T iv fire support tank. Medium tank T-IV Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV, also Pz. IV), Sd.Kfz.161. Description of the design of the tank pzkpfw iv

(Pz.III), power point located at the rear, and the power transmission and drive wheels at the front. The control compartment housed the driver and gunner-radio operator, firing from a machine gun mounted in a ball joint. The fighting compartment was located in the middle of the hull. A multifaceted welded turret was mounted here, which housed three crew members and installed weapons.

T-IV tanks were produced with the following weapons:

• modifications A-F, assault tank with 75 mm howitzer;
• modification G, tank with a 75-mm cannon with a 43-caliber barrel;
• modifications N-K, a tank with a 75 mm cannon with a barrel length of 48 calibers.

Due to the constant increase in the thickness of the armor, the weight of the vehicle during production increased from 17.1 tons (modification A) to 24.6 tons (modifications NK). Since 1943, to enhance armor protection, armor screens were installed on tanks for the sides of the hull and turret. The long-barreled gun introduced on modifications G, NK allowed the T-IV to withstand enemy tanks of equal weight (a 75-mm sub-caliber projectile at a range of 1000 meters penetrated armor 110 mm thick), but its maneuverability, especially the overweight latest modifications, was unsatisfactory. In total, about 9,500 T-IV tanks of all modifications were produced during the war.

Tank PzKpfw IV. History of creation.

In the 20s and early 30s, the theory of the use of mechanized troops, in particular tanks, developed through trial and error; the views of theorists changed very often. A number of supporters of tanks believed that the appearance of armored vehicles would make positional warfare in the style of battles of 1914-1917 tactically impossible. In turn, the French relied on the construction of well-fortified long-term defensive positions, such as the Maginot Line. A number of experts believed that the main armament of a tank should be a machine gun, and the main task of armored vehicles is to fight enemy infantry and artillery; the most radically thinking representatives of this school considered a battle between tanks pointless, since, supposedly, neither side would be able to cause damage to the other. There was an opinion that the victory in battle would be won by the side that could destroy large quantity enemy tanks. Special guns with special projectiles were considered as the main means of fighting tanks - anti-tank guns with armor-piercing shells. In fact, no one knew what the nature of hostilities would be in a future war. Experience civil war in Spain also did not clarify the situation.

The Treaty of Versailles prohibited Germany from having tracked combat vehicles, but could not prevent German specialists from working on studying various theories the use of armored vehicles, and the creation of tanks was carried out by the Germans in secrecy. When Hitler threw away the restrictions of Versailles in March 1935, the young Panzerwaffe already had all the theoretical developments in the field of application and organizational structure tank regiments.

In mass production under the guise of "agricultural tractors" there were two types of light armed tanks, PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II.
The PzKpfw I tank was considered a training vehicle, while the PzKpfw II was intended for reconnaissance, but it turned out that the "deuce" remained the most mass tank panzer divisions until they were replaced by medium tanks Pz Kpfw III, armed with a 37 mm cannon and three machine guns.

The development of the PzKpfw IV tank dates back to January 1934, when the army issued a specification to industry new tank fire support weighing no more than 24 tons, the future vehicle received the official designation Gesch.Kpfw. (75 mm)(Vskfz.618). Over the next 18 months, specialists from Rheinmetall-Borzing, Krupp and MAN worked on three competing designs for the battalion commander's vehicle (Battalionführerswagnen, abbreviated BW). The VK 2001/K project, presented by the Krupp company, was recognized as the best, with a turret and hull shape similar to the PzKpfw III tank.

However, the VK 2001/K did not go into production, since the military was not satisfied with the six-wheel chassis with medium-diameter wheels on a spring suspension; it needed to be replaced with a torsion bar. The torsion bar suspension, compared to the spring one, ensured smoother movement of the tank and had a greater vertical travel of the road wheels. Krupp engineers, together with representatives of the Arms Procurement Directorate, agreed on the possibility of using an improved design of spring suspension on the tank with eight small-diameter road wheels on board. However, the Krupp company largely had to revise the proposed original design. In the final version, the PzKpfw IV was a combination of the hull and turret of the VK 2001/K with a chassis newly developed by Krupp.

The PzKpfw IV tank is designed according to the classic layout with a rear engine. The commander's position was located along the axis of the tower directly under the commander's cupola, the gunner was located to the left of the breech of the gun, and the loader was to the right. In the control compartment, located in the front part of the tank hull, there were workstations for the driver (to the left of the vehicle axis) and the radio operator (to the right). Between the driver's and gunner's seats there was a transmission. Interesting feature The design of the tank was to shift the turret approximately 8 cm to the left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the engine - 15 cm to the right to allow passage of the shaft connecting the engine and transmission. This design decision made it possible to increase the internal reserved volume on the right side of the hull to accommodate the first shots, which could be most easily reached by the loader. The turret rotation drive is electric.

Click on the tank picture to enlarge

The suspension and chassis consisted of eight small-diameter road wheels grouped into two-wheeled bogies suspended on leaf springs, drive wheels, sloths installed in the rear of the tank, and four rollers supporting the track. Throughout the entire history of operation of the PzKpfw IV tanks, their chassis remained unchanged, only minor improvements were introduced. The prototype of the tank was manufactured at the Krupp plant in Essen and was tested in 1935-36.

Description of the PzKpfw IV tank

Armor protection.
In 1942, consulting engineers Mertz and McLillan conducted a detailed examination of the captured PzKpfw IV Ausf.E tank, in particular, they carefully studied its armor.

Several armor plates were tested for hardness, all of them were machined. The hardness of the machined armor plates on the outside and inside was 300-460 Brinell.
- The 20 mm thick applied armor plates, which enhance the armor of the hull sides, are made of homogeneous steel and have a hardness of about 370 Brinell. The reinforced side armor is not capable of "holding" 2 pound shells fired from 1000 yards.

On the other hand, shelling of a tank carried out in the Middle East in June 1941 showed that a distance of 500 yards (457 m) can be considered as the limit for effectively hitting a PzKpfw IV in the frontal area with fire from a 2-pounder gun. A report on the armor protection of a German tank prepared in Woolwich notes that “the armor is 10% better than similar treated mechanically English, and in some respects even better homogeneous."

At the same time, the method of connecting armor plates was criticized; a specialist from Leyland Motors commented on his research: “The welding quality is poor, the welds of two of the three armor plates in the area where the projectile hit came apart.”

Changing the design of the frontal part of the tank hull

Power point.
The Maybach engine is designed to operate in moderate climatic conditions, where its characteristics are satisfactory. At the same time, in tropical or highly dusty conditions, it breaks down and is prone to overheating. British intelligence, after studying the PzKpfw IV tank captured in 1942, concluded that engine failures were caused by sand getting into the oil system, distributor, dynamo and starter; air filters are inadequate. There have been frequent cases of sand getting into the carburetor.

The Maybach engine operating manual requires the use of only 74 octane gasoline with a complete lubricant change after 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 km. Recommended engine speed at normal conditions operation - 2600 rpm, but in hot climates (southern regions of the USSR and North Africa) this number of revolutions does not provide normal cooling. Using the engine as a brake is permissible at 2200-2400 rpm; at a speed of 2600-3000 this mode should be avoided.

The main components of the cooling system were two radiators installed at an angle of 25 degrees to the horizontal. The radiators were cooled by an air flow forced by two fans; The fans are driven by a belt from the main engine shaft. Water circulation in the cooling system was ensured by a centrifuge pump. Air entered the engine compartment through an opening on the right side of the hull, covered by an armored damper, and was exhausted out through a similar opening on the left side.

The synchro-mechanical transmission proved efficient, although pulling force in high gears was low, so 6th gear was used only for highway driving. The output shafts are combined with the braking and turning mechanism into a single device. To cool this device, a fan was installed to the left of the clutch box. The simultaneous release of the steering control levers could be used as an effective parking brake.

