STURMGESCHUTZ III assault gun. Use of assault weapons in basic types of combat

Colonel Erich von Manstein, who during World War II became famous as the commander of large armored formations, back in 1935 proposed creating special units of mobile assault artillery within the Wehrmacht structure, which would be equipped with self-propelled artillery units created on a tracked chassis, well protected by armor. This idea was supported, and in June of the following year the German high command decided to develop mobile armored infantry support vehicles armed with 75 mm guns. The Daimler-Benz company was commissioned to develop an assault gun mount, and the Krupp company was tasked with developing a gun.

Five experimental machines of the zero series left the workshop already in 1937. A slightly modified PzKpfw III Ausf B chassis was used as the basis for creating these vehicles. A short-barreled StuK 37 L/24 75 mm caliber gun was installed in a completely enclosed, low-profile, fixed conning tower. The gun was shifted to the right relative to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and therefore the driver’s position was in the same place. The difference was that the driver's seat was now in the front of the fighting compartment. Along its walls there were ammunition racks containing 44 shells. There was no provision for a machine gun for firing at infantry. In general, this vehicle had a fairly low silhouette and good armor. The 250-horsepower Maybach HL 108TR engine allowed the self-propelled gun to reach speeds of up to 25 km/h, but for a combat vehicle designed to directly support infantry, this speed was sufficient.

Since the cabins and hulls of experimental self-propelled guns were made of non-armored steel, the assault guns could not take part in combat operations, therefore, after the completion of a comprehensive testing program that took place at the Kummersdorf training ground, they were transferred to an artillery school, where they were used as training vehicles until the beginning of 1941 G.

In February 1940, after making some changes to the design, the Daimler-Benz plant produced the first batch of 30 cars, which differed from the prototypes mainly in the engine and chassis. PzKpfw III Ausf E/F tanks were used as a base for the self-propelled guns; the vehicle was driven by a Maybach HL 120TR engine; the frontal armor was up to 50 millimeters thick. On March 28, 1940, these self-propelled artillery units received the official designation “7.5 cm Strumgeschutz III Ausf A” (abbreviated as StuG III). About a month later, four batteries of assault guns of this modification took part in combat operations in France. Based on the results of these battles, the vehicles received the highest ratings from the crews and from the command.

Soon, serial production of the StuG III self-propelled guns was transferred from Daimler-Benz, which was overloaded with military orders, to Almerkische Kettenfabrik (Alkett). The monthly production volume was 30 vehicles, which made it possible to introduce 184 StuG III self-propelled guns into the ranks in 1940, and to produce 548 units by the end of next year. these vehicles, which are extremely necessary for the front.

Self-propelled artillery guns StuG III of various modifications were the most popular tracked combat vehicles of the German army during World War II. In 1942, after arming the vehicles with a 75-mm long-barreled cannon, which had high armor-piercing characteristics, they essentially became the main anti-tank weapon of the Wehrmacht. At the same time, the functions of the assault gun gradually transferred to the StuH 42 assault howitzer, developed on the same basis of the same vehicle and differing from the StuG III self-propelled gun only in the installation of a gun with a much greater power of high-explosive fragmentation round. In total, from February 1940 to April 1945, the MIAG and Alkett factories produced more than 10.5 thousand StuH 42 assault howitzers and StuG III guns.

The StuG III assault gun, like all German tanks produced for a long time, was continuously modernized during the production process not only to improve its combat qualities, but also to reduce the cost and simplify the design. As a result of making a large number of changes to the latter (the changes, as a rule, were not very significant), eight modifications were released. There is no point in listing all the innovations; we will focus only on the main ones, which seriously influenced the combat qualities of the self-propelled gun.

