Assault Gun Sturmgeschutz Iii

Assault gun STURMGESCHUTZ III
Birth

In June 1936, German high command has decided to start manufacturing mobile armored vehicles of support, armed 75-mm gun. Manufacture chassis and armoured boxes took up the firm Daimler-Benz, a 75-mm short-barreled gun with a mask placed Krupp.

The first preproduction batch of 5 cars left the shop as early as 1937. As a base for them to use a slightly different version of the tank PzKpfw III chassis modification B. In the stable low-profile full amoured rotating the conning tower was located 75-mm gun StuK 37 L/24 with 40 rounds of ammunition. Engine Maybach HL 108TR, producing 250 hp allow ACS to develop a speed of 20 … 25 km / h.

These assault weapons are not used in combat, since their armor was made of simple steel. After tests Kumersdorf range they were transferred to the artillery school, which were used as training vehicles before 1941.
Sturmgeschutz III Ausf A-B

In February 1940 the gates of the company Daimler-Benz released the first batch of 30 assault guns. Serial ACS differed from the prototypes mainly chassis and engine.

They were made on the basis of the tank PzKpfw III Ausf E / F and bore engine Maybach HL 120 TR and the frontal armor of a thickness of 50 mm. On March 28, 1940 for these ACS consolidated name “Gepanzerte Selbstfahrlafette fur Sturmgeschutz 7,5 cm Kanone (SdKfz 142)” or “7,5 cm-Sturmgeschutz III (abbreviated – StuG III) Ausf A” Four batteries of the ACS was attended by in combat in France and received positive feedback from the commanders and soldiers of the Wehrmacht.

Soon serial production of ACS was transferred to Daimler-Benz “to” Almerkishe kettenfabrik “(Alkett) and assault gun was subjected to the design modifications, resulting in modification born Ausf B. The first 8 cars that came out of the gate “Alkett”, were built on the chassis line not remade tanks and retained on board escape hatches. However, the series went combat vehicles with altered base. This modification is not very different from the Ausf A, as they differed little on combat capabilities.

Stug III Ausf B in a small number took part in fighting in the Balkans, but serious fighting were waiting for them in the summer of 1941 The latest fighting with StuG III Ausf A and Ausf B occurred in 1942-43. during the Stalingrad operation. In art-school several assault weapons “survived” until 1944
Sturmgeschutz III Ausf C-D

In early 1941, the armament of Wehrmacht entered the new model – StuG III Ausf C, differs from the previous design of a new front cabin. In this model, a telescopic gun sight for the withdrawal of the lens out of which required a special loophole that weakens the frontal leaf cuttings, was abolished in favor of periscopic, the lens which was removed through the roof. This has improved the strength of the frontal armor and simplify the production of housing.

Modifications made long – until May 1941 and was soon replaced by the following – Ausf D, externally almost identical, but the bearing assemblies tank PzKpfw III Ausf H. By the way, even in official German documents on the production and use of assault weapons, these models are often referred to as called StuG III Ausf C / D.

Fighting the baptism of these machines have in the battles of summer 1941, but by winter they have very little. With the introduction of assault guns, armed with long-barreled guns, repaired Ausf CD also been re-used and limited in defensive battles until 1945
Sturmgeschutz III Ausf E

Last changed StuG III, armed with short-barreled 75-mm gun, appeared in autumn 1941. Its creation was motivated by the desire to improve the combat capabilities sturm guns. Just the opinion of the German command desperately needed a special combat vehicle commanders of the assault battalions. To accommodate the necessary equipment commander in ACS has been removed slants additional armor on the sides of the deckhouse, armored box on the left wing, designed to set the standard radio, was significantly increased, and for additional radio-telegraph station is the same abmored box appeared symmetrically on the right side of the car.

But it turned out that after some technical simplifications case, the cost Ausf E was lower than the predecessors, but the increased volume of the fighting compartment allowed to take on board “more ammunition. The machine was put into mass production including as a linear one. Unlike Ausf CD with the advent of long-barreled guns StuK 40 The ACS had not bee changed  to the end of the war were used as command and reconnaissance vehicles.
Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf F

The fighting in the territory of the USSR have shown little effectiveness of short-barreled guns against the armor of Soviet tanks. Only illiterate tactics of the Red Army tanks in the first stage of the war allowed the Wehrmacht a long time to keep the initiative in the tank confrontation. But in 1942 the situation changed and before the Germanic troops acutely raised the issue of lack of effectiveness of anti-tank weapons.

September 28, 1941, Hitler demanded a special order to increase the capacity of tanks and weapons to create anti-ACS. The best way to convert to tank destroyers approached highly developed StuG III. Even in 1940-41. Krupp for him were fabricated a few samples of long-barreled guns, but the weapons they were not adopted. Only with the appearance in December 1941 gun StuK 40 L/43 firm Rheinmetall, this process was a logical conclusion. Repetitive Manufacturing born so StuG III Ausf F began in March 1942. At the same time they received the new designation “Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf F (SdKfz 142 / 1).
Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf G

The final model – “Sturmgeschutz 40, Ausf G”, was released in 1943 and produced in series until the end of the war. Carrying a gun with a barrel length of 48 calibres, it differed from their predecessors more than a simple conning tower, the presence of the commander’s turret, increased ammo guns and a number of other enhancements designed to simplify the process of production. The first series machines are carrying 50-mm frontal armor, but by the summer of 1943 it was reinforced hinged slab of 30 mm. Many cars were also side-mounted screens as a means of protection against chemical shells and bullets of anti-tank guns. Since the summer of 1943 the production StuG 40 Ausf G were applied antimagnetic cover – “Zimmerit”.

In 1944, the troops began to arrive StuG 40 with the new streamlined mask tools. For specific contours of the mask is called “Saukopfblende” (nozzle – pig’s snout).
Sturmgeschutz IV

In autumn 1943, when after the mass bombing of factories Alkett in Germany rose sharply the question of the impossibility of issuance of the required number of assault guns, the StuG III / StuG 40 appeared a relative – StuG IV.

In the development of ACS, held specialist firms Krupp and Eisenwerke, on the chassis of the tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G set conning tower StuG 40 Ausf G with a newly designed cab driver. Thus managed to reduce the development of a new self-propelled artillery system and run it into mass production. The new machine was named “Sturmgeschutz IV (SdKfz 163)”. Manning was the same as that of the older models – 4 people, but the ammunition guns rose to 63 shots. StuG IV was in mass production in autumn 1943 to autumn 1944, when it was replaced by a tank destroyer Jagdpanzer IV.

Machine has been less successful than the StuG 40 due to a much greater cost and complexity of manufacture. In addition, those who fought for it marked the worst smoothness, though with more reserve.