On tanks of later versions, the spring suspension of the road wheels was heavily overloaded, but replacing the damaged two-wheeled bogie seemed to be a fairly simple operation. The track tension was regulated by the position of the idler mounted on the eccentric. On the Eastern Front, special track extenders, known as "Ostketten", were used, which improved the maneuverability of tanks in winter months of the year.

An extremely simple but effective device for dressing a slipped caterpillar was tested on experimental tank PzKpfw IV. It was a factory-made belt, which had the same width as the tracks, and was perforated for engagement with the ring gear of the drive wheel. One end of the tape was attached to the slipped track, and the other, after it was passed over the rollers, to the drive wheel. The motor turned on, the drive wheel began to rotate, pulling the tape and the tracks attached to it until the rims of the drive wheel entered the slots on the tracks. The whole operation took a few minutes.

The engine was started by a 24-volt electric starter. Since the auxiliary electric generator saved battery power, it was possible to try to start the engine more times on the “four” than on the PzKpfw III tank. In the event of a starter failure, or when severe frost Once the lubricant thickened, an inertial starter was used, the handle of which was connected to the engine shaft through a hole in the rear armor plate. The handle was turned by two people at the same time; the minimum number of turns of the handle required to start the engine was 60 rpm. Starting the engine from an inertia starter has become commonplace in the Russian winter. Minimum temperature engine, at which it began to work normally was t = 50 deg. C with a shaft rotation of 2000 rpm.

To facilitate engine starting in the cold climate of the Eastern Front, a special system was developed known as a "Kuhlwasserubertragung" - a cold water heat exchanger. After starting and warming up to normal temperature the engine of one tank, warm water from it was pumped into the cooling system of the next tank, and cold water flowed to the already running motor - an exchange of coolants between the running and non-running motors took place. After the warm water warmed up the engine somewhat, you could try starting the engine with an electric starter. The "Kuhlwasserubertragung" system required minor modifications to the tank's cooling system.

Medium tank T-IV Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV, also Pz. IV), Sd.Kfz.161

Production of this tank, created by Krupp, began in 1937 and continued throughout the Second World War. Tells
Like the T-III- (Pz.III) tank, the power plant is located at the rear, and the power transmission and drive wheels are located at the front. The control compartment housed the driver and gunner-radio operator, firing from a machine gun mounted in a ball joint. The fighting compartment was located in the middle of the hull. A multifaceted welded turret was mounted here, which housed three crew members and installed weapons.

T-IV tanks were produced with the following weapons:

• modifications A-F, assault tank with 75 mm howitzer;
• modification G, tank with a 75-mm cannon with a 43-caliber barrel;
• modification NK, tank with a 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of 48 calibers.

Due to the constant increase in the thickness of the armor, the weight of the vehicle during production increased from 17.1 tons (modification A) to 24.6 tons (modifications NK). Since 1943, to enhance armor protection, armor screens were installed on tanks for the sides of the hull and turret. The long-barreled gun introduced on modifications G, NK allowed the T-IV to withstand enemy tanks of equal weight (a 75-mm sub-caliber projectile at a range of 1000 meters penetrated armor 110 mm thick), but its maneuverability, especially the overweight latest modifications, was unsatisfactory. In total, about 9,500 T-IV tanks of all modifications were produced during the war.

Tank PzKpfw IV. History of creation.

In the 20s and early 30s, the theory of the use of mechanized troops, in particular tanks, developed through trial and error; the views of theorists changed very often. A number of supporters of tanks believed that the appearance of armored vehicles would make positional warfare in the style of battles of 1914-1917 tactically impossible. In turn, the French relied on the construction of well-fortified long-term defensive positions, such as the Maginot Line. A number of experts believed that the main armament of a tank should be a machine gun, and the main task of armored vehicles is to fight enemy infantry and artillery; the most radically thinking representatives of this school considered a battle between tanks pointless, since, supposedly, neither side would be able to cause damage to the other. There was an opinion that the victory in the battle would be won by the side that could destroy the largest number of enemy tanks. Special guns with special shells were considered as the main means of fighting tanks - anti-tank guns with armor-piercing shells. In fact, no one knew what the nature of hostilities would be in a future war. The experience of the Spanish Civil War also did not clarify the situation.

The Treaty of Versailles prohibited Germany from having tracked combat vehicles, but could not prevent German specialists from working on studying various theories of using armored vehicles, and the creation of tanks was carried out by the Germans in secrecy. When Hitler abandoned the restrictions of Versailles in March 1935, the young Panzerwaffe already had all the theoretical developments in the field of use and organizational structure of tank regiments.

In mass production under the guise of “agricultural tractors” there were two types of light armed tanks, PzKpfw I and PzKpfw II.
The PzKpfw I tank was considered a training vehicle, while the PzKpfw II was intended for reconnaissance, but it turned out that the “two” remained the most popular tank of the panzer divisions until it was replaced by the PzKpfw III medium tanks, armed with a 37 mm cannon and three machine guns.

The beginning of the development of the PzKpfw IV tank dates back to January 1934, when the army issued a specification to the industry for a new fire support tank weighing no more than 24 tons, the future vehicle received the official designation Gesch.Kpfw. (75 mm)(Vskfz.618). Over the next 18 months, specialists from Rheinmetall-Borzing, Krupp and MAN worked on three competing designs for the battalion commander's vehicle (Battalionführerswagnen, abbreviated as BW). The VK 2001/K project, presented by the Krupp company, was recognized as the best, with a turret and hull shape similar to the PzKpfw III tank.

However, the VK 2001/K did not go into production, since the military was not satisfied with the six-wheel chassis with medium-diameter wheels on a spring suspension; it needed to be replaced with a torsion bar. The torsion bar suspension, compared to the spring one, ensured smoother movement of the tank and had a greater vertical travel of the road wheels. Krupp engineers, together with representatives of the Arms Procurement Directorate, agreed on the possibility of using an improved design of spring suspension on the tank with eight small-diameter road wheels on board. However, the Krupp company largely had to revise the proposed original design. In the final version, the PzKpfw IV was a combination of the hull and turret of the VK 2001/K with a chassis newly developed by Krupp.

The PzKpfw IV tank is designed according to the classic layout with a rear engine. The commander's position was located along the axis of the tower directly under the commander's cupola, the gunner was located to the left of the breech of the gun, and the loader was to the right. In the control compartment, located in the front part of the tank hull, there were workstations for the driver (to the left of the vehicle axis) and the radio operator (to the right). Between the driver's and gunner's seats there was a transmission. An interesting feature of the tank’s design was the displacement of the turret by about 8 cm to the left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and the engine by 15 cm to the right to allow passage of the shaft connecting the engine and transmission. This design decision made it possible to increase the internal reserved volume on the right side of the hull to accommodate the first shots, which could be most easily reached by the loader. The turret rotation drive is electric.

The suspension and chassis consisted of eight small-diameter road wheels grouped into two-wheeled bogies suspended on leaf springs, drive wheels, sloths installed in the rear of the tank, and four rollers supporting the track. Throughout the entire history of operation of the PzKpfw IV tanks, their chassis remained unchanged, only minor improvements were introduced. The prototype of the tank was manufactured at the Krupp plant in Essen and was tested in 1935-36.

Description of the PzKpfw IV tank

Armor protection.
In 1942, consulting engineers Mertz and McLillan conducted a detailed examination of the captured PzKpfw IV Ausf.E tank, in particular, they carefully studied its armor.

– Several armor plates were tested for hardness, all of them were machined. The hardness of the machined armor plates on the outside and inside was 300-460 Brinell.
– The 20 mm thick applied armor plates, which reinforce the armor of the hull sides, are made of homogeneous steel and have a hardness of about 370 Brinell. The reinforced side armor is not capable of “holding” 2 pound shells fired from 1000 yards.

