The Bergepanzer III was an armoured recovery vehicle, derived from the Panzer III.
Description[]
The Bergepanzer III was based on the chassis of the Panzer III which used the Maybach HL 120 TRM engine that was capable of propelling the vehicle at speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.[1] Having no turret, the Bergepanzer had a crew of three and was fitted with a 1,000 kilogram crane protected by a wooden superstructure as well as a rear shovel to stabilize the vehicle while recovering heavier vehicles. For communication with the Tiger I units that the bergepanzer was meant to follow, the vehicle was fitted with a FuG 5 radio. The vehicle had an operational range of 200 kilometers and used a 6 speed forward, 1 speed reverse transmission.
The Bergepanzer III had a total weight of 17,230 kilograms and total length of 6.28 meters. Armor protection for the crew consisted of 50 mm on the upper and lower hull and 30 mm in the sides.
Variants[]
- Bergepanzer III mit MG 151/20: Variant fitted with 20 mm MG 151/20 autocannon with gun shield on its hull.
History[]
A destroyed Bergepanzer III mit MG 151/20 in the streets of Königsberg
The Bergepanzer III was produced from March to December 1944 to help German armored divisions with heavy armor recover their lost vehicles. By 1944, the Panzer III tank proved no longer useful in combat, leading to an order for all Panzer IIIs returning to Germany for repair or overhaul to be converted into Bergepanzer IIIs. In all, some 150 examples had been converted during the war, with mentioned examples serving until the end of the war.[2] By February 1945, 130 of these 150 were still listed as in service.
References[]
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