superstructure was thick 30 mm and the frontal of 60 mm. The tilted walls got a good protection (proportioned) to the four members of the crew: the commander, the gunner, the loader and the pilot. Moreover its low silhouette (1.85m) made of it a not easy target. Many specimens were provided with Schürzen and covered with Zimmerit paste from the factory (until September 1944). On road Jagdpanzer IV could reach the 40 km/h in spite of its weight of 24.5 tons. As for Panzer IV the engine was the Maybach HL 120 TRM.
A total of 769 specimens will be produced. The first batch was produced in January 1944, with 30 vehicles. In October 1944, the early production run ended and, in November, a new batch was produced, severely hampered by Allied air raids on Vomag AG and suppliers like Zahnradfabrik AG in Friedrichshafen.
The Jagdpanzer IV was versed in Panzerjäger Abteilungen of Panzerdivisions and Panzer Grenadier Divisions as from March 1944. A 1944 TD battalion often contained a mixture of StuG III and JgdPz IV. Each division included two combat companies of 14 vehicles, with three command vehicles for the headquarters company of the division, for a total of 31 Jagdpanzer IVs. Each company of a Panzer Division had only 10 Jagdpanzer IVs (three platoons of three vehicles plus a command tank), for a total of 22 vehicles. Jagdpanzer IV was especially employed like support vehicle with the groups of infantry and like tank destroyer.
In April 1944, the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Panzer Division «Hermann Goring» were reformed in line with 21 Jagdpanzer IVs from the Army Reserve Division in Italy. In May 1944, the 49th Division, 4th Armored Division and 5th Panzer Division on the Eastern Front received Abteilungens of Jagdpanzers IVs. The 21th SS Panzerdivision was formed in France on 26 April of the same year, with an initial batch of 10 Jagdpanzer IVs, but then another batch of 11 joined in, which saw action in July 1944 after the Allied landings in Normandy. On June 6, 1944, there were only 62 Jagdpanzer IVs available, 31 for the Panzer-Lehr-Division, 21 for the 2nd Armored Division and 10 in the 21th Division SS «Hitlerjugend» (which receipt 10 at mid the 1944).