(Pz.III), 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.

When the Pz.IV tank did not yet exist

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 - anti-tank guns with armor-piercing shells - were considered as the main means of fighting tanks. 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 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 “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 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 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.

When the Pz.IV tank did not yet exist

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 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 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 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 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 the winter months of the year.

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 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.

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What is T-4 - a medium tank of the armored forces of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, also known as “Panzerkampfwagen IV” (“PzKpfw IV”, also “Pz. IV”; in the USSR it was known as “T‑IV”). There is a version that the Pz IV was originally classified by the Germans as a heavy tank, but it is not documented.

The most popular tank of the Wehrmacht: 8,686 vehicles were produced; It was mass-produced from 1937 to 1945 in several modifications. The constantly increasing armament and armor of the tank in most cases allowed the PzKpfw IV to effectively resist tanks of a similar class. French tanker Pierre Danois wrote about the PzKpfw IV (in modification, at that time, with a short-barreled 75-mm cannon): “This medium tank was superior to our B1 and B1 bis in all respects, including armament and, to some extent, armor ".

History of creation

Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany, defeated in World War I, was prohibited from having armored forces, with the exception of a small number of armored vehicles for police use. But despite this, already since 1925, the Reichswehr Armament Directorate had been secretly working on the creation of tanks. Until the early 1930s, these developments did not go beyond the construction of prototypes, both because of the insufficient characteristics of the latter and because of the weakness of German industry of that period. However, by mid-1933, German designers managed to create their first serial tank, the Pz.Kpfw.I, and began mass production during 1933-1934. The Pz.Kpfw.I, with its machine gun armament and two-man crew, was considered only as a transitional model on the way to the construction of more advanced tanks. The development of two of them began back in 1933 - a more powerful “transitional” tank, the future Pz.Kpfw.II, and a full-fledged battle tank, the future Pz.Kpfw.III, armed with a 37-mm cannon, intended mainly to combat other armored vehicles.

Due to the initial limitations of the PzIII's armament, it was decided to complement it with a fire support tank, with a longer-range cannon with a powerful fragmentation shell capable of hitting anti-tank defenses beyond the range of other tanks. In January 1934, the Armament Directorate organized a competition of projects to create a vehicle of this class, whose mass would not exceed 24 tons. Since work on armored vehicles in Germany at that time was still carried out in secret, the new project, like the others, was given the code name “support vehicle” (German: Begleitwagen, usually shortened to B.W.; a number of sources give incorrect names in German: Bataillonwagen and German: Bataillonfuehrerwagen). From the very beginning, the companies Rheinmetall and Krupp began developing projects for the competition, later joined by Daimler-Benz and M.A.N. Over the next 18 months, all companies presented their developments, and the Rheinmetall project under the designation VK 2001 (Rh) was even manufactured in metal as a prototype in 1934-1935.

All presented projects had a chassis with a staggered arrangement of large-diameter road wheels and the absence of support rollers, with the exception of the same VK 2001(Rh), which generally inherited the chassis with small-diameter road wheels interlocked in pairs and side screens from the experimental Nb heavy tank. Fz. The best of them was eventually recognized as the Krupp project - VK 2001 (K), but the Armament Directorate was not satisfied with its leaf spring suspension, which they demanded to replace with a more advanced torsion bar. However, Krupp insisted on using a chassis with medium-diameter rollers interlocked in pairs on a spring suspension, borrowed from the rejected Pz.Kpfw.III prototype of its own design. In order to avoid the inevitable delays in reworking the project for torsion bar suspension in the start of production of the tank, which was urgently needed by the army, the Armament Directorate was forced to agree to Krupp’s proposal. After further refinement of the project, Krupp received an order for the production of a pre-production batch of a new tank, which by that time had received the designation “armored vehicle with a 75-mm gun” (German: 7.5 cm Geschütz-Panzerwagen) or, according to the end-to-end designation system adopted at that time, "experimental sample 618" (German: Versuchskraftfahrzeug 618 or Vs.Kfz.618). Since April 1936, the tank acquired its final designation - Panzerkampfwagen IV or Pz.Kpfw.IV. In addition, it was assigned the index Vs.Kfz.222, which previously belonged to the Pz.Kpfw.II.

Mass production

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.A - Ausf.F1

The first few Pz.Kpfw.IV "zero" series were manufactured in 1936-1937 at the Krupp plant in Essen. Serial production of the first series, 1.Serie/B.W., began in October 1937 at the Krupp-Gruson plant in Magdeburg. A total of 35 tanks of this modification, designated Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausführung A (Ausf.A - “model A”), were produced until March 1938. According to the unified designation system for German armored vehicles, the tank received the index Sd.Kfz.161. Ausf.A tanks were in many ways still pre-production vehicles and carried bulletproof armor that did not exceed 15-20 mm and poorly protected surveillance devices, especially in the commander's cupola. At the same time, the main design features of the Pz.Kpfw.IV had already been determined at Ausf.A, and although the tank was subsequently subjected to modernization many times, the changes mainly came down to the installation of more powerful armor and weapons, or to unprincipled alterations of individual components.

Immediately after the end of production of the first series, Krupp began production of an improved one - 2.Serie/B.W. or Ausf.B. The most noticeable external difference between the tanks of this modification was the straight upper frontal plate, without a prominent “cabinet” for the driver and with the elimination of the course machine gun, which was replaced by a viewing device and a hatch for firing from personal weapons. The design of the viewing devices was also improved, primarily the commander's cupola, which received armored flaps, and the driver's viewing device. According to other sources, the new commander's cupola was introduced already during the production process, so that some Ausf.B tanks carried the old type commander's cupola. Minor changes affected the landing hatches and various hatches. The frontal armor on the new modification was increased to 30 mm. The tank also received a more powerful engine and a new 6-speed gearbox, which significantly increased its maximum speed, and its range also increased. At the same time, the Ausf.B's ammunition load was reduced to 80 gun rounds and 2,700 machine-gun rounds, instead of 120 and 3,000, respectively, on the Ausf.A. Krupp was given an order for the production of 45 Ausf.B tanks, but due to a shortage of components, only 42 vehicles of this modification were actually produced from April to September 1938.

The first relatively widespread modification was 3.Serie/B.W. or Ausf.C. Compared to the Ausf.B, the changes in it were minor - outwardly, both modifications are distinguishable only by the presence of an armored casing for the barrel of the coaxial machine gun. The remaining changes consisted of replacing the HL 120TR engine with an HL 120TRM of the same power, as well as installing a bumper under the gun barrel on some of the tanks to bend the antenna located on the hull when the turret is rotated. A total of 300 tanks of this modification were ordered, but already in March 1938 the order was reduced to 140 units, as a result of which from September 1938 to August 1939, according to various sources, 140 or 134 tanks were produced, while 6 chassis were transferred for conversion into bridge laying machines.

The next modification, Ausf.D, was produced in two series - 4.Serie/B.W. and 5.Serie/B.W. The most noticeable external change was the return to the broken upper frontal plate of the hull and the forward machine gun, which received enhanced protection. The internal mantlet of the gun, which proved vulnerable to lead splashes from bullet hits, was replaced with an external one. The thickness of the side and rear armor of the hull and turret was increased to 20 mm. In January 1938, Krupp received an order for the production of 200 4.Serie/B.W. and 48 5.Serie/B.W., but during production, from October 1939 to May 1941, only 229 of them were completed as tanks, while the remaining 19 were allocated for the construction of specialized variants. Some of the later Ausf.D tanks were produced in a “tropical” version (German tropen or Tp.), with additional ventilation holes in the engine compartment. A number of sources speak of armor reinforcement carried out in units or during repairs in 1940-1941, which was carried out by bolting additional 20-mm sheets onto the upper side and front plates of the tank. According to other sources, later production vehicles were standardly equipped with additional 20 mm side and 30 mm frontal armor plates of the Ausf.E type. Several Ausf.Ds were re-equipped with long-barreled KwK 40 L/48 guns in 1943, but these converted tanks were used only as training tanks.

