The Panzer IV Medium Tank remained in production for the German Army throughout the war. By Staff Writer
The PzKpfw IV was a German Army Medium Tank that would go on to see production last throughout the entire span of World War Two. More than a handful for the Allies that faced it, the system appeared in a variety of forms throughout its long run and would become the strength of German armored divisions as a result. Its powerful combination of thick armor, devastating main armament and acceptable mobility despite it's ever-increasing weight ensured itself a place in any front.
Secretly developed as a "medium tractor" to a 1934 German Army requirement, the Panzerkampfwagen IV was selected as a Krupp-produced model in the form of the VK 2001(K), going up against two other proposed tanks. Initial production designation for the system would be "PzKpfw IV" Ausf A (PzKpfw as the abbreviation for "Panzerkampfwagen").
Armament for the five man crew consisted of a 75mm main gun with 122 projectiles of various types (HEAT, APCR, smoke, etc.). A coaxial machine gun was mounted in the bow while an additional 7.92mm machine gun was mounted on the top of the turret for anti-aircraft / anti-infantry defense. Armor protection of the PzKpfw IV was a key consideration in the design and was constantly updated throughout the war as Allied tactics and anti-armor weaponry improved. Turret armor at its thickest was measured in at 0.79 inches whilst the hull maintained a respectable 0.57 inches at its thickest.
Over 6,000 examples of the Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank were produced between 1943 and 1945 alone, showing just how important the machine had become to German functions, with total production estimated at about 9,000 vehicles. The chassis was also featured in another tank design designated as the Jagdpanzer IV, which differed principally from the PzKpfw IV by being a dedicated tank destroyer. Other variants ran the gamut of war times needs and included a battlefield recovery vehicle and an air defense model.
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Armored Vehicle Quick Profile
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1936
Designation:SdKfz 161 Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV) Classification Type:Medium Tank Contractor:Krupp-Grusonwerke - Germany Country of Origin: Nazi Germany Number Built: 9,200
Operators: Nazi Germany, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, Spain, Soviet Union and Syria.
Variants
Ausf A - Initial Production Model Designation of which only a few were in production from 1936-37.
Ausf B - Increased armor protection; improved engine performance; improvements througout.
Ausf F
Ausf F2
Ausf H
Ausf J - Final Production Model
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