T-IV H - a review of new items from Zvezda. Mikhail Baryatinsky - Medium Tank Panzer IV Krupp Prototype Design

On January 11, 1934, at a meeting of the Wehrmacht's Armaments Department, the basic principles for arming tank divisions were approved. Shortly thereafter, a prototype of the future PzKpfw IV tank was born, which, for the purpose of secrecy, was called the already familiar definition of “medium tractor” - the Mittleren Tractor. When the need for conspiracy disappeared and the combat vehicle began to be openly called the tank of the battalion commander - Batail-lonfuhrerswagen (BW).

This name lasted until the introduction of a unified designation system for German tanks, when the BW finally turned into a medium tank PzKpfw IV. Medium tanks were supposed to serve to support the infantry. The weight of the vehicle was not to exceed 24 tons, it was supposed to be armed with a short-barreled 75-mm cannon. It was decided to borrow the general layout scheme, the thickness of the armor plates, the principle of crew placement and other characteristics from the previous tank - Pz Kpfw III. Work on the creation of a new tank began in 1934. The Rheinmetall-Borsig company was the first to present a plywood model of the future machine, and the following year a real prototype appeared, designated VK 2001 / Rh.

The prototype was made of mild weldable steel and weighed approximately 18 tons. He did not have time to leave the walls of the manufacturer, as he was immediately sent for testing in Kummersdorf. (It was in Kummersdorf that Adolf Hitler first became acquainted with the tanks of the Wehrmacht. During this study tour, Hitler showed great interest in the motorization of the army and the creation of armor tank troops. Guderian, Chief of Staff of the Directorate of the Armored Forces, arranged demonstration tests of motorized forces for the Reich Chancellor. Hitler was shown a motorcycle and anti-tank platoons, as well as platoons of light and heavy armored vehicles. According to Guderian, the Fuhrer was very pleased with the visit.)

Tanks PzKpfw IV and PzKpfw III at Tankfest in Bovington

Daimler-Benz, Krupp and MAN also built their prototypes of the new tank. "Krupp" presented a combat vehicle, almost similar to the prototype of the platoon commander's vehicle that they had previously proposed and rejected. After the tests, the technical department of the tank forces chose the VK 2001 / K variant proposed by Krupp for mass production, making minor changes to its design. In 1936, the first prototype of the 7.5 cm Geschiitz-Panzerwagen (VsKfz 618) tank was built, an armored vehicle with a 75 mm gun (experimental model 618).

The initial order was 35 vehicles, which were produced by the factories of the Friedrich Krupp AG concern in Essen from October 1936 to March 1937. Thus began the production of the most massive German tank, which remained in service with the armored forces of the Third Reich until the very end of the war. The medium tank PzKpfw IV owes its high combat characteristics entirely to the designers, who brilliantly coped with the task of strengthening the armor and firepower of the tank without making significant changes to the basic design.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE PzKpfw IV TANK

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A became a model for the creation of all subsequent modifications. The armament of the new tank consisted of a 75mm KwK 37 L/24 cannon coaxial with a turret machine gun and a forward machine gun located in the hull. As a power plant, a 12-cylinder liquid-cooled Maybach HL 108TR carburetor engine was used, which developed a power of 250 hp. The hull also housed an additional engine that powered an electric generator that provided power to the turret's electric drive. The combat weight of the tank was 17.3 tons, the thickness of the frontal armor reached 20 mm.

A characteristic feature of the Pz IV Ausf A tank was a cylindrical commander's cupola with eight viewing slots covered with armored glass blocks.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A

The undercarriage for one side consisted of eight road wheels, interlocked in pairs in four bogies, suspended on quarter-elliptical leaf springs. Four small road wheels were provided on top. Drive wheel - front location. The idler wheel (sloth) had a track tensioning mechanism. It should be noted that this design of the undercarriage of the PzKpfw IV Ausf A tank was practically not subjected to significant changes in the future. Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A - the first production tank of this type.

Tactical specifications medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A (SdKfz 161)

Creation date ....................... 1935 (the first tank appeared in 1937)
Combat weight (t) .........................18.4
Dimensions (m):
length.........................5.0
width.........................2.9
height.........................2.65
Armament: ............ main 1 x 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 cannon secondary 2 x 7.92 mm MG 13 machine guns
Ammunition-main .............................. 122 shots
Reservation (mm): ..................... maximum 15 minimum 5
Engine type..............Maybach HL 108 TR (3000 rpm)
Maximum power (hp) .................250
Crew...................5 people
Maximum speed (km/h) .................32
Cruising range (km) ............... 150

Next modification of the tank: PzKpfw IV Ausf B- featured an improved Maybach HL 120TRM engine with 300 hp. at 3000 rpm and a new six-speed gearbox ZFSSG 76 instead of a five-speed SSG 75. The main difference between the PzKpfw FV Ausf B was the use of a straight hull plate instead of the broken one of its predecessor. At the same time, the course machine gun was dismantled. In its place was a radio operator's viewing device, which could fire from personal weapons through the loophole. Frontal armor increased to 30 mm, thanks to which combat weight increased to 17.7 tons. The commander's turret was also changed, whose viewing slots were closed with removable covers. The order for the new "four" (still called 2 / BW) was 45 cars, however, due to a lack of necessary parts and materials, Krupp was able to produce only 42.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf B

tanks PzKpfw IV version Ausf C appeared in 1938 and differed very little from the Ausf B vehicles. Outwardly, these tanks are so similar that it can be very difficult to distinguish them. Additional resemblance to previous version attaches a straight frontal plate without the MG machine gun, instead of which an additional viewing device appeared. Minor changes affected the introduction of an armored casing for the MG-34 machine gun barrel, as well as the installation of a special bumper under the gun, which bent the antenna when the turret turned, preventing it from breaking. In total, approximately 140 units of 19-ton Ausf C tanks were produced.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf C

Tanks of the next model - PzKpfw IVD- received an improved design of the gun mask. The practice of using tanks forced us to return to the original design of a broken frontal plate (as on the PzKpfw IV Ausf A tanks). The installation of the front machine gun was protected by a square armor casing, and side and aft armor increased from 15 to 20 mm. After the new tanks were tested, the following entry appeared in the military circular (No. 685 of September 27, 1939): "PzKpfw IV (with a 75-mm cannon) SdKfz 161 from this moment is declared suitable for successful use and military formations" "" .

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf D

A total of 222 Ausf D tanks were produced, with which Germany entered the Second world war. During the Polish campaign, several "fours" ingloriously returned from the battlefields to their homeland for repairs and improvements. It turned out that the thickness of the armor of the new tanks was not enough to ensure their safety, so additional armor plates were urgently needed to protect the most important nodes. It is curious that the reports of the British military intelligence of that time contain the assumption that the strengthening of the combat armor of tanks often took place “illegally”, without an appropriate order from above, and sometimes despite it. So, in the order of the German military command intercepted by the British, unauthorized welding of additional armor plates on the hulls of German tanks was strictly prohibited. The order explained that “handicraft* fastening of armor plates does not increase, but reduces the protection of the tank, so the Wehrmacht command ordered the commanders to strictly follow the instructions governing the work to strengthen the armor protection of combat vehicles.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf E

Soon the long-awaited "four" was born PzKpfw IV Ausf E, in the design of which all the previously identified shortcomings of the PzKpfw IV Ausf D were taken into account. First of all, this referred to the strengthening of armor protection. Now the 30 mm frontal armor of the hull was protected by additional 30 mm plates, and the sides were covered with 20 mm sheets. All these changes led to the fact that the combat weight increased to 21 tons. In addition, a new commander's cupola appeared on the Pz-4 Ausf E tanks, which now almost did not go beyond the tower. The course machine gun received a Kugelblende 30 ball mount. A box for spare parts and equipment was mounted on the rear wall of the turret. The undercarriage used new simplified drive wheels and wider tracks of a new type with a width of 400 mm instead of the old ones, with a width of 360 mm.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf F1

Tank was the next option. PzKpfw IV Ausf F1. These tanks had a one-piece frontal plate 50 mm thick and 30 mm sides. The forehead of the tower also received 50 mm armor. This tank was the last model armed with a short-barreled 75-mm cannon with a low muzzle velocity.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf F2

Soon, Hitler personally ordered that this ineffective gun be replaced with a long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 L / 43 - this is how the medium tank was born PzKpfw IV F2. The new weapon required changes to the design of the turret's combat compartment in order to accommodate the increased ammunition load. 32 shots out of 87 were now placed in the tower. The initial speed of a conventional armor-piercing projectile has now increased to 740 m/s (versus 385 m/s for the previous gun), and armor penetration has increased by 48 mm and amounted to 89 mm against the previous 41 mm (an armor-piercing projectile at a distance of 460 meters at a meeting angle of 30 °) . The new powerful gun immediately and forever changed the role and place of the new tank in the German armored forces. In addition, the PzKpfw IV received a new Turmzielfernrohr TZF Sf sight and a different shaped cannon mask. From now on, the medium tank PzKpfw III fades into the background, content with the role of a support tank and infantry escort, and the PzKpfw IV becomes the main "assault" tank of the Wehrmacht for a long time. In addition to Krupp-Gruson AG, two more enterprises joined the production of PzKpfw IV tanks: VOMAG and Nibelungenwerke. The appearance on the stage of the theater of operations of the modernized "fours" Pz IV significantly complicated the position of the allies, since the new gun allowed the German tank to successfully fight against most of the armored vehicles of the USSR and coalition member countries. In total, for the period up to March 1942, 1300 "fours" were produced. early Ausf(from A to F2).

