German, Tier III?, Tank Destroyer
This icon was a supertest leak.
Leads To:
- Pz. Sfl. IVc
History[]
There were three versions of the Marder III this one being the Ausf. H
This variant of the Marder III fielded the standard 7.5 cm PaK 40 German anti-tank gun on the Panzer 38(t) Ausf. H chassis. This chassis had the engine still in the rear of the vehicle (Ausf. H standing for Heckmotor (rear engine) but, unlike the previous model, this vehicle utilized the fighting compartment of Panzer 38 in the center. Center compartment allowed crew to stay low in the center of the vehicle, lowering crew exposure to small arms fire and fragments. But because of the rear-mounted engine, there was only enough room for two men to stand in the center. Large side armors gave additional protection for the crew. However, the horseshoe shape armor thinly protected front and side only. The rear and the top were exposed. Thirty-eight rounds of ammunition for the gun were carried. As with the Sd.Kfz.139, this vehicle also carried a 7.92 mm machine gun in the hull, of Czech manufacture.
The full name of this variant was the 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 auf Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf.H, Sd.Kfz. 138. The production figures for the 418 Ausf. H Marder IIIs are as follows; 243 (including a single prototype) were built new from November 1942 to April 1943. An additional 175 vehicles were converted from Panzer 38(t)'s in 1943.