Panzer III Ausf L (SdKfz 141/1)
Type: medium tank
History: In March 1942, a study was undertaken to determine whether the Panzer IV turret would fit on the Panzer III superstructure. Analysis revealed that the resultant weight was excessive, and numerous modifications would be necessary. The idea was dropped, and production of the Panzer III with the 5cm KwK39 L/60 continued. The original order for 1,100 Ausf L was reduced by an order, early in June 1942, to mount 450 7.5cm KwK L/24 in the Panzer III. 447 Ausf L were used to mount the short 7.5cm gun and thus became Ausf N. One Ausf L was completed with an experimental, tapered-bore KwK0725.
Panzer III L showing the space armour on the gun mantlet and hull front.
Improvements to the Ausf L included increasing the armour on the turret front from 30mm to 57mm, installing a torsion-bar counter-balance instead of a coil spring for the main gun, and altering the air-instake louvres and hatches on the rear deck. All Ausf L had 20mm spaced armour on the superstructure front, and most had 20mm spaced armour on the gun mantlet. Early in the production run, the hull escape hatches on the hull side, the loader's vision port on the gun mantlet and the turret side ports were deleted. A system designed to transfer heated engine coolant from one vehicle to another was also introduced with the Ausf L.
Panzer III with the long 5cm gun inside the Panzermuseum Munster, Germany.
From late in June 1942, at the start of the summer offensive, there were approximately 600 Panzer III mounting the 5cm KwK L/60 with units at the front in Russia. Apart from replacing losses, Ausf L were issued to the newly-formed Panzer regiments of the 1st (Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler), 2nd (Das Reich) and 3rd (Totenkopf) SS Panzergrenadier Divisions, and the Panzergrenadier Division Grossdeutschland.
Users: Germany, Hungary, Spain, Turkey (for all variants).
Panzer III under fire during the tank battle of Kursk, July 1943.
Panzer III with the long gun between a Panzer II and a Panzer VI Kingtiger at the RAC Tank Museum, Bovington Camp, Dorset (UK).
3d model of Panzer III L
more pictures about Panzer III L |
Attacking Panzer III with infantry in South Russia, summer 1942.
| Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L (SdKfz 141/1) |
Technical data and statistics : |
| Type |
medium tank |
| Engine |
Maybach HL 120 TRM gasoline engine with 300 hp
|
| Gearbox |
6 forward, 1 reverse |
| Crew |
5 |
| Length |
6.28 m |
| Width |
2.95 m |
| Height |
2.50 m |
| Weight |
22.7 tons |
| Maximum speed |
25 mph |
| Cross-country speed |
11 mph |
| Fuel consumption per 100 miles |
350 litres on road,
530 litres cross-country |
| Fuel |
320 litres |
| Road radius |
100 miles |
| Cross-country radius |
55 miles |
| Vertical obstacle |
0.60 m |
Trench crossing |
2.30 m |
| Fording depth |
1.30 m |
| Turning circle |
5.85 m |
Climbing power |
30 ° |
| ARMOUR |
mm / angle |
| Turret front |
57 / 15 ° |
| Turret side |
30 / 25 ° |
| Turret rear |
30 / 12° |
| Turret top |
10 / 83-90 ° |
| Superstructure front |
70 / 9 ° |
| Superstructure side |
30 / 0 ° |
| Superstructure
rear |
50 / 17 ° |
| Superstructure top |
18 / 79-90° |
| Hull front |
50 / 21° |
| Hull side |
30 / 0 ° |
| Hull rear |
50 / 9 ° |
| Hull bottom |
16 / 90° |
| Gun mantlet |
70 / 0-45 ° |
| ARMAMENT |
5 cm KwK39 L/60
with 92 rounds |
| Traverse |
360° (by hand),
Elevation -10° to +20° |
| Muzzle velocity |
Pzgr: 835 m/s
Pzgr40: 1,180 m/s (available only in limited numbers) |
| Shell weight |
Pzgr: 2.06 kg
Pzgr40: 0.925 kg |
| Penetration 100 yds at 30° |
Pzgr: 67 mm
Pzgr40: 130 mm |
| Penetration 500 yds at 30° |
Pzgr: 57 mm
Pzgr40: 72 mm |
| Penetration 1000 yds at 30° |
Pzgr: 44 mm
Pzgr40: 38 mm |
| Penetration 1500 yds at 30° |
Pzgr: 34 mm |
| Penetration 2000 yds at 30° |
Pzgr: 26 mm |
| Secondary armament |
one 7.92mm MG34 coaxially to gun, one 7.92mm MG34 in front hull, together 4,950 rounds
|
| Radio |
|
| Telescopic sight |
TZF5e (1.86 miles aiming)
|
| Production |
from June 1942 to December 1942
|
| Price per tank |
96,200 (early models) - 103,163 RM (Ausf M)
= 43,290 - 46,423 $
= 9,172 - 9,835 £
|
| Total production figure |
|
Service statistics of all Panzer III variants |
|
Available |
Production |
Losses |
| before 1939 |
- |
71 |
- |
| 1939 |
98 (1.9.) |
206 |
? |
| 1940 |
348 (10.5.) |
858 |
? |
| 1941 |
1,440 (1.6.) |
1,713 |
782 |
| 1942 |
1,849 (1.1.) |
2,608 |
1,501 |
| 1943 |
2,944
(1.1.) |
315 |
2,458 |
| 1944 |
950 (1.1.) |
- |
134 |
| 1945 (losses only for January, production until March) |
- |
- |
- |
| Total (losses only for January 1941 - January 1945, production until March 1945) |
- |
5,771 |
4,875 |
|
