Production
In 1936 the first model of the Pz Kw III was produced by
Daimler-Benz and ten vehicles designated "1/ZW" underwent troop
trials. Eight of these were fitted with the 3.7 cm gun and chassis numbers
started at 60,001. Although the hull, superstructure and turret already took
the form familiar in the later Pz Kw III models, the suspension consisted of
five large double bogies, which were suspended on coil springs, plus a front
driving sprocket and a rear idler together with two return rollers. Armour was
between 5 and 14'5 mm thick and the overall weight was 15 tons. The power unit
was a development of the Maybach DSO 12-cylinder high-performance 108 TR petrol
engine of about 11 litres which produced a maximum of 250 hp. Maximum sustained
output was however only 230 hp and top speed was 32 kph. Transmission was by a
ZF SFG 75 five-speed gearbox. One hundred and fifty rounds were carried for the
main armament and 4500 rounds for the three machine guns, two of which were
coaxial with the main armament in the turret. This vehicle was known
unofficially as the Pz Kw III (3.7 cm) Ausf A.
The marks B and C appeared in 1937. A new suspension was
tried, consisting of eight small bogie wheels suspended on longitudinal leaf
springs and the number of return rollers was increased to three. Armament
remained a 3.7 cm tank gun L/45 in an internal mantlet and two MG 34s, while a
third machine gun, mounted beside the driver, was worked by the wireless
operator. Fifteen of each of the B (type 2/ZW) and the C (type 3a/ZW) models
were constructed. Armour was retained at 14.5 mm all round. The Model D (type
3b/ZW) which finally went into quantity production, appeared at the end of
1938. With the introduction of Model D all previous trial models were
redesignated Model D. The various original suspensions were retained, but these
vehicles were uparmoured to 30 mm all round, increasing the total weight to
about 19 tons. The ZF Aphon SSG 76 transmission was used.
From the Model E onwards the more powerful Maybach
12-cylinder HL 120 TR was fitted, which increased the maximum output to 320 hp
by enlarging the bore from 100 to 105 mm and increasing the cylinder capacity
to 11.9litres (torque 80 m/kg). The gearbox in this vehicle was the Maybach
Variorex pre-selector with 10 forward and one reverse speed. This complicated
transmission was intended to make gear changing easier as the change was
carried out by a vacuum after the gear had been selected and the release valve
activated by depressing the clutch pedal. The 9th and 10th gear positions were
overdrives. The speed of 40 kph at 2800 rpm was not to be exceeded. Fifty-five
vehicles of this version were produced.
On 27th September 1939 the Army Regulations circular announced
"Panzerkampfwagen III (3.7 cm) (Sd Kfz 141), has been adopted as a result
of its successful troop trials".
In the mass production which now followed the participating
manufacturers were: AItmärkische Kettenfabrik GmbH (Alkett)-Spandau (assembly) and
Falkensee (chassis construction); Daimler-Benz ,AG-Berlin-Marienfelde;
Fahrzeug- und Motorenbau GmbH (Famo)-Breslau; Henschel & Sohn AG -Werk III,
Mittelfeld-Kassel; Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (MAN)-Nuremberg; Mülenbau
und Industrie AG (MIAG)-Amme Werk, Brunswick; Waggonfabrik Wegmann AGKassel;
and Maschinenfabrik Niedersachsen-Hannover- Hannover-Linden.
The Pz Kw III Ausf E (type 4/Zw) (reference order 652/17 of
23rd April 1940), which appeared in 1939, featured the finalised chassis design
of this series. There were now six bogies on each side (bogie size 520 x 95-398,
track roller size, 310 x 70-302), mounted on transversely-fitted torsion bars.
The vehicle weighed 19.5 tons when fitted with allround armour 30 mm thick and
was still equipped with the Maybach HL 120 TR engine. The chassis weighed 13.8
tons. Two coupled machine guns (MG 34s) in the turret had, until now, been
coaxial with the main armament, but from this version onward a single coaxial
machine gun was fitted. Some Pz Kw III Ausf E versions had the old model D type
turrets with an internal mantlet and two turret machine guns however.
Transmission was via a main clutch to the Maybach Variorex pre-selector gearbox
already described. This gearbox was of the constant-mesh type where sliding
gear switch sleeves transferred the drive to the two cog wheels required for
the correct gear. The main clutch was hydraulically operated and the bevel gear
and the steering gear were flanged to the variable gears. Clutch steering was
affected by means of mechanical servo-internal, expanding brakes with hydraulic
assistance. Steering and standard brakes were located in the same housing and
from these the drive went to the driving sprocket. The rear idler wheel, in
this version, consisted of a boss upon which two wheel discs were welded. The
37 mm gun now had an external mantlet. By 1940 100 of these vehicles had been
built, intended as the main equipment of tank regiments. The German tank
industry could only produce in limited numbers, and this low production
capacity became more and more apparent. The Pz Kw III received its baptism
office in Poland and there proved itself. For the attack on France on loth May
1940 a total of 349 Pz Kw IIIs was available.
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