The appearance of a new modification, 6.Serie/B.W. or Ausf.E, was caused primarily by the insufficient armor protection of early series vehicles, demonstrated during the Polish campaign. On the Ausf.E, the thickness of the lower frontal plate was increased to 50 mm; in addition, the installation of additional 30 mm plates above the upper front and 20 mm above the side plates became standard, although on a small part of early production tanks additional 30 mm plates were not were installed. The armor protection of the turret, however, remained the same - 30 mm for the front plate, 20 mm for the side and rear plates and 35 mm for the gun mantlet. A new commander's cupola was introduced, with vertical armor thickness from 50 to 95 mm. The slope of the rear wall of the turret was also reduced, which was now made of a single sheet, without a “swell” for the turret, and on late-production vehicles an unarmored box for equipment began to be attached to the rear of the turret. In addition, the Ausf.E tanks were distinguished by a number of less noticeable changes - a new driver's viewing device, simplified drive and guide wheels, an improved design of various hatches and inspection hatches, and the introduction of a turret fan. The order for the sixth series of Pz.Kpfw.IV amounted to 225 units and was completed in full between September 1940 and April 1941, in parallel with the production of Ausf.D tanks.

Shielding with additional armor (on average 10-12 mm), used on previous modifications, was irrational and was considered only as a temporary solution, which was the reason for the appearance of the next modification, 7.Serie/B.W. or Ausf.F. Instead of using mounted armor, the thickness of the frontal upper plate of the hull, the frontal plate of the turret and the gun mantlet was increased to 50 mm, and the thickness of the sides of the hull and the sides and rear of the turret was increased to 30 mm. The broken upper front plate of the hull was again replaced with a straight one, but this time with the preservation of the forward-facing machine gun, and the side hatches of the turret received double doors. Due to the fact that the mass of the tank after the changes increased by 22.5% compared to the Ausf.A, wider tracks were introduced to reduce the specific ground pressure. Other, less noticeable changes included the introduction of ventilation air intakes in the middle frontal plate to cool the brakes, a different location of mufflers and slightly modified viewing devices due to the thickening of the armor and the installation of a directional machine gun. With the Ausf.F modification, companies other than Krupp joined the production of the Pz.Kpfw.IV for the first time. The latter received the first order for 500 vehicles of the seventh series; later orders for 100 and 25 units were received by Womag and Nibelungenwerke. Of this quantity, from April 1941 to March 1942, before production switched to the Ausf.F2 modification, 462 Ausf.F tanks were produced, 25 of which were converted to Ausf.F2 at the factory.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F2 - Ausf.J

Although the main purpose of the 75-mm Pz.Kpfw.IV cannon was to destroy unarmored or lightly armored targets, the presence of an armor-piercing projectile in its ammunition allowed the tank to successfully fight armored vehicles protected by bulletproof or light anti-ballistic armor. But against tanks with powerful anti-ballistic armor, such as the British Matilda or the Soviet KV and T-34, it turned out to be completely ineffective. Back in 1940 - early 1941, the successful combat use of the Matilda intensified work to re-equip the PzIV with a weapon with better anti-tank capabilities. On February 19, 1941, by personal order of A. Hitler, work began on arming the tank with a 50-mm Kw.K.38 L/42 cannon, which was also installed on the Pz.Kpfw.III, and subsequently work began on strengthening the Pz.Kpfw's armament. IV also advanced under his control. In April, one Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.D was re-equipped with the newer, more powerful, 50 mm Kw.K.39 L/60 cannon for demonstration to Hitler for his birthday, April 20. It was even planned to produce a series of 80 tanks with such weapons from August 1941, but by that time the interest of the Armament Directorate (Heereswaffenamt) had shifted to the 75 mm long-barreled gun and these plans were abandoned.

Since the Kw.K.39 had already been approved as armament for the Pz.Kpfw.III, it was decided to choose an even more powerful gun for the Pz.Kpfw.IV, which could not be installed on the Pz.Kpfw.III with its smaller turret ring diameter . Since March 1941, Krupp, as an alternative to the 50-mm cannon, has been considering a new 75-mm cannon with a barrel length of 40 calibers, intended for re-equipping the StuG.III assault guns. At a distance of 400 meters, it penetrated 70 mm armor at an angle of 60°, but since the Armament Directorate required that the gun barrel not protrude beyond the dimensions of the tank hull, its length was reduced to 33 calibers, which resulted in a decrease in armor penetration to 59 mm under the same conditions. It was also planned to develop a sub-caliber armor-piercing projectile with a separating pan, which would penetrate 86 mm armor under the same conditions. Work to re-equip the Pz.Kpfw.IV with a new gun progressed successfully, and in December 1941 the first prototype with a 7.5 cm Kw.K gun was built. L/34.5.

Meanwhile, the invasion of the USSR began, during which German troops encountered T-34 and KV tanks, which were low-vulnerable to the main tank and anti-tank guns of the Wehrmacht and at the same time carried a 76-mm cannon that pierced the frontal armor of German tanks, which were then practically in service with the Panzerwaffe. at any real combat distances. The Special Tank Commission, sent to the front in November 1941 to study this issue, recommended the rearmament of German tanks with a weapon that would allow them to hit Soviet vehicles from long distances, while remaining outside the radius of the latter's effective fire. On November 18, 1941, the development of a tank gun was initiated, similar in its capabilities to the new 75-mm anti-tank gun Pak 40. Such a gun, initially designated Kw.K.44, was developed jointly by Krupp and Rheinmetall. The barrel passed to it from the anti-tank gun without changes, but since the latter's shots were too long for use in a tank, a shorter and thicker sleeve was developed for the tank gun, which entailed reworking the breech of the gun and reducing the overall length of the barrel to 43 calibers. The Kw.K.44 also received a single-chamber spherical muzzle brake, which differed from the anti-tank gun. In this form, the gun was adopted as the 7.5 cm Kw.K.40 L/43.

Pz.Kpfw.IVs with the new gun were initially designated as "converted" (German: 7.Serie/B.W.-Umbau or Ausf.F-Umbau), but soon received the designation Ausf.F2, while the Ausf.F vehicles with the old ones The guns began to be called Ausf.F1 to avoid confusion. The designation of the tank according to the unified system changed to Sd.Kfz.161/1. With the exception of a different gun and associated minor changes, such as the installation of a new sight, new firing positions and slightly modified armor for the gun's recoil devices, the early Ausf.F2s were identical to the Ausf.F1 tanks. After a month's break associated with the transition to a new modification, production of the Ausf.F2 began in March 1942 and continued until July of the same year. A total of 175 tanks of this variant were produced and another 25 were converted from Ausf.F1.

Tank Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. G (tail number 727) of the 1st Panzergrenadier Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". The vehicle was hit by artillerymen of the 4th battery of the 595th anti-tank artillery regiment in the area of ​​the street. Sumskaya in Kharkov, on the night of March 11-12, 1943. On the frontal armor plate, almost in the center, two entrance holes from 76-mm shells are visible.

The appearance of the next modification of the Pz.Kpfw.IV was not initially caused by any changes in the design of the tank. In June - July 1942, by orders of the Armament Directorate, the designation of Pz.Kpfw.IV with long-barreled guns was changed to 8.Serie/B.W. or Ausf.G, and in October the designation Ausf.F2 was finally abolished for previously produced tanks of this modification. The first tanks, released as Ausf.G, were thus identical to their predecessors, but as production continued, more and more changes were made to the tank's design. Ausf.G of early releases still carried the index Sd.Kfz.161/1 according to the end-to-end designation system, which was replaced by Sd.Kfz.161/2 on vehicles of later releases. The first changes made already in the summer of 1942 included a new two-chamber pear-shaped muzzle brake, the elimination of viewing devices in the front side plates of the turret and the loader's inspection hatch in its frontal plate, the transfer of smoke grenade launchers from the rear of the hull to the sides of the turret, and a system for facilitating launch in winter conditions. .

Since the 50 mm frontal armor of the Pz.Kpfw.IV was still insufficient, not providing adequate protection against 57 mm and 76 mm guns, it was again reinforced by welding or, on later production vehicles, bolting additional 30-mm mm of plates above the upper and lower frontal plates of the hull. The thickness of the front plate of the turret and gun mantlet, however, was still 50 mm and did not increase during further modernization of the tank. The introduction of additional armor began with the Ausf.F2, when 8 tanks with increased armor thickness were produced in May 1942, but progress was slow. By November, only about half of the vehicles were produced with reinforced armor, and only from January 1943 did it become standard for all new tanks. Another significant change introduced to the Ausf.G from the spring of 1943 was the replacement of the Kw.K.40 L/43 gun with the Kw.K.40 L/48 with a 48-caliber barrel length, which had slightly higher armor penetration. Production of the Ausf.G continued until June 1943; a total of 1,687 tanks of this modification were produced. Of this number, about 700 tanks received reinforced armor and 412 received the Kw.K.40 L/48 gun.

