The Panzer III was used in the campaigns against Poland, France, the Soviet Union and in North Africa. A handful were still in use in Normandy, Anzio, Finland and in Operation Market Garden in 1944.
In the Polish and French campaigns, the Panzer III formed a small part of the German armored forces. Only a few hundred Ausf. A through F were available in these campaigns, most armed with the 37-mm (1.46 in) gun. They were the best medium tank available to the Germans and outclassed most of their opponents such as the Polish 7TP, French R-35 and H-35 light tanks.
Around the time of Operation Barbarossa, the Panzer III was numerically the most important German tank. At this time the majority of the available tanks (including re-armed Ausf. E and F, plus new Ausf. G and H models) mounted the 50-mm (1.97 in) KwK 38 L/42 cannon which also equipped the majority of the tanks in North Africa. Initially, the Panzer IIIs were outclassed and outnumbered by Soviet T-34 and KV tanks. However, the most numerous Soviet tanks were the T-26 and BT tanks. This, along with superior German tactical skill, crew training, and the good ergonomics of the Panzer III all contributed to a rough 6:1 favourable kill ratio for German tanks of all types in 1941.
The crew of a Panzer III of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich rest after heavy fighting in the Battle of Kursk.
With the appearance of the T-34 and KV tanks, rearming the Panzer III with a longer, more powerful 50-mm (1.97 in) cannon was prioritised. The T-34 was generally invulnerable in frontal engagements with the Panzer III until the 50 mm KwK 39 L/60 gun was introduced on the Panzer III Ausf. J¹ in the spring of 1942 (the gun was based on infantry's 50 mm Pak 38 L/60). This could penetrate the T-34 frontally at ranges under 500 metres (1,600 ft). Against the KV tanks it was a threat if armed with special high velocity tungsten rounds. In addition, to counter antitank rifles, in 1943 the Ausf. L version began the use of spaced armor skirts (schürzen) around the turret and on the hull sides. However, due to the introduction of the upgunned and uparmored Panzer IV, the Panzer III was, after the Battle of Kursk, relegated to secondary roles, such as training, and it was replaced as the main German medium tank by the Panzer IV and the Panther.
The Panzer III chassis was the basis for the turretless Sturmgeschütz III assault gun, one of the most successful self-propelled guns of the war, and the single most-produced German armored fighting vehicle design of World War II.
By the end of the war, the Pz.III had almost no frontline use and many vehicles had been returned to the factories for conversion into StuG assault guns, which were in high demand due to the defensive warfare style adopted by the German Army by then.
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The following report written by Hauptmann Oehme, the commander of the 8.Kompanie/Panzer-Regiment 3, relates his experience in attempting to knock out T34 and KW-I tanks:
Combat Report for the Period of 11 through 17 August 1942:
At about 1800 hours, I received the order to drive to Jelnja to support the Gruppe von Bisehoffshausen with the Panzers that had just been repaired and the four Pz.Kpfw.IV (7.5 cm Kw.K.40 L/43) that had just arrived.
The Panzer-Kompanie counterattacked JeInja, which was surrounded by our Panzers and taken under heavy fire by all of the Panzers. The front elements of the Russians pulled back and most of the houses in the village went up in flames. It was observed that two T-34s drove off in reverse out of burning sheds.
As dawn broke, the Russians renewed the attack with tank and infantry forces. The tanks were immediately spotted and two T-34s on the road were knocked out at a range of about 300 meters. The rest of the tanks must have quickly retreated, as determined by the noise from their engines.
During the evening hours of 13th August, the Russians again attacked with tanks and a few infantry riding on them. In spite of night falling, a further two T34s and a KW-I were knocked out of which two enemy tanks brightly burned, upon which the rest of the tanks turned back. The attack was repulsed.
Panzer III advancing deeper into Russia, during 1941.
During the night, the opponent with tanks took up positions in the depression by Shulebino and at dawn attempted to break through the woods by Point 208. At the same time eight to ten KW-I attacked on the road. Of these, two were knocked out in our position by the Pz.Kpfw.IV with a long gun at a range of 15 to 20 meters. The rest were convinced to turn back. It should be noted that it was necessary to use about eight Hohlraumgranaten (shaped charge shells) to set each of the KW-I on fire. At Point 208, three T34s managed to break into the position but didn't exploit the opportunity any further. The company commander of the infantry urgently requested Panzer support because these enemy tanks had hidden in the woods. One Pz.Kpfw.IV (7.5 cm Kw.K. L/24) and two Pz.Kpfw.III (5 cm Kw.K. L/42) were sent to the area where the enemy tanks had broken in.
In the afternoon, the Russians again attacked with strong tank forces. This time his attempt occurred south of the road. Several tanks landed in the swamp and remained stuck there. In the evening, these tanks were knocked out by the 5.Kompanie/Panzer-Regiment 3, while on the road four additional KW-I were knocked out by the 8.Kompanie. An 8.8 cm Flak gun had a large part in this last defensive battle. This gun was located in an alley south of the road, fell out when damaged by gun fire, and was pulled back.