On the other hand, shelling of a tank carried out in the Middle East in June 1941 showed that a distance of 500 yards (457 m) can be considered as the limit for effectively hitting a PzKpfw IV in the frontal area with fire from a 2-pounder gun. A report prepared in Woolwich on a study of the armor protection of a German tank notes that “the armor is 10% better than similar machined English armor, and in some respects even better than homogeneous.”

At the same time, the method of connecting armor plates was criticized; a specialist from Leyland Motors commented on his research: “The quality of the welding is poor, the welds of two of the three armor plates in the area where the projectile hit came apart.”

Power point.

The Maybach engine is designed to operate in moderate climatic conditions, where its performance is satisfactory. At the same time, in tropical or highly dusty conditions, it breaks down and is prone to overheating. British intelligence, after studying the PzKpfw IV tank captured in 1942, concluded that engine failures were caused by sand getting into the oil system, distributor, dynamo and starter; air filters are inadequate. There have been frequent cases of sand getting into the carburetor.

The Maybach engine operating manual requires the use of gasoline with an octane rating of 74 only, with a complete lubricant change after 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 km. The recommended engine speed under normal operating conditions is 2600 rpm, but in hot climates (southern regions of the USSR and North Africa) this speed does not provide normal cooling. Using the engine as a brake is permissible at 2200-2400 rpm; at a speed of 2600-3000 this mode should be avoided.

The main components of the cooling system were two radiators installed at an angle of 25 degrees to the horizontal. The radiators were cooled by an air flow forced by two fans; The fans are driven by a belt from the main engine shaft. Water circulation in the cooling system was ensured by a centrifuge pump. Air entered the engine compartment through an opening on the right side of the hull, covered by an armored damper, and was exhausted out through a similar opening on the left side.

The synchro-mechanical transmission proved efficient, although pulling force in high gears was low, so 6th gear was used only for highway driving. The output shafts are combined with the braking and turning mechanism into a single device. To cool this device, a fan was installed to the left of the clutch box. The simultaneous release of the steering control levers could be used as an effective parking brake.

On tanks of later versions, the spring suspension of the road wheels was heavily overloaded, but replacing the damaged two-wheeled bogie seemed to be a fairly simple operation. The track tension was regulated by the position of the idler mounted on the eccentric. On the Eastern Front, special track extenders known as “Ostketten” were used, which improved the maneuverability of tanks in the winter months of the year.

German medium tank PzKpfw IV Ausf. B on the training ground during an exercise.

An extremely simple but effective device for putting on a slipped track was tested on an experimental PzKpfw IV tank. It was a factory-made tape that had the same width as the tracks and was perforated to engage with the drive wheel ring gear. One end of the tape was attached to the slipped track, and the other, after it was passed over the rollers, to the drive wheel. The motor turned on, the drive wheel began to rotate, pulling the tape and the tracks attached to it until the rims of the drive wheel entered the slots on the tracks. The whole operation took a few minutes.

The engine was started by a 24-volt electric starter. Since the auxiliary electric generator saved battery power, it was possible to try to start the engine more times on the “four” than on the PzKpfw III tank. In case of starter failure, or when the lubricant thickened in severe frost, an inertial starter was used, the handle of which was connected to the engine shaft through a hole in the rear armor plate. The handle was turned by two people at the same time; the minimum number of turns of the handle required to start the engine was 60 rpm. Starting the engine from an inertia starter has become commonplace in the Russian winter. The minimum temperature of the engine at which it began to operate normally was t = 50 degrees C with a shaft rotation of 2000 rpm.

To facilitate engine starting in the cold climate of the Eastern Front, a special system was developed known as the “Kuhlwasserubertragung” - a cold water heat exchanger. After the engine of one tank was started and warmed up to normal temperature, warm water from it was pumped into the cooling system of the next tank, and cold water flowed to the already running motor - an exchange of coolants between the running and non-running motors took place. After the warm water warmed up the engine somewhat, you could try starting the engine with an electric starter. The “Kuhlwasserubertragung” system required minor modifications to the tank’s cooling system.

Guns and optics.

Installed on early models tank PzKpfw IV 75-mm howitzer L/24 had a barrel with 28 grooves 0.85 mm deep and a semi-automatic vertical sliding bolt. The gun was equipped with a clinometric sight, which, if necessary, allowed the tank to fire targeted shooting from closed positions. The barrel recoil cylinder protruded beyond the gun mantlet and covered most gun barrel. The gun cradle was heavier than required, resulting in a slight imbalance in the turret.

Ammunition included tank gun included high-explosive, anti-tank, smoke and grapeshot shells. The gunner aimed the cannon and the coaxial machine gun at the elevation angle, rotating a special steering wheel with his left hand. The turret could be deployed either electrically by switching a toggle switch, or manually, for which a steering wheel mounted to the right of the weapon vertical guidance mechanism was used. Both the gunner and the loader could deploy the turret manually; maximum speed manual rotation of the turret by the efforts of the gunner was 1.9 g/s, and by the gunner – 2.6 g/s.

The electric drive for turning the tower is mounted on the left side of the tower, the turning speed is controlled manually, the maximum turning speed using an electric drive reaches 14 g/s (about two times lower than on British tanks), minimum -0.14 g/s. Since the motor responds to control signals with a delay, it is difficult to track a moving target while rotating the turret using an electric drive. The gun is fired using an electric trigger, the button of which is mounted on the steering wheel of the manual drive for turning the turret. The barrel recoil mechanism after a shot has a hydropneumatic shock absorber. The tower is equipped with various instruments and devices that provide safe working conditions for crew members.

German tank PzKpfw IV Ausf. G on the march in Normandy.

The installation of long-barreled L/43 and L/48 guns instead of the short-barreled L/24 led to an imbalance in the turret gun mount (the barrel outweighed the breech), and a special spring had to be installed to compensate for the increased weight of the barrel; the spring was installed in a metal cylinder in the right front segment of the tower. More powerful guns also had stronger recoil when fired, which required redesigning the recoil mechanism, which became wider and longer, but despite the modifications, the recoil of the barrel after a shot still increased by 50 mm compared to the recoil of the barrel of a 24-caliber gun. When performing marches under your own power or during transportation by rail In order to slightly increase the free internal volume, the 43- and 48-caliber guns were raised at an angle of 16 degrees and fixed in this position with a special external folding support

The telescopic sight of the long-barreled 75 mm gun had two rotating scales and for its time had enough high level integration. The first scale, the distance scale, rotated around its axis; aiming marks for firing from a cannon and machine gun were applied to the scale in different quadrants; the scale for firing high-explosive shells (Gr34) and for firing from a machine gun was graduated within the range of 0-3200 m, while the scales for firing armor-piercing shells (PzGr39 and PzGr40) were graduated, respectively, at distances of 0-2400 m and 0-1400 m The second scale, the sighting scale, shifted in the vertical plane. Both scales could move simultaneously, the sight scale raised or lowered, and the distance scale rotated. To hit the selected target, the distance scale was rotated until the required mark was positioned opposite the mark at the top of the sight, and the sight scale mark was superimposed on the target by turning the turret and pointing the gun in the vertical plane.

German medium tanks PzKpfw IV Ausf H during an exercise to practice crew interaction. Germany, June 1944

In many respects, the PzKpfw IV tank was a perfect fighting vehicle for its time. Inside the commander's turret of the tank, a scale was applied, graduated in the range from 1 to 12, in each sector it was divided by divisions into another 24 intervals. When the turret was turned, due to a special gear transmission, the commander's cupola rotated in the opposite direction at the same speed so that the number 12 constantly remained on center line machine body. This design made it easier for the commander to find the next target and point the direction towards it to the gunner. An indicator was installed to the left of the gunner's position, repeating the breakdown of the scale of the commander's cupola and rotating in the same way. After receiving a command from the commander, the gunner turned the turret in the indicated direction (for example, 10 o’clock), checking the repeater scale, and after visually detecting the target, he aimed the gun at it.