The next modification, Ausf.H, became the most widespread. The first tanks under this designation, which rolled off the assembly line in April 1943, differed from the last Ausf.G only in the thickening of the front turret roof sheet to 16 mm and the rear one to 25 mm, as well as reinforced final drives with cast drive wheels, but the first 30 tanks Ausf.H, due to delays in the supply of new components, received only a thicker roof. Since the summer of the same year, instead of additional 30 mm hull armor, solid-rolled 80 mm plates were introduced to simplify production. In addition, hinged anti-cumulative screens made of 5 mm sheets were introduced, installed on most Ausf.H. In this regard, viewing devices on the sides of the hull and turret were eliminated as unnecessary. Since September, tanks have been coated with vertical armor with Zimmerit to protect them from magnetic mines.

Ausf.H tanks of later production received a turret mount for the MG-42 machine gun at the commander's cupola hatch, as well as a vertical rear plate instead of the inclined one that was present on all previous modifications of the tanks. During production, various changes were also introduced to make production cheaper and easier, such as the introduction of non-rubber support rollers and the elimination of the driver's periscopic viewing device. From December 1943, the frontal hull plates began to be connected to the side joints in a “tenon” manner to enhance resistance to shell hits. Production of the Ausf.H continued until July 1944. Data on the number of tanks of this modification produced, given in various sources, vary somewhat, from 3,935 chassis, of which 3,774 were completed as tanks, to 3,960 chassis and 3,839 tanks.

The German medium tank Pz.Kpfw destroyed on the Eastern Front. IV lying upside down on the side of the road. Part of the caterpillar in contact with the ground is missing, in the same place there are no rollers with a fragment of the lower part of the hull, a bottom sheet is torn off, and the second caterpillar is torn off. Top part the machine, as far as can be judged, does not have such fatal destruction. A typical picture of a landmine explosion.

The appearance of the Ausf.J modification on assembly lines in June 1944 was associated with the desire to reduce the cost and simplify the production of the tank as much as possible in the conditions of Germany's deteriorating strategic position. The only, but significant, change that distinguished the first Ausf.J from the last Ausf.H was the elimination of the electric drive for turning the turret and the associated auxiliary carburetor engine with a generator. Soon after the start of production of the new modification, the pistol ports in the stern and sides of the turret, which were useless due to the screens, were eliminated, and the design of other hatches was simplified. Since July, an additional fuel tank with a capacity of 200 liters began to be installed in place of the liquidated auxiliary engine, but the fight against its leakage dragged on until September 1944. In addition, the 12-mm hull roof began to be reinforced by welding additional 16-mm sheets. All subsequent changes were aimed at further simplifying the design, the most notable among them being the abandonment of the Zimmerit coating in September and the reduction in the number of support rollers to three per side in December 1944. Production of tanks of the Ausf.J modification continued almost until the very end of the war, until March 1945, but a decrease in production rates associated with the weakening of German industry and difficulties with the supply of raw materials led to the fact that only 1,758 tanks of this modification were produced.

Design

The Pz.Kpfw.IV had a layout with a combined transmission and control compartment located in the front, an engine compartment in the rear, and a fighting compartment in the middle part of the vehicle. The tank's crew consisted of five people: a driver and gunner-radio operator, located in the control compartment, and a gunner, loader and tank commander, located in a three-man turret.

Armored hull and turret

The turret of the PzKpfw IV tank made it possible to modernize the tank's gun. Inside the turret there was a commander, gunner and loader. The commander's position was located directly under the commander's cupola, the gunner was located to the left of the breech of the gun, and the loader was located to the right. Additional protection provided anti-cumulative screens, which were also installed on the sides. The commander's cupola at the rear of the turret gave the tank good visibility. The tower had an electric drive for rotation.

Surveillance and communications equipment

In non-combat conditions, the tank commander, as a rule, conducted observation while standing in the hatch of the commander's cupola. In battle, to view the area, he had five wide viewing slits around the perimeter of the commander's cupola, giving him an all-round view. The commander's viewing slits, like those of all other crew members, were equipped with a protective triplex glass block with inside. On the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.A the viewing slots did not have any additional cover, but on the Ausf.B the slots were equipped with sliding armor flaps; in this form, the commander’s viewing devices remained unchanged on all subsequent modifications. In addition, on tanks of early modifications, the commander's cupola had a mechanical device for determining the target's heading angle, with the help of which the commander could carry out precise target designation to the gunner, who had a similar device. However, due to excessive complexity, this system was eliminated, starting with the Ausf.F2 modification. The gunner's and loader's viewing devices on Ausf.A - Ausf.F consisted of, for each of them: a viewing hatch with an armored cover without viewing slots, in the front plate of the turret on the sides of the gun mantlet; an inspection hatch with a slot in the front side sheets and an inspection slot in the turret side hatch cover. Starting with the Ausf.G, as well as on some of the Ausf.F2 of late production, the inspection devices in the front side plates and the loader's inspection hatch in the front plate were eliminated. On some tanks of the Ausf.H and Ausf.J modifications, due to the installation of anti-cumulative screens, the viewing devices on the sides of the turret were completely eliminated.

The main means of observation for the driver of the Pz.Kpfw.IV was a wide viewing slot in the front hull plate. On the inside, the gap was protected by a triplex glass block; on the outside, on the Ausf.A it could be closed with a simple folding armor flap; on the Ausf.B and subsequent modifications, it could be closed with a Sehklappe 30 or 50 sliding flap, which was also used on the Pz.Kpfw.III. A periscope binocular viewing device K.F.F.1 was located above the viewing slit on Ausf.A, but it was eliminated on Ausf.B - Ausf.D. On Ausf.E - Ausf.G the viewing device appeared in the form of an improved K.F.F.2, but starting with Ausf.H it was abandoned again. The device was brought out into two holes in the front plate of the body and, if there was no need for it, was moved to the right. The radio operator-gunner on most modifications did not have any means of viewing the frontal sector, in addition to the sight of the forward machine gun, but on Ausf.B, Ausf.C and parts of Ausf.D, in place of the machine gun there was a hatch with a viewing slot in it. Similar hatches were located in the side plates on most Pz.Kpfw.IVs, being eliminated only on Ausf.Js due to the installation of anti-cumulative shields. In addition, the driver had a turret position indicator, one of two lights warned about the turret turning to one side or another in order to avoid damage to the gun when driving in cramped conditions.

For external communications, Pz.Kpfw.IV platoon commanders and above were equipped with a Fu 5 model VHF radio station and a Fu 2 receiver. Line tanks were equipped only with a Fu 2 receiver. FuG5 had a transmitter power of 10 W and provided a communication range of 9.4 km in telegraph and 6.4 km in telephone mode. For internal communications, all Pz.Kpfw.IVs were equipped with a tank intercom for four crew members, with the exception of the loader.

German tank Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H of the training tank division (Panzer-Lehr-Division), knocked out in Normandy. In front of the tank is a unitary high-explosive fragmentation round Sprgr.34 (weight 8.71 kg, explosive - ammotol) for the 75-mm KwK.40 L/48 cannon. The second shell lies on the body of the vehicle, in front of the turret.

Engine and transmission

The Pz.Kpfw.IV was equipped with a V-shaped 12-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled carburetor engine, models HL 108TR, HL 120TR and HL 120TRM from Maybach. Ausf.A modification tanks were equipped with the HL 108TR engine, which had a displacement of 10,838 cm³ and developed a maximum power of 250 hp. With. at 3000 rpm. The Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.B used an HL 120TR engine with a displacement of 11,867 cm³, developing a power of 300 hp. With. at 3000 rpm, and on tanks of the Ausf.C modification and all subsequent ones - its version HL 120TRM, which differed only in small details. At 2600 rpm, recommended by the operating instructions as maximum under normal conditions, the HL 120TR engine power was 265 hp. With.

The engine was placed longitudinally in the engine compartment, offset to the starboard side. The engine cooling system included two parallel-connected radiators located in the left half of the engine compartment and two fans located on the right side of the engine. The radiators were located at an angle relative to the engine compartment lid - for better air circulation. Air circulation in the engine compartment was carried out through two armored air intakes on both sides of the compartment. Fuel tanks, on most modifications - three, with a capacity of 140, 110 and 170 liters, were also located in the engine compartment. The Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J was equipped with a fourth tank with a capacity of 189 liters. The engine was fueled by leaded gasoline with an octane rating of at least 74.

The Pz.Kpfw.IV transmission included:

The driveshaft connecting the engine with the rest of the transmission units;
- three-disc main dry friction clutch;
- mechanical three-shaft gearbox with spring disc synchronizers - five-speed (5+1) SFG75 on Ausf.A, six-speed (6+1) SSG76 on Ausf.B - Ausf.G and SSG77 on Ausf.H and Ausf.J;
- planetary rotation mechanism;
- two final drives;
- onboard brakes.