On this day, several smaller Russian tanks were knocked out that had attacked separately. In addition a Pz.Kpfw.IV (7.5 cm Kw.K.40 L/43) was knocked out by a KW-I. One of the crew was killed, two severely wounded, and one lightly wounded.
Another Pz.Kpfw.IV (7.5 cm Kw.K.40 L/43) fought still another T34 but was itself knocked out. The Pz.Kpfw.IV immediately burned out. The commander and gunner were wounded, three of the crew were killed immediately. During these defensive actions from 11 to 17 August 1942, the 8.Kompanie knocked out 45 enemy tanks, of which 11 were T60s, and the rest T34s and KW-Is.
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AMMUNITION STORAGE
The ammunition were laid out vertically except for those located under the seat of the gunner. The base of the round was laid out in a cavity in the floor of the rack and the point was maintained in place by a spring clip. This provision was effective in general except for certain rounds, difficult to reach. The right lower rack and two back-left racks had sliding doors (sensitive to the sand grains) then the left lower rack was equipped with an articulated door. The tanks armed with the 50mm KwK L/60 50mm laid out their ammunition in a horizontal disposition, which was easier for employment. The rounds used by L/60 were longer, which limited the number of rounds carried in the tank to 78 rounds.
For the vehicles armed with the gun of 50mm KwK L/42 the provision of the ammunition was 99 rounds stored as follows:
•5 rounds under the seat of the gunner
•22 rounds in a rack located in the back-right corner of the compartment
•12 rounds in a rack located above this last
•36 rounds in a rack located in the back-left corner of the compartment
•24 rounds in a rack located above this last .
A Panzer III in action during the Demjansk pocket battle.
Variants
•Panzer III Ausf. A - Prototype; 10 produced in 1937, only 8 armed and saw service in Poland.
•Panzer III Ausf. B, C - Prototype; 15 of each produced in 1937, some of each saw service in Poland.
•Panzer III Ausf. D - Prototype; 55 produced in 1938, only 30 armed and saw service in Poland and Norway.
•Panzer III Ausf. E, F - Production models 1939-1940. Armed with 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5 (later 5 cm KwK 38 L/42) guns. 531 produced.
•Panzer III Ausf. G - More armor on gun mantlet. Armed with 3.7 cm KwK 36 L/46.5 (later 5 cm KwK 38 L/42) gun. 600 produced in 1940-1941.
•Panzer III Ausf. H - Minor modifications. Bolt-on armor added to front and rear hull (30 mm + 30 mm plates). 308 produced in 1940-1941.
•Panzer III Ausf. I - Variant mentioned in Allied intelligence reports but not an actual existing vehicle.
•Panzer III Ausf. J - The hull was lengthened. Front armor increased to 50 mm plate. 482 produced in 1941.
•Panzer III Ausf. J¹ - Equipped with the longer and more powerful 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 gun. 1,067 produced in late 1941 to mid 1942.
•Panzer III Ausf. K - Panzerbefehlswagen command tank variant with a modified turret. Carried actual main armament rather than a dummy gun as found on other Panzer III command versions.
•Panzer III Ausf. L - Uparmored to 50 mm + 20 mm plates. 653 produced in 1942.
•Panzer III Ausf. M - Minor modifications such as deep-wading exhaust and schurzen. 250 produced in 1942-1943.
•Panzer III Ausf. N - Armed with a short barreled 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun, due to 7.5 cm gun's ability to fire HEAT rounds. 700 re-equipped J/L/M models in 1942-1943.
CONVERSIONS
•PzKfw III (Flamm) Ausf. M (Sd. Kfz 141/3) - flame-thrower
•Befehlswagen III Ausf. Dl (Sd. Kfz 267-268) - command tank
•Befehlswagen III Ausf. E (Sd. Kfz 267-268) - command tank
•Befehlswagen III Ausf. H (Sd. Kfz 266-268) - command tank
•Befehlswagen III Ausf. K - command tank
•Beobachtungswagen III - observation vehicle (Sd. Kfz 143)
The Tauchpanzer was developed in mid-1940 for the proposed invasion of England (Sea Lion). The Pz Kpfw III were modified and provided with a submersion kit. Air-intakes were fitted with locking covers, and the exhaust was fitted with non-return valves. The cupola, gun mantlet and hull MG were sealed with waterproof fabric covers. An inflatable rubber tube surrounded the turret ring. While submerged, the tank drew air through a pipe from a float carrying a snorkel device and radio antenna which remained on the surface. A gyro-compass was used for underwater navigation. The Tauchpanzer could operate in depths of up to 15 metres. A vessel with a hinged ramp was used to disembark the Tauchpanzer at a suitable distance from the shore. With the cancellation of 'Sea Lion', the Tauchpanzer were no longer required in quite the same form. At Milowitz near Prague, in the spring of 1941, most of the tanks were modified to make them suitable for river crossing, with a fixed snorkel pipe attached through the commander's cupola.