The driver had a turret rotation indicator in the form of two blue lights, indicating in which direction the gun was deployed. It was important for the driver to know in which direction the gun barrel was pointed, so as not to catch it on any obstacle while moving. On PzKpfw IV tanks of the latest modifications, warning lights were not installed for the driver.

The tank's ammunition load, armed with a cannon with a 24-caliber barrel, consisted of 80 cannon shells and 2,700 machine gun rounds. On tanks with long-barreled guns, the ammunition load was 87 shells and 3,150 rounds of ammunition. It was not easy for the loader to get to most of the ammunition. The ammunition for the machine guns was in drum-type magazines with a capacity of 150 rounds. In general, the German tank was inferior to the British in terms of ease of placement of ammunition. The installation of the front-mounted machine gun on the “four” was unbalanced; the barrel was outweighed; to correct this shortcoming it was necessary to install a balancing spring. For emergency escape from the control compartment, there was a round hatch with a diameter of 43 cm in the floor under the radio operator’s seat.

On early versions of the PzKpfw IV, guides for smoke grenades were mounted on the rear armor plate; each guide carried up to five grenades held by springs. The tank commander could launch grenades, either individually or in series. The launch was carried out by means of a wire rod; each jerk of the rod caused the rod to rotate 1/5 of a full turn and released another spring. After the appearance of smoke grenade launchers of a new design, which were mounted on the sides of the turret, the old system was abandoned. The commander's cupola was equipped with armored shutters that covered observation glass blocks; the armored shutters could be installed in three positions: completely closed, fully open and intermediate. The driver's inspection glass block was also closed with an armored shutter. German optics of that time had a slight greenish tint.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.A (Sonderkraftfahrzeug – Sd.Kfz.161)

The first in 1936 in mass production The Ausfurung A model was launched at the Krupp plant in Magdeburg-Buckau. Structurally and technologically, the vehicle was similar to the PzKpfw III tank: chassis, hull, hull superstructure, turret. The Ausf.A tanks were equipped with 12-cylinder Maybach HL108TR internal combustion engines with a power of 250 hp. The ZF “Allklauen SFG 75” transmission had five forward gears and one reverse gear.

The tank's armament consisted of a 75 mm gun and a coaxial 7.92 mm machine gun; another 7.92 mm machine gun was installed in the tank's hull; ammunition - 122 rounds for the cannon and 3000 rounds for two machine guns. Observation devices covered by armored shutters were located in the frontal plate of the turret, to the left and right of the gun mantlet and in the side turret hatches; in addition, there was one embrasure on the sides of the turret (also closed by an armored shutter) for firing from personal weapons.

A commander's cupola of a simple cylindrical shape, which had eight viewing slots, was mounted at the rear of the tower roof. The turret had a single-leaf hinged hatch. The turn of the turret was controlled by the gunner; the electric turn drive was powered by a two-stroke auxiliary electric generator “DKW” installed in the left side of the engine compartment. The electric generator made it possible not to waste energy on turning the tower batteries and saved the life of the main engine. The engine compartment was separated from the combat compartment by a fire partition, which had a hatch for access to the engine from inside the tank. Three fuel tanks with a total capacity of 453 liters were located under the floor of the fighting compartment.

The positions of the radio operator and driver were located in the front of the tank; in the roof of the hull above the seats of both crew members there were double hatches with holes in the covers for launching signal flares; the holes were closed with armored flaps. The thickness of the Ausf.A tank's hull armor was 14.5 mm, the turret was 20 mm, the tank's weight was 17.3 tons, and its maximum speed was 30 km/h. A total of 35 vehicles of the Ausf.A modification were manufactured; Chassis no. 80101 – 80135.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.B

The production of cars of the “Ausfurung B” model began in 1937, a large number of changes were made to the design of the new modification, the main innovation was the installation of a 320-horsepower Maybach HL120TR engine and a transmission with six forward speeds and one reverse. The thickness of the armor in the frontal part was also increased to 30 mm; on some tanks they began to install commander's turrets of a more advanced form with observation devices covered by armored shutters.

The installation of a course machine gun at the radio operator's gunner was eliminated; instead of a machine gun, a viewing slot and an embrasure for firing a pistol appeared; embrasures for firing from personal weapons were also made in the side turret hatches under the observation devices; The driver's and radio operator's hatches became single-leaf. The weight of the Ausf.B tank increased to 17.7 tons, but due to the use of a more powerful engine, the maximum speed also increased to 40 km/h. A total of 45 PzKpfw IV Ausf.B tanks were built; Chassis no. 80201-80300.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.S

In 1938, the “Ausfurung C” modification appeared; 134 copies of this model were already built (chassis no. 80301-80500). Externally, the Ausf.A, B and C tanks were practically no different from each other, perhaps the only external difference between the Ausf.C tank and the Ausf. B became an armored mantlet for a coaxial machine gun, which was absent on previous models of tanks.

On tanks PzKpfw IV Ausf. From later releases, a special frame was mounted under the gun barrel, which served to deflect the antenna when the turret was turned to the right; similar deflectors were mounted on Ausf.A and Ausf.B vehicles. The armor protection of the frontal part of the turret of the Ausf.C tank was increased to 30 mm, and the weight of the vehicle increased to 18.5 tons, although the maximum speed on the highway remained the same - 35 km/h.

The tank was equipped with a modernized Maybach HL120TRM engine of the same power; this engine became standard for all subsequent variants of the PzKpfw IV.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.D

The turret armament of the Ausf.A, B and C tanks was mounted in an internal mantlet, which could easily be jammed by shell fragments; Since 1939, the production of “Ausfurung D” tanks, which had an external mantlet, began; tanks of this modification again had a front-facing machine gun; the embrasure for firing a pistol through the frontal armor plate of the hull was shifted closer to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

The thickness of the armor on the sides and rear of the hull was increased to 20 mm; tanks of later production were fitted with overhead armor, which was bolted to the hull and superstructure or welded on.

As a result of various modifications, the weight of the tank increased to 20 tons. Before the start of World War II, only 45 Ausfurung D tanks were produced; in total, 229 vehicles of this modification were built (chassis no. 80501-80748) - more than Ausf.A, B and C tanks combined. Some PzKpfw IV Ausf.D tanks were subsequently equipped with 75-mm cannons with a barrel length of 48 calibers; these vehicles were used mainly in training units.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.E

The next step in the development of tanks of the PzKpfw IV family was the “Ausfurung E” model, with increased armor in the frontal part of the hull due to the installation of 30 mm screens (total thickness - 50 mm), the sides of the hull were increased with 20 mm thick screens. The weight of the Ausf.E tank was already 21 tons. During factory repairs, applied armor began to be installed on the “fours” of earlier modifications.

On the PzKpfw IV Ausf.E tanks, the commander's cupola was moved slightly forward, and its armor was increased from 50 mm to 95 mm; New design support rollers and simplified drive wheels were installed. Other innovations include a driver's observation device with a larger glass area, and a smoke grenade launcher mounted in the rear of the hull ( similar installations vehicles of previous models also began to be installed), hatches for inspection of brakes are made flush with the upper armor plate of the hull (on Ausf.A-D the hatches protruded above the armor plate and there were cases when they were torn off by anti-tank rifle bullets). Serial production of Ausf.E model tanks began in December 1939 224 vehicles of this modification were manufactured (chassis no. 80801-81500), before in April 1941 production switched to the production of the next variant - “Ausfurung F”.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.F1

The PzKpfw IV Ausf.F tanks had a thickness of integral frontal armor of the hull and turret of 50 mm, and sides of 30 mm; overhead armored screens were missing. The turret's armor was 50 mm thick at the front, 30 mm thick at the sides and rear, and the gun mantlet was also 50 mm thick. The increased armor protection did not leave its mark on the mass of the tank, which again increased to 22.3 tons. As a result, the specific load on the ground went beyond the permissible limits; instead of tracks with a track width of 380 mm, it was necessary to use a track with tracks 400 mm wide and carry out the appropriate modifications to drive wheels and idlers.