PzKpfw IV is called the main tank of the Wehrmacht. More than 8,500 "fours" formed the basis of the Wehrmacht's tank forces, its main striking force.

The next large-scale version was the tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G. From May 1942 to June 1943, they were created much more than the machines of previous modifications, more than 1600 units.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf G

The very first Pz IV Ausf G practically did not differ from the PzKpfw IV F2, however, during the production process, numerous changes were made to the basic design. First of all, this concerns the installation of a 75-mm gun KwK 40 L / 48 with a two-chamber muzzle brake. The upgraded version of the KwK 40 tank gun had a muzzle velocity of 750 m/s. The new model of the "four" tank was equipped with additional protective 5-mm screens to protect the turret and sides of the hull, which received the joking nickname "apron" in the troops. The Pz Kpfw IV Aufs G tank, produced since March 1943, was armed with a 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of L / 48 instead of the previous one with a barrel length of 43 caliber. A total of 1700 machines of this modification were produced. Despite the enhanced armament, the PZ-4s still could not compete with the Russian T-34s.
Weak armor protection made them too vulnerable. In this photo you can see how the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G tank uses sandbags as additional protection. Of course, such measures could not substantially improve the situation.

Tank became the most massive series PzKpfw IV Ausf N, more than 4,000 units were produced, including various self-propelled guns created on the T-4 ("four") chassis.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf H

This tank was distinguished by the most powerful frontal armor (up to 80 mm), the introduction of 5 mm side screens of the hull and turret, the MG-34 anti-aircraft machine gun mount -Fliegerbeschussgerat 41/42, mounted on commander's tower, a new, improved ZF SSG 77 gearbox and minor changes in the transmission. The combat weight of this Pz IV modification reached 25 tons. The last version of the "four" was the tank PzKpfw IV J, which continued to be produced until March 1945. From June 1944 to March 1945, more than 1,700 of these machines were produced. Tanks of this type were equipped with high-capacity fuel tanks, which made it possible to increase the cruising range to 320 km. However, in general, the latest “fours” have been significantly simplified compared to previous models.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DESIGN OF THE TANK PzKpfw IV

TOWER AND HULL OF TANK Pz IV

The hull and turret of the Pz-4 tank were welded. On each side of the tower for landing and disembarking crew members were evacuation hatches.

Tank Pz IV with protection against cumulative projectiles installed on it

The tower was equipped with a commander's cupola with five viewing slots equipped with armored glass blocks - triplex and protective armor covers, which were lowered and raised using a small lever located under each slot.

Inside the Pz IV Ausf G tank. The photo was taken from the side of the right hatch (loader).

The floor of the tower rotated with it. The armament consisted of a 75-mm (short-barreled KwK 37 or long-barreled KwK 40) cannon and a turret machine gun coaxial with it, as well as an MG machine gun mounted in the frontal armor of the hull in a ball mount and intended for the gunner-radio operator. This armament scheme is typical for all modifications of the "fours" with the exception of tanks of version C.

Inside the Pz IV Ausf G tank. The photo was taken from the side of the left hatch (gunner).

The layout of the tank PzKpfw IV- classic, with a front-mounted transmission. Inside the tank hull was divided by two bulkheads into three compartments. In the rear compartment was the engine compartment.

As in other German tanks, a cardan shaft was transferred from the engine to the gearbox and drive wheels, passed under the turret floor. An auxiliary engine for the turret rotation mechanism was located next to the motor. Because of this, the tower was shifted to the left along the axis of symmetry of the tank by 52 mm. On the floor of the central fighting compartment, under the floor of the tower, three fuel tanks with a total capacity of 477 liters were installed. The turret of the fighting compartment housed the remaining three crew members (commander, gunner and loader), weapons (cannon and coaxial machine gun), observation and aiming devices, vertical and horizontal guidance mechanisms. The driver and gunner-radio operator, firing from a machine gun mounted in a ball bearing, were located in the front compartment of the hull, on both sides of the gearbox.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf A. View of the driver's seat.

The thickness of the armor of the tank PzKpfw IV constantly increased. The frontal armor of the T-4 was welded from rolled armor plates with surface carburizing and was usually thicker and stronger than the side armor. Additional protection with armor plates was not used until the creation of the Ausf D tank. To protect the tank from bullets and cumulative projectiles on the lower and side surfaces the hull and side surfaces of the turret were coated with a zimmerite coating. The British testing of the T-4 Ausf G using the Brinell method gave following results: front end plate in an inclined plane (outer surface) - 460-490 HB; front vertical plate (outer surface) - 500-520 HB; inner surface -250-260 HB; tower forehead (outer surface) - 490-51 0 HB; hull sides (outer surface) - 500-520 HB; inner surface - 270-280 HB; sides of the tower (outer surface) -340-360 HB. As mentioned above, on the "fours" of the latest versions, additional armored "screens" were used, produced from steel sheets, 114 x 99 cm in size and mounted on the sides of the hull and turret, at a distance of 38 cm from the hull. The tower was protected by armor plates 6 mm thick, fixed around the rear and sides, and in the protective screen there were hatches located exactly in front of the tower hatches.

ARMAMENT OF THE TANK.

On the PzKpfw IV Ausf A - F1 tanks, a short-barreled 75-mm KwK 37 L / 24 cannon was installed with a barrel length of 24 calibers, a vertical shutter and an initial projectile velocity not exceeding 385 m / s. The PzKpfw III Ausf N tanks and StuG III assault guns were equipped with exactly the same guns. The gun ammunition included almost all types of shells: armor-piercing tracer, armor-piercing tracer sub-caliber, cumulative, high-explosive fragmentation and smoke.

View of the double-leaf escape hatch in the turret of a Pz IV tank

To carry out the rotation of the gun at the prescribed 32 ° (from - 110 to + 21, 15 full revolutions were required. In the Pz IV tanks, both an electric drive and a manual drive for turning the turret were used. The electric drive was powered by a generator driven by a two-cylinder two-stroke water-cooled engine. For rough For this purpose, the angle of horizontal fire of the tank's turret gun, equal to 360 °, was divided into twelve divisions, and the division corresponding to the traditional position of the number 12 on the watch dial indicated the direction of the tank's movement. the notched ring in the commander's turret was set into motion.

View of the stern of the tank PZ IV

Thanks to this device, the commander could determine the approximate location of the target and give appropriate instructions to the gunner. The driver's seat was equipped with a turret position indicator (with two lights) on all models of the PzKpfw IV tank (except Ausf J). Thanks to this device, the driver knew the location of the turret and tank gun. This was especially important when moving through the forest and in settlements. The gun was mounted together with a coaxial machine gun and a TZF 5v telescopic sight (on tanks of early modifications); TZF 5f and TZF 5f/l (on tanks starting from PzKpfw IV Ausf E). The machine gun was powered by a flexible metal tape, the shooter fired using a special foot pedal. The telescopic 2.5-fold sight was supplied with scales of three ranges (for the main gun and machine gun).

View of the frontal part of the Pz IV tank turret

The MG-34 course machine gun was equipped with a KZF 2 telescopic sight. The full ammunition load consisted of 80-87 (depending on modification) artillery rounds and 2700 rounds for two 7.92-mm machine guns. Starting with the Ausf F2 modification, the short-barreled gun is replaced by a more powerful long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 L / 43 cannon, and the latest modifications (starting with the Ausf H) receive an improved L / 48 gun with a barrel length of 48 calibers. Short-barreled guns had a single-chamber muzzle brake, long-barreled guns had to be equipped with two-chamber ones. The increase in barrel length required a counterweight. To do this, the latest Pz-4 modifications were supplied with a heavy pressure spring installed in a cylinder attached to the front of the turret's rotary floor.

Engine and transmission

The first versions of the PzKpfw IV were powered by the same engine as the tanks of the PzKpfw III series - the 12-cylinder Maybach HL 108 TR with a power of 250 hp, which required gasoline with an octane rating of 74. Subsequently, they began to use improved Maybach HL 120 TR and HL 120 TRM engines with 300 hp The engine as a whole was distinguished by high reliability and resistance to temperature extremes, but this did not apply to the conditions of the African heat and sultry regions of southern Russia. To avoid boiling the engine, the driver had to drive the tank with all possible caution. AT winter conditions a special installation was used to pump heated liquid (ethylene glycol) from a running tank to a tank that needed to be started. Unlike the PzKpfw III tanks, the engine of the T-4 was located asymmetrically, on the right side of the hull. Fine-linked tracks of the T-4 tank consisted of 101 or 99 links (starting from F1) with a width (options) PzKpfw IV Ausf A -E 360 mm, and in Ausf F-J- 400 mm, their total weight approached 1300 kg. The track tension was regulated using a rear guide wheel mounted on an eccentric axle. The ratchet mechanism prevented the axle from turning back and the track from sagging.

REPAIR OF TRACKS.
Each crew of the Pz IV tank had at its disposal an industrial belt of the same width as the tracks. The edges of the belt were perforated so that the holes matched the teeth of the drive wheel. If the caterpillar failed, a belt was attached to the damaged area, passed over the support rollers and attached to the teeth of the drive wheel. After that, the engine and transmission were started. The drive wheel turned and pulled the caterpillar with the belt forward until the caterpillar did not cling to the wheel. Anyone who has ever pulled off a heavy long caterpillar in the “old-fashioned way” - with a piece of rope or fingers, will appreciate what a salvation this simple scheme has become for the crew.

