Marder II

>Type Tank destroyer
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>Weight 10.8 tonnes (23,809 lb)
>Length 6.36 m (20 ft 10 in)
>Width 2.28 m (7 ft 6 in)
>Height 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
>Crew 3
>Armor 5-35 mm (.19 -1.37 in)
>Main armament 1x 7.5 cm Pak 40 37 rounds
>Engine Maybach HL 62 TRM 140 PS (138 hp, 103 kW)
>Power/weight 12.96 PS/tonne
>Suspension Leaf spring
>range 190 km (118 mi)
>Speed 40 km/h (25 mph)

The Marder II was a German tank destroyer of World War II based on the Panzer II chassis. Only four exist today.

During the very first days of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Germans were shocked to encounter Soviet T-34 medium tanks and KV heavy tanks. Although the Wehrmacht succeeded in most operations due to superior tactics, morale, and supply, it had few anti-tank weapons capable of successfully engaging these vehicles at normal ranges. An urgent need arose for a more mobile and powerful anti-tank weapon than the existing towed anti-tank guns or tank destroyers like the Panzerjäger I.

Among a series of solutions, it was decided to use light tanks like the Panzer II and captured vehicles like the Lorraine Schlepper as the basis for makeshift tank destroyers. The result was the Marder series, which were armed with either the new 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank guns or captured Soviet 7.62 cm F-22 Model 1936 field guns, large numbers of which had been acquired early in the war.

The various Marder IIs fought on all fronts of the war, mainly at the Eastern Front.

The Marder IIs were used by the Panzerjäger Abteilungen of the Panzer divisions of both the Wehrmacht and the Waffen SS, as well as several Luftwaffe units.

The Marder's weaknesses were mainly related to survivability. The combination of a high silhouette and open-top fighting compartment made them vulnerable to indirect artillery fire, shrapnel, and grenades. The armor was also quite thin, making them vulnerable to enemy tanks or infantry.

The Marders were not assault vehicles or tank substitutes; the open top meant that operations in urban areas or other close-combat situations were very risky. They were best employed in defensive or overwatch roles. Despite their weaknesses they were much more effective than the towed antitank guns they replaced.

Marder I

>Type Tank destroyer
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>In service 1942–1944
>Used by Nazi Germany
>Wars World War II
>Designed 1942
>Number built 170
>Weight 8,200 kg (18,078 lbs)
>Length 5.38 m (17 ft 8 in)
>Width 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
>Height 2 m (6 ft 7 in)
>Crew 4 to 5
>Main armament 7.5 cm PaK 40
>Engine Delahaye 103TT 70 PS (69 hp, 51.5 kW)
>range 135-150 km (84-93 mi) road
>Speed 34-38 km/h (21-23 mph) road 15-20 km/h (9-12 mph) off-road

The Marder I "Marten" (SdKfz 135) was a German World War II tank destroyer, armed with the 75 mm anti-tank gun. Most Marder I's were built on the base of the Tracteur Blindé 37L (Lorraine), a French artillery tractor/armoured personnel carrier of which the Germans had acquired more than three hundred after the Fall of France in 1940.

Panzerjäger I

>Type Tank destroyer

>Place of origin Nazi Germany

>In service 1940—43

>Used by Nazi Germany

>Wars World War II

>Designer Alkett

>Designed 1939—40

>Produced 1940—41

>Number built 202

>Weight 6.4 tonnes (14,109 lbs)

>Length 4.42 m (14 ft 6 in)

>Width 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in)

>Height 2.14 m (7 ft)

>Crew 3

>Elevation -8° to +10°

>Traverse 35°

>Armor 6-14.5 mm

>Main armament 4.7 cm (1.9 in) PaK(t)

>Engine 3.8 litre (230 cu in) 6-cylinder, water-cooled Maybach NL 38 Tr 100 horsepower (75 kW)

