History Notable WW2 German Tanks

[Mike Nomad]

The Panzer IV H .....

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf (version) H with armor skirts.

proved to be an ingenious design with the advent of Ausf H 1943-1944, 3,774 were produced using a longer, more powerful cannon (75 mm/L48) and thicker armor. (Needed to counter the T34 & Sherman) The radio antenna was moved to left rear of the hull. All were major performance improvements for the P4.

Truly, the P4H became the workhorse of the German Forces. It was reliable, rugged and had the firepower.

[[3rdArmy]CW-4]

For those wanting more info about the IV's from the first to last models, here's a excellent site...

http://www.achtungpanzer.com/pz3.htm

If Hitler had put the resources that were used to produce the King Tiger into making more Panzerkampfwagen IV's for Operation Barbarossa, things might have turned out different. This tank kicked ass....

Panzerkampfwagen IV in Action !
On February 7th of 1944, few remaining Panzer IV tanks from the 5th SS Panzer Division "Wiking" spearheaded the attempt to breakout from the Cherkassy Pocket against largely superior Soviet force. During the breakout, SS-Untersturmfuehrer Kurt Schumacher commanded two Panzer IVs, which counterattacked a Soviet tank company destroying in the process some 8 T-34 tanks. On the next day, Schumacher alone engaged another Soviet tank company and during both actions destroyed some 21 Soviet AFVs. For his achievement, he was awarded the Knight's Cross.

On the afternoon of June 11th of 1944, the 8th Company of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment (12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend") counterattacked the attempt by Canadian 6th Armored Regiment (along with support units) to capture the area of Le Mesnil-Patry. The 12th SS Panzer Regiment commanded by SS-Obersturmfuehrer Hans Siegel destroyed some 37 Shermans, while losing 2 Panzer IVs and forcing Canadians to retreat.

SS-Unterscharfuehrer Willy Kretzschmar, who commanded Panzer IV of the 5th Company of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment (12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend") destroyed some 15 Allied tanks during the Normandy battles, including the heavy fighting at Caen area