German Tanks

 During the war, numerous types of tanks were developed and even captured/used by Germany during the war. As exemplified in early war doctrine, the tank was the key vehicle in the German tactic of Blitzkrieg which required quick movement and coordination. 

German tank doctrine had changed though later into the war and instead, tanks were used to combat other armored vehicles. As exemplified in the Eastern Front, German tanks became heavier and gained thick armor. The ideal was to mechanical superiority over numbers of vehicles and it was doubtful that German production could have supported such large numbers of vehicles anyway.  

Tanks[]

Panzer I (Panzerkampfwagen I) (1493 built)[]

It was designed as a training vehicle and not meant for combat. It served in the early years of the war until 1941 in Russia. Armed with two MG 13 machine guns.

Variants[]

• Flakpanzer I - based on the Ausf.A chassis, armed with a 20 mm FlaK 30 or 38.
• Flammpanzer I - a flamethrower variant armed with a flamethrower on the turret.
• Panzerjäger I - a German tank destroyer armed with a captured Czech 47 mm L/43 AT gun.
• Sturmpanzer I (15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf.B) - a variant armed with a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun used to support infantry.
• kleine Panzerbefehlswagen (SdKfz 265) - a light command vehicle variant, based on the Ausf.B chassis, which saw service until the end of the war. Armament is a 7.92 mm MG 13 machine gun.

Panzer II (Panzerkampfwagen II) (1856 built)[]

The dominant light tank of the Army during the early years of the war. Armed with a 20 mm KwK 30 or 38 and a 7.92 mm MG 34 machine gun.

Variants[]

• Marder II - a tank destroyer armed with a captured Soviet 76.2 mm ZiS-3 gun and later a 75 mm PaK 40 L/48.
• Wespe - a self-propelled gun armed with a 105 mm leFH 18M light field howitzer.
• Sturmpanzer II (15 cm sIG 33 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf)) - a variant armed with a 150 mm infantry gun on a lower profile body but served in the same manner as the Sturmpanzer I.
• Panzer II Flamm (Flamingo, SdKfz 122) - a flamethrower tank variant based on the Ausf. D and E chassis. Armed with a MG 34 machine gun in a large central turret and two remotely-controlled flamethrowers on two small turrets.

Panzer III (Panzerkampfwagen III) (5774 built, excluding the StuG III)[]

The dominant medium tank of the Army during the early years of the war until 1943. Armed with a 37 mm KwK 36 L/45 gun, later a 50 mm KwK 38 L/42 or KwK 39 L/60 gun, and a 75 mm KwK 37 L/24 gun, and two to three MG 34 machine guns.

Variants[]

• Panzer III (F) - a flamethrower tank variant armed with a flamethrower, replacing the main gun, in a dummy turret gun.
• StuG III (Sturmgeschütz III) - assault gun variant armed with a 75 mm StuK 40 gun and later with a MG 34 atop the hull. Excellent as a tank destroyer rather than being a infantry support vehicle. Served until war's end. Also, the second most numerous AFV of the German Army, behind the SdKfz 251 half-track.
• StuH 42 (Sturmhaubitze 42) - StuG III variant armed with a 105 mm leFH 18M light howitzer.
• StuIG 33B (Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B) - another StuG III variant armed with a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun on a heavily armored boxy casemate superstructure.
• SU-76i - a Soviet tank destroyer variant, armed with a Soviet 76.2 mm gun.

Panzer IV (Panzerkampfwagen IV) (8800 built)[]

The main battle tank of the army of the war. It is the only tank to be continuously produced and served from the start of the war until its end. It is also the most versatile German tank of the war. It's service life extended by the Syrian Army until the 1960's. Armed with a 75 mm KwK 37 L/24, later KwK 40 L/43 and L/48 gun and two to three MG 34 machine guns.