>Power/weight 15.6 hp/ton

>Transmission 6 speed ZF F.G.31

>Suspension leaf-spring

>Ground clearance 29.5 cm (1 ft 7 in)

>Fuel capacity 146 l (39 US gal)

>range 140 km (87 mi)

>Speed 40 km/h (25 mph)

The Panzerjäger I (German "Tank Hunter 1") was the first of the German tank destroyers to see service in the Second World War. It mounted a Czech Škoda 4.7 cm (1.9 in) cm PaK (t) anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I Ausf. B chassis. It was intended to counter heavy French tanks like the Char B1 that were beyond the capabilities of the 3.7 cm PaK 36 anti-tank gun then in service and served to extend the usable lifetime of otherwise obsolete Panzer I tanks. 202 Panzer Is were converted to the Panzerjäger I in 1940 and 1941. They were employed in the Battle of France, in the North Africa Campaign and on the Eastern Front

Ninety-nine vehicles equipped Anti-tank Battalions 521, 616, 643 and 670 in the battle for France. Only Anti-tank Battalion 521 participated in the campaign from the beginning as the other three were still training until a few days after the campaign began, but they were sent to the front as they finished their training.

Twenty-seven Panzerjäger Is equipped Anti-tank Battalion 605 in North Africa. It arrived in Tripoli, Libya between 18 and 21 March 1941. Five replacements were sent in September 1941, but only three arrived on 2 October as the others had been sunk on board the freighter Castellon. At the start of the British Operation Crusader the battalion was at full strength, but lost thirteen vehicles during the battles. Four more replacements were sent in January 1942 so that it mustered seventeen at the beginning of the Battle of Gazala. Despite the shipment of another three vehicles in September/October 1942 the battalion only had eleven by the beginning of the Second Battle of El Alamein. The last two replacements received by the battalion were in November 1942.

Anti-tank Battalions 521, 529, 616, 643 and 670 were equipped with one hundred thirty-five Panzerjäger Is for Operation Barbarossa.

By 27 July 1941 Anti-tank Battalion 529 had lost four Panzerjäger Is. On 23 November 1941 it reported that it still had sixteen vehicles, although two were not operational. Most do not appear to have survived the Winter of 1941/42 as Anti-tank Battalion 521 reported only five on hand on 5 May 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 529 had only two on strength when it was disbanded on 30 June 1942. Anti-tank Battalion 616 seems to have been an exception as it reported all three companies had Panzerjäger Is through at least the Autumn of 1942.

Panzer I

Panzer I

>Type    Light tank

>Place of origin    Nazi Germany Germany

>In service    1934–1954

>Used by    Nazi Germany, Bulgaria, Republic of China, Hungary, Spain

>Wars    Spanish Civil War, Second World War, Second Sino Japanese War

>Designed    1934

>Manufacturer    Henschel, MAN, Krupp, Daimler

>Produced    1934–1937

>Number built    1493

>Weight    5.4 tonnes (6.0 short tons)

>Length    4.02 m (13.2 ft)

>Width    2.06 m (6.8 ft)

>Height    1.72 m (5.6 ft)

>Crew    2: commander and driver

>Armor    7–13 mm

>Main armament    2 × 7.92 mm MG13 machine guns

>Engine    Krupp M 305 four-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine 60 PS (59 hp, 44 kW)

>Power/weight    11.1 PS/t

>Suspension    Quarter-elliptical leaf spring suspension.

>range    200 km (120 mi) on-road; 175 km (109 mi) off-road.

>Speed    50 km/h (31 mph) on-road; 37 km/h (23 mph) off-road.

