[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department Technical
Manual, TM-E 30-451: Handbook on German Military Forces published in
March 1945. — Figures and illustrations are not reproduced, see
source details. — As with
all wartime intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No
attempt has been made to update or correct the text. — Any views or opinions
expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]
CHAPTER VII. WEAPONS
Section VI. ARMORED VEHICLES
3. Medium Tanks
a. Pz. Kpfw. IV. (1) General. Of the four tank types with which the
Germans started the war, only the Pz. Kpfw. IV survives in service, although
its role has been changed and it now carries a main armament which resembles the
original gun only in caliber. It was armed originally with a
short-barreled 75-mm gun (7.5 cm Kw.K. (L/24)) and a machine
gun mounted coaxially in the turret. In later models a hull machine gun was
added. With this short, low-velocity gun the tank was primarily a close-support
weapon. In 1942 it was re-armed with a long-barreled, high-velocity gun,
the 7.5 cm Kw.K. 40 (L/43), and thus changed its role from a close-support
vehicle to a fighting tank and displaced the Pz. Kpfw. III as the main
armament of the Panzer regiment. At the present time the Pz. Kpfw. IV is
only a stop-gap for the Panther. If enough Panther tanks become available, the
disappearance of the Pz. Kpfw. IV may be expected
The latest version of this tank to appear is the Model H, which differs from
the Model G, of which details are given, only in its 75-mm gun
being 48 calibers long instead of 43. There is no change in the ballistic
characteristics.
This tank also has appeared in a commander's model, as an observation-post tank, as
an ammunition tank, and its an armored antiaircraft vehicle. The hull and
suspension also have been employed for self-propelled guns.
(2) Specifications.
| | | Model G |
| Specification number |
. . . . . |
Sd. Kfz. 161/1. (Model H is Sd. Kfz. 161/2). |
| Weight in action |
. . . . . |
26 tons. |
| Crew |
. . . . . |
5 men. |
| Armor, Front nose plate |
. . . . . |
60 mm. |
| Front glacis plate |
. . . . . |
25 mm. |
| Driver's front plate |
. . . . . |
60 mm. |
| Hull sides |
. . . . . |
30 mm. |
| Hull rear |
. . . . . |
20 mm. |
| Turret front |
. . . . . |
40 mm. |
| Turret sides |
. . . . . |
30 mm. |
| Armament (coaxially mounted in turret) |
. . . . . |
One 7.5 cm Kw.K.40 (L/43) and one M.G.34. |
| In hull |
. . . . . |
One M.G.34. |
| Dimensions, Length (excluding gun) |
. . . . . |
19 feet 4 inches. |
| Width |
. . . . . |
9 feet 7 inches. |
| Height |
. . . . . |
8 feet 6 inches. |
| Gun overhang |
. . . . . |
1 foot 6 inches. (In model H, 2 feet 9 inches). |
| Ground clearance |
. . . . . |
1 foot 3 inches. |
| Performance: |
| Trench crossing |
. . . . . |
9 feet. |
| Step |
. . . . . |
2 feet 6 inches. |
| Gradient |
. . . . . |
30°. |
| Fording |
. . . . . |
3 feet. |
| Road speed |
. . . . . |
20 miles per hour. |
| Cross-country speed |
. . . . . |
10 to 15 miles per hour. |
| Maximum speed |
. . . . . |
25 miles per hour. |
| Range on roads |
. . . . . |
130 miles. |
| Range cross country |
. . . . . |
80 miles. |
| Engine, Type |
. . . . . |
Maybach HL 120 TRM. |
| Cylinders |
. . . . . |
V-12 at 60°. |
| Fuel |
. . . . . |
Gasoline. |
| Fuel capacity |
. . . . . |
126 gallons. |
| Fuel consumption (per 100 miles) |
| On roads |
. . . . . |
93.6 gallons. |
| Cross-country |
. . . . . |
153 gallons. |
| BHP |
. . . . . |
295 HP at 3,000 rpm. |
| Capacity |
. . . . . |
11.9 liters (725.9 cubic inches). |
| Transmission: Manual synchromesh, sliding-dog type; six forward speeds, one reverse. |
| Steering: Epicyclic clutch brake mechanism. |
| Suspension: Four bogie assemblies, each carrying two rubber-tired bogie wheels. Quarter-elliptic springing. |
|
|
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