German Tank Development.

I think it's pretty hard for any vehicle to compete with the Sherman in terms of what a tank should be.

It's also pretty hard for any vehicle to take the crowning achievement of the Panzer IV, specification from 1934, first production run in 1936 and still marginally competitive in 1945.

But as for the Germans leading tank development, I could give you the Panther, Königstiger, Maus, and they all tell me that this lead was no longer there from 1942, when they went down a wrong road (haha).

All the best

Andreas

 

Missed a golden opportunity to use "Hitler" as well.

 

This chap who made the video bangs on about profit as the only motivation. That was the old way of working in the C17th and was abandoned when it was discovered that the profit incentive did not work on the battlefield. Military culture and procedures are all about persuading people to do stuff they don't want to without resorting to bribery. Its what you do in any leadership position in the Army.

The drivers' orders were really intended for the chain of command as much as the driver. To ensure that drivers follow orders, units held First Parade Inspections. In a well-run transport company, drivers who did not follow simple instructions such as "fill the vehicle with POL and report any defects" could find themselves at the tender mercy of the CSM/SSM. There are always a variety of unpopular jobs that someone has to do. .

 

I'm not defending the video producer's Austrian economics. However, I do have plenty of REME reports bemoaning the behaviour of RASC drivers, including one I posted here.

 

A driver is like the bass player in a band. Few people will notice or care until notes are missed or played badly.

 

I think it's no coincidence that the muzzle of the 5cm KwK 38 cannon doesn't extend quite flush with the leading edge of the drive sprockets. That is, the length of the barrel L/42 has been chosen so that the barrel does not overhang over the front edge of the tank.

 

There were also at least Sturminfanteriegeschütz 33B based on Pz III, one Stu I G L/11 plus one 7.92mm MG 34 and its further development Sturmpanzer IV (Sd Kfz 166) on Pz IV chassis.

 

Development after the Pz IV was guided almost exclusively by experience on the Eastern Front. For the first time, armour was given high priority. In addition, cannons with long range and quite a lot of punch

The suspension systems, largely initiated by Kniepkamp, were excellent in terms of driving performance, but grotesquely production- and maintenance-intensive - this shows the typical tendency of German engineers to "technical gilding", but without thinking about suitability for everyday use (constructive tunnel vision)

The real Achilles heel was the final drives, which were simply too weak. However, it was never possible to make any design changes here due to the extremely hastyly pushed series production.
Such problems were exacerbated by
the declining training quality of the crews
the declining quality of materials
Another aspect that is all too often ignored in historiography is the production by unskilled slave labour, which further intensified the downward spiral in quality.

In short: conceptually, the cats were quite remarkable products. For front-line use, they were oversized and overengineered:
The Panzertruppe themselves would have preferred tanks in the 30 to 35t class (super Mk IV), which would have made much more sense on the completely overstretched fronts, if only because of the higher numbers expected.
In this context, there were various plans to upgrade the Mk IV, but these could not be realised due to diverse wartime constraints.
The most likely compromise was the "Jagdpanzer IV L/70", which could still be produced under the existing restrictions, but was tactically limited as it lacked a rotating turret...

 

It's always a bit difficult to capture the entire coplexity in one post
Without wanting to contradict you, because it's just as true, a little more concrete:

This refers to the masses of armour that had to be dealt with. There are various reports from the front in the GenInspdPzTrp documents, according to which the armour and main weapons were decidedly too weak for the requirements, which was also seen as very detrimental to the morale of the tank crews.
I remember statements such as: "We will not be able to master the problem with exhortations to discipline and self-control alone".

I don't know to what extent the experiences from North Africa were incorporated. However, I would be surprised if they had not been taken into account. But since the eastern front absorbed all resources like a sponge, the focus was understandably on this area

 

I am not sure what experiences from NA would have been taken into account in the 1941/42 development of the Panzer IV, but never really looked at its development history. The up-armouring kits came very early in North Africa, the up-gunned version appeared before the 6-pdr and the Grant were things. Until May 1942 the Panzer III 50L42 and Panzer IV 75L24 combo were a well performing team in NA.

I can however totally see how encountering the T-34 in the Soviet Union lit a fire under the Panzer IV development team as it was completely outclassed in terms of weapons/armour performance.

All the best

Andreas

 

Have you ever met the Emperor Mong?
https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/the-emperor-mongs-pronouncements.72507/
A constant companion on campaign

 

In the Third Reich, anyone with a good connection "at the top" could contribute their ideas.
And Sergeant Schicklgruber also had his ideas, of course
Although, compared to the Luftwaffe, the armoured guys had to be regarded as working in a highly stringent manner.
Apart from that, there was - as everywhere else - the typical turf war promoted by the highest authorities.
If you then add to this the flood of "memoranda", you come to the conclusion that the guys in the development offices must have really had nerves of steel

 

With the magic word "Führerbefehl", a lot could be achieved.
Somewhere in the KTB Wehrmachtbefehlshaber DK from 1945, however, there is an entry that only Führer orders signed by Adolf himself were still valid, because the magic formula was used in such an inflationary way
But I'd rather not think about how things would have gone if the bastards had really encouraged efficient working

 

Actual conversation at the 'Let's Discuss Crazy Tanks' Büro, Holzminden, Stupid Tanks GmbH and Co KG, a subsidiary of Wegmann im Loch, 12 September 1943.

Tank Designer A: "Hey, I have an idea for a 120 ton tank with a 128mm gun and a co-axial 88."
Tank Designer B: "Mate, that's just stupid, go away."
Tank Designer A: "It'll take us two years to draw and spec it to prototype, and during this time we won't be drafted to serve in the east."
Tank Designer B: "Could you pass me the pencil, mate, and some paper, and then let's get onto it, but don't rush."

All the best

Andreas