On early production vehicles, new tracks were installed after inserting expansion inserts into the drive wheels and idlers. Instead of a single-leaf hatch, the commander's turrets of the Ausf.F tanks received double-leaf hatches, and a large box for equipment began to be mounted on the rear walls of the turrets at the factory; The course machine gun was mounted in a Kugelblende-50 ball mount of a new design. A total of 462 PzKpfw IV Ausf.F tanks were manufactured.

In addition to the Krupp company, Ausf.F models were produced by the Vomag factories (64 tanks assembled, chassis nos. 82501-82395) and Nibelungwerke (13 vehicles 82601-82613). Tank chassis No. produced by the Krupp plant in Magdeburg is 82001-82395. Later, the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch joined the production of PzKpfw IV tanks, and the Vomag company (“Vogtiandischie Maschinenfabrik AG”) in 1940-41. built a new plant in Plauen specifically for the production of fours.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.F2 (Sd.Kfz.161/1)

In the months leading up to the start of Operation Barbarossa, the possibility of arming the PzKpfw IV tanks with a 50-mm gun with a 42-caliber barrel length, similar to that installed on the PzKpfw III tanks, was considered. Hitler became extremely interested in this project, since it was possible to transfer the “four” from the category of fire support vehicles to the category of main battle tanks. However, the experience of the war in Russia made obvious not only the fact that the German 50-mm gun is inferior to the 76-mm Soviet one, but also the complete inability of a 50-mm cannon with a 42-caliber barrel to penetrate armor Soviet tanks. It seemed more promising to arm PzKpfw IV tanks with 50-mm guns with a barrel length of 60 calibers, one such experimental machine was built.

The history of tank armament has fully demonstrated Germany’s unpreparedness for waging a long war, and the lack of ready-made projects for second-generation tanks also speaks to this. The morale of the Panzerwaffe soldiers and officers was greatly affected by the unpleasant discovery of the overwhelming superiority in the characteristics of the tanks in service with the Red Army.

The problem of restoring parity has acquired exceptional importance. PzKpfw III tanks began to be armed with guns with a barrel length of 60 calibers, since the turret ring of the “four” had a larger diameter than the shoulder strap of the “troika”, then if a 50-mm gun with a barrel length of 60 calibers was installed on the PzKpfw IV, the result was a chassis that was too large and too small gun. The turret of the “four” could withstand a recoil impulse greater than that of a short-barreled 75-mm gun, and it was possible to install a 75-mm gun with high pressure in the bore.

The choice was made in favor of the 75-mm KwK40 cannon with a 43-caliber barrel length and a muzzle brake, the projectile of which could penetrate armor up to 89 mm thick at an impact angle of 30 degrees. After such guns began to be installed on the PzKpfw IV, the designation of the vehicle changed to “Ausfuhrung F2”, while vehicles of the same modification, but armed with short-barreled guns, received the designation “Ausfuhrung F1”.

The gun's ammunition consisted of 87 shells, 32 of which were placed in the hull superstructure, 33 in the tank hull. Among the smaller external differences of the Ausfuhrung F2 tanks is the absence of observation devices in the side turret hatches and an enlarged armored casing of the recoil mechanism.

The “Ausfuhrung F2” tanks entered service at the beginning of 1942 and proved in practice their ability to fight the Soviet T-34 and KB, although the armor of the “fours” was still insufficient by the standards of the Eastern Front. The tank's weight, which increased to 23.6 tons, somewhat worsened its characteristics.

25 PzKpfw IV Ausf tanks were converted into the “Ausfuhrung F2” variant. F, about 180 more vehicles were built from scratch, production ceased in the summer of 1942. Chassis no. of tanks built by Krupp - 82396-82500, chassis no. of tanks built by Vomag - 82565-82600, chassis no. of tanks built Nibelungwerke - 82614-82700.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.G (Sd.Kfz.161/1 and 161/2)

Attempts to improve the tank’s protection led to the appearance of the “Ausfuhrung G” modification at the end of 1942. The designers knew that the weight limit that the chassis could withstand had already been chosen, so they had to make a compromise solution - dismantling the 20-mm side screens that were installed on all “fours”, starting with the “E” model, while simultaneously increasing the base hull armor to 30 mm, and due to the saved weight, install 30 mm thick overhead screens in the frontal part.

Another measure to increase the tank’s security was the installation of removable anti-cumulative screens (“schurzen”) 5 mm thick on the sides of the hull and turret; adding screens increased the weight of the vehicle by about 500 kg. In addition, the gun's single-chamber muzzle brake was replaced with a more effective two-chamber one. Appearance The vehicle also underwent a number of other changes: instead of a rear smoke launcher, built-in blocks of smoke grenade launchers began to be mounted in the corners of the turret, and the holes for launching signal flares in the driver and gunner hatches were eliminated.

By the end of the serial production of the PzKpfw IV “Ausfuhrung G” tanks, their standard main weapon became a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 48 calibers, and the commander’s cupola hatch became single-leaf. The PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tanks of later production are almost identical in appearance to the early vehicles of the Ausf.N modification. From May 1942 to June 1943, 1687 tanks of the Ausf.G model were manufactured, an impressive figure considering that in five years, from the end of 1937 to the summer of 1942, 1300 PzKpfw IV of all modifications were built (Ausf.A -F2), chassis No. – 82701-84400.

In 1944 it was manufactured tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.G with hydrostatic drive of the drive wheels. The drive design was developed by specialists from the Tsanradfabrik company in Augsburg. The main Maybach engine drove two oil pumps, which in turn activated two hydraulic motors connected by output shafts to the drive wheels. The entire power plant was located in the rear of the hull; accordingly, the drive wheels had a rear location, rather than the front one, which is usual for the PzKpfw IV. The speed of the tank was controlled by the driver, controlling the oil pressure created by the pumps.

After the war, the experimental machine came to the USA and was tested by specialists from the Vickers company from Detroit, this company at that time was engaged in work in the field of hydrostatic drives. The tests had to be interrupted due to material failures and a lack of spare parts. Currently, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tank with hydrostatic drive wheels is on display in the US Army Tank Museum, Aberdeen, USA. Maryland.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.H (Sd.Kfz. 161/2)

The installation of a long-barreled 75 mm gun turned out to be a rather controversial measure. The gun led to excessive overload of the front part of the tank, the front springs were under constant pressure, and the tank acquired a tendency to sway even when moving on a flat surface. It was possible to get rid of the unpleasant effect with the “Ausfuhrung H” modification, which was put into production in March 1943.

On tanks of this model, the integral armor of the frontal part of the hull, superstructure and turret was strengthened to 80 mm. The PzKpfw IV Ausf.H tank weighed 26 tons and even despite the use of the new SSG-77 transmission, its characteristics turned out to be lower than those of the “fours” of previous models, so the speed of movement over rough terrain decreased by no less than 15 km, the specific pressure on the ground, the acceleration characteristics of the vehicle dropped. A hydrostatic transmission was tested on the experimental PzKpfw IV Ausf.H tank, but tanks with such a transmission did not go into mass production.

During the production process, many minor modifications were introduced to the Ausf.H model tanks, in particular, they began to install all-steel rollers without rubber, the shape of the drive wheels and idlers changed, commander's turret a turret for the MG-34 anti-aircraft machine gun (“Fligerbeschussgerat 42” – installation) appeared anti-aircraft machine gun), the tower embrasures for firing pistols and the hole in the roof of the tower for launching signal flares were eliminated.