The Panzer I was a light tank produced in Germany in the 1930s. The name is short for the German Panzerkampfwagen I ("armored fighting vehicle mark I"), abbreviated PzKpfw I. The tank's official German ordnance inventory designation was SdKfz 101 ("special purpose vehicle 101").
Design of the Panzer I began in 1932 and mass production began in 1934. Intended only as a training tank to introduce the concept of armored warfare to the German Army, the Panzer I saw combat in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, in Poland, France, the Soviet Union and North Africa during the Second World War, and in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Experiences with the Panzer I during the Spanish Civil War helped shape the German armored corps' invasion of Poland in 1939 and France in 1940. By 1941, the Panzer I chassis design was used as the basis of tank destroyers and assault guns. There were attempts to upgrade the Panzer I throughout its service history, including by foreign nations to extend the design's lifespan. It continued to serve in the armed forces of Spain until 1954.
The Panzer I's performance in combat was limited by its thin armor and light armament of two machine guns. As a design intended for training, the Panzer I was not as capable as other light tanks of the era, such as the Soviet T-26. Although weak in combat, it formed a large part of Germany's tank forces and was used in all major campaigns between September 1939 and December 1941. The small, vulnerable light tank would be surpassed in importance by better-known German tanks such as the Panzer IV, Panther, and Tiger; nevertheless, the Panzer I's contribution to the early victories of Nazi Germany during the Second World War was significant.

Panzer II

Panzer II

>Type Light tank
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>In service 1936–1945
>Wars World War II
>Designed 1934
>Produced 1935–1943
>Number built 1,856 (excluding conversions)
>Weight 8.9 tonnes (Ausf. A-C)
>Length 4.81 m (15 ft 9 in)
>Width 2.22 m (7 ft 3 in)
>Height 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
>Crew 3 (commander/gunner, driver, loader)
>Main armament 1 × 2 cm KwK 30 Ausf. a–F 1 × 2 cm KwK 38 Ausf. J–L
>Secondary armament 1 × 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
>Engine 6-cyl petrol Maybach HL 62TRM 140 PS ( 138 hp, 103 kW)
>Power/weight 15.7 PS/tonne
>Suspension Leaf spring
>range 200 km (120 mi)
>Speed 40 km/h (25 mph)

The Panzer II is the common name used for a family of German tanks used in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen II (abbreviated PzKpfw II).
Although the vehicle had originally been designed as a stopgap while larger, more advanced tanks were developed, it nonetheless went on to play an important role in the early years of World War II, during the Polish and French campaigns. The Panzer II was the most numerous tank in the German Panzer divisions beginning with the invasion of France. It was used in both North Africa against the British and on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union.
The Panzer II was supplemented by the Panzer III and IV in 1940/41. Thereafter, it was used to great effect as a reconnaissance tank. By the end of 1942 it had been largely removed from front line service and it was used for training and on secondary fronts. Production of the tank itself ceased by 1943 but its chassis remained in use as the basis of several other armored vehicles, chiefly self-propelled artillery such as the Wespe and Marder II.

Panzer III

Panzer III

>Type Medium tank
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>In service 1939–1945
>Used by Nazi Germany Kingdom of Romania Slovak Republic Kingdom of Hungary Independent State of Croatia Turkey Norway
>Wars World War II
>Designer Daimler-Benz
>Designed 1935–1937
>Manufacturer Daimler-Benz
>Produced 1939–1943
>Number built 5,774 (excluding StuG III)
>Weight 23.0 tonnes (25.4 short tons)
>Length 5.56 m (20 ft)
>Width 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in)
>Height 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
>Crew 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
>Armor 5–70 mm (0.20–2.8 in)
>Main armament 1 × 3.7 cm KwK 36 Ausf. A-F
1 × 5 cm KwK 38 Ausf. F-J
1 × 5 cm KwK 39 Ausf. J¹-M
1 × 7.5 cm KwK 37 Ausf. N
>Secondary armament 2-3 × 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
>Engine 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM 300 PS (296 hp, 220 kW)
>Power/weight 12 hp/t
>Suspension Torsion-bar suspension
>range 155 km (96 mi)
>Speed Road: 40 km/h (25 mph) Off-road: 20 km/h (12 mph)

Panzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III Sd Kfz. 141 (abbreviated PzKpfw III) translating as "armoured fighting vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside the infantry-supporting Panzer IV. However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, stronger anti-tank guns were needed. Since the Panzer IV had a bigger turret ring, the role was reversed. The Panzer IV mounted the long barreled 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun and engaged in tank-to-tank battles. The Panzer III became obsolete in this role and for most purposes was supplanted by the Panzer IV. From 1942, the last version of Panzer III mounted the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24, better suited for infantry support. Production of the Panzer III ended in 1943. However, the Panzer III's capable chassis provided hulls for the Sturmgeschütz III until the end of the war.