BATTLE CHRONICLE OF TANKS Pz IV

The "four" began its combat path in Poland, where, despite a small number, they immediately became noticeable strike force. On the eve of the invasion of Poland, there were almost twice as many "fours" in the Wehrmacht troops than "triples" - 211 against 98. The combat qualities of the "fours" immediately attracted the attention of Heinz Guderian, who from now on will constantly insist on increasing their production. Of the 217 tanks lost by Germany during the 30-day war with Poland, there were only 19 "fours". In order to better imagine the Polish stage combat way PzKpfw IV, let's turn to the documents. Here I want to introduce readers to the history of the 35th tank regiment who took part in the occupation of Warsaw. I present to your attention excerpts from the chapter on the assault on the Polish capital, written by Hans Schaufler.

“It was the ninth day of the war. I have just joined the brigade headquarters as a liaison officer. We were in the small suburb of Okhota, which lies on the Rawa-Russkaya-Warsaw road. Another attack on the Polish capitals was coming. The troops are on full alert. Tanks lined up in a column, behind - infantry and sappers. We are waiting for the order to advance. I remember the strange calm that reigned in the troops. Neither rifle shots nor machine-gun bursts were heard. Only occasionally the silence was broken by the rumble of a reconnaissance aircraft flying over the convoy. I was sitting in the command tank next to General von Hartlieb. To be honest, it was a bit crowded in the tank. The brigade adjutant, Captain von Harling, carefully studied the topographic map with the applied situation. Both radio operators clung to their radios. One listened to the message of the division headquarters, the second kept his hand on the key in order to immediately begin transmitting orders in parts. The engine rumbled loudly. Suddenly, a whistle cut through the silence, drowned out by a loud explosion the next second. First it exploded to the right, then to the left of our car, then to the rear. Artillery came into play. The first groans and cries of the wounded were heard. Everything is as usual - the Polish gunners send us their traditional "hello".
Finally received the order to go on the offensive. The engines roared, and the tanks moved to Warsaw. Quite quickly we reached the suburbs of the Polish capital. Sitting in the tank, I heard the chirping of machine gun bursts, the explosions of hand grenades and the clatter of bullets on the armored sides of our vehicle. Our radio operators received one message after another. “Forward - to the street barricade *,” he also transmitted from the headquarters of the 35th regiment. "Anti-tank gun - five tanks destroyed - a mined barricade ahead," the neighbors reported. "Order to the regiment! Turn straight south!" rumbled the general's bass. He had to yell over the infernal roar outside.

“Give a message to the division headquarters,” I ordered the radio operators. -Come to the outskirts of Warsaw. The streets are barricaded and mined. Turn right*. After some time, a short message comes from the headquarters of the regiment: -The barricades have been taken *.
And again the sound of bullets and loud explosions to the left and right of our tank ... I feel someone pushing me in the back. “The enemy positions are three hundred meters straight ahead,” the general shouted. - We turn right! * A terrible rattle of caterpillars on a cobblestone pavement - and we drive into a deserted square. - Faster, damn it! Even faster! * - the general shouts in a rage. He's right, you can't linger - the Poles shoot very accurately. “We came under heavy shelling,” reports from the 36th regiment. * 3rd regiment! the general replies immediately. “Request artillery cover immediately!” You can hear the drumming of stones and shell fragments on the armor. The blows are getting stronger. Suddenly, a monstrous explosion is heard very close by, and I smash my head into the radio with a swing. The tank throws up, throws to the side. Motor stalls.
Through the manhole cover I see a dazzling yellow flame.

Tank PzKpfw IV

In the fighting compartment, everything is turned upside down, gas masks, fire extinguishers, camping bowls, other trifles are scattered everywhere ... A few seconds of terrible stupor. Then everyone shakes themselves, looks at each other anxiously, quickly feels themselves. Thank God, alive and well! The driver turns on the third gear, we wait with bated breath for a familiar sound and take a breath with relief when the tank obediently moves off. True, there is a suspicious tapping from the right track, but we are too happy to take into account such trifles. However, as it turned out, our troubles were far from over. Before we had time to drive a few meters, a new strong push shook the tank and threw it to the right. From every house, from every window, we were showered with furious machine-gun fire. From rooftops and attics, the Poles threw hand grenades and incendiary bottles of condensed gasoline at us. There were probably a hundred times more enemies than we passed, but we did not turn back.

We stubbornly continued to move in a southerly direction and could not be stopped by a barricade of overturned trams, twisted barbed wire and rails dug into the ground. Every now and then our tanks came under fire from anti-tank guns. "God, make sure they don't knock out our tank!"- we silently prayed, perfectly aware that any forced stop would be the last in our life. Meanwhile, the sound of the caterpillar became louder and more menacing. Finally we drove into some kind of orchard and hid behind the trees. By this time, some units of our regiment managed to break through to the outskirts of Warsaw, but further advance became more and more difficult. Disappointing messages kept coming over the radio: "The offensive was stopped by heavy enemy artillery fire - the tank was blown up by a mine - the tank was hit by an anti-tank gun - artillery support is urgently required".

We also did not manage to take a breath under the canopy of fruit trees. The Polish gunners quickly took their bearings and unleashed a flurry of ferocious fire on us. Every second the situation became more and more frightening. We tried to leave the shelter, which had become dangerous, but then it turned out that the damaged caterpillar was completely out of order. Despite our best efforts, we couldn't even move. The situation seemed hopeless. It was necessary to repair the caterpillar on the spot. Our general could not even temporarily leave command of the operation, he dictated message after message, order after order. We sat idle ... When the Polish guns fell silent for a while, we decided to take advantage of this short respite to inspect the damaged undercarriage. However, as soon as we opened the hatch cover, the fire resumed. The Poles settled somewhere very close and, remaining invisible to us, turned our car into an excellent target. After several unsuccessful attempts, we nevertheless managed to get out of the tank and, hiding in thorny brambles, were finally able to inspect the damage. The results of the inspection were the most disappointing. The inclined frontal plate bent by the explosion turned out to be the most minor of all the damage. The undercarriage was in the most deplorable state. Several sections of the tracks fell apart, and small metal parts were confused along the way, the rest kept on parole. Damaged were not only the tracks themselves, but even the road wheels. With great difficulty, we somehow tightened the loose parts, removed the tracks, fastened the torn tracks with new fingers ... It was obvious that even with the most favorable outcome, these measures would give us the opportunity to go another couple of kilometers, but nothing else to do in such conditions was impossible. I had to climb back into the tank.

Even worse news awaited us there. From the headquarters of the division reported that air support was impossible, and the artillery was not able to cope with the superior forces of the enemy. Therefore, we were ordered to return immediately.

The general led the retreat of his units. Tank after tank, platoon after platoon, ours retreated, and the Poles rained down on them with the ferocious fire of their guns. In some sectors, the advance was so difficult that for some time we forgot about the deplorable state of our tank. Finally, when the last tank made it out of the suburbs that had become hell, it was time to think about yourself. After conferring, they decided to retreat along the same route they had come in. At first everything went quietly, but in this calmness some kind of hidden danger was felt. The ominous silence acted on the nerves much stronger than the familiar sounds of cannonade. None of us doubted that the Poles were hiding not by chance, that they were waiting for a convenient moment to finish us off. Slowly moving forward, we felt with our skin the hating glances of an invisible enemy directed at us ... Finally, we reached the place where we received the first damage. A few hundred meters away lay the highway leading to the location of the division. But another barricade blocked the path to the highway - abandoned and silent, like all the surroundings. We carefully overcame the last obstacle, entered the highway and crossed ourselves.

And then a terrible blow hit the weakly protected stern of our tank. It was followed by another and another ... Only four blows. The worst thing happened - we came under the aimed fire of an anti-tank gun. Roaring the engine, the tank made a desperate attempt to escape from the shelling, but the next second we were thrown aside by a strong explosion. Engine stalled.
The first thought was - it's all over, next shot The Poles will destroy us. What to do? Jumped out of the tank, rushed to the ground. We are waiting for what will happen ... A minute passes, then another ... But for some reason there is no shot and no. What's the matter? And suddenly we look - there is a column of black smoke above the stern of the tank. My first thought is that the engine is on fire. But where does this strange whistling sound come from? We took a closer look and couldn't believe our eyes - it turns out that a shell fired from the barricade hit the smoke bombs located at the stern of our car, and the breeze blew the smoke to the skies. We were saved by the fact that a black cloud of smoke hung just above the barricade and the Poles decided that the tank was on fire.

