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StuG III)
The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was one of Germany's most produced AFV's during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the Panzer III. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually modified until, by 1942, it was widely employed as a tank destroyer.
The Sturmgeschütz series is probably best known for its excellent price-to-performance ratio. By the end of the war, over 10,500 had been built.
History
The Sturmgeschütz III originated from an initial proposal that Colonel Erich von Manstein submitted to General Beck in 1935 in which he suggested that Sturmartillerie (Assault Artillery) units should be used in a direct-fire support role for infantry divisions. To that end, on June 15, 1936, Daimler-Benz AG received an order to develop an armoured infantry support vehicle capable of mounting a 75 mm (2.95 in) artillery piece. The gun was to have a limited traverse of a minimum of 25 degrees and be mounted in a fully enclosed superstructure that provided overhead protection for the crew. The height of the vehicle was not to exceed that of the average man.
Daimler-Benz AG used the chassis and running gear of its recently designed Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank as a basis for the new vehicle. Prototype manufacture was passed over to Alkett , which in 1937 produced five examples of the experimental 0-series StuG based upon the PzKpfw III Ausf. B. These prototypes featured a mild steel superstructure and Krupp’s short-barreled 75 mm Sturmkanone 37 L/24.
As the StuG III was intended to fill an anti-infantry close support combat role, early models were fitted with a low-velocity 75 mm StuK 37 L/24 gun, firing high explosive shells. After the Germans encountered the Soviet T-34, the StuG III were armed with the high-velocity 75 mm StuK 40 L/43 (Spring 1942) or 75 mm L/48 (Autumn 1942) anti-tank gun.
Later models of the StuG III had a 7.92mm MG34 mounted on the hull for added anti infantry protection.
Variants
- StuG III Ausf. A (1940, 30 produced)
First used in the Battle of France, the StuG III Ausf. A used the chassis of the Panzer III Ausf. F and the 75mm StuK 37 L/24 gun.
- StuG III Ausf. B (1940-41, 320 produced)
Widened tracks and other minor changes.
- StuG III Ausf. C (1941, 50 produced)
Minor improvements over the StuG B.
- StuG III Ausf. D (1941, 150 produced)
Minor improvements over the StuG C.
- StuG III Ausf. E (1941-42, 272 produced)
A MG 34 is added to protect the vehicle from enemy infantry. Other minor improvements.
- StuG III Ausf. F (1942, 359 produced)
The first real upgunning of the StuG, this version uses the longer 75 mm StuK 40 L/43 gun. This change marked the StuG as being more of a tank destroyer then an infantry support vehicle.
- StuG III Ausf. F/8 (1942, 334 produced)
Another upgunning, the F/8 used 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun
- StuG III Ausf. G (1942-45, 7,893 produced)
The final, and by far the most common, of the StuG series. The G-series StuG used the hull of the Panzer III Ausf. M and post 1944 added a second machine gun. Later versions were fitted with the Saukopf (Pig's Head) gun mantlet, which was more effective than the original box metal structure at deflecting shots.
The StuG III also had a model that was a Panzer III chasis with a Panzer IV bogey system. They were not many made, around 20. This model was to make things easier on the repair crews in the field, however, this idea did not work out well and the model was cancelled.
The Soviet SU-76i self-propelled gun was was based on captured German StuG III and Pz Kpfw III chassis. About 1,200 of these vehicles were converted for Red Army service by adding an enclosed superstructure and ZiS-5 76.2 mm gun.
See also: List of common WWII combat vehicles
External links
Last updated: 06-11-2005 13:21:19