A column of German StuG III assault guns in Italy. Summer 1943

Self-propelled gun StuG III Ausf.F on a city street

Let us first consider the evolution of the weapons of the StuG III self-propelled gun. The first assault guns were equipped with a short-barreled StuK 38 L/24 cannon, which had a barrel length of only 24 calibers. The main armament of modifications B, C, D and E was the same. If the task of providing fire support to the infantry was within the capabilities of the cannon, then it was practically unsuitable for destroying enemy tanks. The gun's fire was effective only at close ranges. After the German attack on the USSR and the collision with the KB-1, KV-2 and T-34 tanks, which had good protection, the situation worsened even more, so the StuG III modification F began to install the long-barreled gun StuK 40 L/43, which has greater efficiency. Self-propelled guns of the StuG 40 Ausf F/8 version (after this modification, StuG III began to be called that way) were equipped with a StuK 40 L/48 cannon, which had even greater power. The self-propelled guns of the latest, most advanced and most widespread modification of the Ausf G were armed with the same weapon. Also, with the start of production of assault guns armed with long-barreled guns, the vehicles of earlier versions, with the exception of the Ausf E, that were repaired, also began to be re-equipped with it. The installation of guns effective in combating armored targets significantly changed the situation, turning self-propelled guns of modifications F, F/8 and G into a very formidable and main anti-tank weapon of the Wehrmacht. In order to provide the troops with the necessary fire support, they decided to start production of a new self-propelled artillery unit, armed with a leFH 18 L/28 howitzer of 105 mm caliber suitable for these purposes. In March 1943 it turned around. The new self-propelled gun mount, which received the designation StuH 42, was identical in design to modifications F, F/8, G. The gun's ammunition consisted of 36 rounds. Until the end of the war, 1,299 vehicles were produced based on the PzKpfw III Ausf G, and 12 more based on the PzKpfw III Ausf F.

As combat experience has shown, in certain situations, machine gun weapons for close combat are no less important for self-propelled guns than cannons. And if initially there was no provision for a machine gun to combat enemy personnel, then, starting with modification E, they began to install it. On StuG III modifications F and subsequent modifications, the machine gun was placed on the roof. The weapon had a limited firing angle, as it was installed in a protective shield in a slot. But self-propelled guns of the latest series of modification G were equipped with a circular rotation machine gun with remote control. This modification was undoubtedly a step forward that saved the lives of many German tankers.

Simultaneously with the improvement of the self-propelled guns' armament, work was carried out to increase the armor protection of the vehicles, as a result of which the thickness of the armor of the wheelhouse and the frontal part of the hull on the latest, most popular modifications was increased to 80 millimeters. On already released self-propelled guns, protection was increased by attaching additional armor plates. Also, starting from 1943, StuG III self-propelled guns began to be equipped with side screens that protected the upper chassis and sides from cumulative shells, as well as anti-tank rifle bullets. This led to an increase in the mass of the combat vehicle and to a deterioration in maneuverability, which was already unimportant.

Beautiful dynamic photograph of an attacking German self-propelled artillery mount of the StuG III Ausf.B assault gun class

Self-propelled artillery installation StuG III

The remaining changes that were made over the years of serial production concerned, as a rule, the shape of the cabin, sighting devices, the number of hatches, and so on. Outwardly, the StuG 40 Ausf G assault gun stood out with its commander's cupola and a new cast gun mantlet (later called the “pig snout” due to its characteristic shape), which was installed in November 1943.

The first StuG III Ausf A assault guns received their baptism of fire in 1940 in France, where they immediately proved themselves to be excellent. A small number of modification B vehicles took part in combat operations in the Balkans, but in reality serious challenge they were expected in the summer of 1941. The last battles in which StuG III Ausf A and B took part took place near Stalingrad in 1942-1943. Only in training units were several units of assault guns of the first modifications able to “survive” until 1944. Modifications C and D appeared on the battlefield in the summer of 1941, but by winter their number had decreased significantly, and they were subsequently rearmed with a long-barreled gun. After that, they were used until the end of World War II.

The latest modification of the StuG III Ausf E, equipped with a short-barreled 75 mm gun, appeared in the fall of 1941, although the weakness of such weapons had become quite obvious by this time. The creation of this modification was caused by the need for special combat vehicles for commanders of assault divisions. To do this, thanks to the introduction of some design changes, the internal volume of the cabin was increased; unlike self-propelled guns of modifications C and D, they were not rearmed and were used as command and reconnaissance vehicles until the end of the war.

Field Marshal Albert Kesselring conducts reconnaissance of the area with officers from the armor of the StuG IV self-propelled gun

A column of StuG 40 assault guns awaiting the command to march. In the foreground is an Ausf assault gun. G with a straight machine gun shield and additional side armor plates, which began to be installed on modifications in December 1942. In the background is an Ausf assault gun. F/8, early modification produced in September-October 1942

German assault gun (assault howitzer) StuH 42 on the march. Following her is the StuG III.