Animated tank PzKpfw IV

* The headquarters of the brigade - the headquarters of the division * - the general tried to get in touch, but the radio was silent. Our tank looked terrible - black, rumpled, with a mangled stern. The caterpillar, which had finally flown off, was lying nearby ... No matter how hard it was, you had to face the truth - you had to leave the car and try to get to your people on foot. We pulled out machine guns, took walkie-talkies and folders with documents, and in last time looked at the mutilated tank. My heart sank with pain... According to the instructions, the wrecked tank was supposed to be blown up so that the enemy would not get it, but none of us could decide on this... Instead, we masked the car with branches as best we could. Everyone hoped in their hearts that, if the circumstances were favorable, we would soon return and tow the car to our...
Until now, I recall with horror the way back ... Covering each other with fire, short dashes, we moved from house to house, from garden to garden ... When we finally reached our own in the evening, we immediately fell down and fell asleep .
However, I never managed to get enough sleep. After some time, I opened my eyes in horror and turned cold, remembering that we had abandoned our tank ... I could see how it was standing, defenseless, with an open turret, directly opposite the Polish barricade ... When I woke up again from sleep, then I heard the hoarse voice of the driver above me: “Are you with us?” I didn’t understand waking up and asked: “Where?” "I found a repair vehicle," he explained curtly. I immediately jumped to my feet, and we went to rescue our tank. It will take a long time to tell how we got there, how we busied ourselves over the resuscitation of our mutilated car. The main thing is that on that night we still managed to put our commander’s “four” into motion (The author of the memoirs is most likely mistaken when he calls his tank “four.” The fact is that Pz. Kpfw. IV tanks began to convert command vehicles only since 1944. Most likely, we are talking about a command tank based on the Pz.Kpfw.III version D.)
When the awakened Poles tried to stop us with fire, we had already finished the work, so we quickly climbed into the tower and left. We were happy in our hearts... Even though our tank was hit and badly damaged, we still could not leave it to the joy of the triumphant enemy! A month-long campaign in the conditions of bad Polish roads and loose marshy soil had the most unfavorable effect on the condition of German tanks. The cars were in urgent need of repair and restoration. This circumstance, among others, influenced the postponement of the Nazi invasion to Western Europe. The Wehrmacht command was able to learn from the experience of the war in Poland and made significant changes to the hitherto existing scheme for organizing the repair and maintenance of combat vehicles. About efficiency new system repair and restoration of Wehrmacht tanks can be judged from a newspaper article published in one of the German newspapers and reprinted in England in May 1941. The article was called "The Secret of the Combat Power of German Tanks" and contained a detailed list of measures to organize the smooth operation of the repair and restoration service, which included in each tank division.
“The secret of the success of German tanks is largely determined by the impeccably organized system of evacuation and repair of damaged tanks, which makes it possible to carry out all the necessary operations in the shortest possible time. The more distances that tanks have to cover during the march, the more important becomes an impeccably tuned repair mechanism and technical support broken down machines.
1. Each tank battalion has at its disposal a special repair and restoration platoon for emergency assistance in case of minor damage. This platoon, being the smallest repair unit, is located in close proximity to the front line. The platoon consists of engine repair mechanics, radio mechanics and other specialists. The platoon has at its disposal light trucks to transport the necessary spare parts and tools, as well as a special armored recovery vehicle, converted from a tank, to transport these parts to the failed tank. A platoon is commanded by an officer who, if necessary, can call for help from several such platoons and send them all together to the area where emergency assistance is required.

It should be emphasized that the efficiency of the repair and restoration platoon directly depends on the availability of the necessary spare parts, tools and appropriate vehicles. Since in combat conditions time is worth its weight in gold, the chief mechanic of a repair platoon always has at his disposal a supply of basic components, assemblies and parts. This allows him, without wasting a second, to be the first to go to the damaged tank and get to work, while the rest of the supply of necessary materials is being transported by truck. If the damage received by the tank is so serious that it cannot be repaired on the spot, or repairs long time, the machine is sent back to the factory.
2. Each tank regiment has at its disposal a repair and restoration company, which has everything necessary equipment and tools. In the mobile workshops of the repair company, experienced craftsmen carried out battery charging, welding work and complex engine repairs. Workshops are equipped with special cranes, milling, drilling and grinding machines, as well as special tools for metalwork, carpentry, painting and tin work. Each repair and restoration company includes two repair platoons, one of which can be assigned to a specific battalion of the regiment. In practice, both platoons are constantly moving around the regiment, ensuring the continuity of the recovery cycle. Each platoon had its own truck for the delivery of spare parts. In addition, a repair and recovery company necessarily included a platoon of emergency repair and recovery vehicles that deliver failed tanks to a repair shop or to a collection point, where a tank repair platoon or the entire company was then sent. In addition, the company also includes a weapons repair platoon and workshops for the repair of radio stations.
In practice, both platoons constantly move around the regiment, ensuring the continuity of the recovery cycle. Each platoon had its own truck for the delivery of spare parts. In addition, a repair and recovery company necessarily included a platoon of emergency repair and recovery vehicles that deliver failed tanks to a repair shop or to a collection point, where a tank repair platoon or the entire company was then sent. In addition, the company also includes a weapons repair platoon and workshops for the repair of radio stations.

3. In the event that well-equipped repair shops exist behind the front lines or in territory occupied by us, the troops often use them to save transport and reduce rail traffic. In such cases, all the necessary spare parts and equipment are ordered from Germany, and a staff of highly qualified craftsmen and mechanics is also issued.
It can be said with all certainty that without a well-thought-out and well-functioning scheme for the work of repair units, our valiant tankers would not have been able to cover such vast distances and win such brilliant victories in a real war*.

Before the invasion of Western Europe, the "fours" were still an absolute minority of Panzerwaffe tanks - only 278 out of 2574 combat vehicles. The Germans were opposed by more than 3,000 Allied vehicles, most of which were French. Moreover, many French tanks at that time significantly surpassed even the "four" so beloved by Guderian both in terms of armor protection and weapon efficiency. However, the Germans had an undeniable advantage in strategy. In my opinion, the essence of "blitzkrieg" is best expressed in a short phrase by Heinz Guderian: "Do not feel with your fingers, but beat with your fist!" Thanks to the brilliant implementation of the "blitzkrieg" strategy, Germany easily won the French campaign, in which the PzKpfw IV slippers operated very successfully. It was at this time that German tanks managed to create for themselves a formidable glory, many times greater than the real capabilities of these poorly armed and insufficiently well-armored vehicles. There were especially many PzKpfw IV tanks in Rommel's Afrika Korps, but in Africa they were assigned an auxiliary infantry support role for too long.
In February 1941, in a review of the German press, regularly published in the British press, a special selection was published on the new PzKpfw IV tanks. The articles indicate that each tank battalion of the Wehrmacht has at its disposal a company of ten PzKpfw IV tanks, which are used, firstly , as an assault artillery gun, and secondly, as the most important element of rapidly advancing tank columns. The first purpose of the PzKpfw IV tanks was explained simply. Since field artillery is unable to provide immediate support armored forces in one direction or another, the PzKpfw IV took over its role with its powerful 75-mm cannon. Other advantages of using the "four" stemmed from the fact that its 75-mm gun with maximum range shooting more than 8100 m could dictate the time and place of the battle, and the speed and maneuverability of the Tayka made it an extremely dangerous weapon.
The articles, in particular, contain examples of how six PzKpfw IV tanks were used as artillery formations against the advancing Allied column, how they were also used as weapons for counter-battery combat, and also acted from an ambush, in which English tanks were lured by several German armored cars. In addition, PzKpfw IVs were also used in defensive operations, an example of which may be the next episode of the African campaign. On June 16, 1941, the Germans surrounded the British troops in the Capuzzo area. This was preceded by an unsuccessful attempt by the British to break through to Tobruk and recapture the fortress besieged by Rommel's troops. On June 15 they rounded the mountain range southeast of the Halfaya pass and advanced northward through Ridot ta Capuzzo almost to Bardia. Here is how a direct participant in the events from the British side recalls this:

“Armored vehicles stretched out along a wide front. They moved two or three, and if they met serious resistance, they immediately turned back. The vehicles were followed by infantry on trucks. This was the beginning of a full scale attack. Tank crews fired to kill, the accuracy of fire was 80-90%. They positioned their tanks so that they looked in front and sides at our positions. This allowed the Germans to effectively hit our guns, while remaining motionless. On the move, they rarely fired. In some cases, PzKpfw IV tanks suddenly opened fire from their guns, and they did not shoot at any specific target, but simply, creating a wall of fire in the course of their movement at ranges of 2000-3600 m. All this was done in order to terrify the our defenders. To be honest, they succeeded quite well.”

The first clash between American and German troops in Tunisia took place on November 26, 1942, when the troops of the 190th tank battalion of the African Corps in the area of ​​​​the city of Matera came into contact with the 2nd battalion of the 13th regiment of the 1st tank division. The Germans in this area had about three PzKpfw III tanks and at least six new PzKpfw IV tanks with long-barreled 75 mm KwK 40 guns. This is how this episode is described in the book "Old Ironsides".
“While the enemy forces were gathering from the north, the Waters battalion wasted no time in vain. By digging deep lines of defense, camouflaging their tanks, and doing other necessary work, they not only had time to prepare for a meeting with the enemy, but even carved out an extra day of respite. The next day, the head of the German column appeared. Siglin's company prepared to rush towards the enemy. A platoon of assault guns under the command of Lieutenant Ray Wasker moved forward to intercept and destroy the enemy. Three 75-mm howitzers on the chassis of half-track armored personnel carriers, located on the edge of a dense olive grove, let the Germans in at about 900 m and opened rapid fire. However, hitting the enemy tanks was not so easy. The Germans quickly withdrew and, almost completely hidden by clouds of sand and dust, responded with volleys of their powerful guns. The shells were bursting very close to our positions, but for the time being they did not cause any serious harm.

Wasker soon received an order from the battalion commander to set fire to the smoke bombs and withdraw his self-propelled artillery mounts to a safe distance. At this time, Siglin's company, consisting of 12 light tanks M3 "General Stuart", attacked the western flank of the enemy. The first platoon managed to break through closest to the enemy positions, but the Italo-German troops did not lose their heads, quickly found the target and brought down the full power of their guns on it. In a matter of minutes, Company A lost six of its tanks, but despite this, it still managed to push back the enemy vehicles, turning them behind the positions of Company B. This played a decisive role in the battle. Company B brought down the fire of its guns on the most vulnerable places of German tanks and, without letting the enemy come to their senses, disabled six PzKpfw IVs, one PzKpfw III. The rest of the tanks retreated in disarray (In order for the reader to feel the urgency of the situation in which the Americans found themselves, it makes sense for comparison to cite the main performance characteristics of the M 3 Stuart light tank: combat weight - 12.4 tons; crew - 4 people; booking - from 10 to 45 mm; armament - 1 x 37-mm tank gun; 5 x 7.62-mm machine guns; engine "Continental" W 670-9A, 7-cylinder, carbureted power of 250 hp; speed - 48 km / h ; cruising range (on the highway) - 113 km.).
In fairness, it should be noted that the Americans did not always emerge victorious from duels with German tank forces. Much more often, the circumstances developed in the opposite way, and the Americans had to suffer serious losses in military equipment and in people. However, in this case, they really won a convincing victory.

