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German Tanks of World War II Tankzone
was started when a group of tank enthusiasts got together to share experience
of building the Tamiya 1/16 scale Full Option RC Model Tanks. The Tiger 1e was
our favourite. German tanks are still our main passion purely because of the advance
of design for their times and their presence on the World ar II battle field.
This section contains information about the main World War II German tanks featured
on Tankzone. Our aim is to build it up over time to be a useful reference source
for other tank enthusiasts. Contents
- Panzer
I
- Panzer
II & Variants
- Panzer
III & Variants
- Panzer
IV & Variants
- Panzer
V Panther & Variants
- Panzer
IV Tiger 1 & Variants
- Panzer
IV B King Tiger & Variants
- Other
German Armoured Fighting Vehicles of World War II
Related
Information
Panzer
I Sd.Kfz.101
The
Panzer I was Germany's first mass-produced armoured fighting vehicle. It was intended
as a stop-gap vehicle designed for training and to gain experience in the use
of tanks in the modern battle field. It was a small lightly armoured two-man tank
armed only with twin machineguns in a fully traversing turret. They were deployed
for battle-testing in the 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War in support of Franco's regime
and fought during the early campaigns in Poland, France & Russia. About 1500
was produced from 1936 to 1939. Other versions including flame-throwers, munition
carriers, self-propelled guns and command vehicles were also produced.
Panzer
II Sd.Kfz.121 & Variants
The
Panzer II was another stop-gap training tank designed to fill the ranks of the
emerging German panzer divisions until the purpose-built Panzer III and Panzer
IV combat tanks enter service. It was a heavier version of the Panzer I and formed
the backbone of the German Army's armoured divisions until as late as mid-1942.
It mounted a 2.0cm cannon and two co-axial machineguns in a fully-traversing turret.
It was still relatively lightly armoured with a crew of 3. Over 1200 Panzer IIs
were produced from 1941 to 1942. It was phased out of frontline service in late
1942 and many chassis were converted into self-propelled guns such as the Wespe
and the Marder II. Variants:
- Panzer
II Luchs (Lynx) Reconnaissance Vehicle SD.Kfz.123
- Wespe
SPG Sd.Kfz.124
- Marder
II SPG
Panzer
III Sd.Kfz.141 & Variants
The
Panzer III was Germany's first significant combat tank. It became the backbone
of the german Armoured forces during the early Russian campaign but was soon outclassed
by the emerging soviet armour especially the T-34 and KV-1. It was phased out
of frontline service in late 1943. General
Guderian, who was the major authority on German tank design at the time, conceived
two basic types of main battle tanks for the German Army. The first to carry a
high velocity gun for anti-tank work - the Panzer III, backed up by a support
tank carrying a larger-calibre gun capable of firing a destructive high explosive
shell. The second tank went on to become the Panzer IV. Variants:
- Sturmgeschutz
III Sd.Kfz..142
The
Panzer III chassis was utilised as the basis for the Sturmgeschutz or StuG III.
It was standard practice of the German Army at the time to produced up-gunned
tank destroyer version with limited traverse. Though designed originally for the
infantry close support role, assault gun such as the StuG III were increasingly
used by the German Army in the anti-tank role to counter the horde of Russian
tanks on the Eastern Front.
 | The
Sturmgeschütz series proved to be very successful and served on all fronts
as assault guns and tank destroyers. Although Tigers and Panthers are more well
known, assault guns destroyed many more tanks. Because of their low silhouette,
Sturmgeschütz IIIs were easy to camouflage and a difficult target. Sturmgeschütz
crews were considered to be the elite of the artillery units. Sturmgeschütz
units held a very impressive record of tank kills - some 20,000 enemy tanks by
the spring of 1944. |
Panzer
IV Sd.Kfz.161& Variants
The
Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout
the war years. It's sound design, with the wide superstructure which overhung
the hull sides, allow it to be progressively up-gunned and up-armoured throughout
the war in respond to changing combat conditions. Though originally conceived
as a support vehicle to the Panzer III, it was a reliable workhorse and remained
in first line combat service throughout World War II. It became the main stay
of the Panzer force and the most numerous of all the German wartime tanks in many
variants. Variants: Following
its standard practice, the German Army produced a limited traverse tank destroyer
version of the Panzer IV called the Jagspanzer IV. Based on the Panzer IV chassis
and automotive components, it was intended that the jagdpanzer IV should carry
the powerful long barrelled 7.5cm L/70 gun of the Panther tank in a modified hull
with a sharp nose and low silhouette. Due
to production difficulties, the first version of the jagdpanzer IV carried the
7.5cm KwK 40 L/48 gun as fitted to the StuG III and StuG IV. Later version fitted
with the longer L/70 was designated th Jagdpanzer IV/70 (V). To overcome production
delay, an interim version with a simplified superstructue married to the standard
Panzer IV chassis carrying the long L/70 gun was produced designated the jagdpanzer
IV/70 (A). Variants:
- Sturmgeschutz
IV Sd.Kfz.163
The
delay in the development of the Jagdpanzer IV led to the interim solution of fitting
a modified version of the standard StuG III superstructure with its 7.5cm L/48
directly onto the chassis of the panzer IV. Variants:
- Hornisse
& Nashorn SPG Sd.Kfz.164
- Hummel
SPG Sd.Kfz.165
- Sturmpanzer
IV Brummbar Sd.Kfz.166
Panzer
V Panther Sd.Kfz.171 & Variants
The
Panther was probably the best tank of World War II. It combines a powerful 7.5cm
gun with excellent sloping armour. Mobility was good once initial problems with
teh dribe train was ironed out. The German Army came to rely incresingly on teh
Panther and it form the mainstay of Germany's deplted armoured forces right till
the end of the war. Variants:
- Jagpanzer
V Jagdpanther
Sd.Kfz.173
Following
its standard practice, the German Army produced a limited traverse tank destroyer
version of the Panther called the Jagdpanther armed with an even more powerful
8.8cm gun. It combines lethal firepower with excellent sloped armour and good
battle field mobility. It was probably the most effective armoured fighting vehicles
produced by the German but it was produced too late and too small numbers to make
a significant impact on the outcome of the war.
Panzer
VI Tiger 1 Sd.Kfz.181 & Variants
The
Tiger tank was probably the best known armoured fighting vehicle of World War
II. It was particularly feared by the Allies for its potent 8.8cm main gun and
heavy armour protection. Variants:
- Sturmpanzer
VI Sturmtiger
Panzer
VI B King Tiger Sd.Kfz.182 & Variants
The
Extremely potent main armament of the King Tiger combined with heavy well-sloped
virtually impenetrable armour made it the most feared German tank of the war.
But it entered service too late and in too small numbers to prevent ultimate Allied
victory. Variants:
- Jagdpanzer
VI Jagdtiger Sd.Kfz.186
The
massive jagdtiger was the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle to enter operational
service during World War II. It was fitted with a lethal 12.8cm maingun and it's
thick armour was almost invulnerable to Allied guns. Only a few was completed
and its lack of mobility mean it made little impact on the battlefield.
Other
German Armoured Fighting Vehicles of World War II
- Panzer
38(t) & Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer
- Jagdpanzer
Tiger (P) Ferdinand/Elefant
Tank Destroyer Sd.Kfz.184
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