Once the StuG III assault guns were armed with a long-barreled cannon, they were turned into effective tank destroyers. In this capacity they were actively used on all fronts until the last days of the war. There are many glorious pages in the combat biography of StuG III. So, for example, near Stalingrad in early September 1942, a vehicle of the 244th Assault Artillery Battalion (commander Chief Sergeant Kurt Pfreundtner) destroyed 9 Soviet tanks in 20 minutes, and the crew under the command of Horst Naumann had been serving in the 184th Assault Artillery Battalion since 01.01 .1943 to 01/04/1943 during the battles near Demyansk destroyed 12 Soviet vehicles. The most famous ace of SS assault artillery is considered to be SS Sturmbannführer Walter Kniep, commander of the Second Assault Artillery Battalion of the Das Reich Panzer Division. His unit destroyed 129 tanks of the Soviet army in the period from 07/05/1943 to 01/17/1944. It is possible that these figures are exaggerated, but the fact that when using competent tactics and in skillful hands, the assault guns of the StuG III self-propelled guns, or more precisely the StuG 40 Ausf G, were an exceptionally formidable weapon, is beyond doubt.

Another proof of the combat qualities of the StuG III self-propelled guns is that even in the 1950s they were in service with the Romanian, Spanish, Egyptian and Syrian armies.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the StuG III self-propelled artillery mount:
Base – medium tank PzKpfw III Ausf G;
Classification - assault weapon;
Weight – 23900 kg;
Crew – 4 people;
Dimensions:
length – 6770 mm;
width – 2950 mm;
height – 2160 mm;
ground clearance - 390 mm;
Armor:
Body forehead – 80 mm;
Board – 30 mm;
Feed – 30 mm;
Roof – 19 mm;
Weapons:
Gun – StuK 40 L/48, caliber 75 mm (54 rounds of ammunition);
Gun – StuK 40 L/48, caliber 7.92 mm (ammunition 1200 rounds);
Powerplant: Maybach HL 120TRM engine, carburetor, power 300 hp. With. (220.65 kW);
Obstacles to be overcome:
Fording depth – 0.80 m;
The width of the ditch is 1.90 m;
Wall height – 0.60 m;
Maximum lifting angle – 30 degrees;
Maximum speed on the highway is 40 km/h;
Cruising range on the road - 95 km;
Cruising range on the highway is 155 km.

Column of Finnish assault guns StuG III Ausf. G from the Lagus division on the march in Karelia. Germany delivered 59 of these self-propelled guns to its allies

German sappers, under the cover of the self-propelled gun "Sturmgeschutz" (StuG III), are sent to Soviet positions in Stalingrad

The crew of the German StuG III assault gun having lunch

Smoke break of German self-propelled guns. They are sitting on the chassis of a StuG IV assault gun, with an Sd.Kfz armored personnel carrier visible in the background. 250 and StuG III assault gun

German paratroopers (recognizable by their paratrooper helmets) in a trench. In the background is a StuG III assault gun.

German soldier, armed assault rifle StG 44 lights a self-propelled gun from the crew of the StuG IV assault gun (armored hood-cabin of the driver with two periscopes, a form of frontal armor of the hull)

StuG III Ausf. G with onboard anti-cumulative screens

A German tankman fires from an MG-34 machine gun mounted on a StuG III Ausf self-propelled artillery mount (assault gun). G

Self-propelled gun StuG III overcomes the ford

A column of German StuG III assault guns on the march to the Caucasus

Tank landing of sapper demolitions (sturmpionieren) from the SS division "Das Reich" on the armor of the StuG III Ausf F assault gun

German self-propelled artillery unit StuG III Ausf.B. The chassis used for this vehicle was tank PzKpfw III Ausf G, it was armed with a 75-mm short-barreled cannon. A total of 320 self-propelled guns of this modification were produced, the last of which were used in combat operations near Stalingrad (autumn 1942)

German self-propelled gun "Sturmgeschütz" (StuG III Ausf. G, Sd.Kfz 142/1), knocked out during the battles for the liberation of France

A damaged German self-propelled gun StuG III on Liberation Boulevard in Belgrade. The photo was taken on October 18, 1944 - this is the height of the fighting for the city. However, the street and near the damaged car are full of curious civilians, including children. The domes of St. Mark's Cathedral can be seen in the distance

They were used mainly for direct fire to suppress machine guns and other enemy firing points. When defending a unit, assault guns were used to support infantry counterattacks, usually in a decisive direction. The main difference between an attack by a tank battle group and an attack by infantry with assault guns is that the direction of an launched attack supported by assault guns is very difficult to change:49.

