The Ausf G was the last production series
of the StuG. Rolling off the assembly-line in December 1942, the Ausf G was
produced until the end of the war, with no major design changes. In 1942, the
decision was made to use Pz Kpfw III Fgst for StuG production, since the Pz
Kpfw III was being phased out and replaced by the Panther. In response to this
request, 165 Pz Kpfw III Ausf M Fgst were used as chassis for StuG Ausf G, with
production from February to November 1943. In 1944, 173 Pz Kpfw III, returned
to the factory for overhaul, were converted to StuG Ausf G.
The hull of the Ausf G remained unaltered
from the design used for the Ausf F/8. The main design changes were to the
superstructure. The roof was altered, and a cupola with periscopes was added
for the commander, and a shield for the machine-gun was installed in front of
the loader's hatch. The superstructure sides were now slanted, and slanted
plates were added to protect the front of both panniers. Various improvements
were instituted during the production run, including introduction of the
Saukopf (sow's head) gun mantlet late in 1943, the coaxial machine-gun early in
1944, and the Nahverteidigungswaffe (close-in defence weapon) and
remote-control machine-gun to the superstructure roof late in spring 1944.
Vehicles issued to Funklenk Kompanien (Remote-Control Companies) were fitted
with an additional radio aerial on the left front of the fighting compartment
roof.
Twenty-eight independent Sturmgeschütz detachments, four divisional Sturmgeschütz detachments, two 2nd
Funklenk companies and twelve Sturmgeschütz platoons (with Luftwaffe Field
Divisions) were at the front in Russia at the start of the Kursk offensive.
From the start of the war, the use of the assault-gun spread from Sturmgeschütz
detachments to the other types of formations, including Panzer detachments,
Panzerjäger detachments and Funklenk companies
and detachments.
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