The Panzer III was used in the campaigns against Poland, France, the Soviet Union and in North Africa. A handful were still in use in Normandy, Anzio, Norway, Finland and in Operation Market Garden in 1944.
In the Polish and French campaigns, the Panzer III formed a small part of the German armored forces. Only a few hundred Ausf. A through F were available in these campaigns, most armed with the 37-millimetre (1.46 in) gun. They were the best medium tank available to the Germans and outclassed most of their opponents such as the Polish 7TP, French R-35 and H-35 light tanks.
Around the time of Operation Barbarossa, the Panzer III was numerically the most important German tank. At this time the majority of the available tanks (including re-armed Ausf. E and F, plus new Ausf. G and H models) had the 50-millimetre (1.97 in) KwK 38 L/42 cannon which also equipped the majority of the tanks in North Africa. Initially, the Panzer IIIs were outclassed and outnumbered by Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. However, the most numerous Soviet tanks were the T-26 and BT tanks. This, along with superior German tactical skill, crew training, and the good ergonomics of the Panzer III all contributed to a rough 6:1 favourable kill ratio for German tanks of all types in 1941.
With the appearance of the T-34 and KV tanks, rearming the Panzer III with a longer, more powerful 50-millimetre (1.97 in) cannon was prioritised. The T-34 was generally invulnerable in frontal engagements with the Panzer III until the 50 mm KwK 39 L/60 gun was introduced on the Panzer III Ausf. J¹ in the spring of 1942 (the gun was based on infantry's 50 mm Pak 38 L/60). This could penetrate the T-34 frontally at ranges under 500 metres (1,600 ft). Against the KV tanks it was a threat if armed with special high velocity tungsten rounds. In addition, to counter antitank rifles, in 1943 the Ausf. L version began the use of spaced armour skirts (schürzen) around the turret and on the hull sides. However, due to the introduction of the upgunned and uparmoured Panzer IV, the Panzer III was, after the Battle of Kursk, relegated to secondary roles, such as training, and it was replaced as the main German medium tank by the Panzer IV and the Panther.
The Panzer III chassis was the basis for the turretless Sturmgeschütz III assault gun, one of the most successful self-propelled guns of the war, and the single most-produced German armored fighting vehicle design of World War II.
By the end of the war, the Pz.III had almost no frontline use and many vehicles had been returned to the factories for conversion into StuG assault guns, which were in high demand due to the defensive warfare style adopted by the German Army by then.

The Panzer III was intended to fight other tanks; in the initial design stage a 50-millimetre (1.97 in) cannon was specified. However, the infantry at the time were being equipped with the 37-millimetre (1.46 in) PaK 36, and it was thought that in the interest of standardization the tanks should carry the same armament. As a compromise, the turret ring was made large enough to accommodate a 50-millimetre (1.97 in) cannon should a future upgrade be required. This single decision would later assure the Panzer III a prolonged life in the German Army.
The Ausf. A to early Ausf. F were equipped with a 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5 which proved adequate during the campaigns of 1939 and 1940 but the later Ausf. F to Ausf. J were upgraded with the 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 and the Ausf. J¹ to M with the longer 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 cannon in response to increasingly better armed and armoured opponents.
By 1942, the Panzer IV was becoming Germany's main medium tank because of its better upgrade potential. The Panzer III remained in production as a close support vehicle. The Ausf. N model mounted a low-velocity 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 cannon - the same used by the early Panzer IV Ausf. A to Ausf. F models. These guns had originally been fitted to older Panzer IV Ausf A to F1 models and had been placed into storage when those tanks had also been up armed to longer versions of the 75mm gun.
All early models up to and including the Ausf. F had two 7.92-millimetre (0.31 in) Maschinengewehr 34 machine guns mounted coaxially with the main gun, and a similar weapon in a hull mount. Models from the Ausf. G and later had a single coaxial MG34 and the hull MG34.

