Sd Kfz 141/1 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L 2

Sd Kfz 141/1 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L 2, a photo by relex109.com on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Design work on the Panzer III, then classed as a Medium Tank, began in 1934 and prototypes were on trial three years later. As first produced the Panzer III had 15mm armour and a 37mm gun, similar to contemporary British designs, but by 1938 armour thickness had been doubled and by 1940 the gun replaced by a 50mm weapon. By the time the Model L appeared, starting in December 1941, frontal armour was 50mm thick and the gun a long 50mm of improved performance. Thus the Panzer III was able to keep pace with developments, which similar British tanks were unable to do, without affecting performance in any way. Indeed one can see that an extra panel of armour has been bolted across the front to give even greater protection.

This tank was transported to Naples from Nuremburg by rail, and shipped to Bengazi on the 'Lerica', arriving on 18th July 1942. It was issued to the 8th Panzer Regiment as a replacement tank and brought the strength of the 15th Panzer Division up to 65 tanks by the beginning of August 1942. It arrived at the front between 28th and 31st July and probably fought at Alam Halfa. By 26th October the 15th Panzer Division had only 39 tanks left. Information on the manufacture and service of this tank came from Tom Jentz. Subsequently captured by the British Army.

Precise Name: Panzerkampfwagen III Aus L


Other Name: SdKfz 141/1, 9 Serie ZW, ZW 38

DESCRIPTION

The Panzer III was conceived in 1934 as the principle combat tank of the Panzer divisions. Armed with a high velocity 3.7cm gun that fired armour piercing projectiles it was complemented by a support tank, the heavier Panzer IV with a short 7.5cm gun, (see E1951.29 Panzerkampfwagen IV Aus D).

The new tank was developed under the code name of Zugfuhrerwagen, (ZW), or Platoon commander’s vehicle to disguise its’ real role. Production started in 1937 with the Ausfuhrung, (abbreviation Aus, meaning version), A. The next three versions, the Aus B, C and D were produced in small numbers and saw combat in Poland in September 1939. These early models each had a different type of suspension. A torsion bar suspension with six small road wheels on each side was adopted for the Aus E and used on all the later versions.

The first variant produced in quantity was the Aus F (435 built), introduced in 1940. Experience in Poland and France showed that the original 3.7cm gun was ineffective against the most heavily armoured tanks and from July 1940 the Aus G mounted a short 5.0cm gun; the Aus H had a new turret with the same gun.

Combat with T34 and KV tanks during the invasion of the Soviet Union revealed that the Panzer III was both insufficiently armoured and also under –gunned. The Aus J introduced thicker armour (50mm compared to 30mm on the earlier models) and a new gun, the long 5.0cm KwK 39. There wasn’t an Aus K!

The Aus L was introduced in June 1942 and a total of 653 tanks were manufactured before it was superseded by the Aus M in December 1942. Features of the Aus L include even thicker armour on the turret front as well as spaced armour on the gun mantlet and superstructure front. The Aus N was a medium support tank, fitted with the short 7.5cm gun taken from Panzer IV tanks when they were fitted with a new high velocity 7.5 cm gun. (See E1969.56 for details of the Panzer III Aus N.)

The Tank Museum’s example is an early production Aus L, modified for ‘tropical’ service. It was shipped via Naples to Benghazi in Libya in July 1942, arriving on the SS Lerica on July 18th. It was issued to the 8th Panzer Regiment, part of the 15th Panzer Division and probably fought in the battle of Alam Halfa. It was subsequently captured by the British Army and shipped to the UK; the details of its’ capture and subsequent history are unclear. The Museum’s staff have restored the tank to running order, have repainted it in its’ original camouflage and markings and are currently replacing many of the ancillary tools and equipment that it carried.

The Panzer III was the backbone of the German Armoured Divisions between mid-1940 and mid-1942. By 1942 it was clearly outclassed by the latest Soviet tanks and it was superseded in this role by the larger Panzer IV, armed with a high velocity 7.5cm gun.

Approximately 6,140 Panzer III tanks were built; production ending with the Aus N in August 1943. (See E1969.56 for details of the Aus N). However the Panzer III chassis continued in production until 1945 as the basis of the Sturmgeschutze III assault gun, (see E1990.64 7.5cm Sturmgeschutze 40 Aus G).

Panzer III gun tanks were also converted into Armoured Recovery Vehicles, Command Tanks and Artillery Observation Vehicles.

Summary text by Mike Garth V1.0

Period of Service : 1939-1945
Other Numbers

NumberType
E0000.1065Original Entry
Main utility type

Medium/Cruiser
Military unit

German Army
Country of Use

Germany (1942)

Production
Object Production

RoleAttributionDatePlaceNotes
ManufacturedJune 1942MANGermanyNuremburg
Era

World War 2
Nationality

German

Location
Current Location

BOVTM - B18F - The Tank Story - North Africa (Moved here on 21/07/2009)

Physical
Features

Part NameDescriptionNotes
Tracks/WheelsFull Tracked
Armament - Main Weapon TypeGun - 50 mm Gun KwK39 L/60
Armament - Secondary Weapon Type2 x MG34 7.92mm Machine Guns
EngineMaybach HL120TRM, V-12, 11.9 litre, 320 bhp, water cooled
Transmission6 Forward, 1 Reverse
SuspensionTorsion bar
Power to Weight Ratio14.3 bhp/ton
Dimensions

Part NameDimensionValueUnitPrecisionNotes
CrewNumber5
OverallWeight22.7tonnes22.3 tons
Speed - RoadMaximum40kph24.9mph
FuelTypePetrol
Armour Thickness - HullMaximum50mm1.97in
Main GunCalibre50mm
Engine OutputPower320bhp@ 3000 rpm
FuelVolume70.4gall320 litres
RangeRadius155km
ProjectileNumber92rounds
Overall - Gun ForwardLength6.28m20ft 7in
OverallWidth2.95m9ft 8in
OverallHeight2.51m8ft 2in
FuelConsumption1.37mpgRoad206.5 l/100km

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