Why did German tanks have side skirts?
Many World War II-era German tanks used armored skirts (Schürzen) to make their thinner side armor more resistant to anti-tank rifles. Contrary to popular belief the German Schürzen were designed against kinetic (AP, APBC, APCBC) projectiles.
Is 7 spaced armor?
Since angling spaced armor can help mitigate more damage, sometimes the inner layer of armor will be angled already. Some examples of tanks with additional spaced armor include the IS-7, the Maus, both the E 100 and its SPG version, as well as the Premium T26E4 Super Pershing and Churchill III.
How fast was a Panzer tank?
It carried a 20-mm gun and one machine gun and was protected by armour with a maximum thickness of 30 mm. The tank weighed 10 tons, had a top road speed of 40 km (25 miles) per hour, and was manned by a crew of three.
What is the skirt on armor called?
Faulds
Faulds are pieces of plate armour worn below a breastplate to protect the waist and hips, which began to appear in Western Europe from about 1370. They consist of overlapping horizontal lames of metal, articulated for flexibility, that form an apron-like skirt in front.
When did the Panzer Division get Schurzen tanks?
Panzer-Division received five tanks with Schürzen for trial purposes. On 27 May 1943, they submitted their experiences to the Panzeroffizier beim Chef Generalstab des Heeres (Armored Officer of the Army General Staff).
What was the second version of the Panzer III?
The Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf M was the second of two interim versions of the Panzer III produced while attempts to fit a larger gun to the tank were underway.
Where did the Panzer IV come from in World War 2?
After the war, Syria procured Panzer IVs from France and Czechoslovakia, which saw combat in the 1967 Six-Day War. 8,553 Panzer IVs of all versions were built during World War II, a production run in Axis forces only exceeded by the StuG III assault gun with 10,086 vehicles. 1.2 Ausf. A to Ausf. F1 1.3 Ausf. F2 to Ausf. J
What was the purpose of a Panzer Division?
In concept, it was intended to be a support tank for use against enemy anti-tank guns and fortifications. Ideally, each tank battalion in a panzer division was to have three medium companies of Panzer IIIs and one heavy company of Panzer IVs.