Despite the fact that on the eve of the invasion of Russia, Germany significantly increased the production of PzKpfw IV tanks, they still accounted for no more than one sixth of all Wehrmacht combat vehicles (439 out of 3332). True, by that time the number of obsolete light tanks PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II had significantly decreased (thanks to the actions of the Red Army), and Czech LT-38s (PzKpfw 38 (1) and German "troikas" began to make up most of the Panzerwaffe. With such forces, the Germans began to implement plan "Barbarossa" Some superiority Soviet Union in military equipment, the OKW strategists were not too confused, they had no doubt that German vehicles would quickly cope with this gigantic fleet of obsolete Russian tanks. At first, it turned out that way, but the appearance on the stage of the theater of operations of the new Soviet medium tank T-34 and the heavy KV-1, radically changed the situation. Before the creation of the Panthers and Tigers, no German tank could compete with these magnificent tanks. At close range, they literally shot at weakly armored German vehicles. The situation changed somewhat with the appearance in 1942 of a new "four" armed with a long-barreled 75-mm KwK 40 cannon. Now I want to introduce you to an excerpt from the memoirs of a former tankman of the 24th tank regiment, "which just describes the duel of the new" four "with a Soviet tank in the summer of 1942 near Voronezh.
“There were bloody street battles for Voronezh. Even by the evening of the second day, the valiant defenders of the city did not lay down their arms. Suddenly soviet tanks, who were the main defense force, made an attempt to break through the ring of troops that closed around the city. A fierce tank battle ensued. The author then cites a detailed
Sergeant Freyer's report: “On July 7, 1942, on my PzKpfw IV, armed with a long-barreled gun, I took up a position at a strategically important crossroads of Voronezh. Well disguised, we hid in a dense garden near one of the houses. A wooden fence hid our tank from the side of the street. We received orders to support the advance of our light combat vehicles with fire, protecting them from enemy tanks and anti-tank guns. At first everything was relatively calm, except for a few clashes with scattered groups of Russians, nevertheless, the battle in the city kept us in constant tension.

The day was hot, but after sunset it seemed to get even hotter. At about eight o'clock in the evening, a Russian T-34 medium tank appeared to our left, clearly intending to cross the intersection guarded by us. Since the T-34 was followed by at least 30 other tanks, we could not allow such a maneuver. I had to open fire. At first luck was on our side, with the very first shots we managed to knock out three Russian tanks. But then our gunner, non-commissioned officer Fisher, radioed: “The gun is jammed!” here it must be clarified that our front sight was completely new, and there were often problems with it, which consisted in the fact that after shooting every second or third projectile, an empty sleeve stuck in the breech. At this time, another Russian tank ferociously poured fire all over the space around it. Our loader, Corporal Groll, was seriously wounded in the head. We pulled him out of the tank and laid him on the ground, and the radio operator took the vacant place of the loader. The gunner extracted the spent cartridge case and resumed firing... A few more times, NCO Schmidt and I had to feverishly pick at the barrel with an artillery banner under enemy fire in order to pull out the stuck cartridge cases. The fire of Russian tanks blew the wooden fence to pieces, but our tank still did not receive any damage.

In total, we knocked out 11 enemy vehicles, and the Russians managed to break through only once, at the moment when our gun jammed again. Almost 20 minutes passed from the beginning of the battle before the enemy was able to open aimed fire at us from their guns. In the descending twilight, shell explosions and a roaring flame gave the landscape some kind of eerie, supernatural look ... Apparently, it was from this flame that they found us. They helped us get to the location of the regiment stationed on the southern outskirts of Voronezh. I remember that, despite being tired, I could not sleep because of the exhausting heat and stuffiness ... The next day, Colonel Rigel noted our merits in the order for the regiment:
"The Fuhrer and the Supreme High Command award the Sergeant of the 4th Platoon Freyer with the Knight's Cross. In the battle near Voronezh, Sergeant Freyer, the commander of the PzKpfw IV tank, destroyed 9 medium Russian T-34 tanks and two light T-60 tanks. This happened at the moment when a column of 30 Russian tanks tried to break into the city center.Despite the overwhelming majority of the enemy, Sergeant Freyer remained faithful to his military duty and did not leave his post.He allowed the enemy to approach and opened fire on him from his tank.As a result, the Russian tank column was scattered and In the meantime, our infantry, after heavy bloody battles, managed to occupy the city.
In front of the entire regiment, I would like to be the first to congratulate Sergeant Freyer on his high award. The entire 24th Panzer Regiment is proud of our Knight's Cross holder and wishes him continued success in future battles. I would also like to take this opportunity to express special thanks to the rest of the brave tank crew:
Gunner non-commissioned officer Fischer
To the driver, non-commissioned officer Schmidt
Charging Corporal Groll
Radio operator corporal Muller

and convey my admiration for their actions on July 7, 1942. Your feat will go down in the golden annals of the glory of our valiant regiment.

Attempts to improve the protection of the tank led to the appearance at the end of 1942 modification "Ausfuhrung G". The designers knew that the limit of the mass that could withstand chassis, has already been selected, so I had to make a compromise - to dismantle the 20-mm side screens that were installed on all "fours", starting with the "E" model, while simultaneously increasing the base armor of the hull to 30 mm, and due to the saved mass, install in the frontal parts overhead screens 30 mm thick.

Another measure to increase the security of the tank was the installation of removable anti-cumulative screens ("schurzen") 5 mm thick on the sides of the hull and turret, the attachment of screens increased the weight of the vehicle by about 500 kg. In addition, the gun's single-chamber muzzle brake was replaced with a more efficient two-chamber one. The appearance of the vehicle also underwent a number of other changes: instead of a stern smoke launcher, built-in blocks of smoke grenade launchers began to be mounted at the corners of the turret, holes for launching flares in the hatches of the driver and gunner were eliminated.

By the end of the serial production of the PzKpfw IV "Ausfuhrung G" tanks, their regular main weapon was a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 48 calibers, the hatch of the commander's cupola became single-leaf. Late production PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tanks are outwardly almost identical to the early Ausf.N. From May 1942 to June 1943, 1,687 Ausf.G tanks were manufactured, an impressive figure, given that in five years, from the end of 1937 to the summer of 1942, 1,300 PzKpfw IVs of all modifications (Ausf.A -F2), chassis no. - 82701-84400.

In 1944 was made tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.G with hydrostatic drive wheels. The design of the drive was developed by specialists from the firm "Zanradfabrik" in Augsburg. The Maybach's main engine drove two oil pumps, which, in turn, activated two hydraulic motors connected by output shafts to the drive wheels. The entire power plant was located in the aft part of the hull, respectively, and the drive wheels had a rear, and not the usual front position for the PzKpfw IV. The speed of the tank was controlled by the driver, controlling the oil pressure created by the pumps.

After the war, the experimental machine came to the United States and was tested by specialists from the Vickers company from Detroit, this company at that time was engaged in work in the field of hydrostatic drives. The tests had to be interrupted due to material failures and a lack of spare parts. Currently, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tank with hydrostatic drive wheels is on display at the US Army Tank Museum, Aberdeen, pc. Maryland.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.H (Sd.Kfz. 161/2)

The installation of a long-barreled 75 mm gun proved to be a rather controversial measure. The cannon led to an excessive overload of the front of the tank, the front springs were under constant pressure, the tank acquired a tendency to swing even when moving on a flat surface. It was possible to get rid of the unpleasant effect on the modification "Ausfuhrung H", put into production in March 1943.

On tanks of this model, the integral armor of the frontal part of the hull, superstructure and turret was reinforced up to 80 mm. The PzKpfw IV Ausf.H tank weighed 26 tons, and even despite the use of the new SSG-77 transmission, its characteristics turned out to be lower than those of the "fours" of previous models, so the speed of movement over rough terrain decreased by at least 15 km, and the specific pressure on the ground, the acceleration characteristics of the machine fell. A hydrostatic transmission was tested on the PzKpfw IV Ausf.H experimental tank, but tanks with such a transmission did not go into mass production.

During the production process, many minor improvements were introduced to the tanks of the Ausf.H model, in particular, they began to install completely steel rollers without rubber, the shape of the drive wheels and sloths changed, a turret for the MG-34 anti-aircraft machine gun appeared on the commander's cupola ("Fligerbeschussgerat 42" - installation of an anti-aircraft machine gun), the tower embrasures for firing pistols and a hole in the roof of the tower for launching signal rockets were eliminated.

The Ausf.H tanks were the first "fours" to use zimmerite anti-magnetic coating; only the vertical surfaces of the tank were to be covered with zimmerite, however, in practice, the coating was applied to all surfaces that an infantryman standing on the ground could reach, on the other hand, there were also tanks on which only the forehead of the hull and superstructure was covered with zimmerite. Zimmerite was applied both in factories and in the field.