Panzer IV

PANZER IV

>Type Medium tank
>Place of origin Nazi Germany
>In service 1939–(1945 Germany)–1967
>Used by Nazi Germany Romania Turkey Hungary Bulgaria Finland Spain Croatia Syria
>Wars World War II, 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Six-Day War
>Produced 1936–45
>Number built 8,800 (estimate)–9,870
>Specifications (Pz IV Ausf H, 1943)
>Weight 25.0 tonnes (27.6 short tons; 24.6 long tons)
>Length 5.92 metres (19 ft 5 in) 7.02 metres (23 ft 0 in) gun forward
>Width 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)
>Height 2.68 m (8 ft 10 in)
>Crew 5 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, radio operator/bow machine-gunner)
>Armour 10–88 mm (0.39–3.5 in) (w/ armour skirts)
>Main armament 7.5 cm (2.95 in) KwK 40 L/48 main gun (87 rds.)
>Secondary armament 2 × 7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34 Panzerlauf (3,150 rds.)
>Engine 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM V12 300 PS (296 hp, 220 kW)
>Power/weight 12 PS/t
>Transmission (Synchromesh ZF SSG 77) 6 forward and 1 reverse ratios
>Suspension Leaf spring
>Fuel capacity 470 l (120 US gal)
>range 200 km (120 mi)
>Speed 42 km/h (26 mph) road, 16 km/h (9.9 mph) off road

The Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV) commonly known as the Panzer IV was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161.
Designed as an infantry-support tank, the Panzer IV was not originally intended to engage enemy armor—that function was performed by the lighter Panzer III. However, with the flaws of pre-war doctrine becoming apparent and in the face of Soviet T-34 tanks, the Panzer IV soon assumed the tank-fighting role of its increasingly obsolete cousin. The most widely manufactured and deployed German tank of the Second World War, the Panzer IV was used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.
Robust and reliable, it saw service in all combat theaters involving Germany and has the distinction of being the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war, with over 8,800 produced between 1936 and 1945. Upgrades and design modifications, often made in response to the appearance of new Allied tanks, extended its service life. Generally these involved increasing the Panzer IV's armor protection or upgrading its weapons, although during the last months of the war with Germany's pressing need for rapid replacement of losses, design changes also included retrograde measures to simplify and speed manufacture.
The Panzer IV was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to partners such as, Finland, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, the French and Spanish sold dozens of Panzer IVs to Syria, where they saw combat in the 1967 Six-Day War.

Panzerkampfwagen IV was the main German tank of World War II, in action from September 1st of 1939 to May 9th of 1945. Its long combat service was result of its excellent design and upgradeability allowing it to meet the changing requirements of the battlefield. It was present on all fronts, where German army fought from France to Russia and from Norway to Libya.

Panzerkampfwagen IVs, which were sent to North Africa (1941-43), were equipped with additional tropical filters (Tp) and improved ventilation system. Only 200 Ausf F2s (including 25 converted Ausf F1s) and 1275 Ausf G were produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke. Both variants were designated Sd.Kfz.161/1. Since March of 1943, additional 412 Ausf Gs were produced armed with newer 75mm KwK 40 L/48 gun and were designated Sd.Kfz.161/2. Ausf G’s new 75mm gun was mounted with double baffle muzzle brakeLate models Ausf Gs were fitted with steel armor skirts and resembled early models of Ausf H. Ausf G featured new simplified design turret mounted with smoke grenade launchers.