Ausf.H tanks were the first “fours” to use Zimmerit antimagnetic coating; Only the vertical surfaces of the tank were supposed to be covered with zimmerit, but in practice the coating was applied to all surfaces that could be reached by an infantryman standing on the ground; on the other hand, there were also tanks on which only the forehead of the hull and superstructure were covered with zimmerit. Zimmerit was applied both in factories and in the field.

Tanks of the Ausf.H modification became the most popular among all PzKpfw IV models, 3,774 of them were built, production ceased in the summer of 1944. Factory chassis numbers - 84401-89600, some of these chassis served as the basis for the construction of assault guns.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.J (Sd.Kfz.161/2)

The last model launched into the series was the “Ausfuhrung J” modification. Vehicles of this variant began to enter service in June 1944. From a design point of view, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.J represented a step back.

Instead of an electric drive for turning the tower, a manual one was installed, but it became possible to place an additional fuel tank capacity 200 l. The increase in the cruising range on the highway from 220 km to 300 km (on the off-road - from 130 km to 180 km) due to the placement of additional fuel seemed extremely important decision, since panzer divisions increasingly played the role of “fire brigades”, which were transferred from one sector of the Eastern Front to another.

An attempt to somewhat reduce the weight of the tank was the installation of welded wire anti-cumulative screens; such screens were called “Tom screens”, after the surname of General Tom). Such screens were installed only on the sides of the hull, and the previous screens made of sheet steel remained on the towers. On tanks of late production, instead of four rollers, three were installed, and vehicles were also produced with steel road wheels without rubber

Almost all modifications were aimed at reducing the labor intensity of manufacturing tanks, including: the elimination of all embrasures on the tank for firing pistols and extra viewing slots (only the driver's, in the commander's cupola and in the frontal armor plate of the tower remained), installation of simplified towing loops , replacing the muffler with an exhaust system with two simple pipes. Another attempt to improve the vehicle's security was to increase the armor of the turret roof by 18 mm and the rear armor by 26 mm.

Production of PzKpfw IV Ausf.J tanks ceased in March 1945; a total of 1,758 vehicles were built.

By 1944, it became clear that the design of the tank had exhausted all reserves for modernization; a revolutionary attempt to increase the combat effectiveness of the PzKpfw IV by installing a turret from the Panther tank, armed with a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 70 calibers, was not crowned with success - the chassis turned out to be too overloaded. Before installing the Panther turret, the designers tried to squeeze the Panther cannon into the turret of the PzKpfw IV tank. The installation of a wooden model of the gun showed the complete impossibility of crew members working in the turret due to the tightness created by the breech of the gun. As a consequence of this failure, the idea was born to mount the entire turret from the Panther on the Pz.IV hull.

Due to the constant modernization of tanks during factory repairs, it is not possible to accurately determine how many tanks of one modification or another were built. Very often there were various hybrid options, for example, turrets from Ausf.G were installed on the hulls of the Ausf.D model.

Tactical and technical characteristics of Pz IV tanks

According to the provisions Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from building tanks and creating armored forces. However, the Germans did not at all strive to thoroughly implement the points of the agreement, which they considered humiliating for themselves. Therefore, long before the Nazis came to power, the German military began to actively develop a doctrine for the use of tank units in modern warfare. It was more difficult to implement theoretical developments in practice, but the Germans succeeded in this too: it is widely known that during exercises and maneuvers, mock-ups built on the basis of cars or even bicycles were used as tanks. And the tanks themselves were developed under the guise of agricultural tractors and tested abroad.

After power passed to the Nazis, Germany refused to comply with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. By this time, the country’s armored doctrine had already taken shape quite clearly, and it was, figuratively speaking, a matter of translating the Panzerwaffe into metal.

The first German production tanks: Pz.Kpfw I and Pz.Kpfw II were vehicles that even the Germans themselves perceived as more of a transition to “real” tanks. The Pz.Kpfw I was generally considered a training one, even though it happened to take part in hostilities in Spain, Poland, France, North Africa and the USSR.

In 1936, the first copies of the Pz.Kpfw medium tank entered service with the troops. III, armed with 37 mm anti-tank gun and protected in the frontal and side projections by armor 15 mm thick. This fighting machine was already a fully-fledged tank that met the requirements of the time. At the same time, due to the small caliber of the gun, it could not fight against fortified enemy firing points and engineering structures.

In 1934, the army issued a task to industry to develop a fire support tank, which was to be armed with a 75-mm cannon with ammunition high explosive shells. This tank was originally developed as a battalion commander's vehicle, which is where its first designation came from - BW (Batallionführerwagen). Work on the tank was carried out by three competing companies: Rheinmetall-Borsig, MAN and Krupp AG. The Krupp project VK 20.01 was recognized as the best, but it was not allowed into mass production due to the fact that the design of the tank used a chassis with spring suspension. The military demanded the use of a torsion bar suspension, which provided smoother movement and better maneuverability of the combat vehicle. Krupp engineers managed to reach a compromise with the Armament Directorate, proposing to use a version of the spring suspension with eight dual road wheels, almost completely borrowed from the experienced multi-turreted Nb.Fz tank.

An order for the production of a new tank, designated Vs.Kfz. 618, received by Krupp in 1935. In April 1936, the vehicle was renamed Pz.Kpfw IV. The first samples of the “zero” series were produced at Krupp factories in Essen, and in the fall of 1937 production was moved to Magdeburg, where production of the Ausf modification began. A.

Pz.Kpfw. IV was a classically designed vehicle with an engine compartment at the rear of the hull. The transmission was located in front, between the driver’s and radio operator’s workstations. Due to the design of the rotating mechanism, the tank's turret was shifted slightly to the left relative to the longitudinal axis. The chassis on each side consisted of four sprung bogies with four rollers on each of them. The drive wheel was at the front. Note that throughout the entire history of the Pz.Kpfw IV, no significant changes were made to the design of the chassis.

The first modification of the vehicle, Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.A, was equipped with a Maybach HL108TR carburetor engine with a power of 250 hp. s., located closer to the right side of the body.

The armor of the "A" modification hull was 20 mm in the frontal projection and 15 mm in the side and rear projections. The thickness of the turret armor was 30 mm at the front, 20 mm at the side and 10 mm at the rear. The commander's cupola of a characteristic cylindrical shape was located in the rear of the tower in the middle. For observation, it was equipped with six viewing slits covered with armored glass.

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.A was armed with a 75-mm short-barreled KwK 37 L|24 cannon and two MG34 machine guns of 7.92 mm caliber: coaxial with the cannon and a course gun, located in a ball mount in the frontal armor plate of the hull. The armor plate itself had a broken shape. The presence of this machine gun, along with a cylindrical commander’s cupola, is distinguishing feature first modification of the Pz.Kpfw. IV. In total, until June 1938, 35 A-series vehicles were produced.

Pz.Kpfw. IV was destined to become the main vehicle of the German armored forces. Its last modification was produced from June 1944 to March 1945. The scope of the article does not allow us to dwell in detail on each change in the design of this tank, so we will briefly consider the main modernizations and improvements that were carried out by German engineers throughout the long journey of the “four”.

In May 1938, production of the Pz.Kpfw version began. IV Ausf.B. Its main difference from the previous version was the use of a direct armor plate in the frontal part of the hull and the elimination of the forward machine gun. Instead, an additional viewing slot for the radio operator and an embrasure through which he could fire from personal weapons appeared in the body. The viewing slots of the commander's cupola received armored shutters. Instead of a 5-speed gearbox, a 6-speed one was used. The engine has also changed: now to the Pz.Kpfw. IV began installing a Maybach HL120TR engine with a power of 300 hp. With. The hull armor was strengthened, and now the “four” was protected by 30 millimeters of steel in the frontal projection of the hull and turret. The frontal armor of the turret was somewhat thinner, its thickness was 25 mm. By October 1938, 42 vehicles of this modification had been built.

