6-04-2015, 15:06

Good day! The ACES.GG team is with you, and today we will talk about the German medium tank of the fifth level Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H. Consider its weak and strengths, we will analyze the performance characteristics, as well as the methods and tactics of using this machine in combat.

Tier 5 German medium tank Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H can be opened with the tier 4 medium tank Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. D for 12,800 experience, as well as with the help light tank fourth level Pz.38 nA, but already for 15,000 experience. It will cost 373,000 credits at the time of purchase.

Let's analyze the performance characteristics of the Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H

Pz. IV H has an average HP of 480 at its level. Of course, this is not very much, but if you do not waste them, then it is quite enough. The dynamics of the tank is acceptable, it does not cause much discomfort. The tank is gaining its 40 km / h quite well. If we talk about armor, then the tank is not the best, especially in the stern and on the sides. But the tank may well take a hit, with proper use, from vehicles of its level and below. Also, the car has an acceptable visibility at its level, which is 350 meters.

Pz.Kpfw guns. IV ausf. H

Now let's talk about the guns, the tank has three of them to choose from.

The first is the 7.5 cm Kw.K. 40L/43. It is given to us in the stock configuration of the tank at the time of purchase. This weapon has no special advantages, not counting its rate of fire. But we will have to play with him until we open one of the following weapons.

Second gun 7.5 cm Kw.K. 40L/48. It can be considered the top one for this tank, of course, if you are not a fan of high explosives. This gun has acceptable armor penetration for its tier. Not the best, but still good accuracy, as well as a good rate of fire. The average damage per shot is 110 units, which is not too much, but again, for its level, this is quite an acceptable indicator.

And the third gun 10.5 cm Kw.K. L/28. The main advantage of this weapon is its cumulative shells. Penetration is 104 mm, which is enough to annihilate most of the enemies that the Pz.Kpfw will meet. IV Ausf. H. Also, do not forget about land mines, with the help of them we will be able to destroy weakly armored targets with one shot. Do not forget that this weapon has very poor accuracy, so it is advisable to always bring it to the end.

Equipment for Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H

The standard for me and the standard for many medium tanks

medium-caliber gun rammer, improved ventilation and reinforced aiming drives.

Skills and abilities of the Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H

Standard and good choice will be:

Commander - Sixth Sense, Repair, Combat Brotherhood.
Gunner - Repair, Smooth turn of the tower Combat Brotherhood.
Driver - Repair, Smooth running, Combat brotherhood.
Radio operator - Repair, Radio interception, Combat brotherhood.
Loader - Repair, Non-contact ammo rack, Combat Brotherhood.

My choice:

The choice of equipment Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H

Here is another standard, namely: a small repair kit, a small first aid kit and a hand-held fire extinguisher. I advise you to use premium equipment, which is quite expensive, but can significantly increase the survivability of your vehicle in battle. So feel free to put a large repair kit, a large first aid kit and an automatic fire extinguisher on your tank. You can also put a chocolate bar instead of an automatic fire extinguisher.

Tactics and style of play Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H

Tactics of the game on Pz. IV H depends on what levels of tanks you have to fight.

Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H in the top

On Pz. IV H in the top is best to take at the beginning of the battle good position at medium or long range, and shoot enemies caught in the light. You can also take part in the rush, if one is planned. The main thing to keep in mind is that there should be allies next to you who can cover you, as well as shelters for which you can leave after the shot in order to reload. Thanks to the rate of fire of the 7.5 cm gun, you can do quite good damage to the enemy, and with the 10.5 cm gun it will be possible to destroy lightly armored tanks with one shot. The main thing with all this is to try not to be substituted for the enemy’s shots.

Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H vs. sixth levels

In battles against the sixth levels, you can also act aggressively or passively. With an aggressive play style, it will be possible to support the allied rush by shooting at the enemies from behind the backs of the allies, or simply illuminate enemy tanks for allied vehicles. And with a passive style, you will need to take a place in the bushes and shoot damage at enemies caught in the light. Most importantly, we will need to avoid vehicles with high average damage per shot, such as the KV-2, KV-85 with a 122mm gun, and the like. After all, if they don’t kill us with one shot, they will make us crippled until the end of the battle.

