The Panzer tanks (Panzerkampfwagen) extensively used by Germany in World War II were initially abbreviated to ‘PzKw’, but the confusion this caused with the personnel carriers known by the abbreviation ‘PzK’ led to a change. Halfway through the war, armoured fighting vehicles consequently came to be appointed ‘PzKpfw’ or ‘Pz.Kpfw’. A Roman numeral distinguished one vehicle type from another – and variants were identified by a capital-letter alphabetic Ausfuhrung number which was abbreviated to ‘Ausf. Additionally, all special purpose vehicles of the Wehrmacht received a unique SdKfz number (Sonderkraftfahzeug), which did not adjust from one version to the next. For example, all 12 versions of the PzKpfw III were known as Sd.Kfz 141. The number was only changed if an important variant was produced.
The final three German tanks of the war also received the names Tiger, Panther and Tiger II (also widely known as the King Tiger or Konigstiger). They became, for example. PzKpfw V Panther Ausf G. The designations of some tanks were converted retroactively, for example the PzKpfw VI Tiger Ausf H (SdKfz 181) was later re-designated as the PzKpfw VI Tiger I Ausf E. The Tiger II also lost its Roman-numeral type designator, becoming the PzKpfw Tiger II Ausf B (SdKfz 182). The Ausf designators were not always apportioned in alphabetical order. With the Tiger, the original Ausf letters - H and P -actually refer to the designers, Henschel and Porsche. Subvariants sometimes received an Arabic numeral after the alphabetic designator eg: PzKpfw IV Ausf F2. Tanks with type similarities but with different guns were set apart by a reference to its main weapon, either its nominal calibre, the length of its barrel or its own type designator. A PzKpfw III with the short-barrelled 7.5cm gun might be referred to as a PzKpfw III (75). Tigers were often distinguished from King Tigers by the identification of their main guns. The Tiger became PzKpfw VI (8.8cm KwK 36 L/56) and the King Tiger, PzKpfw VI (8.8cm KwK 43 L/71 ). In the assistance of further vehicle identification, unique sub-designators were used.
From 1938, prototype and experimental tanks first received a ‘VK’ designator standing for Volkettenkraftfahzeug, a full-tracked motor vehicle. This was followed by four numbers, the first two describing its weight in tonnes, while the second two distinguished one prototype from another. When a similar specification was allocated to two or more manufacturers, a lettered abbreviation of their name was affixed in brackets e.g. VK 3001 (H) indicated a tank made by Henschel. From 1943 onwards, experimental tanks and those under development got a similar ‘E’ designation (for Entwicklungstyp, meaning development type) followed by an estimated weight-class.
This dramatic study shows German armour advancing past the blazing wrecks of Soviet tanks destroyed during the opening phase of Barbarossa.