The final drives and brakes were cooled using a fan installed to the left of the main clutch.

The medium tank Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf, knocked out in the battles near Breslau and completely burned out. H late release. The tank was disabled by a single hit from a 76 mm armor-piercing shell to the forehead of the turret. The front of the hull is almost completely covered by track tracks for increased protection.

Chassis

The chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.IV, applied to one side, consisted of eight dual rubber-coated road wheels with a diameter of 470 mm, four, or (on the part of the Ausf.J) three double support rollers - rubber-coated on most vehicles, with the exception of the Ausf.J and part of the Ausf .H, drive wheel and idler. The track rollers were interlocked in pairs on balancers with suspension on quarter-elliptic leaf springs.

The tracks of the Pz.Kpfw.IV are steel, small-linked, lantern gear, single-ridge. On early modifications, the track had a width of 360 mm with a pitch of 120 mm and consisted of 101 Kgs 61/360/120 tracks. Starting with the Ausf.F modification, due to the increased weight of the tank, a 400 mm wide Kgs 61/400/120 track was used, and the number of tracks was reduced to 99. Later, tracks with additional lugs were introduced for better traction on icy surfaces in winter conditions . In addition, on the Soviet-German front, expanders of various types were sometimes installed on the tracks.

Vehicles based on Panzerkampfwagen IV

Serial

Sturmgeschütz IV (StuG IV) is a medium-weight self-propelled artillery unit of the assault gun class.
- Nashorn (Hornisse) - a medium-weight anti-tank self-propelled artillery unit.
- Möbelwagen 3.7 cm FlaK auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw. IV(sf); Flakpanzer IV "Möbelwagen" - self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
- Jagdpanzer IV is a medium-weight self-propelled artillery unit of the tank destroyer class.
- Munitionsschlepper - ammunition transporter for self-propelled mortars of the Gerat 040/041 (“Karl”) type.
- Sturmpanzer IV (Brummbär) - a medium-weight self-propelled artillery unit of the assault gun / self-propelled howitzer class.
- Hummel - self-propelled howitzer.
- Flakpanzer IV (2cm Vierling) Wirbelwind - self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
- Flakpanzer IV (3.7cm FlaK) Ostwind - self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.

Experienced

PzKpfw IV Hydrostatic - modification with hydrostatic drive.

Combat use

early years

The first three Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.As entered service by January 1938, and by April the number of tanks of this type in the army increased to 30. Already in April of the same year, Pz.Kpfw.IVs were used during the Anschluss of Austria, and in October - during the occupation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. But although their number in active units, as well as the rate of production, was constantly increasing, before the start of World War II, Pz.Kpfw.IVs accounted for less than 10% of the Wehrmacht’s tank fleet. The number of Pz.Kpfw.IV tanks (75 mm Kwk 37 short-barreled gun, two 7.92 mm machine guns) in the army as of June 1, 1941 was 439.

The Second World War

Export

Tank Pz.Kpfw. IV was exported to various countries. In 1942-1944. Germany exported 490 vehicles.

Post-war use

The tank was also used in many battles after World War II: it was actively used by the Israel Defense Forces, Armed Forces Syria and the armies of other Middle Eastern countries during the wars of 1950-1970, namely: the Israeli War of Independence of 1948-1949, the Suez Conflict of 1956, the Six Day War of 1967 and other conflicts. Also used by the armies of Iraq and Iran in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988.

For a long time it was in service with the armies of Europe - Hungary, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Croatia and Spain, etc.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the T-4 tank

Crew, people: 5
Developer: Krupp
Manufacturer: Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp
Years of production: 1936-1945
Years of operation: 1939-1970
Number issued, pcs.: 8686

T-4 tank weight

Dimensions of the T-4 tank

Case length, mm: 5890
- Case width, mm: 2880
- Height, mm: 2680

T-4 tank armor

Armor type: forged and rolled steel with surface hardening
- Housing forehead, mm/deg.: 80
- Hull side, mm/deg.: 30
- Hull feed, mm/deg.: 20
- Tower forehead, mm/deg.: 50
- Tower side, mm/deg.: 30
- Tower feed, mm/deg.: 30
- Tower roof, mm: 18

Armament of the T-4 tank

Gun caliber and brand: 75 mm KwK 37, KwK 40 L/43, KwK 40 L/48
- Barrel length, calibers: 24, 43, 48
- Gun ammunition: 87
- Machine guns: 2 × 7.92 mm MG-34

T-4 tank engine

Engine power, l. pp.: 300

Speed ​​of the T-4 tank

Highway speed, km/h: 40

Cruising range on the highway, km: 300
- Specific power, l. s./t: 13.

Photo of the T-4 tank

Two British soldiers inspect an exploded german tank Pz.Kpfw.IV in the desert of North Africa. Tak was blown up by British bombers due to the impossibility of evacuating it.

Tank T-4 (PzKpfw IV, Panzer) - video

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Modern battle tanks Russia and the world photos, videos, pictures watch online. This article gives an idea of ​​the modern tank fleet. It is based on the principle of classification used in the most authoritative reference book to date, but in a slightly modified and improved form. And if the latter in its original form can still be found in the armies of a number of countries, then others have already become museum pieces. And just for 10 years! The authors considered it unfair to follow in the footsteps of the Jane’s reference book and not consider this combat vehicle (very interesting in design and fiercely discussed in its time), which formed the basis of the tank fleet of the last quarter of the 20th century.

Films about tanks where there is still no alternative to this type of weapon for the ground forces. The tank was and will probably remain for a long time modern weapons thanks to the ability to combine such seemingly contradictory qualities as high mobility, powerful weapons and reliable crew protection. These unique qualities of tanks continue to be constantly improved, and the experience and technology accumulated over decades predetermine new frontiers in combat properties and achievements of the military-technical level. In the eternal confrontation between “projectile and armor”, as practice shows, protection against projectiles is increasingly being improved, acquiring new qualities: activity, multi-layeredness, self-defense. At the same time, the projectile becomes more accurate and powerful.

Russian tanks are specific in that they allow you to destroy the enemy from a safe distance, have the ability to make quick maneuvers on off-road, contaminated terrain, can “walk” through territory occupied by the enemy, seize a decisive bridgehead, cause panic in the rear and suppress the enemy with fire and tracks . The war of 1939-1945 became the most difficult test for all humanity, since almost all countries of the world were involved in it. It was a clash of the titans - the most unique period that theorists debated in the early 1930s and during which tanks were used in large numbers by almost all belligerents. At this time, a “lice test” and a deep reform of the first theories of the use of tank forces took place. And it is the Soviet tank forces that are most affected by all this.

Tanks in battle have become a symbol of the past war, the backbone of the Soviet armored forces? Who created them and under what conditions? How did the USSR, which had lost most of its European territories and had difficulty recruiting tanks for the defense of Moscow, was able to release powerful tank formations onto the battlefields already in 1943? This book is intended to answer these questions, telling about the development of Soviet tanks “during the testing days ", from 1937 to the beginning of 1943. When writing the book, materials from Russian archives and private collections of tank builders were used. There was a period in our history that was deposited in my memory with some oppressive feeling. It began with the return of our first military advisers from Spain, and stopped only at the beginning of forty-three,” said the former general designer Self-propelled gun L. Gorlitsky, - some kind of pre-storm condition was felt.

Tanks of the Second World War It was M. Koshkin, almost underground (but, of course, with the support of “the wisest of the wise leaders of all nations”), who was able to create the tank that a few years later would shock the German tank generals. And not only that, he not only created it, the designer managed to prove to these military fools that it was his T-34 that they needed, and not just another wheeled-tracked "motor vehicle." The author is in slightly different positions, which formed in him after meeting the pre-war documents of the RGVA and RGEA. Therefore, working on this segment of the history of the Soviet tank, the author will inevitably contradict something “generally accepted.” This work describes the history of Soviet tank building in the most difficult years - from the beginning of a radical restructuring of the entire activity of design bureaus and people's commissariats in general, during the frantic race to equip new tank formations of the Red Army, transfer industry to wartime rails and evacuation.