Assault guns are largely designed to combat unarmored targets, field and long-term enemy fortifications, and partly for urban battles. As a rule, they operate in the battle formations of advancing troops and hit targets with direct fire. Therefore, compared to a base tank, an assault gun usually has larger-caliber cannon armament. Late models of assault guns with long-barreled guns also performed well as anti-tank weapons.

After World War II, the development of the main battle tank concept negated the combat value of self-propelled guns of this class. Currently, assault guns are practically not used.

History of development[ | ]

The good performance of the StuG III immediately became the subject of close attention of allies and opponents. The Italian military, dissatisfied with the combat characteristics of their obsolete tanks of the M13/M14/M15 family, demanded the creation of an analogue of the StuG III on their basis. The Fiat Ansaldo company coped with the task well, developing the Semovente da 75/18 self-propelled guns and subsequently even more powerful assault guns. These vehicles became the most combat-ready Italian armored vehicles, causing serious losses to British and US troops in battles in North Africa and in Italy.

The Soviet leadership immediately recognized the combat effectiveness of the StuG III, raising the question of developing its analogues based on the T-34 and KV-1 tanks. The evacuation of tank factories and the great need of the Red Army for tanks did not allow this task to be completed immediately, but in November-December 1942, in a very short time, Soviet designers developed the SU-122 medium assault gun and the SU-152 heavy assault gun. These vehicles immediately proved themselves in battle, but the great need for tank destroyers forced the end of serial production and further development of medium assault guns. Heavy assault guns proved to be indispensable when breaking through previously fortified enemy defenses and storming cities. Therefore, with the advent of the new IS tank, its base was immediately used to create the ISU-152 heavy assault gun. After eliminating the “childhood diseases” of the design, this technologically advanced, reliable, unpretentious, well-armored and powerfully armed vehicle became the best in its class. SU-152 and ISU-152 have proven themselves to be very effective remedy for destruction heavy tanks enemy, which at the same time made it possible to quite effectively fend off counterattacks of enemy heavy tanks.

Outstanding examples of assault guns[ | ]

Germany [ | ]

Soviet Union [ | ]

Italy [ | ]

Layout features[ | ]

In terms of their layout, all assault guns are quite similar: the conning tower with the gun in the front (front) part of the vehicle, the engine in the rear. An important layout difference between German and Italian assault guns and Soviet ones was the location of the transmission - in the former it was located in the nose of the vehicle, in the latter it was in the stern. Therefore, the fighting compartment of the German and Italian assault guns was located, although in the front part of the vehicle, but closer to its center compared to its Soviet counterparts - the gearbox and other transmission components and assemblies were located directly behind the frontal armor.

see also [ | ]

Notes [ | ]

Literature [ | ]

1. Eike Middeldorf. Russian campaign: Tactics and weapons, M: ACT; St. Petersburg: Polygon, 2005
2. I.P. Shmelev. Armored vehicles of Germany 1934-1945: Illustrated reference book, M., ACT, 2004

In June 1936, the German High Command decided to begin production of mobile armored support vehicles armed with a 75 mm gun. Daimler-Benz was engaged in the production of the chassis and armored box, and Krupp supplied the 75-mm short-barreled gun with a mantlet.

The first pre-production batch of 5 vehicles left the workshop already in 1937. As a base, they used a slightly modified chassis of the PzKpfw III tank, modification B. The stationary, low-profile, all-armored, non-rotating conning tower housed a 75-mm StuK 37 L/24 gun with 40 rounds of ammunition. Engine Maybach HL 108TR, 250 hp. allowed self-propelled guns to reach speeds of 20...25 km/h.

These assault guns were not used in combat because their armored hull was made of simple steel. After testing at the Kumersdorf training ground, they were transferred to the Artillery School, where they were used as training vehicles until the beginning of 1941.