Pz.Kpfw. IV ausf. H vs seventh levels

We will have nothing to do against the seventh levels on the front line, so it will be best to act from behind the backs of the allies on the second or third line. So we will be able to deal damage to enemies, while not receiving it ourselves, because many tanks of the seventh level will kill us with one or two shots. Well, if you don’t like this kind of gameplay, then you can try to gently drive forward towards fate, which will decide whether you bend over or just merge. But seriously, on the first line we will need to act very carefully, because in which case we will simply simply turn into an easy frag. Therefore, this tactic is extremely risky, but if everything is done correctly, then it can bear fruit.

Well, most importantly in any battle, you will need to be able to correctly analyze the map, team lineups, and the departure of your allies. Based on the analysis, it is already worth choosing the tactics and direction in which you will act. Also, do not forget to look at the minimap, so that if something happens, timely move to one or another direction where our help will be needed.

Outcome

Pz. IV H is a typical representative of medium tanks at their level, which are quite well balanced and deliver a lot of pleasant experience from playing them. The tank has quite a good potential, thanks to which it will be possible to influence the outcome of the battle. Also Pz. IV H, like many vehicles of the fifth level, is able to farm credits quite well and bring its owner a lot of pleasure from playing on it.

The decision to create a medium tank with a short-barreled 75 mm gun was made in January 1934. Preference was given to the project of the Krupp company, and in 1937 - 1938 it produced about 200 machines of modification A, B, C and D.

These tanks had combat weight from 18 to 20 tons, armor up to 20 mm thick, speed on the highway no more than 40 km / h and cruising range on the highway 200 km. A 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 23.5 caliber was installed in the tower, coaxial with a machine gun.

During the attack on Poland on September 1, 1939 german army had only 211 T-4 tanks. The tank proved to be a good side and was approved as the main one along with the T-3. From December 1939, its mass production began (in 1940 - 280 pieces.).

By the beginning of the campaign in France (May 10, 1940) in German tank divisions in the West there were only 278 T-4 tanks. The only result of the Polish and French campaigns was an increase to 50 mm in the thickness of the armor of the frontal part of the hull, onboard up to 30 and turret up to 50 mm. The mass reached 22 tons (modification F1, produced in 1941 - 1942). The track width was increased from 380 to 400 mm.

Soviet tanks T-34 and KV (see below) from the first days of the war demonstrated the superiority of their weapons and armor over the T-4. The Nazi command demanded that their tank be re-equipped with a long-barreled gun. In March 1942, he received a 75 mm cannon with a barrel length of 43 caliber (machines of the T-4F2 modification).

In 1942, modifications G were produced, since 1943 - H and since March 1944 - J. The tanks of the last two modifications had 80 mm frontal armor of the hull and were armed with 48-caliber guns. The mass increased to 25 tons, and the cross-country ability of the vehicles noticeably worsened. On modification J, the fuel supply was increased and the cruising range increased to 300 km. Since 1943, tanks began to install 5-mm screens that protected the sides and the turret (side and rear) from artillery shells and from bullets anti-tank rifles.

The welded hull of a tank of simple design did not have a rational inclination of the armor plates. There were many hatches in the hull, which facilitated access to units and mechanisms, but reduced the strength of the hull. Internal partitions divided it into three compartments. In front of the control compartment there were final drives, the driver (on the left) and the gunner-radio operator, who had his own observation devices, were located. The fighting compartment with a multifaceted turret housed three crew members: commander, gunner and loader. The tower had hatches in the sides, which reduced its projectile resistance. The commander's cupola is equipped with five viewing devices with armored shutters. There were also viewing devices on both sides of the gun mantlet and in the side hatches of the turret. The rotation of the tower was carried out by an electric motor or manually, vertical aiming - manually. The ammunition included high-explosive fragmentation and smoke grenades, armor-piercing, sub-caliber and cumulative shells. An armor-piercing projectile (weight 6.8 kg, muzzle velocity - 790 m/s) pierced armor up to 95 mm thick, and a sub-caliber (4.1 kg, 990 m/s) - about 110 mm at a distance of 1000 m (data for a gun in 48 calibers).

In the engine compartment in the aft part of the hull, a 12-cylinder water-cooled Maybach carburetor engine was installed.

The T-4 turned out to be a reliable and easy-to-operate machine (this is the most bulk tank Wehrmacht), however, poor maneuverability, a weak gasoline engine (tanks burned like matches) and undifferentiated armor were disadvantages in front of Soviet tanks.

Apparently, we should start with a rather unexpected statement that the creation of the Pz.IV tank in 1937, the Germans determined the promising path for the development of world tank building. This thesis is quite capable of shocking our reader, since we are used to believing that this place in history is reserved for the Soviet T-34 tank. Nothing can be done, you have to make room and share the laurels with the enemy, although defeated. Well, so that this statement does not look unfounded, we present a number of proofs.

