Army, up through the closing months of World War 2.
Designation: SdKfz 142 StuG III (Sturmgeshutz)
Classification Type: Assault Gun / Tank Destroyer
Contractor: Daimler-Benz / Alkett - Germany
Country of Origin: Nazi Germany
Initial Year of Service: 1940
Number Built: 9,642
The StuG III was a well known German assault gun of World War 2. The system
stemmed from a German Army need to supply ground troops with a mobile
artillery system when traditional armor units such as tanks were not not
made available. The system would have to mount formidable firepower in its
design and provide a mechanized element to advancing fronts in order to keep
up with the requirements inherent in the Blitzkrieg concept. The resulting
system - though at the time deemed an interim solution - became the
Sturmgeshutz (StuG) III, which utilized the existing Panzer III tank hull
and sported a 75mm main gun in a fixed position on the superstructure.
The StuG III entered production in January of 1940. The system mounted a
powerful 75mm main gun into a turretless all-hull design (the 75mm gun was
simply too long to fit into Panzer III turrets). This, coupled with the use
of existing Panzer III hulls, cut down on production costs and time.
However, the major drawback of this turretless design however lay in the
fact that the entire tank had to be turned to target and fire on an enemy.
Later models would add self-defense 7.92mm machine guns for crew protection.
Crew accommodations amounted to four personnel. Externally, the design of
the StuG III was characterized by the small six road wheels, low profile
and, in some models from 1943 onwards, side skirting for additional armor
protection for the crew.
The StuG III appeared in a few variants with earlier ones mounting the StuK
37 L-24 main gun. The definitive StuG III came in the form of the Ausf F
model which sported an StuK 40 L/43 main gun. This model's designation
changed slightly to showcase the difference from previous ones and became
the SdKfz 142/1 and would sometimes be known as the StuG 40 from that point
on. Additionally frontal armor protection was further addressed and
continued to be so in future variants.
Production of the StuG series numbered in the thousands with a majority of
production facilities concentrating on StuG IIIs by war's end. The system
proved so effective and vital that even captured Soviet versions turned up
with the Red Army sporting a variety of Soviet main armaments. Finland was
also the other major user of the StuG III. Easy to build and relatively
inexpensive when compared to other German systems, the StuG III series
became a pivotal battlefield component of the German Army up through the
closing months of the world conflict.
Variants:
StuG III Ausf A - 30 examples produced; fitted with L/24 main gun.
StuG III Ausf B - 320 examples produced; fitted with L/24 main gun.
StuG III Ausf C - 50 examples produced.
StuG III Ausf D - 150 examples produced.
StuG III Ausf E - 272 examples produced.
StuG III Ausf F - Assault Gun / Tank Destroyer Designation; fitted with L/43
main gun; later models with L/48 type main gun; improved armor protection
and commander visibility.
StuG IV (StuG 40) - Based on the Panzer IV tank with a 75mm StuK 40 L/48
main gun.
StuG 40 Ausf G - SdKfz 142/1 designation; StuK 40 L/48 main gun.
"Sturmhaubitze 42" - 4.1in howitzer mated to the existing StuG III hull
design.
SU-76 - Soviet modified assault guns of captured StuG IIIs; fitted with
Soviet 76.2mm main gun.
SG122A - Soviet modified assault guns of captured StuG IIIs; fitted with
122mm main gun.
Specifications: SdKfz 142 StuG III (Sturmgeshutz)
Dimensions:
Length: 17.75ft (5.41m)
Width: 9.65ft (2.94m)
Height: 6.40ft (1.95m)
Performance:
Speed: 25mph (40.23km/h)
Range: 85miles (137km)
Structure:
Accommodation: 4
Weight: 24.5 US Short Tons (22,226kg)
Systems:
NBC Protection: None
Nightvision: None
Power:
Engine(s): 1 x Maybach HL 120 TRM V-12 water-cooled gasoline engine
delivering 300hp.
Armament:
1 x 75mm StuK 37 L/24 main gun
2 x 7.92mm machine guns
Ammunition:
44 x 75mm projectiles
600 x 7.92mm ammunition
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