Tanks for the memories

[cardboard_killer]

[80 years ago today] "• The Heer opens a ten day AFV Conference and demonstrates several prototypes for Hitler.

 

• First displayed are prototypes of the proposed successor to the Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger, designated the Tiger B. They mount an improved 88mm gun on a vehicle with heavier armor than the Tiger which is also sloped like the Panther and T-34. Unfortunately for the Germans, additional requirements and tinkering will delay introduction and make the vehicle heavy and slow.

 

• The need for mobile anti-aircraft guns brings out the vehicle that will become known as the Furniture Van (Möbelwagen). It mounts a quadruple 2 cm gun on a Panzer-IV chassis surrounded by lightly armored plates resembling a cargo box. It is decided to produce it as a stopgap but improve the armament to a longer ranged 3.7cm gun. 

 

3.7 cm Flak auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV

 

• A key feature of the conference is to maximize AFV production in the face of superior production by the Western Allies and Soviet Union. One of the features that slows production is the turret, and it has been found at Kursk, Kharkov, and Kiev that StuG-III assault guns are nearly as effective as tanks, and are suitable for the ambush role will their lower profiles. After demonstration of several prototypes it is decided to halt production of the Panzer-IV and switch all production to assault guns. This will not happen completely due to the difficulty of retooling. 

 

• The Alkett Corporation was a major StuG-III producer but its factory was heavily bombed and production dropped from 255 vehicles in October to 24 in November.

 

Alkett StuG-III production in summer of 1943

 

- Alkett proposes retooling to build an assault gun based on the Pz-IV rather than Pz-III chassis. This is approved and 1,100 StuG-IVs will be built.

 

• Romanian Marshal Ion Antonescu is attending and displays the Mareșal tank destroyer based on a Romanian produced T-60 chassis with a new Reșița 75mm anti-tank gun. The small very low profile vehicle has a two-man crew and is steered with foot pedals leaving the driver's hands free to service the gun. It is put in gunnery competition with a StuG-IIIG and wins. An impressed Hitler promises support for production including allocation of a thousand engines from Hotchkiss. Production will be delayed by several American bombing raids on the Rogifer Works and none will be produced before Romania leaves the Axis.

 

Mareșal prototype before installation of front plate.

 

- The Mareșal inspires the Germans to produce a similar vehicle based on the Pz-38(t) which will become the Hetzer.

 

• Krupp displays a different prototype tank destroyer based on the Pz-IV chassis. The Jagdpanzer-IV has heavier and better sloped armor than the StuG and is meant to have the improved 7.5cm Pak 42 L/70 gun gun of the Panther tank. It is also accepted for production though a shortage of guns will result in the first 780 or so having the older long barreled 7.5 cm Pak 39/48 of the StuG-III and Pz-IV.

 

- When the newer gun is finally installed it combined with the heavy armor will make the subsequent 1,200 vehicles nose heavy and crews will nickname it “Guderian’s duck” for its bobbing motion when being driven.

 

Jagdpanzer-IV with Pak-42 gun" [JadgPanzer V in background]