To this end, we will try to compare the "four" with the Soviet, British and American tanks that opposed it in different periods of the Second World War. Let's start with the first period - 1940-1941; At the same time, we will not focus on the then German classification of tanks according to the caliber of the gun, which attributed the medium Pz.IV to the heavy class. Since the British did not have a medium tank as such, we would have to consider two vehicles at once: one for infantry, the other for cruising. In this case, only the "pure" declared characteristics are compared, without taking into account the quality of manufacture, operational reliability, the level of crew training, etc.

As can be seen from Table 1, in 1940-1941 there were only two full-fledged medium tanks in Europe - the T-34 and Pz.IV. The British "Matilda" was superior to the German and Soviet tank in armor protection to the same extent that the Mk IV was inferior to them. The French S35 was a perfected tank that met the requirements of the First World War. As for the T-34, it was inferior to the German vehicle in a number of important positions (separation of the functions of crew members, the number and quality of surveillance devices), it had the same armor as the Pz.IV, somewhat better mobility and much more powerful weapons. Such a lag of the German car is easily explained - Pz.IV was conceived and created as assault tank, designed to deal with enemy firing points, but not with his tanks. In this regard, the T-34 was more versatile and, as a result, according to the declared characteristics, the best medium tank in the world in 1941. Just six months later, the situation changed, as can be seen from the characteristics of the tanks of the period 1942-1943.

Table 1

* The commander's cupola counts as one surveillance device

table 2

* Only the 75 mm cannon is taken into account for the Grant I tank.

Table 3

Table 2 shows how sharply the combat characteristics of the Pz.IV increased 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. The answer - both Soviet and American - was not long in coming.

Comparing tables 2 and 3, you can see that 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. For a decent response, the Germans had neither time nor opportunity.

Analyzing the data of all three tables, we can conclude that the Germans, earlier than others, began to consider the tank as the main and most effective anti-tank weapon, and this is the main trend in 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. 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.

Values ​​of specific power of medium tanks

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 (for more details, see "Armored Collection" No. 2, 1997), making the company "Tiger" in the class of heavy vehicles, but played a fatal role in the fate of 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 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.

medium tank pz Kpfw IV
and its modifications

The most massive tank III Reich. Produced from October 1937 until the end of the war. A total of 8,519 tanks were produced Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A, B, C, D, E, F1, F2, G, H, J, of which - 1100 with a short-barreled gun 7.5cm KwK37 L / 24, 7,419 tanks - with a long-barreled gun 7.5cm KwK40 L / 43 or L / 48).

Pz IV Ausf A Pz IV Ausf B Pz IV Ausf C

Pz IV Ausf D Pz IV Ausf E

Pz IV Ausf F1 Pz IV Ausf F2

Pz IV Ausf G Pz IV Ausf H

Pz IV Ausf J

Crew - 5 people.
Engine - "Maybach" HL 120TR or TRM (Ausf A - HL 108TR).

The Maybach HL 120TR 12-cylinder carburetor engine (3000 rpm) had a power of 300 hp. With. and allowed the tank to develop a maximum speed on the highway up to 40 - 42 km / h.

All Pz Kpfw IV tanks had a tank gun with a caliber of 75 mm (7.5 cm in German terminology). In series from modification A to F1, short-barreled 7.5cm KwK37 L / 24 guns with an initial armor-piercing projectile velocity of 385 m / s were installed, which were powerless against the armor of Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, as well as against most British and American tanks. From March 1942, the last F vehicles (175 vehicles designated F2), as well as all G, H and J tanks, were armed with long-barreled 7.5cm KwK40 L/43 or L/48 guns. (The KwK 40 L / 48 gun was installed on parts of the G series vehicles, and then on the H and J modifications.) Pz Kpfw IV tanks armed with KwK40 guns with an initial speed armor-piercing projectile 770 m / s, received fire superiority over the T-34 for some time (2nd half of 1942 - 1943)

tanks Pz Kpfw IVs were also armed with two MG 34 machine guns. In modifications B and C, there was no radio operator machine gun; instead of it - a viewing slot and a pistol embrasure.

All tanks have FuG 5 radios.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A(Sd Kfz 161)

35 tanks were produced from October 1937 to March 1938 by Krupp-Guson.

