Carro Armato Panzer III, Sd.Kfz. 141
German Vehicle Denominazioni
Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. L painted 7021 Schwarzgrau using Tamiya XF63 mixed con 30% white for scale effect. The Matchbox vehicle may be used as an earlier Ausf. J (late model) which was outwardly very similar. Giocatori Wargame might convert the vehicle to an Ausf. N support vehicle, using a spare 7,5 cm L.24 gun taken from the Airfix Panzer IV Ausf. F1/F2 model kit, even if the applique armour on the hull front e gun mantlet is incorrect for the Ausf. N configuration. The Sturmpanzer III conversion is not realy necessary, because ESCI e Nitto offer an Ausf. N in scala 1:72 e 1:76 scale respectively.
Panzer III became a support vehicle when the Panzer IV took over the role of main battle tank. Panzer IV e Panzer III actually switched roles: Panzer III Ausf. N received the short 7.5 cm L.24 of the Panzer IV Ausf. F1 support vehicle, which in turn was converted to Panzer IV Ausf. F2 con the long 7.5 cm L.43 gun. Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943. Available chassis of the Panzer III were used for a variety of tank-destroyer ed assault artiglieria conversions, e spare torrette from these converted veicoli were used as gun emplacements along the Atlantic Wall.
The table lists vehicle the denominazioni of 5644 carri armati Panzerkampfwagen III, Flammpanzer III e Sturmpanzer III produced for service nell’armate tedesche e romene.
| Vehicle | 1:72 Scale Kit | 1:76 Scale Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. A (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1937 |
- | - |
| 10 veicoli of this type were produced in 1937, eight of which were armed con the 3,7 cm L.45 KwK 35. They served con 1., 2. e 3. Panzerdivision during the 1938 Anschluss of the Sudetenland e the 1939 Invasion of Poland. The unarmed veicoli were used for testing. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. B (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1937 |
- | - |
| As above, but con a number of refinements. 15 veicoli of this type were produced in 1937, e they served during the Invasion of Poland. Cinque veicoli were converted to prototypes of the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun in 1940. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. C (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1937-38 |
- | - |
| As above, but con a number of additional refinements. 15 Vehicles were produced in 1938 ed a number of them served during the Invasion of Poland. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. D (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1938 |
- | - |
| As above, but con a number of additional refinements. 55 Vehicles were produced in 1938 e 1939, of which only 30 veicoli were armed to serve in the invasions of Poland e Norway. The remaining 25 veicoli were used for testing. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1938-39 |
1:72 Commander Series | 1:76 Hinchliffe 20/155 |
| 96 veicoli of this type were produced from dicembre 1938 until ottobre 1939. Ausf. E received the new Maybach HL 120 TR engine ed it weighed 19.5 tons compared to only 16 tons of the earlier variants. Between agosto 1940 e 1942 all remaining Ausf. E received the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38 gun which penetrated 69 mm of armour at 100 meters, using A.P. rounds, compared to only 41 mm for the earlier 3,7 cm gun. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. F (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1939-40 |
- | 1:76 Hinchliffe 20/155A |
| 435 veicoli of this type were produced from settembre 1939 until luglio 1940. The last batch of 100 of these veicoli received the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38, whereas the earlier production models had been equipped con the 3,7 cm L.45 KwK 35/36. Remaining veicoli of the earlier production were upgraded to the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38 between between agosto 1940 e 1942, e they were also uparmoured at that time. In 1942 e 1943 any remaining Ausf. F were fitted con the long 5,0 cm L.60 KwK 39 which penetrated 99 mm of armour at 100 meters, using A.P. rounds. Upgunned ed uparmoured Panzer III Ausf. F served con 116. Panzerdivision nella Normandia nel 1944. Panzer III Ausf. F had a rack of cinque smoke dischargers at the torretta rear. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. G (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1940-41 |
- | 1:76 MMS |
| 600 veicoli of this type were produced from aprile 1940 until febbraio 1941. An early production batch of 50 veicoli received the 3,7 cm L.45 KwK 35/36. Later production veicoli received the more powerful 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38. Remaining veicoli of the earlier production were upgraded to the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38 between between agosto 1940 e 1942. Panzer III Ausf. G was fitted con a Gepäckkasten stowage box at the torretta rear, popularly know as Rommelkiste, which later became standard for all Panzer III variants. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. H (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1940-41 |