Tanks Wikipedia, the author would like to express his special gratitude to M. Kolomiets for his assistance in selecting and processing materials, and also thank A. Solyankin, I. Zheltov and M. Pavlov, the authors of the reference publication “Domestic armored vehicles. XX century. 1905 - 1941” , since this book helped to understand the fate of some projects that was previously unclear. I would also like to remember with gratitude those conversations with Lev Izraelevich Gorlitsky, the former chief designer of UZTM, which helped to take a fresh look at the entire history of the Soviet tank during the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union. For some reason today it is common for us to talk about 1937-1938. only from the point of view of repression, but few people remember that it was during this period that those tanks were born that became legends of the wartime...” From the memoirs of L.I. Gorlinky.

Soviet tanks A detailed assessment of them at that time was heard from many lips. Many old people recalled that it was from the events in Spain that it became clear to everyone that the war was getting closer and closer to the threshold and it was Hitler who would have to fight. In 1937, mass purges and repressions began in the USSR, and against the backdrop of these difficult events, the Soviet tank began to transform from “mechanized cavalry” (in which one of its combat qualities was emphasized at the expense of others) into a balanced combat vehicle, simultaneously possessing powerful weapons, sufficient to suppress most targets, good maneuverability and mobility with armor protection capable of maintaining its combat effectiveness when fired upon by the most massive anti-tank weapons of a potential enemy.

It was recommended that large tanks be supplemented with only special tanks - amphibious tanks, chemical tanks. The brigade now had 4 separate battalions of 54 tanks each and was strengthened by moving from three-tank platoons to five-tank ones. In addition, D. Pavlov justified the refusal to form three additional mechanized corps in addition to the four existing mechanized corps in 1938, believing that these formations were immobile and difficult to control, and most importantly, they required a different rear organization. The tactical and technical requirements for promising tanks, as expected, were adjusted. In particular, in a letter dated December 23 to the head of the design bureau of plant No. 185 named after. CM. Kirov, the new boss demanded that the armor of the new tanks be strengthened so that at a distance of 600-800 meters (effective range).

The newest tanks in the world, when designing new tanks, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of increasing the level of armor protection during modernization by at least one stage...” This problem could be solved in two ways: Firstly, by increasing the thickness of the armor plates and, secondly, by “using increased armor resistance." It is not difficult to guess that the second way was considered more promising, since the use of specially strengthened armor plates, or even two-layer armor, could, while maintaining the same thickness (and the mass of the tank as a whole), increase its durability by 1.2-1.5 It was this path (the use of especially hardened armor) that was chosen at that moment to create new types of tanks.

Tanks of the USSR at the dawn of tank production, armor was most widely used, the properties of which were identical in all areas. Such armor was called homogeneous (homogeneous), and from the very beginning of armor making, craftsmen sought to create just such armor, because homogeneity ensured stability of characteristics and simplified processing. However, at the end of the 19th century, it was noticed that when the surface of an armor plate was saturated (to a depth of several tenths to several millimeters) with carbon and silicon, its surface strength increased sharply, while the rest of the plate remained viscous. This is how heterogeneous (non-uniform) armor came into use.

For military tanks, the use of heterogeneous armor was very important, since an increase in the hardness of the entire thickness of the armor plate led to a decrease in its elasticity and (as a consequence) to an increase in fragility. Thus, the most durable armor, all other things being equal, turned out to be very fragile and often chipped even from the explosions of high-explosive fragmentation shells. Therefore, at the dawn of armor production, when producing homogeneous sheets, the task of the metallurgist was to achieve the maximum possible hardness of the armor, but at the same time not to lose its elasticity. Surface-hardened armor with carbon and silicon saturation was called cemented (cemented) and was considered at that time a panacea for many ills. But cementation is a complex, harmful process (for example, treating a hot plate with a jet of illuminating gas) and relatively expensive, and therefore its development in a series required large expenses and improved production standards.

Wartime tanks, even in operation, these hulls were less successful than homogeneous ones, since for no apparent reason cracks formed in them (mainly in loaded seams), and it was very difficult to put patches on holes in cemented slabs during repairs. But it was still expected that a tank protected by 15-20 mm cemented armor would be equivalent in level of protection to the same one, but covered with 22-30 mm sheets, without a significant increase in weight.
Also, by the mid-1930s, tank building had learned to harden the surface of relatively thin armor plates by uneven hardening, known since the end of the 19th century in shipbuilding as the “Krupp method.” Surface hardening led to a significant increase in the hardness of the front side of the sheet, leaving the main thickness of the armor viscous.

How tanks fire video up to half the thickness of the slab, which was, of course, worse than cementation, since while the hardness of the surface layer was higher than with cementation, the elasticity of the hull sheets was significantly reduced. So the “Krupp method” in tank building made it possible to increase the strength of armor even slightly more than cementation. But the hardening technology that was used for thick naval armor was no longer suitable for relatively thin tank armor. Before the war, this method was almost not used in our serial tank building due to technological difficulties and relatively high cost.

Combat use tanks, the most developed for tanks was the 45-mm tank gun model 1932/34. (20K), and before the event in Spain it was believed that its power was quite sufficient to perform most tank tasks. But the battles in Spain showed that a 45-mm gun can only satisfy the task of fighting enemy tanks, since even shelling of manpower in the mountains and forests turned out to be ineffective, and it was only possible to disable a dug-in enemy firing point in the event of a direct hit . Firing at shelters and bunkers was ineffective due to the low high-explosive effect of a projectile weighing only about two kg.

Types of tanks photos so that even one shell hit can reliably disable an anti-tank gun or machine gun; and thirdly, to increase the penetrating effect of a tank gun on the armor of a potential enemy, since using the example of French tanks (which already had an armor thickness of about 40-42 mm), it became clear that the armor protection of foreign combat vehicles tends to be significantly strengthened. There was a sure way for this - increasing the caliber of tank guns and simultaneously increasing the length of their barrel, since a long gun of a larger caliber fires heavier projectiles with a higher initial velocity over a greater distance without correcting the aiming.

The best tanks in the world had a large-caliber cannon, and also had big sizes breech, significantly more weight and increased recoil response. And this required an increase in the mass of the entire tank as a whole. In addition, placing large-sized rounds in a closed tank volume led to a decrease in transportable ammunition.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that at the beginning of 1938 it suddenly turned out that there was simply no one to give the order for the design of a new, more powerful tank gun. P. Syachintov and his entire design team were repressed, as well as the core of the Bolshevik design bureau under the leadership of G. Magdesiev. Only the group of S. Makhanov remained in the wild, who, since the beginning of 1935, had been trying to develop his new 76.2-mm semi-automatic single gun L-10, and the staff of plant No. 8 was slowly finishing the “forty-five”.

Photos of tanks with names The number of developments is large, but mass production in the period 1933-1937. not a single one has been accepted..." In fact, none of the five air-cooled tank diesel engines, work on which was carried out in 1933-1937 in the engine department of plant No. 185, was brought to series. Moreover, despite the decisions the highest levels about the transition in tank building exclusively to diesel engines, this process was constrained by a number of factors. Of course, diesel had significant efficiency. It consumed less fuel per unit of power per hour. Diesel fuel was less susceptible to fire, since the flash point of its vapor was very high.

New tanks video, even the most advanced of them, the MT-5 tank engine, required a reorganization of engine production for serial production, which was expressed in the construction of new workshops, the supply of advanced foreign equipment (they did not yet have their own machines of the required accuracy), financial investments and strengthening of personnel. It was planned that in 1939 this diesel would produce 180 hp. will go to production tanks and artillery tractors, but due to investigative work to determine the causes of tank engine failures, which lasted from April to November 1938, these plans were not implemented. The development of a slightly increased six-cylinder gasoline engine No. 745 with a power of 130-150 hp was also started.

Brands of tanks had specific indicators that suited tank builders quite well. The tanks were tested using a new method, specially developed at the insistence of the new head of the ABTU, D. Pavlov, in relation to combat service in wartime. The basis of the tests was a run of 3-4 days (at least 10-12 hours of daily non-stop movement) with a one-day break for technical inspection and restoration work. Moreover, repairs were allowed to be carried out only by field workshops without the involvement of factory specialists. This was followed by a “platform” with obstacles, “swimming” in water with an additional load that simulated an infantry landing, after which the tank was sent for inspection.

Super tanks online, after improvement work, seemed to remove all claims from the tanks. And the overall progress of the tests confirmed the fundamental correctness of the main design changes - an increase in displacement by 450-600 kg, the use of the GAZ-M1 engine, as well as the Komsomolets transmission and suspension. But during testing, numerous minor defects again appeared in the tanks. Chief designer N. Astrov was removed from work and was under arrest and investigation for several months. In addition, the tank received a new turret with improved protection. The modified layout made it possible to place on the tank more ammunition for a machine gun and two small fire extinguishers (previously there were no fire extinguishers on small tanks of the Red Army).