Combat weight - 18.4 tons. Length - 5.6 m. Width - 2.9 m. Height - 2.65 m.
Armor 15 mm.
Engine - "Maybach" HL 108TR. Speed ​​- 31 km / h. Power reserve - 150 km.

Combat use: they fought in Poland, Norway, France; were withdrawn from service in the spring of 1941.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B, Ausf C(Sd Kfz 161)

42 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B tanks were produced (from April to September 1938) and 134 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C tanks (from September 1938 to August 1939).

Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B

Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C

Installed a different engine, a new 6-speed gearbox. The speed increased to 40 km/h. The thickness of the frontal armor has been increased to 30 mm. A new commander's cupola has been installed. In the modification of Ausf C, the installation of the motor was changed and the turret swivel ring was improved.

Combat weight - 18.8 tons (Ausf B) and 19 tons (Ausf C). Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.83 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull and turret - 30 mm, side and stern - 15 mm.

In modifications B and C, there was no radio operator machine gun; instead of it - a viewing slot and a pistol embrasure.

Combat use: tanks Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B, Ausf C fought in Poland, France, the Balkans and the Eastern Front. Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C remained in service until 1943. Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B were gradually out of service by the end of 1944.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf D(Sd Kfz 161)

229 tanks produced from October 1939 to May 1941

The main difference between the Ausf D modification was the increase in the thickness of the armor of the sides and stern to 20 mm.

Combat weight - 20 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull and turret - 30 mm, side and stern - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km / h. Power reserve - 200 km.

Combat use: fought in France, the Balkans, North Africa and on the Eastern Front until the beginning of 1944.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf E(Sd Kfz 161)

223 tanks produced from September 1940 to April 1941

On the Ausf E increased the thickness of the frontal armor of the hull to 50 mm; a new type of commander's cupola appeared. Armor plates were used on the forehead of the superstructure (30 mm) and on the sides of the hull and superstructure (20 mm).

Combat weight - 21 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull - 50 mm, forehead of the superstructure and turret - 30 mm, side and stern - 20 mm.

Combat use: tanks Pz Kpfw IV Ausf E took part in the battles in the Balkans, North Africa and on the Eastern Front.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1(Sd Kfz 161)

462 tanks were produced from April 1941 to March 1942, of which 25 vehicles were converted into Ausf F2.

On the The armor of the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F was increased again: the forehead of the hull and turret was up to 50 mm, the sides of the turret and hull were up to 30 mm. Single doors in the sides of the turret were replaced with double doors, the track width increased from 360 to 400 mm. Tanks of modifications Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F, G, H were produced at the factories of three companies: Krupp-Gruson, Fomag, and Nibelungenwerke.

Combat weight - 22.3 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.

Speed ​​- 42 km / h. Power reserve - 200 km.

Combat use: tanks Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1 fought on all sectors of the Eastern Front in 1941-44, participated in. They entered service in and.

medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2(Sd Kfz 161/1)

Produced from March to July 1942. 175 tanks and 25 vehicles converted from Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1.

Starting with this model, all subsequent models were equipped with a long-barreled gun 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 (48). The ammunition load of the gun was increased from 80 to 87 rounds.

Combat weight - 23 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull, superstructure and turret - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, feed - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km / h. Power reserve - 200 km.

They entered service with new tank regiments and motorized divisions, as well as to replenish losses. In the summer of 1942, the Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2 tanks could withstand the Soviet T-34s and KVs, matching the latter in terms of firepower, and surpassed the British and American tanks of that period.

medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G(Sd Kfz 161/2)

1687 vehicles were produced from May 1942 to July 1943.

A new gun muzzle brake has been introduced. Smoke grenade launchers were installed on the sides of the tower. Reduced the number of viewing slots in the tower. About 700 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G tanks received additional 30 mm frontal armor. On the latest machines, armored screens made of thin steel (5 mm) were installed along the sides of the hull and around the turret. Tanks of modifications Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F, G, H were produced at the factories of three companies: Krupp-Gruson, Fomag and Nibelungenwerke.

Combat weight - 23.5 tons. Length - 6.62 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull, superstructure and turret - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, feed - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km / h. Power reserve - 210 km.

medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf N(Sd Kfz 161/2)

3774 vehicles were produced from April 1943 to July 1944.

