The Panzerkampfwagen IV was overshadowed by the Panther and Tiger but was too indispensable to replace
The Panther and Tiger tanks capture the public’s imagination due to the devastation they meted out against Allied and Soviet armour even when Nazi Germany was facing defeat from 1943 onwards. While the lethality and toughness of these two vehicles were difficult to argue against, their complexity and cost made it impractical for them to completely displace their predecessor: the Panzerkampfwagen (Pzkpfw, or Panzer) IV medium tank.
Designed by Krupp in 1936, early Panzer IVs were armed with short barrelled 75mm KwK (Kampfwagen Kanone = lit. ‘tank gun’) 37 L/24 low velocity howitzers. (The number after the L was indicative of the number of calibres to be multiplied to give barrel length; in this case 24x75mm = 1.8m). 7.92 mm MG34 machine guns were included for suppressing opposing troops. (All Panzer IV models had a co-axial MG 34; excepting the ausf [ausführung – model] B and C, they also mounted a second, hull mounted MG34 for the radio operator). These vehicles were intended for demolishing fortifications and anti-tank guns with high explosive rounds; Germany’s choice for dealing with opposing armoured vehicles was to be the more diminutive Panzer III armed with a 37mm KwK 36 L/45 gun.
Apart from armoured fighting vehicles and artillery, Krupp’s manufacturing portfolio included railway stock. A leaf spring based road wheel bogie design modelled on railcars was adapted for the Panzer IV’s locomotion. While the road wheel design was pretty basic compared to the contemporary Panzer III’s torsion bar suspension, they were faster to change and less likely to trap mud than the interleaved arrangement found on the even more advanced Panther and Tiger tanks. On the other hand, the narrow tracks of the Panzer IV – 360mm wide on the ausf A – E and 400mm wide from the ausf. F onwards – could do little to prevent the vehicle from struggling in the thick mud and snow encountered in…