US tanks as part of modernization work, on one production model of the tank in 1938-1939. The torsion bar suspension developed by the designer of the design bureau of plant No. 185 V. Kulikov was tested. It was distinguished by the design of a composite short coaxial torsion bar (long monotorsion bars could not be used coaxially). However, such a short torsion bar did not show good enough results in tests, and therefore the torsion bar suspension did not immediately pave the way for itself in the course of further work. Obstacles to be overcome: climbs of at least 40 degrees, vertical wall 0.7 m, covered ditch 2-2.5 m."

YouTube about tanks, work on the production of prototypes of the D-180 and D-200 engines for reconnaissance tanks is not being carried out, jeopardizing the production of prototypes." Justifying his choice, N. Astrov said that the wheeled-tracked non-floating reconnaissance aircraft (factory designation 101 or 10-1), as well as the amphibious tank variant (factory designation 102 or 10-2), are a compromise solution, since it is not possible to fully satisfy the ABTU requirements. Option 101 was a tank weighing 7.5 tons with a hull according to the type of hull, but with vertical side sheets of cemented armor 10-13 mm thick, since: “The inclined sides, causing serious weighting of the suspension and hull, require a significant (up to 300 mm) widening of the hull, not to mention the complication of the tank.

Video reviews of tanks in which the tank’s power unit was planned to be based on the 250-horsepower MG-31F aircraft engine, which was being developed by industry for agricultural aircraft and gyroplanes. 1st grade gasoline was placed in the tank under the floor of the fighting compartment and in additional onboard gas tanks. The armament fully corresponded to the task and consisted of coaxial machine guns DK 12.7 mm caliber and DT (in the second version of the project even ShKAS is listed) 7.62 mm caliber. The combat weight of the tank with torsion bar suspension was 5.2 tons, with spring suspension - 5.26 tons. Tests took place from July 9 to August 21 according to the methodology approved in 1938, and Special attention was given to tanks.

Medium tank Pz Kpfw IV
and its modifications

The most popular tank of the III Reich. Produced from October 1937 until the end of the war. A total of 8,519 tanks were produced Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A, B, C, D, E, F1, F2, G, H, J, of which - 1100 with a short-barreled 7.5cm KwK37 L/24 gun, 7,419 tanks with a long-barreled 7.5cm KwK40 L/43 or L/48 gun).

Pz IV Ausf A Pz IV Ausf B Pz IV Ausf C

Pz IV Ausf D Pz IV Ausf E

Pz IV Ausf F1 Pz IV Ausf F2

Pz IV Ausf G Pz IV Ausf H

Pz IV Ausf J

Crew - 5 people.
Engine - Maybach HL 120TR or TRM (Ausf A - HL 108TR).

The Maybach HL 120TR 12-cylinder carburetor engine (3000 rpm) had a power of 300 hp. With. and allowed the tank to reach a maximum speed on the highway of up to 40 - 42 km/h.

All Pz Kpfw IV tanks had a 75 mm caliber tank gun (7.5 cm in German terminology). In the series from modification A to F1, short-barreled 7.5cm KwK37 L/24 guns with an initial armor-piercing projectile speed of 385 m/s were installed, which were powerless against the armor of Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, as well as against most British and American tanks. Since March 1942, the last vehicles of modification F (175 vehicles designated F2), as well as all tanks of modifications G, H and J, began to be armed with long-barreled 7.5cm KwK40 L/43 or L/48 guns. (The KwK 40 L/48 gun was installed on parts of the G series vehicles, and then on modifications H and J.) Pz Kpfw IV tanks, armed with KwK40 guns with an initial armor-piercing projectile speed of 770 m/s, gained some fire superiority over the T-34 time (2nd half of 1942 - 1943)

Tanks Pz Kpfw IV were also armed with two MG 34 machine guns. In modifications B and C there was no radio operator's machine gun; instead there is a viewing slot and a pistol embrasure.

All tanks have FuG 5 radios.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A(Sd Kfz 161)

35 tanks were produced from October 1937 to March 1938 by Krupp-Guzon.

Combat weight - 18.4 tons. Length - 5.6 m. Width - 2.9 m. Height - 2.65 m.
Armor 15 mm.
Engine - Maybach HL 108TR. Speed ​​- 31 km/h. Power reserve - 150 km.

Combat use: they fought in Poland, Norway, France; were withdrawn from service in the spring of 1941.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B, Ausf C(Sd Kfz 161)

42 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B tanks were produced (from April to September 1938) and 134 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C tanks (from September 1938 to August 1939).

Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B

Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C

A different engine and a new 6-speed gearbox were installed. The speed increased to 40 km/h. The thickness of the frontal armor has been increased to 30 mm. A new commander's cupola has been installed. In the Ausf C modification, the motor installation was changed and the turret rotating ring was improved.

Combat weight - 18.8 tons (Ausf B) and 19 tons (Ausf C). Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.83 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: front of the hull and turret - 30 mm, side and rear - 15 mm.

In modifications B and C there was no radio operator's machine gun; instead there is a viewing slot and a pistol embrasure.

Combat use: Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B and Ausf C tanks fought in Poland, France, the Balkans and on the Eastern Front. Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C remained in service until 1943. Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B gradually fell out of service by the end of 1944.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf D(Sd Kfz 161)

229 tanks were produced from October 1939 to May 1941.

The main difference of the Ausf D modification was the increase in the thickness of the armor on the sides and stern to 20 mm.

Combat weight - 20 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: hull and turret front - 30 mm, side and rear - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km/h. Power reserve - 200 km.

Combat use: fought in France, the Balkans, North Africa and on the Eastern Front until early 1944.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf E(Sd Kfz 161)

223 tanks were produced from September 1940 to April 1941.

On Ausf E increased the thickness of the frontal armor of the hull to 50 mm; A new type of commander's cupola appeared. Armor linings were used on the forehead of the superstructure (30 mm) and on the sides of the hull and superstructure (20 mm).

Combat weight - 21 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: hull front - 50 mm, superstructure and turret front - 30 mm, side and rear - 20 mm.

Combat use: Pz Kpfw IV Ausf E tanks took part in battles in the Balkans, North Africa and on the Eastern Front.

Medium support tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1(Sd Kfz 161)

462 tanks were produced from April 1941 to March 1942, of which 25 were converted into Ausf F2.

On Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F's armor was again increased: the front of the hull and turret was up to 50 mm, the sides of the turret and hull were up to 30 mm. The single-leaf doors on the sides of the turret were replaced with double-leaf ones, and the track width increased from 360 to 400 mm. Tanks of modifications Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F, G, H were produced at the factories of three companies: Krupp-Gruson, Fomag and Nibelungenwerke.

Combat weight - 22.3 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.

Speed ​​- 42 km/h. Power reserve - 200 km.

Combat use: Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1 tanks fought on all sectors of the Eastern Front in 1941-44 and participated in . Entered service in and.

Medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2(Sd Kfz 161/1)

Produced from March to July 1942, 175 tanks and 25 vehicles converted from Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1.

Starting with this model, all subsequent ones were equipped with a long-barreled 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 (48) gun. The gun's ammunition load was increased from 80 to 87 rounds.

Combat weight - 23 tons. Length - 5.92 m. Width - 2.84 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: hull front, superstructure and turret - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, rear - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km/h. Power reserve - 200 km.

They entered service with new tank regiments and motorized divisions, as well as to make up for losses. In the summer of 1942, Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2 tanks could withstand the Soviet T-34 and KV, equaling the latter in firepower, and surpassing the British and American tanks that period.

Medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G(Sd Kfz 161/2)

1,687 vehicles were produced from May 1942 to July 1943.

A new gun muzzle brake has been introduced. Smoke grenade launchers were installed on the sides of the tower. The number of viewing slots in the tower has been reduced. About 700 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf G tanks received additional 30 mm frontal armor. On the latest vehicles, armor screens made of thin steel (5 mm) were installed along the sides of the hull and around the turret. Tanks of modifications Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F, G, H were produced at the factories of three companies: Krupp-Gruson, Fomag and Nibelungenwerke.

Combat weight - 23.5 tons. Length - 6.62 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: hull front, superstructure and turret - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, rear - 20 mm.
Speed ​​- 40 km/h. Power reserve - 210 km.

Medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf N(Sd Kfz 161/2)

3,774 vehicles were produced from April 1943 to July 1944.