Sturmgeschutz III Ausf A-B

In February 1940, the first batch of 30 assault guns left the Daimler-Benz company. Serial self-propelled guns differed from the prototypes mainly in the chassis and engine.

They were made on the basis of the PzKpfw III Ausf E/F tank and carried a Maybach HL 120 TR engine and frontal armor up to 50 mm thick. From March 28, 1940, these self-propelled guns were assigned the name "Gepanzerte Selbstfahrlafette fur Sturmgeschutz 7.5 cm Kanone (SdKfz 142)", or "7.5 cm-Sturmgeschutz III (abbreviated as StuG III) Ausf A." Four batteries of these self-propelled guns took part in combat operations in France and received positive feedback from the command and rank and file of the Wehrmacht.

Soon, serial production of the self-propelled guns was transferred from Daimler-Benz to Almerkische Kettenfabrik (Alkett) and the assault gun was subjected to structural modifications, as a result of which the Ausf B modification was born. The first 8 vehicles that came out of the Alkett gates were built on unconverted chassis of linear tanks and retained the side evacuation hatches. However, combat vehicles with a converted base went into production. This modification was not very different from the Ausf A, just as they differed little in combat capabilities.

Stug III Ausf B took part in combat clashes in the Balkans in small numbers, but serious battles awaited them in the summer of 1941. The last battles involving StuG III Ausf A and Ausf B took place in 1942-43. during the Stalingrad operation. In the art school, several assault guns “survived” until 1944.

Sturmgeschutz III Ausf C-D

At the beginning of 1941, the Wehrmacht entered service with new model- StuG III Ausf C, which differed from the previous one in the new design of the front part of the cabin. In this model, the telescopic gun sight, which required a special embrasure to bring the lens out, weakening the frontal sheet of the cabin, was abolished in favor of a periscope, the lens of which was brought out through the roof. This improved the strength of the frontal armor and simplified the production of the hull.

The modification did not last long - until May 1941 and was soon replaced by the next one - Ausf D, outwardly almost identical, but carrying the units of the PzKpfw III Ausf H tank. By the way, even in official German documents on the production and use of assault guns, these models are often referred to as StuG III Ausf C/D.

These vehicles received their baptism of fire in the battles of the summer of 1941, but by winter there were very few of them left. With the start of production of assault guns armed with a long-barreled cannon, repaired Ausf C-D were also subject to rearmament and were used to a limited extent in defensive battles until 1945.

Sturmgeschutz III Ausf E

The latest modification of the StuG III, armed with a short-barreled 75 mm gun, appeared in the fall of 1941. Its creation was not caused by the desire to improve the combat capabilities of assault weapons. It’s just that, in the opinion of the German command, there was an urgent need for special fighting machine commanders of assault divisions. To accommodate the equipment necessary for the commander in the self-propelled guns, the bevels of additional armor on the sides of the wheelhouse were removed, the armored box on the left wing, intended for installing a standard radio station, was significantly increased, and for the additional radiotelegraph station the same armored box appeared symmetrically on the right side of the vehicle.

However, it turned out that after some technological simplifications of the hull, the cost of the Ausf E became lower than its predecessors, and the increased volume of the fighting compartment made it possible to take on board more ammunition. The machine was put into mass production, including as a linear one. Unlike the Ausf C-D, with the advent of the long-barreled StuK 40 guns, these self-propelled guns were not subject to “re-barreling” and were used as command and reconnaissance vehicles until the end of the war.

Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf F

Battles on the territory of the USSR showed the low effectiveness of short-barreled guns against the armor of Soviet tanks. Only the illiterate tactics of using tanks by the Red Army at the first stage of the war allowed the Wehrmacht for a long time keep the initiative in tank confrontation. But already in 1942 the situation changed and the German troops faced the acute question of the insufficient effectiveness of anti-tank weapons.

On September 28, 1941, Hitler, by special order, demanded that the armament power of tanks be increased and that anti-tank self-propelled guns be created. The best suited for conversion into tank destroyers was the well-mastered StuG III. Back in 1940-41. The Krupp company produced several samples of long-barreled guns for it, but they were not accepted for service. Only with the advent of the Rheinmetall StuK 40 L/43 gun in December 1941 did this process reach its logical conclusion. Serial production of the StuG III Ausf F thus born began already in March 1942. At the same time they received a new designation "Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf F (SdKfz 142/1)".