From July 1940, four sections of volunteers from existing Panzer regiments were trained on the Island of Sylt, and the Tauchpanzer were to be ready for operations at Putlos by 10 August. In mid-October, three of these sections were attached to the 18th Panzer Division, and the remainder went to the 6th Panzer Regiment of the 3rd Panzer Division. On 22 June 1941, the Tauchpanzer of the 18th Panzer Division crossed the River Bug at Patulin.
Grenadiers and Panzer III in the snow during the winter of 1942.
During September and October 1940 volunteers of the 2nd Tank Regiment in Putlos were formed into Tank Battalion A and trained for Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of Great Britain. Two other special formations, Tank Battalions Band C, were being raised at the same time and the same place. These units later formed the 18th Tank Regiment of the 18th Panzer Division and adapted the Pz Kpfw III and IV for submerged wading. The following measures were taken. All openings, vision slits, flaps, etc, were made watertight with sealing compounds and cable tar, the turret entry ports were bolted from the inside and air intake openings for the engine completely closed. A rubber cover sheet was fixed over the mantlet, the commander's cupola and the bow machine gun. An ignition wire blew off the covering sheet upon surfacing and left the vehicle ready for action. Between the hull and the turret there was a rubber sealing ring which, when inflated, prevented the water from entering. The fresh air supply was maintained by a wire-bound rubber trunk with a diameter at about 20 cm, 18 metres long. To one end of this tube was fitted a buoy with attached antennae. The exhaust pipes were fitted with high-pressure non-return relief valves. When travelling submerged sea water was used to cool the engine and seepage was removed by a bilge pump. The maximum diving depth was 15 metres. Three metres of the air tube's 18 metre length was available as a safety measure. These submersible tanks were to be launched from barges or lighters. They slid into the water down an elongated ramp made of channel plates. Directing was achieved by radio orders from a command vessel to the submerged vehicle. Underwater navigation was carried out by means of a gyro compass and the crew was equipped with escape apparatus. The submerged machines were relatively easy to steer as buoyancy lightened them. After Operation Sea Lion was abandoned these vehicles were eventually used operationally during the Russian campaign in 1941 for the crossing of the River Bug.
A detachment of factory fresh Panzer III moving into position prior to Kursk, summer 1943.
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A short intelligence report on German tanks modified for submersion, from Tactical and Technical Trends, July 29, 1943.
GERMAN SUBMERSIBLE TANKS
The delays and difficulties involved in the transport of tanks across the rivers of Eastern Europe have no doubt forced the Germans to consider very seriously all possible devices for enabling their standard tanks to cross such water obstacles under their own power.
By the summer of 1941, the weight of the PzKw 3 had already been increased by the fitting of additional armor, and it must have been clear that future developments in armor and armament would necessarily involve still further increases in the weight of this tank. While the trend towards increased weight was in many ways disadvantageous, it was definitely helpful in overcoming one of the major difficulties hitherto encountered in adapting standard tanks for submersion, namely the difficulty of obtaining sufficient track adhesion.
It is therefore not surprising that the Germans, in the early stages of their campaign in Russia, were actively experimenting with standard PzKw 3's modified for submersion. These experiments met with a certain degree of success, and under-water river crossings are reported to have been made with these modified tanks under service conditions. The measures employed, according to a Russian source, included the sealing of all joints and openings in the tank with india rubber, and the fitting of a flexible air pipe, the free end of which was attached to a float. The supply of air for the crew as well as for the engine was provided for by this flexible pipe. The maximum depth of submersion was 16 feet and the time taken by trained crews to prepare the tanks was about 24 hours.
In April 1943, a PzKw 3 Model M examined in North Africa was found to be permanently modified or immersion, if not submersion. There was no mention in the report on this tank of a flexible pipe with float, but this may have been destroyed, since the tank, when examined, had been completely burnt out.
The engine air louvres were provided with cover plates having rubber sealing strips around their edges. These cover plates, which were normally held open by strong springs, could be locked in the closed position before submersion. After submersion, the springs could be released by controls from inside the tank. When submerged, air for the carburettor and for the cooling fans was apparently drawn from the fighting compartment. If, therefore, a flexible pipe were used with this tank, no doubt its purpose would be to supply air to the fighting compartment to replace that withdrawn for the carburettor and cooling fans. The two exhaust pipes led to a single silencer mounted high on the tail plate with its outlet at the top. This outlet was fitted a spring-loaded non-return valve, which during normal running could be secured in a fully open position.
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A Panzer III with the 37mm main armament rolls past a blazing British tank North Africa, 1941.
Prototype development of large interleaving road wheels, using a Pz Kpfw III Ausf H (7 ZW) as the basis of the conversion. The three prototypes were built late in 1940 was used for training purposes after testing had been completed. Further development was halted and in 1943/44, prototypes were fitted with dozers and were used to clean up the streets of bombed cities. This suspension was later adopted in the Tiger and Panther.
The Japanese government bought two Panzer III's from their German Allies during the war. This was for reverse engineering purposes, since Japan put more emphasis on the development of new military aircraft and naval technology and relatively little on the development of new tanks. The vehicles apparently weren't delivered until 1943 by which time much of the Panzer III's technology had arguably already become obsolete.