PANZER IV Restoration - Poland

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Pulled from a bog. "Lovingly restored for history's sake.




https://www.warhistoryonline.com/whotube-2/panzer-iv_restoration_watch-xx.html



Here's the video from the article... directly on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RliwmN8lM4Y

Carry on.

 

[CARNAC]

Absolutely outstanding. The workhorse of the German Panzer forces. Only thing I caught was he said the Panzer IV was armed with a 50mm early in the war. Not true. It was originally armed with a 75mm L/24 cannon. It was upgunned (and up armored) during the war to a 75mm L/40 and eventually the L/48 cannon (which is the one shown here). I think he said this is a J model and that would make it the last version to be produced. With the short supplies, this version was reduced to the bare essentials and some didn't even get power traverse.

 

[swiss]

Anybody else a bit scared how that thing is blocked up in the air. I did not look at the video but if you glance at the picture it looks like something that I would not stand near.

 

[CARNAC]

It's supported by OinP's. Kinda like an OinK except different. I've seen some variations of this in a lot of places.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Gravity - It's the LAW !

 

[Steinmeister]

It did have a 50mm early on.
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer_IV.php

 

[CARNAC]

I think this is a poorly written article. The confusingly switch from panzer lll to lV. The panzer lll began life as the primary t"tank vs tank" design. It had a 37mm which quickly was considered obsolete. It then went to a increasingly longer versions of the 50mm ending in a L60. The panzer IV was the support vehicle in the early pre war theory and was to defeat anti tank guns and infantry concentrations and field fortifications. As the 50 mm became outclassed the panzer I've gun went from the L24 to the longer lengt ending in a L48 I think. One experiment was conducted to mount the 50mm in a panzer iv and I think it was an even longer than normal 50mm L70 comes to mind. Effectiveness did not warrant pursuing. Panzer I was considered the recon tank and the panzer I was considered a interim solution(probably a better term for this) to provide a training tank. It was hoped to have the panzer iii and iv in full service by outbreak of war but it didn't quit make it. Having the Czech panzer 35 and 38 t tanks was a big boost for the panzer force. I know these things cause many years ago I was a verified tour guide at Aberdeen . Done on my smart dumb phone while waiting at the doctors office. So wasn't able to follow up on all my sources I only had my feeble memory.

 

[Steinmeister]

I only looked because I remember reading a book about WWII weapons years ago and remember seeing a picture of the Panzer Mk IV with a short 50MM gun. I am in no form a expert on this.

 

[CARNAC]

No biggie, I've forgotten more about WWII German armor from when I was young than most folks will ever want to know.

I also forgot to say that the Panzer III Ausf N (last version in production) used the 75mm L/24. This was done because the Germans felt the need for a short barreled howitzer type weapon in a tank to engage the same targets as the early version Panzer IV with L/24 was envisioned to engage. So one might say the two tanks swapped roles during the war.

Panzer IV was the only tank to see full production during the entire length of the war for the Germans. It was the workhorse of the Panzerwaffe.

I now ramble onto the pro's and con's of the various models and compare and contrast to the Allied models and do the arm chair what if's. Blah, blah, blah, blah-blah, blah and more blah.

 

[swiss]

No biggie, I've forgotten more about WWII German armor from when I was young than most folks will ever want to know.

I also forgot to say that the Panzer III Ausf N (last version in production) used the 75mm L/24. This was done because the Germans felt the need for a short barreled howitzer type weapon in a tank to engage the same targets as the early version Panzer IV with L/24 was envisioned to engage. So one might say the two tanks swapped roles during the war.

Panzer IV was the only tank to see full production during the entire length of the war for the Germans. It was the workhorse of the Panzerwaffe.

I now ramble onto the pro's and con's of the various models and compare and contrast to the Allied models and do the arm chair what if's. Blah, blah, blah, blah-blah, blah and more blah.

We are waiting for the rambling !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Guyfang]

For a little light reading, try The Devils's General. It just came out. Author is Raymond Bagdons. Sub title The Iife of Hyazinth Graf Von Strachwiz, The Panzer Graf. Good reading, with enough tech info to get you interested, but not put you to sleep. Bagdons is a bit right of center. This book will not be a best seller here in Germany. But worth the read.

 

[L1A1]

First off the Poles do some amazing work with some of the wrecks they've recovered over the years.

CARNAC is absolutly right the Pz.IV never had the 50mm gun. It started life with the L/24 75mm howitzer. It was upgunned in feburary(?) of '42 to the L/43 75mm which was much better at dealing with the newer tanks that were appearing on the battlefield. Shortly after that, it was upgunned again to the final version L/48 75mm (the STUG III was also similary armed & upgraded).

The Pz.III started life with a 37mm main gun which was quickly replaced (pre-war) by a short barreled 50mm weapon. the final 50mm armed Pz.III was the ausf M(?) and that had the L/60 (long barrel)50mm main gun. The Ausf N as previously mentioned was equipped with the L/24 75mm howitzer now available from all of the upgunned IVs and STUG IIIs. The Ausf N was used as a fire support vehicle for Tiger tank Bns. among other things


It's very easy to confuse the two designs as they were almost the same size and had very similar looking features such as the doors on the sides of the turret.

 

[F18hornetM]

I think this is a poorly written article. The confusingly switch from panzer lll to lV. The panzer lll began life as the primary t"tank vs tank" design. It had a 37mm which quickly was considered obsolete. It then went to a increasingly longer versions of the 50mm ending in a L60. The panzer IV was the support vehicle in the early pre war theory and was to defeat anti tank guns and infantry concentrations and field fortifications. As the 50 mm became outclassed the panzer I've gun went from the L24 to the longer lengt ending in a L48 I think. One experiment was conducted to mount the 50mm in a panzer iv and I think it was an even longer than normal 50mm L70 comes to mind. Effectiveness did not warrant pursuing. Panzer I was considered the recon tank and the panzer I was considered a interim solution(probably a better term for this) to provide a training tank. It was hoped to have the panzer iii and iv in full service by outbreak of war but it didn't quit make it. Having the Czech panzer 35 and 38 t tanks was a big boost for the panzer force. I know these things cause many years ago I was a verified tour guide at Aberdeen . Done on my smart dumb phone while waiting at the doctors office. So wasn't able to follow up on all my sources I only had my feeble memory.

I was thinking you knew all that cause you played world of tanks !!!! . Didn't they move the museum there?? I've never got to see it. i agree with Swiss... please ramble on