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Panzer IV Ausf. G (SdKfz 161/1) |
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The Panzerkampfwagen IV was the true workhorse of Germany's Panzer divisions, and was the only German tank to remain in production through the entire war. Originally conceived by General Heinz Guderian as a heavy support tank for the infantry, the Panzer IV was quickly recognized as having an excellent balance between the three critical aspects of modern tanks - firepower, mobility, and armor protection - and it soon supplanted, then replaced, the Panzer III as the primary tank of the Panzertruppen.
The vehicle had a conventional layout, with the driver and radio operator/hull gunner in the front; a centrally mounted turret housing the commander, loader, and gunner; and the engine mounted in the rear. The suspension comprised eight small road wheels, four track return rollers, a rear idler, and a front sprocket driven by a 300hp Maybach HL 120 TRM water-cooled gasoline engine. Unlike the Panzer III, the Panzer IV had a power-traverse turret, although this option was removed in the later J model to increase fuel capacity.The Panzer IV's armament was initially a short barreled 75mm L/24 gun, although this was upgraded to a longer-barreled high velocity 75mm gun starting with the Ausf. F2 in late 1941 that was capable of defeating the armor of the T-34 and other Allied tanks. Secondary armament comprised two 7.92mm machine guns: one in the front hull, and the other coaxial with the main gun. The Panzer IV also served as the basis for a diverse family of vehicles, including: - Command tank
- Brummbär heavy assault gun
- Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer
- Hummel self-propelled howitzer
- Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, and Ostwind self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicles
- Armored recovery vehicle
- Armored vehicle launched bridge
A total of 8,748 Panzer IV's were built from 1939 to 1945. The vehicle on display is a Panzer IV Ausf. G that was built in September 1942. It served in Northern Africa, where it was captured in December of that year. In December 1960, it was handed over to the Panzertruppenschule by the commander of the British 5th Armoured Division, General Jolly, and was restored in the school's workshops.
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