The Ausf H modification series - the most massive - received 80 mm frontal hull armor (the thickness of the turret armor remained the same - 50 mm); armor protection of the turret roof increased from 10 to 15 mm. An external air filter has been installed. The radio station antenna was moved to the rear of the hull. A mount for an anti-aircraft machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola. 5-mm side screens were installed on the hull and turret, protecting them from cumulative projectiles. Some of the tanks had non-rubberized (steel) support rollers. The tanks of the Ausf H modification were produced at the factories of three companies: Nibelungenwerke, Krupp-Gruson (Magdeburg) and Fomag in Plauen. A total of 3,774 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf H and another 121 chassis for self-propelled and assault guns were produced.

Combat weight - 25 tons. Length - 7.02 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.

Speed ​​- 38 km / h. Power reserve - 210 km.

medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf J(Sd Kfz 161/2)

1758 cars were produced from June 1944 to March 1945 at the Nibelungenwerke plant.

The turret's electrical traverse was replaced with a dual mechanical traverse. An additional fuel tank. Cruising range increased to 320 km. For close combat, a mortar was installed in the roof of the tower, firing fragmentation or smoke grenades to defeat enemy soldiers who had climbed onto the tank. Viewing slots and pistol loopholes in the side doors and behind the turret have been removed.

Combat weight - 25 tons. Length - 7.02 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: forehead of the hull and superstructure - 80 mm, forehead of the tower - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, feed - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 38 km / h. Power reserve - 320 km.

Combat use of medium tanks Pz Kpfw IV

Before the invasion of France, the troops had 280 tanks Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A, B, C, D.

Before the beginning Operation Barbarossa Germany had 3,582 combat-ready tanks. As part of 17 tank divisions deployed against Soviet Union, there were 438 tanks Pz IV Ausf B, C, D, E, F. Soviet tanks KV and T-34 had an advantage over the German Pz Kpfw IV. The shells of the KV and T-34 tanks pierced the armor of the Pz Kpfw IV at considerable distances. They also pierced the armor of the Pz Kpfw IV 45-mm Soviet anti-tank guns and 45-mm guns of T-26 and BT light tanks. And the short-barreled German tank gun could only effectively deal with light tanks. Therefore, during 1941, 348 Pz Kpfw IVs were destroyed on the Eastern Front.

Tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1 of the 5th Panzer Division in November 1941 near Moscow

In June 1942 years on the Eastern Front, there were 208 tanks Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B, C, D, E, F1 and about 170 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2 and Ausf G tanks with a long-barreled gun.

In 1942 Pz Kpfw IV tank battalion should have been four tank companies 22 Pz Kpfw IV each plus eight tanks in the headquarters company of the regiment.

Tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C and panzergrenadiers

Spring 1943

The decision to develop a medium tank (also called an artillery support tank) with a short-barreled gun was made in January 1934. The following year, Krupp-Gruson, MAN and Rheinmetall-Borsig presented their prototypes for testing. The army team liked the Krupp project. Machines of modification A were produced in 1937, modifications B (the so-called installation batches) - in 1938. During next year built 134 tanks of modification S.

Combat weight of tanks 18.4 - 19 tons, armor thickness up to 30 millimeters, maximum speed on the highway - 40 km / h, cruising range - 200 kilometers. The turret was equipped with a 75 mm long L / 24 gun (24 caliber) and a coaxial machine gun. Another one was located on the right in the frontal sheet of the hull in a ball mount. In terms of design and layout, the tank basically repeated the medium Pz Kpfw III.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.B or Ausf.C during exercises. November 1943

German medium tanks PzKpfw IV Ausf H during an exercise to work out the interaction of crews. Germany, June 1944

As of September 1, 1939, the Wehrmacht had 211 Pz Kpfw IV tanks. tank during Polish campaign proved to be excellent, and along with the medium tank Pz Kpfw III was approved as the main one. Its mass production began in October of the same year. Already in the 40th year, 278 pieces were produced. modifications D and E.

In the German tank divisions at the time of the French invasion, there were about 280 Pz Kpfw IV tanks in the Western Theater. Operation in combat conditions has shown that the armor protection is insufficient. As a result, the thickness of the sheets of the frontal part was increased to 60 mm, the sides - up to 40 mm, the turret - up to 50 mm. As a result, the combat weight of modifications E and F, which were produced in 40-41, increased to 22 tons. To keep the specific pressure within acceptable limits, the width of the tracks was slightly increased - up to 400 millimeters from 380.