1:72 Admiral Toys | - |
| 308 veicoli of this type were produced from ottobre 1940 until aprile 1941. The vehicle mounted the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38 in a newly designed torretta. The gun mantlet now had 30 mm of armour. Additional 30 mm armour plates were bolted to the superstructure front, hull front e rear. Increased armour protection raised the weight of the Panzer III Ausf. H to 21,8 tons, e the extra weight required an improved suspension system. In 1942 e 1943 the Ausf. H was fitted con the more powerful 5,0 cm L.60 KwK 39. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J (early) (Sd.Kfz. 141) 1941-42 |
- | 1:76 SSG 3 |
| 1549 veicoli of this type were produced from marzo 1941 until luglio 1942. They were equipped con the 5,0 cm L.42 KwK 38. The vehicle was uparmoured to 50 mm frontal armour, e from aprile 1942, a further 20 mm of applique armour was added to the gun mantlet e superstructure front. This version of the Panzer III J was the last vehicle of the series designated Sd.Kfz 141. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J (late) (Sd.Kfz. 141/1) 1941-42 "Mark III Special" |
- | 1:76 SSG 4 |
| As above, but armed con the more powerful 5,0 cm L.60 KwK 39. This version of the Panzer III J was the first vehicle of the series designated Sd.Kfz. 141/1, ed it was nicknamed "Mark III Special" dalle truppe britanniche who first encountered it nel Nordafrica. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. L (Sd.Kfz. 141/1) 1942 |
- | 1:76 Matchbox 40074 |
| 653 veicoli of this type were produced from giugno 1942 until dicembre 1942. Ausf. L is outwardly similar to the late Ausf. J described above. The torretta armour was increased from 30 to 57 mm. The superstructure front received an additional 20 mm of applique armour which was also sometimes applied to the gun mantlet. Vehicles serving in North Afrika received additional air ed improved oil filters, e they were designated Ausf. L(Tp). Many Panzer III Ausf. L received hull e torretta armour skirts as a stand-off device designed to prematurely detonate panzerfaust e bazooka hollow-charge warheads. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M (Sd.Kfz. 141/1) 1942-43 |
1:72 ESCI | 1:76 Nitto |
| 250 veicoli of this type were produced from ottobre 1942 to febbraio 1943. They mounted the 5,0 cm L.60 KwK 39. Panzer III Ausf. M was fitted con improved deep wading equipaggiamento which had been developed for the Tauchpanzer III submersible tank. Modified mufflers were mounted high on the hull rear, e the rack of cinque smoke dischargers at the hull rear was replaced by tre 90 mm NbK smoke dischargers mounted on either side of the torretta. Vehicles produced in 1943 were fitted con hull e torretta armour skirts. Many Ausf. M were later converted to Sturmgeschütz III assault guns o Ausf. N support veicoli. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N Sturmpanzer III (Sd.Kfz. 141/2) 1942-43 |
1:72 ESCI | 1:76 Nitto |
| 663 veicoli of this type were produced from giugno 1942 until agosto 1943, e 37 older Panzer III variants were converted to the Ausf. N configuration. Panzer III Ausf. N was a support vehicle mounting the short 7,5 cm L.24 KwK 37 which had previously been mounted in Panzer IV Ausf. F1. When Panzer IV Ausf. F1 was converted to the F2 carro da combattimento configuration, the short 7,5 cm gun became available for use in the Panzer III. Support veicoli of this type were also known as Sturmpanzer III assault tanks. Because of the weight of the gun, Panzer III Ausf. N did not received the 20 mm of applique armour which had been used to protect previous variants. La 1a divisione di carri romena received 10 Panzer III Ausf. N in ottobre 1942 to replace some of its obsolete carri Skoda S-11-a, designate R-2 nel servizio romeno. | ||
| Pz.Kpfw. III (Flamm) Ausf. M Flammpanzer III (Sd.Kfz. 141/3) 1943 |
1:72 ESCI | - |
| 100 Panzer III Ausf. M were converted to Flammpanzer III, designated Sd.Kfz. 141/3, between febbraio ed aprile 1943. These veicoli were meant to assist fanteria in built-up areas where enemy strongpoints could be very costly to eliminate otherwise. Flammpanzer III did not arrive at the front in time to save the Stalingrad garrison, e the entire design proved faulty when the vehicle finally entered combat. Many Flammpanzer III were reconverted to Ausf. M battle tanks, ed only 10 carri armati lanciafiamme remained in service as late as 1945. | ||
The table list 1:72 e 1:76 scale model kits which match the official vehicle denominazioni. Not every Panzerkampfwagen III is available in miniature yet, but it is hoped that the remaining gaps may be filled eventually.
Domande più frequenti
Per ulteriori informazioni, per favore contatta la redazione di Rivista Military Miniatures nel Miniatures Forum.
Soldatini Tedeschi della Seconda Guerra Mondiale
– Pubblicato: 09.08.2002 – Aggiornato: 27.09.2007© 2002-2012 by IDL Software GmbH, Darmstadt, Germania. Tutti diritti reservati. Donne | Uome | Selfness | Fiera natalizia | Incontro di Colazione | Love & Fun | Internet
Giocchi di guerra | Calendario Culturale | Collegamenti