The tanks of the Ausf.H modification became the most popular among all PzKpfw IV models, 3774 of them were built, production was discontinued in the summer of 1944. Chassis serial numbers are 84401-89600, some of these chassis served as the basis for the construction of assault guns.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.J (Sd.Kfz.161/2)

The last model launched into the series was the modification "Ausfuhrung J". Machines of this variant began to enter service in June 1944. From a constructive point of view, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.J was a step backwards.

Instead of an electric drive for turning the tower, a manual one was installed, but it became possible to place an additional fuel tank with a capacity of 200 liters. The increase due to the placement of additional fuel in the cruising range on the highway from 220 km to 300 km (off-road - from 130 km to 180 km) seemed extremely important decision, since the panzerdivisions increasingly played the role of "fire brigades", which were transferred from one section of the Eastern Front to another.

An attempt to somewhat reduce the weight of the tank was the installation of welded wire anti-cumulative screens; such screens were called "Thoma screens", after the name of General Tom). Such screens were placed only on the sides of the hull, and the former screens made of sheet steel remained on the towers. On tanks of late production, instead of four rollers, three were installed, and vehicles with steel track rollers without rubber were also produced.

Almost all improvements were aimed at reducing the labor intensity of manufacturing tanks, including: the elimination of all embrasures on the tank for firing pistols and extra viewing slots (only the driver, in the commander's turret and in the frontal armor plate of the turret remained), installation of simplified towing loops , replacing the muffler exhaust system with two simple pipes. Another attempt to improve the security of the car was to increase the armor of the turret roof by 18 mm and the stern by 26 mm.

The production of PzKpfw IV Ausf.J tanks ceased in March 1945, with a total of 1,758 vehicles built.

By 1944, it became clear that the design of the tank had exhausted all reserves for modernization, a revolutionary attempt to increase the combat effectiveness of the PzKpfw IV by installing a turret from the Panther tank, armed with a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 70 calibers, was not crowned with success - the undercarriage was too overloaded. Before proceeding with the installation of the Panther's turret, the designers tried to squeeze the gun from the Panther into the turret of the PzKpfw IV tank. The installation of a wooden model of the gun showed the complete impossibility of the crew members working in the turret due to the tightness created by the breech of the gun. As a result of this failure, the idea was born to mount the entire turret from the Panther on the Pz.IV hull.

Due to the constant modernization of tanks in the course of factory repairs, it is not possible to determine with accuracy how many tanks of one or another modification were built in total. Very often there were various hybrid variants, for example, turrets from Ausf.G were placed on the hulls of the Ausf.D model.

No one at the Krupp factory in 1936 could have imagined that this massive vehicle, equipped with a short-barreled infantry support cannon and considered auxiliary, would be so widely used in Germany. With a final total of 9000 units, it became the most massive tank ever produced in Germany , whose production volumes, despite the shortage of materials, grew to the most last days World War II in Europe.

Wehrmacht work horse

Despite the fact that there were combat vehicles more modern than the German T-4 tank - "Tiger", "Panther" and "King Tiger", it not only made up the majority of the Wehrmacht's weapons, but was also part of many elite SS divisions. The recipe for success was probably the large hull and turret, ease of maintenance, reliability and robust chassis, which allowed for a wider array of weapons than the Panzer III. From Model A to F1, the early modifications using the short 75mm barrel were gradually replaced by the "long" ones, F2 to H, with a very effective high-velocity cannon inherited from the Pak 40 that could deal with the Soviet KV-1 and T -34. In the end, the T-4 (photo presented in the article) completely surpassed the Panzer III both in numbers and in its capabilities.

Krupp prototype design

Initially it was assumed that the German T-4 tank, the technical characteristics of which were determined in 1934 by the Waffenamt, would serve as an "escort vehicle" to hide its true role, which was prohibited by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Heinz Guderian took part in the development of the concept. This new model was supposed to be an infantry support tank and placed in the rear. It was planned that at the battalion level one such vehicle should be for every three Panzer IIIs. Unlike the T-3 equipped with a variant of the standard 37 mm Pak guns 36 with good anti-tank performance, the short barrel of the Panzer IV howitzer could be used against all kinds of fortifications, blockhouses, pillboxes, anti-tank guns and artillery positions.

Initially, the weight limit of the combat vehicle was 24 tons. MAN, Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig produced three prototypes and Krupp received the main contract. The suspension was brand new at first, with six alternating wheels. Later, the army demanded the installation of rod springs, which provided better vertical deflection. Compared to the previous system, this made the move smoother, but the need for a new tank stopped further developments. Krupp reverted to a more traditional system with four twin wheeled bogies and leaf springs for ease of maintenance. A crew of five was planned - three were in the tower (commander, loader and gunner), and the driver with a radio operator was in the hull. The fighting compartment was relatively spacious, with improved soundproofing in the rear engine compartment. The German T-4 tank inside (photos in the material illustrate this) was equipped with an on-board communication system and a radio.

Although not very noticeable, the Panzer IV's hull is asymmetrical, with the turret offset 6.5 cm to the left and the engine 15 cm to the right. This was done in order to directly connect the turret ring to the transmission for faster turning. As a result, ammunition boxes were located on the right.

The prototype, designed and built in 1936 at the Krupp AG factory in Magdeburg, was designated Versuchskraftfahrzeug 622 by the Army Ordnance Department. Nevertheless, it quickly became known as Pz.Kpfw.IV (Sd.Kfz. 161) in the new pre-war nomenclature.

The tank had a Maybach HL108TR gasoline engine with an HP 250 power. with., and the SGR 75 box with five forward and one reverse gears. The maximum speed on tests on a flat surface was 31 km / h.

75 mm gun - low speed Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 37 L/24. This gun was intended for firing at concrete fortifications. Nevertheless, some anti-tank capability was provided by the armor-piercing Panzergranate projectile, whose speed reached 440 m/s. It could penetrate 43 mm steel sheet at a distance of 700 m. Two MG-34 machine guns completed the armament, one coaxial and the other in front of the vehicle.

In the first batch of Type A tanks, the thickness of the hull armor did not exceed 15 mm and the turret did not exceed 20 mm. Although it was hardened steel, such protection could only withstand light firearms, light artillery, and grenade launcher fragments.

Early "short" pre-series

The German T-4 A tank was a kind of preliminary series of 35 units produced in 1936. The next was the Ausf. B with a modified commander's dome, a new Maybach HL 120TR engine developing 300 hp. with., as well as the new transmission SSG75.

Despite the extra weight, maximum speed increased to 39 km / h, and protection was enhanced. The thickness of the armor reached 30 mm in the frontal inclined part of the hull and 15 mm in other places. In addition, the machine gun was protected by a new hatch.

After the release of 42 vehicles, production switched to the German T-4 C tank. The thickness of the armor on the turret increased to 30 mm. The total weight was 18.15 tons. After the delivery of 40 units in 1938, the tank was improved by installing a new Maybach HL 120TRM engine for the next hundred vehicles. It is quite logical that modification D followed. The Dora can be distinguished by the machine gun newly installed on the hull and the embrasure brought out. The thickness of the side armor has increased to 20 mm. A total of 243 machines of this model were manufactured, the last of which was at the beginning of 1940. Modification D was the last pre-production, after which the command decided to increase the scale of production.

Standardization

The German T-4 E tank was the first large-scale series to be produced during the war. Although many studies and reports speak of the lack of penetrating power of the 37 mm Panzer III gun, its replacement was not possible. Looking for a solution to test one Panzer IV Ausf. D, a modification of the medium-velocity 50 mm Pak 38 gun was installed. The initial order for 80 units was canceled after the end of the French campaign. In tank battles, in particular against the British "Matilda" and the French "B1 bis", it finally turned out that the thickness of the armor was insufficient, and the penetrating power of the gun was weak. In Ausf. E retained the KwK 37L/24 short gun, but the thickness of the front armor was increased to 50 mm, with 30 mm steel plate overlays as a temporary measure. By April 1941, when this modification was replaced by the Ausf. F, its production reached 280 units.

Latest "short" model

Another modification significantly changed the German T-4 tank. The characteristics of the early F model, renamed F1 when the next one appeared, changed due to the replacement of the front appliqué plate with a 50 mm plate and the increase in the thickness of the sides of the hull and turret to 30 mm. The total weight of the tank rose to over 22 tons, which prompted other changes such as an increase in the width of the tracks from 380 to 400 mm to reduce ground pressure, with a corresponding replacement of the two idlers and drive wheels. The F1 was produced at 464 before being replaced in March 1942.

The first "long"

Even with the armor-piercing Panzergranate projectile, the Panzer IV's low-velocity cannon was no match for heavily armored tanks. In the context of the upcoming campaign in the USSR, a decision was to be made on a major upgrade of the T-3 tank. The now available Pak 38L/60 gun, the effectiveness of which was confirmed, was intended for installation in the Panzer IV turret. In November 1941, the prototype was completed and production was scheduled. But during the first battles with the Soviet KV-1 and T-34, the manufacture of the 50 mm gun, also used in the Panzer III, was discontinued in favor of a new, more powerful Rheinmetall model based on the 75 mm Pak 40L / 46 gun. This led to the KwK 40L/43, a relatively long caliber equipped to reduce recoil. The muzzle velocity of the Panzergranade 39 projectile exceeded 990 m/s. It could penetrate 77 mm armor at a distance of up to 1850 m. After the creation of the first prototype in February 1942, mass production of the F2 began. By July, 175 units were manufactured. In June, the German T-4 F2 tank was renamed to T-4 G, but for the Waffenamt both types were designated as Sd.Kfz.161/1. In some documents, the model is referred to as F2/G.

transitional model

The German T-4 G tank was an improved version of the F2 with changes to save metal by using progressive frontal armor thickened at the base. The frontal glacis was reinforced with a new 30 mm plate, which in total increased the thickness to 80 mm. This was enough to successfully counter the Soviet 76 mm gun and 76.2 mm anti-tank gun. At first, it was decided to bring only half of the production to this standard, but in January 1943, Adolf Hitler personally ordered a complete transition. However, the weight of the car has grown to 23.6 tons, revealing the limited capabilities of the chassis and transmission.