Variants[]

• StuG IV (Sturmgeschütz IV) - assault gun variant armed with a 75 mm high velocity gun with a MG 34 atop the hull. Served until war's end.
• Jagpanzer IV - tank destroyer variant with a 75 mm PaK 40 L/48, later a formidable PaK 42 L/70 gun of the Panther tank.
• Brummbär (Sturmpanzer, or Sturmpanzer IV) - a heavy assault gun variant with a 150 mm StuH 43 L/12 infantry gun and later with a MG 34 machine gun on a ball mount beside the main gun.
• Hummel - self-propelled gun variant based on the Panzer III/IV chassis armed with a 150 sFH 18 mm field gun. Excellent in it's support role until war's end.
• Hornisse/Nashorn - a heavy tank destroyer variant based on the Hummel chassis armed with a high velocity 88 mm PaK 43 L/71 anti-tank gun.
• Flakpanzer IV Wirbelwind - an anti-aircraft gun variant armed with a 20 mm Flakvierling on an armored turret.
• Flakpanzer IV Ostwind - another AA gun variant armed with a 37 mm FlaK 43 on the same turret.
• Flakpanzer IV Möbelwagen - an AA gun variant armed with a 37 mm FlaK on a foldable box-shaped superstructure.
• Vorpanzer IV - extra-armored variants of a regular Panzer IV.

Panzer V Panther (Panzerkampfwagen V) (about 6000 built)[]

An excellent medium tank with sloping armor and was armed with a 75 mm KwK 42 L/70 gun and two MG 34 machine guns. It's simple design led to it's considerably high production.

Variants[]

• Jagdpanther - heavy tank destroyer variant armed with an 88 mm PaK 43 AT gun and a MG 34 machine gun. Excellent in its role until war's end.
• Bergepanther - a rare armored recovery vehicle variant.

Panzer VI Tiger (Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E) (1347 built)[]

An excellent heavy tank developed in response to the Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. Excellent as a defensive weapon in the late stages of the war. Armed with an excellent 88 mm KwK 36 L/56 gun and two MG 34 machine guns. Served until war's end.

Variants[]

• Sturmtiger (Sturmmörserwagen 606/4 mit 38 cm RW 61) - a very heavy assault gun armed with a massive 380 mm RW 61 rocket launcher, a 100 mm grenade laucher and a MG 34 machine gun. It is designed for urban combat to support infantry and demolish buildings.
• Bergetiger - a very rare armored recovery vehicle variant.
• Ferdinand/Elefant (Panzerjäger Tiger (P)) - heavy tank destroyer based on Porsche's failed Tiger prototype armed with a 88 mm PaK 43 L/71 gun and later a MG 34 machine gun.

Panzer VI Tiger II "Königstiger" (Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B) (492 built)[]

A heavy tank, with sloping armor and a very effective main gun, that served in very heavy defensive battles until war's end. Armed with a formidable 88 mm PaK 43 L/71 AT gun and two MG 34 machine guns. First version with curved turret and production model with sloping turret.

Variants[]

• Jagdtiger - a very heavy tank destroyer armed with a formidable 128 mm PaK 44 L/55 AT gun and a MG 34 machine gun. Served until war's end.

Panzer 35(t) (Panzerkampfwagen 35(t), formerly LT-35) (434 built)[]

A light tank that was adopted by the German Army after the occupation of Czechoslovakia. Armed with a Czech 37 mm gun and two Czech 7.92 mm machine guns.

Variants[]

• TACAM R-2 (Tun Anticar pe Afet Mobil - Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun) - a Romanian tank destroyer variant armed with captured Soviet weapons, most notably the 76.2 mm AT gun.

Panzer 38(t) (Panzerkampfwagen 38(t), formerly LT vz. 38) (1414 built)[]

A medium tank that entered combat service with the German Army. It is excellent in blitzkrieg operations because of its high speed and mobility. Armed with a Czech 37 mm gun and two Czech 7.92 mm machine guns. It continued service until 1942. It's variants however, lasted until war's end.

Variants[]

• Marder III (Sd.Kfz. 139, and 138 respectively) - a tank destroyer variant armed with a captured Soviet 76.2 mm gun, later German's own 75 mm PaK 40 AT gun. The early model had a Czech 7.92 mm machine gun on it's hull.
• Grille - a self-propelled gun variant armed with a 150 mm sIG 33 infantry gun. First version had the gun mounted forward while the late version had the gun mounted on the late model Marder III chassis.
• Flakpanzer 38(t) - AA gun variant armed with a 20 mm FlaK 38.
• Hetzer (Jagdpanzer 38) - a tank destroyer variant in an enclosed superstructure. Armed with a 75 mm PaK 39 L/48 gun and later, a MG 34 or 42 machine gun atop the superstructure.