This release sees the introduction of new tanks for the Germans. We round out their range to include fully armoured SPGs, assault guns, heavy and medium tanks and tank destroyers. July 1943 saw the start of the largest tank battle ever seen (probably) – Kursk. These tanks represent a selection of those fielded by the Germans during the battle.
As always, here’s a little background on the various new units…..
Stummel
The “Stummel” was a variation of the Sd.Kfz 251 halftrack introduced by the German Army in 1942. There was a need for mobile light artillery support that could maintain pace with other vehicles. Unlike some other SPGs, the Stummel carried its own ammunition and was a self contained artillery piece. Mounting the same 75mm L/24 low velocity gun as some StuG III variants, it was a useful close support vehicle.
StuG III
The Sturmgeschütz III (or StuG III) was a German assault gun of WWII. It was the most widely produced German fully tracked AFV of the war, and the second most numerous German AFV in total behind the SdKfz 251. Originally designed as an infantry support weapon, it was built on a modified PzIII chassis. It mounted a limited traverse gun in an armoured superstructure.
Variants of the StuG III were equipped with different guns. Initially, as they fulfilled the infantry support role, these were low velocity howitzers. However, later variants also mounted more powerful anti-tank guns. Later models were also equipped with an MG34 mounted near a hatch, sometimes fitted with a shield.
The StuG III was a popular tank with the German High Command. Primarily as it was around cheaper to build than a PzIII due to the lack of turret and simplified design. They were also popular with their crews. This was primarily due to their low silhouette making them difficult to spot and they were generally reliable.
Over 11,300 variants were produced in total and many were exported to other nations such as Hungary, Italy and Finland. They continued to see service for some years after the war as well.
Panzer IV
The Panzer IV was a German medium tank of WWII and their most produced tank during the war. Designed in the 1930s and introduced in 1939, it saw service throughout all German theatres of operation. The PZIV was the only German tank in production continuously during the war.
Early marks of the PzIV were armed with the 75mm L/24 low velocity howitzer as found on early StuG III variants and the Stummel. Later marks received the more powerful 75mm L/43 and finally 75mm L/48 anti-tank guns which allowed them to effectively engage Allied tanks.
Two of the most notable and visible features on later PzIV tanks is the addition of Zimmerit paste to stop the use of magnetic explosives, and the “Schurzen” side skirts mounted on the turret and hull to protect against shaped charge weapons such as the PIAT.
The PzIV chassis also formed the basis of many other vehicles including various Flak panzers such as the Wirbelwind, Mobelwagon and Ostwind, tank destroyers like the Jagdpanzer IV and assault vehicles such as the StuG IV and Sturmpanzer IV.
Over 8500 were built in total and saw service with various countries after the war as training vehicles, static defence or even as “main battle tanks”!
Hummel
The “Hummel” (Bumblebee) was a German SPG produced in 1943 and used for the remainder of World War II. Operation Barbarossa had shown that existing SPGs were not always adequate and so a new type was designed. Mounting a 15cm sFH howitzer on a heavily modified PzIV chassis, with an open superstructure, it was an effective support vehicle, though lack of stowage meant it required a separate ammunition carrier. The same modified PzIV chassis was used for the Nashorn tank destroyer.
Over 700 were produced in total.
Nashorn
The “Nashorn” (Rhinoceros) was a lightly armoured and heavily armed German tank destroyer of WWII. Based on the same modified PzIV chassis as the Hummel, it also had an open crew compartment but mounted a 8.8cm PaK 43 anti-tank gun rather than a howitzer. It first saw combat during the Battle of Kursk where its high profile and powerful gun allowed it to dominate the open steppe at range, and negated much of the disadvantage of the thin armour and open crew deck.
The Nashorn was later replaced by fully enclosed and more heavily armoured tank destroyers such as the Jagdpanzer IV but it remained in service until the end of the war.
Around 500 were built by the end of the war.
Sturmpanzer IV
The Sturmpanzer IV (or “Brummbär” as known by Allied intelligence) was a heavy assault gun used by Germany during WWII. Based on the chassis of a PzIV tank, it replaced the upper hull and turret with a thickly armoured (100mm at the front) superstructure and mounted a newly designed 15cm Sturmhaubitze.
The Sturmpanzer IV was introduced in April 1943 and its first major test in combat was the Battle of Kursk. It performed acceptably, but the overall weight was too much for the chassis and it suffered frequent breakdowns. A series of revisions were made to the overall design of the assault howitzer and the weight brought down by around 800kgs. As the first versions did not have adequate ventilation in the crew compartment, leading to a build of propellant fumes, A “quality of life” improvement was also made – an extractor fan was fitted!
Around 300 were built in total.
Panther
The Panther was a German medium tank of WWII initially developed in response to the T-34 and its effective sloped armour. Originally designed to replace the aging PzIII and PzIV tanks, it fought alongside them until the end of the war.
Armed with the excellent 75mm KwK 42 L/70 and featuring heavily sloped and thick frontal armour, the Panther is often called “the best tank of WWII”. However, it had plenty of disadvantages – the increased frontal armour was at the expense of thinner side armour to keep the weight down; it was a complex machine and often ran into mechanical issues causing many to be lost to breakdown rather than enemy action and it was still heavy which caused logistical issues.
It was first deployed en-masse during the Battle of Kursk, though it was riddled with mechanical problems and this led to high losses. Lessons from summer 1943 led to a series of changes in the design and by 1944 many issues had been ironed out.
Around 6000 Panthers were built.
Tiger I
The Tiger I was a German heavy tank of WWII and possibly one of the most famous (and most mythologised) tanks ever built. Developed at the start of WWII, it was first deployed in 1942 in Africa and on the Eastern Front. The Tiger I was the first German tank to mount an 88mm anti-tank gun and it soon earned a fearsome reputation as very few Allied armoured vehicles could withstand a hit from a Tiger I.
While it had exceptionally thick (100mm+) frontal armour, it was simply vertical plates with little to no slope unlike that of the T-34 or Panther tanks. It was also overly complicated and its overlapping road wheel configuration caused issues in mud and snow. The weight and width of the Tiger also made it difficult to transport to a combat zone.
However, it was a successful tank and as redesigns dealt with various issues, its reliability increased until it equalled or exceeded that of other German AFVs.
Around 1350 were built in total.
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We hope that you found this little bit of background history and that soon our models will be reinforcing your German armies!