The German T-4 tank has undergone significant changes inside. Turret viewing slots were eliminated, engine ventilation and ignition at low temperatures were improved, additional holders for spare wheels and cleats for track links on the glacis were installed. They also served as temporary protection. The headlights were updated, the armored dome was strengthened and modified.

In later versions in the spring of 1943, side armor appeared on the hull and turret, as well as smoke grenade launchers. But most importantly, a new, more powerful cannon KwK 40L/48. After 1275 standard and 412 improved tanks, production shifted towards the Ausf.H.

Main version

The German T-4 H tank (photo below) was equipped with a new long-barreled gun KwK 40L / 48. Further changes were made to facilitate production - the side viewing slots were removed, and spare parts common with the Panzer III were used. In total, until the next modification of the Ausf. J in June 1944, 3774 vehicles were assembled.

In December 1942, Krupp received an order for a tank with fully sloping armor, which, due to the extra weight, required the development of a new chassis, transmission, and possibly an engine. Nevertheless, production began with an updated version of the Ausf.G. The German T-4 tank received a new ZF Zahnradfabrik SSG-76 gearbox, new set radio stations (FU2 and 5, and intercom). The thickness of the frontal armor increased to 80 mm without overlay sheets. Weight H reached 25 tons in combat gear, and the maximum speed was reduced to 38 km / h, and in real combat conditions - up to 25 km / h, and much less over rough terrain. By the end of 1943, the German T-4N tank began to be covered with Zimmerit paste, air filters were updated, and an anti-aircraft machine for MG 34 was installed on the turret.

Latest simplified model

The last tank, the German T-4J, was assembled at the Nibelungwerke in St. Valentin, Austria, as Vomag and Krupp were now on different missions, and were subjected to simplifications geared towards more mass production and rarely supported by crews. For example, the turret electric drive was removed, aiming was carried out manually, which made it possible to increase the volume of the fuel tank by 200 liters, increasing the operating range to 300 km. Other modifications included the removal of the turret observation window, slits and anti-aircraft machine in favor of mounting a smoke grenade launcher. "Zimmerit" was no longer used, as well as anti-cumulative "skirts" Schürzen, replaced by cheaper mesh panels. The engine radiator housing has also been simplified. The drive has lost one return roller. There were two silencers with flame arresters, as well as a mount for a 2-ton crane. In addition, the SSG 77 transmission from the Panzer III was used, although it was clearly overloaded. Despite these casualties, deliveries were in jeopardy due to constant Allied bombing, and a total of only 2,970 out of 5,000 planned tanks were completed by the end of March 1945.

Modifications

German tank T-4: performance characteristics

It must be said that a large number of Panzer IV tanks that survived after the Second World War were not lost or scrapped, but were used for their intended purpose in countries such as Bulgaria and Syria. Some of them were equipped with the new Soviet heavy machine gun. They took part in the battles for the Golan Heights during the 1965 war and in 1967. Today, German T-4 tanks are part of museum displays and private collections around the world, and dozens of them are still in working condition.

The Germans themselves did not have a high opinion about the combat qualities of the Pz.lV. Here is what Major General von Mellenthin writes about this in his memoirs (in 1941, with the rank of major, he served in Rommel's headquarters): "The T-IV tank gained the reputation of a formidable enemy among the British mainly because it was armed with a 75-mm cannon However, this gun had a low muzzle velocity and poor penetration, and although we used the T-IVs in tank combat, they were much more useful as an infantry support weapon." The Pz.lV began to play a more significant role in all theaters of military operations only after acquiring a "long arm" - a 75-mm KwK 40 cannon (F2 series). On the Eastern Front, Pz.lV Ausf.F2 also appeared in the summer of 1942 and took part in the attack on Stalingrad and North Caucasus. After the production of the Pz.lll was discontinued in 1943, the "four" gradually became the main German tank in all theaters of operations. However, in connection with the start of production of the Panther, it was planned to stop production of the Pz.lV, however, due to the tough position of the General Inspector of the Panzerwaffe, General G. Guderian, this did not happen. Subsequent events showed that he was right.

The combat characteristics of the Pz.IV increased sharply after the installation of a long-barreled gun. Not inferior to enemy tanks in all other respects, the "four" proved to be capable of hitting Soviet and american tanks out of range of their guns. We are not talking about English cars - for four years of the war the British were marking time. Until the end of 1943, the combat characteristics of the T-34 remained virtually unchanged, Pz.IV took first place among medium tanks. Since 1942 performance characteristics Pz.IV did not change (except for the thickness of the armor) and during the two years of the war remained unsurpassed by anyone! Only in 1944, having installed a 76-mm long-barreled gun on the Sherman, did the Americans catch up with the Pz.IV, and we, having launched the T-34-85 into the series, surpassed it. The Germans had no time or opportunity for a decent response. Comparing the characteristics of WWII tanks, we can conclude that the Germans, before others, began to consider the tank as the main and most effective anti-tank weapon, and this is the main trend of post-war tank building.

In general, it can be argued that of all the German tanks during the Second World War, the Pz.IV was the most balanced and versatile. In this car, various characteristics harmoniously combined and complemented each other. The "Tiger" and "Panther", for example, had a clear bias towards security, which led to their overweight and deterioration of dynamic characteristics. Pz.III, with many other equal characteristics with Pz.IV, did not reach it in armament and, having no reserves for modernization, left the stage. Pz.IV with a similar Pz.III, but a little more thoughtful layout, had such reserves in full measure. This is the only tank of the war years with a 75 mm cannon, whose main armament was significantly strengthened without changing the turret. The T-34-85 and Sherman had to change the turret, and, by and large, they were almost new machines. The British went their own way and, like a fashionista outfits, they changed not towers, but tanks! But the Cromwell, which appeared in 1944, did not reach the Quartet, as, indeed, did the Comet, released in 1945. Bypass the German tank, created in 1937, could only post-war "Centurion".

From what has been said, of course, it does not follow that the Pz.IV was an ideal tank. For example, it had insufficient engine power and a rather rigid and outdated suspension, which adversely affected its maneuverability. To some extent, the latter was compensated for by the smallest L / B ratio of 1.43 among all medium tanks. The equipment of the Pz.lV (as well as other tanks) with anti-cumulative screens cannot be attributed to the successful move of the German designers. HEAT munitions were rarely used en masse, but the screens increased the dimensions of the vehicle, making it difficult to move in narrow aisles, blocked most of the observation devices, and made it difficult for the crew to board and disembark.
However, even more senseless and rather expensive was the coating of tanks with zimmerite (anti-magnetic painting, from magnetic mines). But perhaps the biggest mistake of the Germans was to try to switch to a new type of medium tank - the Panther. As the latter, it did not take place, making the company "Tiger" in the class of heavy vehicles, but played a fatal role in the fate of the Pz.lV. Having concentrated all efforts in 1942 on the creation of new tanks, the Germans ceased to seriously modernize the old ones. Let's try to imagine what would have happened if not for the "Panther"? The project of installing the "Panther" turret on the Pz.lV, both standard and "close" (Schmall-turm), is well known. The project is quite realistic in terms of dimensions - the inside diameter of the turret ring for the Panther is 1650 mm, for the Pz.lV-1600 mm. The tower rose without expanding the turret box. The situation with the weight characteristics was somewhat worse - due to the large overhang of the gun barrel, the center of gravity shifted forward and the load on the front road wheels increased by 1.5 tons. However, it could be compensated by strengthening their suspension. In addition, it must be taken into account that the KwK 42 cannon was created for the Panther, and not for the Pz.IV. For the "four" it was possible to confine oneself to a gun with smaller weight and size data, with a barrel length, say, not 70, but 55 or 60 calibers. Such a gun, even if it would require the replacement of the turret, would still make it possible to get by with a lighter design than the "Panther" one. The inevitable increase (by the way, even without such a hypothetical re-equipment) of the tank's weight required the replacement of the Engine. For comparison: the dimensions of the HL 120TKRM engine, installed on the Pz.IV, were 1220x680x830 mm, and the "Panther" HL 230R30 - 1280x960x1090 mm. The clear dimensions of the engine compartments were almost the same for these two tanks. At the "Panther" it was 480 mm longer, mainly due to the slope of the rear hull plate. Therefore, equipping the Pz.lV with a higher power engine was not an unsolvable design problem. The results of such a, of course, far from complete, list of possible modernization measures would be very sad, since they would nullify the work on creating the T-34-85 for us and the Sherman with a 76-mm gun for the Americans. In 1943-1945, the industry of the Third Reich produced about 6 thousand "panthers" and almost 7 thousand Pz.IV. If we take into account that the labor intensity of manufacturing the Panther was almost twice that of the Pz.lV, then we can assume that during the same time German factories could produce an additional 10-12 thousand modernized "fours", which would be delivered to the soldiers of the anti-Hitler coalition much more trouble than the Panthers.