Pz.Kpfw series. IV Ausf.C received a new Maybach HL120TRM engine. This engine, like the previous one, had a power of 300 hp. With. and was installed on all subsequent modifications of the Pz IV. Modification “C” was produced from April 1938 to August 1939. Following it, the “D” series entered the production lines, on which they again began to use a broken-shaped frontal armor plate with a frontal machine gun. Since 1940, the Ausf.D's frontal armor has been reinforced with an additional 30 mm plate. In 1941, some vehicles of this series were equipped with a 50 mm cannon. Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.D was also built in a tropical modification.

In the E series tanks, produced from April 1940 to April 1941, the designers continued to increase the armor. The 30-mm frontal armor of the hull was additionally reinforced with a plate of the same thickness. The course machine gun was now mounted in a ball mount. The shape of the tower also underwent minor changes.

The latest modification of the “four” with a short-barreled 75-mm cannon was the “F” version. Now the frontal armor of the vehicle reached 50 mm on the hull and 30 mm on the turret. Since 1942, tanks of the Ausf.F series began to be equipped with a long-barreled KwK 40 L/43 cannon of 75 mm caliber. In this version the vehicle received the designation Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.F2.

In March 1942, production of the Pz.Kpfw modification began. IV Ausf.G. It did not differ much from the previous version of the tank. Later vehicles in this series used wider “eastern” tracks, additional frontal armor and side screens. About 400 of the last "fours" of the "G" series were armed with a 75 mm KwK 40 L/43 cannon, and from February 1943 they began to be equipped with a 75 mm KwK 40 L/48 cannon. Based on Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.G prototype was developed self-propelled gun Hummel.

In June 1942, work began on the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.H. The frontal armor of this tank reached 80 mm. Armored screens 5 mm thick were installed on the sides. The commander's cupola housed an anti-aircraft turret for a 7.92 mm machine gun. The tank was coated with zimmerit, a material that made it difficult to attach to the hull magnetic mines. As the main weapon on the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.H used a 75 mm KwK 40 L/48 gun.

In February 1944, production began of the latest modification of the “four” - Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf.J. This tank did not have a turret rotation motor, and the turning mechanism was operated manually. The design of the support and support rollers has been simplified. Due to the installation of screens, the side viewing slots were removed, rendering them useless. Cars of different series had minor differences in internal equipment.

In general, researchers deservedly consider the Pz.Kpfw. IV most versatile German tank Second World War. The designers included in it a modernization potential sufficient for the tank to remain a full-fledged combat unit throughout the entire period of its existence. This is evidenced, among other things, by the fact that this tank was in service with a number of countries until the 60s of the 20th century.

Attempts to improve the tank's protection led to the appearance of the "Ausfuhrung G" modification at the end of 1942. The designers knew that the weight limit that the chassis could withstand had already been chosen, so they had to make a compromise solution - dismantling the 20-mm side screens that were installed on all “fours”, starting with the “E” model, while simultaneously increasing the base armor of the hull to 30 mm, and due to the saved weight, install 30 mm thick overhead screens in the frontal part.

Another measure to increase the tank's security was the installation of removable anti-cumulative screens ("schurzen") 5 mm thick on the sides of the hull and turret; adding screens increased the weight of the vehicle by about 500 kg. In addition, the gun's single-chamber muzzle brake was replaced with a more effective two-chamber one. The appearance of the vehicle also underwent a number of other changes: instead of the aft smoke launcher, built-in blocks of smoke grenade launchers began to be mounted in the corners of the turret, and the openings for launching flares in the driver and gunner hatches were eliminated.

By the end of the serial production of the PzKpfw IV "Ausfuhrung G" tanks, their standard main weapon became a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 48 calibers, and the commander's cupola hatch became single-leaf. The PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tanks of later production are almost identical in appearance to the early vehicles of the Ausf.N modification. From May 1942 to June 1943, 1687 tanks of the Ausf.G model were manufactured, an impressive figure considering that in five years, from the end of 1937 to the summer of 1942, 1300 PzKpfw IV of all modifications were built (Ausf.A -F2), chassis No. - 82701-84400.

In 1944 it was manufactured tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.G with hydrostatic drive of the drive wheels. The drive design was developed by specialists from the Tsanradfabrik company in Augsburg. The main Maybach engine drove two oil pumps, which in turn activated two hydraulic motors connected by output shafts to the drive wheels. The entire power plant was located in the rear of the hull; accordingly, the drive wheels had a rear location, rather than the front one, which is usual for the PzKpfw IV. The speed of the tank was controlled by the driver, controlling the oil pressure created by the pumps.

After the war, the experimental machine came to the USA and was tested by specialists from the Vickers company from Detroit, this company at that time was engaged in work in the field of hydrostatic drives. The tests had to be interrupted due to material failures and a lack of spare parts. Currently, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.G tank with hydrostatic drive wheels is on display in the US Army Tank Museum, Aberdeen, USA. Maryland.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.H (Sd.Kfz. 161/2)

The installation of a long-barreled 75 mm gun turned out to be a rather controversial measure. The gun led to excessive overload of the front part of the tank, the front springs were under constant pressure, and the tank acquired a tendency to sway even when moving on a flat surface. It was possible to get rid of the unpleasant effect with the “Ausfuhrung H” modification, which was put into production in March 1943.

On tanks of this model, the integral armor of the frontal part of the hull, superstructure and turret was strengthened to 80 mm. The PzKpfw IV Ausf.H tank weighed 26 tons and even despite the use of the new SSG-77 transmission, its characteristics turned out to be lower than those of the “fours” of previous models, so the speed of movement over rough terrain decreased by no less than 15 km, the specific pressure on the ground, the acceleration characteristics of the vehicle dropped. A hydrostatic transmission was tested on the experimental PzKpfw IV Ausf.H tank, but tanks with such a transmission did not go into mass production.

During the production process, many minor modifications were introduced to the Ausf.H model tanks, in particular, they began to install all-steel rollers without rubber, the shape of the drive wheels and idlers changed, a turret for the MG-34 anti-aircraft machine gun appeared on the commander's cupola ("Fligerbeschussgerat 42" - installation of an anti-aircraft machine gun), the tower embrasures for firing pistols and the hole in the roof of the tower for launching signal flares were eliminated.

Ausf.H tanks were the first "fours" to use Zimmerit antimagnetic coating; Only the vertical surfaces of the tank were supposed to be covered with zimmerit, but in practice the coating was applied to all surfaces that could be reached by an infantryman standing on the ground; on the other hand, there were also tanks on which only the forehead of the hull and superstructure were covered with zimmerit. Zimmerit was applied both in factories and in the field.

Tanks of the Ausf.H modification became the most popular among all PzKpfw IV models, 3,774 of them were built, production ceased in the summer of 1944. Factory chassis numbers - 84401-89600, some of these chassis served as the basis for the construction of assault guns.

Tank PzKpfw IV Ausf.J (Sd.Kfz.161/2)

The last model launched into the series was the modification "Ausfuhrung J". Vehicles of this variant began to enter service in June 1944. From a design point of view, the PzKpfw IV Ausf.J represented a step back.

Instead of an electric drive for turning the turret, a manual one was installed, but it became possible to install an additional fuel tank with a capacity of 200 liters. Increasing the cruising range on the highway from 220 km to 300 km (off-road - from 130 km to 180 km) by placing additional fuel seemed to be an extremely important decision, since panzer divisions increasingly played the role of “fire brigades”, which were transferred from one sector of the Eastern Front another.