The Ausf H modification series - the most widespread - received 80 mm frontal hull armor (the thickness of the turret armor remained the same - 50 mm); armor protection of the turret roof increased from 10 to 15 mm. An external air filter was installed. The radio antenna was moved to the rear of the hull. A mount for an anti-aircraft machine gun is mounted on the commander's cupola. 5-mm side screens were installed on the hull and turret, protecting against cumulative shells. Some tanks had non-rubber-coated (steel) support rollers. Tanks of the Ausf H modification were produced at the factories of three companies: Nibelungenwerke, Krupp-Gruson (Magdeburg) and Fomag in Plauen. A total of 3,774 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf H and another 121 chassis for self-propelled and assault guns were produced.

Combat weight - 25 tons. Length - 7.02 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.

Speed ​​– 38 km/h. Power reserve - 210 km.

Medium tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf J(Sd Kfz 161/2)

1,758 vehicles were produced from June 1944 to March 1945 at the Nibelungenwerke plant.

The electrical horizontal aiming system of the turret has been replaced with a double one mechanical system manual aiming. An additional fuel tank was installed in the vacant space. The power reserve has been increased to 320 km. For close combat, a mortar was installed in the roof of the tower, firing fragmentation or smoke grenades to defeat enemy soldiers who had climbed onto the tank. The viewing slots and pistol embrasures in the side doors and rear of the turret have been removed.

Combat weight - 25 tons. Length - 7.02 m. Width - 2.88 m. Height - 2.68 m.
Armor: front of the hull and superstructure - 80 mm, front of the turret - 50 mm, side - 30 mm, rear - 20 mm.
Speed ​​– 38 km/h. Power reserve - 320 km.

Combat use of medium tanks Pz Kpfw IV

Before the invasion of France, the troops had 280 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf A, B, C, D tanks.

Before the beginning Operation Barbarossa Germany had 3,582 combat-ready tanks. The 17 tank divisions deployed against the Soviet Union included 438 Pz IV Ausf B, C, D, E, F tanks. Soviet KV and T-34 tanks had an advantage over the German Pz Kpfw IV. Shells from KV and T-34 tanks penetrated the armor of the Pz Kpfw IV at considerable distances. The armor of the Pz Kpfw IV was also penetrated by 45 mm Soviet anti-tank guns and 45 mm guns of the T-26 and BT light tanks. And the short-barreled German tank gun could only effectively fight light tanks. Therefore, during 1941, 348 Pz Kpfw IVs were destroyed on the Eastern Front.

Tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F1 of the 5th Panzer Division in November 1941 near Moscow

In June 1942 years there were 208 tanks on the Eastern Front Pz Kpfw IV Ausf B, C, D, E, F1 and about 170 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf F2 and Ausf G tanks with a long-barreled gun.

In 1942 tank battalion Pz Kpfw IV was to consist of four tank companies of 22 Pz Kpfw IV each, plus eight tanks in the regiment's headquarters company.

Tank Pz Kpfw IV Ausf C and panzergrenadiers

Spring 1943

No one at the Krupp plant in 1936 could have imagined that this massive vehicle, equipped with a short-barreled infantry support gun and considered auxiliary, would be so widely used. With a final total of 9,000 units, it became the most mass-produced tank ever produced in Germany , whose production volumes, despite shortages of materials, grew until the very last days of World War II in Europe.

Wehrmacht workhorse

Despite the fact that there were fighting vehicles more modern than the German T-4 tank - "Tiger", "Panther" and "Royal Tiger", it not only formed the majority of the Wehrmacht's weapons, but was also part of many elite SS divisions. The recipe for success was probably the large hull and turret, ease of maintenance, reliability and robust chassis, which allowed for an expanded array of weapons compared to the Panzer III. From the Model A to the F1, early versions using a short 75 mm barrel were gradually replaced by the "long" ones, F2 to H, with a very effective high-velocity gun inherited from the Pak 40, which could cope with the Soviet KV-1 and T -34. In the end, the T-4 (photo presented in the article) completely surpassed the Panzer III both in numbers and in its capabilities.

Krupp prototype design

It was originally intended that the German T-4 tank, the technical characteristics of which were determined in 1934 by the Waffenamt, would serve as an “escort vehicle” in order to hide its true role, prohibited by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.

Heinz Guderian took part in the development of the concept. This new model was to become an infantry support tank and be deployed in the rearguard. It was planned that at the battalion level one such vehicle should be for every three Panzer IIIs. Unlike the T-3, which was equipped with a variant of the standard 37 mm Pak 36 gun with good anti-tank performance, the short barrel of the Panzer IV howitzer could be used against all types of fortifications, blockhouses, pillboxes, anti-tank guns and artillery positions.

Initially, the weight limit for a combat vehicle was 24 tons. MAN, Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig created three prototypes, and Krupp received the main contract. The suspension was initially completely new, with six alternating wheels. Later the Army required the installation of rod springs, which provided better vertical deflection. Compared to the previous system, this made the ride smoother, but the need for a new tank stopped further development. Krupp returned to a more traditional system with four twin-wheel bogies and leaf springs for easier servicing. A crew of five was planned - three were in the turret (commander, loader and gunner), and the driver and radio operator were in the hull. The fighting compartment was relatively spacious, with improved sound insulation in the rear engine compartment. The inside of the German T-4 tank (photos in the material illustrate this) was equipped with an onboard communication system and radio.

Although not very noticeable, the Panzer IV's hull is asymmetrical, with the turret offset 6.5 cm to the left and the engine 15 cm to the right. This was done in order to directly connect the turret ring to the transmission for faster rotation. As a result, the ammunition boxes were located on the right.

The prototype, developed and built in 1936 at the Krupp AG plant in Magdeburg, was designated Versuchskraftfahrzeug 622 by the Army Weapons Office. However, in the new pre-war nomenclature it quickly became known as the Pz.Kpfw.IV (Sd.Kfz. 161).

The tank had a Maybach HL108TR gasoline engine with a power of 250 hp. s., and a SGR 75 gearbox with five forward and one reverse gears. The maximum speed tested on a flat surface was 31 km/h.

75 mm gun - low-velocity Kampfwagenkanone (KwK) 37 L/24. This weapon was intended for firing at concrete fortifications. However, some anti-tank capability was provided by the Panzergranate armor-piercing projectile, whose speed reached 440 m/s. It could penetrate a 43 mm sheet of steel at a distance of 700 m. Two MG-34 machine guns completed the armament, one coaxial and the other at the front of the vehicle.

In the first batch of Type A tanks, the thickness of the hull armor did not exceed 15 mm and the turret armor did not exceed 20 mm. Although it was hardened steel, such protection could only withstand light firearms, light artillery and grenade launcher fragments.

Early "short" preliminary episodes

The German T-4 A tank was a kind of preliminary series of 35 units produced in 1936. The next one was the Ausf. B with a modified commander's canopy, a new Maybach HL 120TR engine developing 300 hp. pp., as well as a new transmission SSG75.

Despite the extra weight, top speed has increased to 39 km/h and protection has been enhanced. The thickness of the armor reached 30 mm in the front inclined part of the hull and 15 mm in other places. In addition, the machine gun was protected by a new hatch.

After the production of 42 vehicles, production switched to the German T-4 C tank. The thickness of the armor on the turret increased to 30 mm. Total weight amounted to 18.15 tons. After delivery of 40 units in 1938, the tank was improved by installing a new Maybach HL 120TRM engine for the next hundred vehicles. It is quite logical that modification D followed. The Dora can be distinguished by the machine gun newly installed on the hull and the embrasure placed outside. The thickness of the side armor increased to 20 mm. A total of 243 vehicles of this model were manufactured, the last of which was at the beginning of 1940. Modification D was the last pre-production one, after which the command decided to increase the scale of production.

Standardization

The German T-4 E tank was the first large-scale series to be produced during the war. Although many studies and reports point to the lack of penetration of the Panzer III's 37mm gun, replacing it was not possible. Looking for a solution to conduct testing on one prototype Panzer IV Ausf. D, a modification of the Pak 38 medium-velocity 50 mm cannon was installed. The initial order for 80 units was canceled after the end of the French campaign. In tank battles, in particular against the British Matilda and the French B1 bis, it finally became clear that the thickness of the armor was insufficient and the penetrating power of the gun was weak. In Ausf. E retained the short-barreled KwK 37L/24 gun, but the thickness of the front armor was increased to 50 mm, with 30 mm steel plate overlays as a temporary measure. By April 1941, when this modification was replaced by Ausf. F, its production reached 280 units.