(Pz.III), the power plant is located at the rear, and the power transmission and drive wheels are at the front. The control compartment housed the driver and gunner-radio operator, firing from a machine gun mounted in a ball bearing. The fighting compartment was in the middle of the hull. A multifaceted welded tower was mounted here, in which three crew members were accommodated and weapons were installed.

T-IV tanks were produced with the following weapons:

• modifications A-F, assault tank with a 75-mm howitzer;
• modification G, a tank with a 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of 43 caliber;
• modifications N-K, a tank with a 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of 48 calibers.

Due to the constant increase in the thickness of the armor, the weight of the vehicle during production increased from 17.1 tons (modification A) to 24.6 tons (modification H-K). Since 1943, to enhance armor protection, armored screens were installed on the sides of the hull and turret. The long-barreled gun introduced on modifications G, H-K allowed the T-IV to withstand enemy tanks of equal weight (a 75-mm sub-caliber projectile pierced 110-mm armor at a distance of 1000 meters), but its maneuverability, especially of the latest overweight modifications, was unsatisfactory. In total, about 9500 were produced during the war years. T-IV tanks all modifications.

Tank PzKpfw IV. History of creation.

In the 1920s and early 1930s, the theory of the use of mechanized troops, in particular tanks, was developed by trial and error, the views of theorists changed very often. A number of tank supporters believed that the appearance of armored vehicles would make positional warfare in the style of fighting 1914-1917 impossible from a tactical point of view. In turn, the French relied on the construction of well-fortified long-term defensive positions, such as the Maginot Line. A number of experts believed that the main armament of the tank should be a machine gun, and the main task of armored vehicles is to fight the infantry and artillery of the enemy, the most radically thinking representatives of this school considered the battle between tanks to be pointless, since, allegedly, neither side could inflict damage on the other. There was an opinion that the side that could destroy large quantity enemy tanks. As the main means of fighting tanks, special weapons with special shells were considered - anti-tank guns with armor-piercing shells. In fact, no one knew what the nature of hostilities would be in a future war. An experience civil war in Spain also did not clarify the situation.

The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to have combat tracked vehicles, but could not prevent German specialists from working on studying various theories of the use of armored vehicles, and the creation of tanks was carried out by the Germans in secrecy. When in March 1935 Hitler abandoned the restrictions of Versailles, the young "Panzerwaffe" already had all the theoretical studies in the field of application and organizational structure of tank regiments.

AT serial production under the guise of "agricultural tractors" were two types of light armed tanks PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II.
The PzKpfw I tank was considered a training vehicle, while the PzKpfw II was intended for reconnaissance, but it turned out that the "two" remained the most massive tank of panzerdivisions until it was replaced by medium tanks PzKpfw III, armed with a 37-mm cannon and three machine guns.

The beginning of the development of the PzKpfw IV tank dates back to January 1934, when the army gave the industry a specification for new tank fire support weighing no more than 24 tons, the future vehicle received the official designation Gesch.Kpfw. (75 mm)(Vskfz.618). Over the next 18 months, specialists from Rheinmetall-Borzing, Krupp and MAN worked on three competing projects for the battalion commander's vehicle ("battalionführerswagnen" abbreviated as BW). The VK 2001/K project, presented by Krupp, was recognized as the best project, the shape of the turret and hull is close to the PzKpfw III tank.

However, the VK 2001 / K machine did not go into series, because the military was not satisfied with the six-support undercarriage with medium-diameter wheels on spring suspension, it needed to be replaced with a torsion bar. The torsion bar suspension, compared to the spring suspension, provided a smoother movement of the tank and had a greater vertical travel of the road wheels. Krupp engineers, together with representatives of the Arms Procurement Administration, agreed on the possibility of using an improved spring suspension design with eight small-diameter road wheels on board on the tank. However, Krupp had to largely revise the proposed original design. In the final version, the PzKpfw IV was a combination of the hull and turret of the VK 2001 / K vehicle with a chassis newly developed by Krupp.

The PzKpfw IV tank was designed according to the classic layout with a rear engine. The commander's place was located along the axis of the tower directly under the commander's cupola, the gunner was located to the left of the cannon breech, the loader was to the right. In the control compartment, located in front of the tank hull, there were jobs for the driver (to the left of the vehicle axis) and the radio operator's gunner (to the right). Between the driver's seat and the arrow was the transmission. An interesting feature of the design of the tank was the displacement of the tower by about 8 cm to the left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the engine - by 15 cm to the right to pass the shaft connecting the engine and transmission. Accepted such constructive solution made it possible to increase the internal reserved volume on the right side of the hull for the placement of the first shots, which the loader could most easily get. Turret turn drive - electric.

Click on the picture of the tank to enlarge

The suspension and undercarriage consisted of eight small-diameter road wheels grouped into two-wheeled carts suspended on leaf springs, drive wheels installed in the stern of the sloth tank and four rollers supporting the caterpillar. Throughout the history of the operation of PzKpfw IV tanks, their undercarriage remained unchanged, only minor improvements were introduced. The prototype of the tank was manufactured at the Krupp factory in Essen and tested in 1935-36.

Description of the tank PzKpfw IV

armor protection.
In 1942, consulting engineers Mertz and McLillan conducted a detailed survey of the captured PzKpfw IV Ausf.E tank, in particular, they carefully studied its armor.

Several armor plates were tested for hardness, they all had machining. The hardness of the machined armor plates outside and inside was 300-460 Brinell.
- Overhead armor plates with a thickness of 20 mm, with which the armor of the hull sides is reinforced, are made of homogeneous steel and have a hardness of about 370 Brinell. The reinforced side armor is unable to "hold" 2-pound projectiles fired from 1000 yards.

On the other hand, a tank attack conducted in the Middle East in June 1941 showed that a distance of 500 yards (457 m) can be considered as the limit for effective frontal engagement of a PzKpfw IV with a 2-pounder gun. A report prepared at Woolwich on the study of armor protection of a German tank notes that "armor is 10% better than similar machined English, and in some respects even better than homogeneous."

At the same time, the method of connecting the armor plates was criticized, a specialist from Leyland Motors commented on his research: "The quality of the welding is poor, the welds of two of the three armor plates in the area where the projectile hit the projectile diverged."

Changing the design of the frontal part of the tank hull

Power point.
The Maybach engine is designed to operate in moderate climatic conditions, where its performance is satisfactory. At the same time, in the tropics or high dustiness, it breaks down and is prone to overheating. British intelligence, after studying the PzKpfw IV tank captured in 1942, concluded that engine failures were caused by sand getting into the oil system, distributor, dynamo and starter; air filters are inadequate. There were frequent cases of sand getting into the carburetor.

The Maybach engine manual requires the use of gasoline only with an octane rating of 74 with a complete lubricant change after 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 km of run. The recommended engine speed under normal operating conditions is 2600 rpm, but in hot climates (southern regions of the USSR and North Africa) such a number of revolutions does not provide normal cooling. The use of the engine as a brake is permissible at 2200-2400 rpm, at a speed of 2600-3000 this mode should be avoided.

The main components of the cooling system were two radiators installed at an angle of 25 degrees to the horizon. The radiators were cooled by an airflow forced by two fans; fan drive - belt driven from the main motor shaft. The circulation of water in the cooling system was provided by a centrifuge pump. Air entered the engine compartment through a hole covered with an armored shutter from the right side of the hull and was thrown out through a similar hole on the left side.

The synchro-mechanical transmission proved to be effective, although pulling power in high gears was low, so 6th gear was only used on the highway. The output shafts are combined with the braking and turning mechanism into a single device. To cool this device, a fan was installed to the left of the clutch box. The simultaneous disengagement of the steering control levers could be used as an effective parking brake.

On tanks of later versions, the spring suspension of the road wheels was heavily overloaded, but replacing the damaged two-wheeled bogie seemed to be a fairly simple operation. The tension of the caterpillar was regulated by the position of the sloth mounted on the eccentric. On the Eastern Front, special track expanders, known as "Ostketten", were used, which improved the maneuverability of tanks in winter months of the year.

An extremely simple but effective device for dressing a jumped-off caterpillar was tested on an experimental PzKpfw IV tank. It was a factory-made tape that had the same width as the tracks and a perforation for engagement with the gear rim of the drive wheel. One end of the tape was attached to the track that had come off, the other, after it was passed over the rollers, to the drive wheel. The motor was turned on, the drive wheel began to rotate, pulling the tape and the tracks fastened to it until the rims of the drive wheel entered the slots on the tracks. The whole operation took several minutes.

The engine was started by a 24-volt electric starter. Since the auxiliary electric generator saved battery power, it was possible to try to start the engine more times on the "four" than on the PzKpfw III tank. In the event of a starter failure or when severe frost the grease thickened, an inertial starter was used, the handle of which was connected to the engine shaft through a hole in the aft armor plate. The handle was turned by two people at the same time, the minimum number of turns of the handle required to start the engine was 60 rpm. Starting the engine from an inertial starter has become commonplace in the Russian winter. Minimum temperature engine, at which it began to work normally was t=50 gr.C with a shaft rotation of 2000 rpm.

To facilitate starting the engine in the cold climate of the Eastern Front, a special system was developed, known as the "Kuhlwasserubertragung" - a cold water heat exchanger. After starting up and warming up to normal temperature the engine of one tank, warm water from it was pumped into the cooling system of the next tank, and cold water went to the already working engine - there was an exchange of refrigerants between the working and non-working engines. After the warm water warmed up the motor a little, it was possible to try to start the engine with an electric starter. The "Kuhlwasserubertragung" system required minor modifications to the tank's cooling system.