An attempt to somewhat reduce the weight of the tank was the installation of welded wire anti-cumulative screens; such screens were called “Tom screens”, after the surname of General Tom). Such screens were installed only on the sides of the hull, and the previous screens made of sheet steel remained on the towers. On tanks of late production, three rollers were installed instead of four, and vehicles were also produced with steel road wheels without rubber.

Almost all modifications were aimed at reducing the labor intensity of manufacturing tanks, including: the elimination of all embrasures on the tank for firing pistols and extra viewing slots (only the driver's, in the commander's cupola and in the frontal armor plate of the tower remained), installation of simplified towing loops , replacing the muffler with an exhaust system with two simple pipes. Another attempt to improve the vehicle's security was to increase the armor of the turret roof by 18 mm and the rear armor by 26 mm.

Production of PzKpfw IV Ausf.J tanks ceased in March 1945; a total of 1,758 vehicles were built.

By 1944, it became clear that the design of the tank had exhausted all reserves for modernization; a revolutionary attempt to increase the combat effectiveness of the PzKpfw IV by installing a turret from the Panther tank, armed with a 75-mm gun with a barrel length of 70 calibers, was not crowned with success - the chassis turned out to be too overloaded. Before installing the Panther turret, the designers tried to squeeze the Panther cannon into the turret of the PzKpfw IV tank. The installation of a wooden model of the gun showed the complete impossibility of crew members working in the turret due to the tightness created by the breech of the gun. As a consequence of this failure, the idea was born to mount the entire turret from the Panther on the Pz.IV hull.

Due to the constant modernization of tanks during factory repairs, it is not possible to accurately determine how many tanks of one modification or another were built. Very often there were various hybrid options, for example, turrets from Ausf.G were installed on the hulls of the Ausf.D model.

The decision to develop a medium tank (also called an artillery support tank) with a short-barreled gun was made in January 1934. The following year, Krupp-Gruson, MAN and Rheinmetall-Borsig presented their prototypes for testing. The army team liked Krupp's project. Cars of modification A were produced in 1937, modifications B (the so-called installation batches) - in 1938. Over the next year, 134 modification C tanks were built.

The combat weight of the tanks is 18.4 - 19 tons, the thickness of the armor is up to 30 millimeters, the maximum speed on the highway is 40 km/h, the cruising range is 200 kilometers. The turret was equipped with a 75 mm L/24 caliber cannon (24 caliber) and a coaxial machine gun. Another one was located on the right in the frontal plate of the hull in a ball installation. The design and layout of the tank was basically the same as the average Pz Kpfw III.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.B or Ausf.C during exercises. November 1943

German medium tanks PzKpfw IV Ausf H during an exercise to practice crew interaction. Germany, June 1944

As of September 1, 1939, the Wehrmacht had 211 Pz Kpfw IV tanks. Tank during Polish campaign showed excellent performance, and along with the Pz Kpfw III medium tank, it was approved as the main one. His mass production unfolded in October of the same year. Already in 1940, 278 units were produced. modifications D and E.

At the time of the French invasion in the Western Theater, the German tank divisions had about 280 Pz Kpfw IV tanks. Operation in combat conditions showed that the armor protection was insufficient. As a result, the thickness of the frontal sheets was increased to 60 mm, the sides to 40 mm, and the turret to 50 mm. As a result, the combat weight of modifications E and F, which were produced in 40-41, increased to 22 tons. To maintain the specific pressure within acceptable limits, the width of the tracks was slightly increased - to 400 millimeters from 380.

The German “fours” lost fire fights with Soviet-made KB and T-34 tanks due to inadequate weapon characteristics. Starting in the spring of 1942, 75-mm long-barreled guns (L/43) began to be installed on the Pz Kpfw IV. starting speed sub-caliber projectile was 920 meters per second. This is how the Sd Kfz 161/1 (modification F2) appeared, which was even superior in armament to the T-34-76. Modification G was produced in 1942-1943, N - from 1943 and J - from June 44 (all modifications were coded as Sd Kfz 161/2). The last two modifications turned out to be the most advanced. The thickness of the frontal armor plates was increased to 80 millimeters. The power of the gun increased: the barrel length was 48 calibers. The weight increased to 25 thousand kg. Ausf J at one gas station could travel along the highway for a distance of up to 320 kilometers. Since 1943, 5-mm screens have become mandatory on all tanks, which protected the sides and turret at the rear and sides from anti-tank rifle bullets and cumulative shells.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.E. Yugoslavia, 1941

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F. Finland, 1941

The welded hull of the tank was simple in design, although it did not differ in the rational slope of the armor plates. A large number of hatches made it easier to access various mechanisms and assemblies, but at the same time reduced the strength of the hull. Partitions divided the interior space into three compartments. The control department occupied the front compartment, which housed the gearboxes: onboard and general. The driver and radio operator were located in the same compartment; both had their own surveillance devices. The multifaceted tower and the middle compartment were allocated for fighting compartment. The main armament, ammunition rack and the remaining crew members: loader, gunner and commander were located in it. Ventilation was improved by hatches on the sides of the turret, but they reduced the tank's shell resistance.

The commander's cupola had five viewing devices with armored shutters. There were also viewing slots in the side hatches of the turret and on both sides of the gun mantlet. The gunner had a telescopic sight. The turret was rotated manually or using an electric motor; vertical aiming of the gun was carried out only manually. The ammunition included smoke and high-explosive fragmentation grenades, cumulative, sub-caliber and armor-piercing shells.

The engine compartment (rear part of the hull) housed a 12-cylinder water-cooled carburetor engine. The chassis included eight rubber-coated road wheels of small diameter, which were interlocked in twos. Leaf springs were elastic elements pendants.

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.F2. France, July 1942

Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H with side screens and zimmerit coating. USSR, July 1944

The Pz Kpfw IV medium tank has proven itself to be an easy to control and reliable vehicle. However, its cross-country ability, especially in the overweight tanks of the latest releases, was quite poor. In terms of armor protection and armament, it was superior to all similar ones produced in Western countries, with the exception of some modifications of the English Comets and American M4s.

Technical characteristics of the medium tank Pz Kpfw IV (Ausf D/Ausf F2/Ausf J):
Year of manufacture – 1939/1942/1944;
Combat weight – 20000 kg/23000 kg/25000 kg;
Crew – 5 people;
Body length – 5920 mm/5930 mm/5930 mm;
Length with gun forward – 5920 mm/6630 mm/7020 mm;
Width – 2840 mm/2840 mm/2880 mm;
Height – 2680 mm;
RESERVATION:
Thickness of armor plates (angle of inclination to vertical):
Frontal part of the body – 30 mm (12 degrees)/50 mm (12 degrees)/80 mm (15 degrees);
Body sides – 20 mm/30 mm/30 mm;
Frontal part of the tower - 30 mm (10 degrees)/50 mm (11 degrees)/50 mm (10 degrees);
Bottom and roof of the case – 10 and 12 mm/10 and 12 mm/10 and 16 mm;
WEAPONS:
Gun brand – KwK37/KwK40/KwK40;
Caliber – 75 mm
Barrel length – 24 klb./43 klb./48 klb.;
Ammunition - 80 rounds/87 rounds/87 rounds;
Number of machine guns – 2;
Machine gun caliber - 7.92 mm;
Ammunition - 2700 rounds/3000 rounds/3150 rounds
MOBILITY:
Engine type and brand - Maybach HL120TRM;
Engine power – 300 l. s./300 l. pp./272 l. With.;
Maximum highway speed – 40 km/h/40 km/h/38 km/h;
Fuel capacity – 470 l/470 l/680 l;
Highway range – 200 km/200 km/320 km;
Average ground pressure – 0.75 kg/cm2/0.84 kg/cm2; 0.89 kg/cm2.

In ambush

German infantrymen near a PzKpfw IV tank. Vyazma area. October 1941