The last "short" model

Another modification significantly changed the German T-4 tank. The characteristics of the early F model, renamed F1 when the next one was introduced, changed due to the replacement of the front cover plate with a 50 mm plate and an increase in the thickness of the side parts of the hull and turret to 30 mm. The total weight of the tank increased to over 22 tons, which forced other changes such as increasing the width of the tracks from 380 to 400 mm to reduce ground pressure, with a corresponding change in the two idler and drive wheels. The F1 was produced in 464 units before its replacement in March 1942.

The first "long"

Even with the armor-piercing Panzergranate round, the Panzer IV's low-velocity gun was no match for heavily armored tanks. In the context of the upcoming campaign in the USSR, a decision had to be made on a major upgrade of the T-3 tank. The now available Pak 38L/60 gun, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed, was intended for installation in the Panzer IV turret. In November 1941, the prototype was completed and production was scheduled. But during the first battles with the Soviet KV-1 and T-34, production of the 50 mm gun, also used in the Panzer III, was discontinued in favor of a new, more powerful model from Rheinmetall based on the 75 mm Pak 40L/46 gun. This led to the development of the KwK 40L/43, a relatively long caliber equipped to reduce recoil. The initial velocity of the Panzergranade 39 projectile exceeded 990 m/s. It could penetrate 77 mm armor at a distance of up to 1850 m. After the creation of the first prototype in February 1942, mass production of the F2 began. By July, 175 units had been manufactured. In June, the German T-4 F2 tank was renamed T-4 G, but for the Waffenamt both types were designated as Sd.Kfz.161/1. In some documents the model is called F2/G.

Transitional model

The German T-4 G tank was an improved version of the F2 with changes to save metal through the use of progressive frontal armor, thicker at the base. The frontal glacis was reinforced with a new 30mm plate, increasing the thickness to a total of 80mm. This was enough to successfully counter the Soviet 76 mm gun and 76.2 mm anti-tank gun. At first they decided to bring only half of production to this standard, but in January 1943 Adolf Hitler personally ordered a complete transition. However, the weight of the car increased to 23.6 tons, revealing the limitations of the chassis and transmission.

The German T-4 tank has undergone significant changes inside. Turret inspection slits have been eliminated, engine ventilation and ignition at low temperatures improved, additional holders for spare wheels and brackets for track links on the glacis were installed. They also served as temporary protection. The headlights were updated, the armored dome was strengthened and modified.

Later versions in the spring of 1943 added side armor on the hull and turret, as well as smoke grenade launchers. But most importantly, a new, more powerful KwK 40L/48 gun has appeared. After the production of 1,275 standard and 412 improved tanks, production shifted towards the Ausf.H model.

Main version

The German T-4 N tank (photo below) was equipped with a new long-barreled KwK 40L/48 gun. Further changes concerned ease of production - the side inspection slots were removed, and spare parts common to the Panzer III were used. In total, until the next modification of Ausf. J in June 1944, 3774 vehicles were assembled.

In December 1942, Krupp received an order for a tank with fully sloped armor, which due to the additional weight required the development of a new chassis, transmission and possibly engine. However, production began with updated version Ausf.G. The German T-4 tank received a new ZF Zahnradfabrik SSG-76 gearbox, a new set of radio stations (FU2 and 5, and internal communication). The thickness of the frontal armor increased to 80 mm without overlay plates. The weight of the H reached 25 tons in combat gear, and the maximum speed was reduced to 38 km/h, and in real combat conditions to 25 km/h, and much less over rough terrain. By the end of 1943, the German T-4 N tank began to be coated with Zimmerit paste, the air filters were updated, and an anti-aircraft machine for the MG 34 was installed on the turret.

Latest simplified model

The last tank, the German T-4 J, was assembled at the Nibelungwerke in St. Valentin, Austria, as Vomag and Krupp now had other missions, and was subject to simplifications aimed at greater mass production and which rarely found support among the crews. For example, the electric drive of the turret was removed, aiming was done manually, which made it possible to increase the volume of the fuel tank by 200 liters, increasing the operating range to 300 km. Other modifications included the removal of the turret's viewing window, loopholes and anti-aircraft gun in favor of mounting a smoke grenade launcher. "Zimmerit" was no longer used, as were the Schürzen anti-cumulative "skirts", replaced by cheaper mesh panels. The engine radiator housing has also been simplified. The drive has lost one return roller. Two mufflers with flame arresters appeared, as well as a mount for a 2-ton crane. In addition, the SSG 77 transmission from the Panzer III was used, although it was clearly overloaded. Despite these sacrifices, due to constant Allied bombing, deliveries were in jeopardy, and in total only 2,970 tanks were built out of a planned 5,000 by the end of March 1945.

Modifications

German tank T-4: tactical and technical characteristics

Parameter
Height, m
Width, m
Body/forehead armor, mm
Turret body/front, mm
Machine guns
Shot/Pat.
Max. speed, km/h
Max. distance, km
Prev. ditch, m
Prev. walls, m
Prev. ford, m

I must say that big number The Panzer IV tanks that survived the Second World War were not lost or scrapped, but were used for their intended purpose in countries such as Bulgaria and Syria. Some of them were equipped with the new Soviet heavy machine gun. They took part in the battles for the Golan Heights during the 1965 war and in 1967. Today, German T-4 tanks are part of museum displays and private collections around the world, and dozens of them are still in working order.

The decision to create a medium tank with a short-barreled 75 mm gun was made in January 1934. Preference was given to the Krupp project, and in 1937 - 1938 it produced about 200 vehicles of modifications A, B, C and D.

These tanks had a combat weight of 18 to 20 tons, armor up to 20 mm thick, a highway speed of no more than 40 km/h and a highway range of 200 km. A 75-mm gun with a 23.5-caliber barrel length, coaxial with a machine gun, was installed in the turret.

During the attack on Poland on September 1, 1939, the German army had only 211 T-4 tanks. The tank showed itself well and was approved as the main one along with the T-3. Since December 1939, its mass production began (in 1940 - 280 pieces).

By the beginning of the campaign in France (May 10, 1940), German tank divisions in the West had only 278 T-4 tanks. The only result of the Polish and French campaigns was an increase in the thickness of the armor of the frontal part of the hull to 50 mm, side armor to 30 and turret to 50 mm. The weight reached 22 tons (modification F1, produced in 1941 - 1942). The width of the tracks was increased from 380 to 400 mm.

From the first days of the war, Soviet T-34 and KV tanks (see below) demonstrated the superiority of their weapons and armor over the T-4. Hitler's command demanded that their tank be re-equipped with a long-barreled gun. In March 1942, he received a 75 mm cannon with a 43-caliber barrel length (vehicle modification T-4F2).

In 1942, vehicles of the G modifications were produced, from 1943 - H and from March 1944 - J. The tanks of the last two modifications had 80 mm frontal hull armor and were armed with guns with a barrel length of 48 calibers. The weight increased to 25 tons, and the cross-country ability of the vehicles deteriorated noticeably. On modification J, the fuel supply was increased and the range increased to 300 km. Since 1943, 5-mm screens began to be installed on tanks, protecting the sides and turret (side and rear) from artillery shells and anti-tank rifle bullets.

The welded tank hull of a simple design did not have a rational slope of the armor plates. There were many hatches in the hull, which made access to units and mechanisms easier, but reduced the strength of the hull. Internal partitions divided it into three compartments. In front, in the control compartment, there were final drives, the driver (on the left) and the gunner-radio operator, who had his own surveillance devices, were located. The fighting compartment with a multifaceted turret housed three crew members: a commander, a gunner and a loader. The turret had hatches in the sides, which reduced its resistance to projectiles. The commander's cupola is equipped with five viewing devices with armored shutters. There were also viewing devices on both sides of the gun mantlet and in the side hatches of the turret. The rotation of the turret was carried out by an electric motor or manually, vertical aiming was carried out manually. The ammunition included high-explosive fragmentation and smoke grenades, armor-piercing, sub-caliber and cumulative shells. An armor-piercing projectile (mass 6.8 kg, initial speed - 790 m/s) penetrated armor up to 95 mm thick, and a sub-caliber projectile (4.1 kg, 990 m/s) - about 110 mm at a distance of 1000 m (data for a gun in 48 calibers).

A 12-cylinder water-cooled Maybach carburetor engine was installed in the engine compartment at the rear of the hull.

The T-4 turned out to be a reliable and easy-to-control vehicle (it was the Wehrmacht's most popular tank), but poor maneuverability, a weak gasoline engine (the tanks burned like matches) and undifferentiated armor were disadvantages over Soviet tanks.