Wikipedia

The Panzerkampfwagen III, commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside and support the similar Panzer IV, which was originally designed for infantry support

Panzer III Ausf. F at Musée des Blindés, France

Long Combat History

The Panzer III was used in the German campaigns in Poland, in France, in the Soviet Union, and in North Africa. Many were still in combat service against Western Allied forces in 1944-1945: at Anzio in Italy[a], in Normandy,[b] and in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.[c] A sizeable number of Panzer IIIs also remained as armoured reserves in German-occupied Norway[21] and some saw action, alongside Panzer IVs, in the Lapland War against Finland in the fall of 1944.
A Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. G, passes a defeated and burning Soviet T-28 tank in August 1941

In both the Polish and French campaigns, the Panzer III formed a small part of the German armoured forces. Only a few hundred Panzer III Ausf. As to Fs were available in these two campaigns, with most being armed with the 37 mm (1.46 in) main gun. They were the best medium tank available to the German military at the period of time.

Aside from use in Europe, the Panzer III also saw service in North Africa with Erwin Rommel's renowned Afrika Korps from early 1941. Most of the Panzer IIIs with the Afrika Korps were equipped with the (short-barrelled) KwK 38 L/42 50mm tank gun, with a small number possessing the older 37mm main gun of earlier variants. The Panzer IIIs of Rommel's troops were capable of fighting against British Crusader cruiser and US-supplied M3 Stuart light tanks with positive outcomes, although they did less effectively against Matilda II infantry tanks and American M3 Lee/Grant medium tanks fielded by the British starting from early 1942. In particular, the 75mm hull-mounted gun of the Lee/Grant tank could easily destroy a Panzer III far beyond the latter's own effective firing range, as did the similarly equipped M4 Sherman, which entered service with British forces in North Africa from the middle of 1942.[citation needed]

Around the time of the beginning of Operation Barbarossa in the summer of 1941, the Panzer III was, numerically, the most important German tank on the frontline. At this time period, the majority of the available tanks (including re-armed Ausf. Es and Fs, plus new Ausf. G and H models) for the invading German military had the 50 mm (1.97 in) KwK 38 L/42 50mm cannon.[23][additional citation(s) needed] Initially, the most numerous Soviet tanks the Germans encountered at the start of the invasion were older T-26 light infantry and BT class of cruiser tanks. This fact, together with superior German tactical and strategic skills in armoured clashes,[24] sufficient quality crew training, and the generally-good ergonomics of the Panzer III, all contributed to a favourable kill-loss ratio of approximately 6:1 for German tanks of all types in 1941.[citation needed] However, the Panzer IIIs were significantly outclassed by the more advanced Soviet T-34 medium and KV series of heavy tanks, the former of which was gradually encountered in greater numbers by the German forces as the invasion progressed.

Extras

A Panzer III Fleet in The Soviet Union 1941

German Air Base Captured by a Hawker Hurricane 1942

Panzer III By IL-2 Wreckage

Panzer III North Africa

Moving