The German “fours” lost firefights with Soviet-made KB and T-34 tanks due to inadequate weapon characteristics. Starting in the spring of 1942, 75-mm long-barreled guns (L / 43) began to be installed on the Pz Kpfw IV. starting speed sub-caliber projectile was 920 meters per second. This is how the Sd Kfz 161/1 (modification F2) appeared, which surpassed even the T-34-76 in armament. Modification G was produced in 1942-1943, H - from 43rd and J - from June 44th (all modifications were coded as Sd Kfz 161/2). The last two modifications were the most perfect. The thickness of the frontal armor plates was increased to 80 millimeters. The power of the gun increased: the barrel length was 48 calibers. Weight increased to 25 thousand kg. Ausf J at one gas station could move on the highway for a distance of up to 320 kilometers. Since 1943, 5-mm screens have become mandatory on all tanks, which protected the sides and the turret behind and to the side from bullets from anti-tank rifles and cumulative projectiles.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.E. Yugoslavia, 1941

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F. Finland, 1941

The welded hull of the tank was simple in design, although it did not differ in the rational slope of the armor plates. A large number of hatches facilitated access to various mechanisms and assemblies, but at the same time reduced the strength of the hull. Partitions divided the interior into three compartments. The control compartment occupied the front compartment, which housed the gearboxes: onboard and general. The driver and radio operator were located in the same compartment, both had their own observation devices. The multifaceted turret and the middle compartment were assigned to the fighting compartment. The main armament, ammunition rack and other crew members: loader, gunner and commander were located in it. Ventilation was improved by hatches on the sides of the turret, but they reduced the projectile resistance of the tank.

The commander's cupola had five viewing devices with armored shutters. There were also viewing slots in the side hatches of the tower and on both sides of the gun mantlet. The gunner had a telescopic sight. The tower rotated manually or with the help of an electric motor, the vertical aiming of the gun was carried out only manually. The ammunition included smoke and high-explosive fragmentation grenades, cumulative, sub-caliber and armor-piercing shells.

In the engine compartment (aft of the hull) housed a 12-cylinder water-cooled carburetor engine. AT undercarriage included eight rubber-coated road wheels of small diameter, which were interlocked in two. The leaf springs were elastic elements pendants.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F2. France, July 1942

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H with side screens and zimmerite coating. USSR, July 1944

The medium tank Pz Kpfw IV proved to be an easy-to-handle and reliable vehicle. However, its cross-country ability, especially for the overweight tanks of the latest releases, was rather poor. In terms of armor protection and armament, it surpassed all similar ones produced in Western countries, except for some modifications of the English "Comets" and American M4.

Technical characteristics of the medium tank Pz Kpfw IV (Ausf D/Ausf F2/Ausf J):
Year of issue - 1939 / 1942 / 1944;
Combat weight - 20000 kg / 23000 kg / 25000 kg;
Crew - 5 people;
Body length - 5920 mm / 5930 mm / 5930 mm;
Length with gun forward - 5920 mm / 6630 mm / 7020 mm;
Width - 2840 mm / 2840 mm / 2880 mm;
Height - 2680 mm;
BOOKING:
Thickness of armor plates (angle of inclination to the vertical):
The frontal part of the body - 30 mm (12 degrees) / 50 mm (12 degrees) / 80 mm (15 degrees);
Hull sides - 20 mm / 30 mm / 30 mm;
The frontal part of the tower - 30 mm (10 degrees) / 50 mm (11 degrees) / 50 mm (10 degrees);
The bottom and roof of the hull - 10 and 12 mm / 10 and 12 mm / 10 and 16 mm;
WEAPONS:
Gun brand - KwK37/KwK40/KwK40;
Caliber - 75 mm
Barrel length - 24 klb. / 43 klb. / 48 klb.;
Ammunition - 80 shots / 87 shots / 87 shots;
The number of machine guns - 2;
Machine gun caliber - 7.92 mm;
Ammunition - 2700 rounds / 3000 rounds / 3150 rounds
MOBILITY:
Engine type and brand - "Maybach" HL120TRM;
Engine power - 300 liters. s./300 l. s./272 l. With.;
Maximum speed on the highway - 40 km / h / 40 km / h / 38 km / h;
Fuel supply - 470 l / 470 l / 680 l;
Power reserve on the highway - 200 km / 200 km / 320 km;
The average ground pressure is 0.75 kg/cm2/0.84 kg/cm2; 0.89 kg/cm2.

In ambush

German infantry at tank PzKpfw IV. Vyazma region. October 1941