Sturmgeschutz 40 Ausf G

The final model, the "Sturmgeschutz 40, Ausf G", was released in 1943 and was mass-produced until the end of the war. Carrying a gun with a barrel length of 48 klb, it differed from its predecessors in a simpler conning tower, the presence of a commander's cupola, increased ammunition capacity for the gun and a number of other improvements designed to simplify the mass production process. The first vehicles in the series still carried 50 mm frontal armor, but by the summer of 1943 it was reinforced with 30 mm thick hinged plates. Many vehicles also received side mounted screens as a means of protection against cumulative shells and anti-tank rifle bullets. Since the summer of 1943, serial StuG 40 Ausf Gs began to be coated with an anti-magnetic coating - “Zimmerit”.

In 1944, StuG 40s with a new streamlined gun mantlet began to arrive in service. For its characteristic contours, this mask was called “Saukopfblende” (pig snout attachment).

Sturmgeschutz IV

In the fall of 1943, when, after the mass bombing of the Alkett factories in Germany, the question of the impossibility of producing the required number of assault guns became acute, the StuG III/StuG 40 had a relative - the StuG IV.

During the development of the self-propelled guns, carried out by specialists from Krupp and Eisenwerke, a StuG 40 Ausf G conning tower with a newly designed driver's cabin was installed on the chassis of the PzKpfw IV Ausf G tank. Thus, it was possible to reduce the development of a new self-propelled artillery system and launch it into mass production. The new vehicle was named "Sturmgeschutz IV (SdKfz 163)". The crew size remained the same as older model- 4 people, but the gun’s ammunition load increased to 63 rounds. The StuG IV was in mass production from the fall of 1943 until the fall of 1944, when it was replaced by the Jagdpanzer IV anti-tank self-propelled gun.

The machine turned out to be less successful than the StuG 40 due to its significantly higher price and labor-intensive manufacturing. In addition, those who fought on it noted worse smoothness, although with a larger power reserve.

38 cm RW61 auf Sturmmörser Tiger;
"Sturmpanzer VI" (German: Sturmpanzer VI).

In addition to the Jagdtiger tank destroyer, the Henschel company developed in 1944, based on the Royal Tiger T-VIB tank, another self-propelled gun - the Sturmtiger assault gun. The installation was intended to perform special tasks, such as combating long-term firing points. The installation was armed with a muzzle-loading 380-mm mortar that fired projectiles weighing 345 kg. The mortar was installed in the supports of the conning tower mounted in front of the tank. The cabin was equipped with a mechanical winch, a tray for loading a mortar and a lifting device for loading ammunition into the vehicle. It also contained a radio station, a tank intercom and fire control devices. The self-propelled gun had strong armor, very heavy weight and low maneuverability. It was produced in small series until the end of the war. A total of 18 units were produced.

During World War II, Germany produced many specialized types of armored vehicles, including assault tanks. These vehicles were used to support infantry operations in built-up areas, as well as to combat enemy fortifications. The first vehicle of this class was the "Sturminfanteriegeschuetz" 33, created on the basis of the "Sturmgeschuetz" III assault gun and armed with a 150 mm heavy infantry howitzer 15 cm sIG 33. In 1942, 24 vehicles of this type were built, which took part in battles on the Eastern Front and Most were lost at Stalingrad. The next assault tank was the "Sturmpanzer" IV "Brummbaer" (Sd.Kfz.166). "Brummbaer" was created on the basis of the PzKpfw IV tank and was also armed with a 150 mm howitzer. Between 1943 and 1945, the German army received 306 vehicles of this type. The third, and heaviest, assault tank was the Sturmtiger, which entered service in 1944.

During World War II, the industry of the Third Reich produced 9675 StuG III of all series and modifications, which makes this self-propelled gun the most widespread armored vehicle, entered service with the Wehrmacht. The StuG III turned out to be a very successful self-propelled gun. It should be noted that in the top ten German tank aces, the seventh and eighth places are occupied by the commanders of these particular self-propelled guns

History of German self-propelled artillery pieces(hereinafter - self-propelled guns) began with a memorandum on the interaction of infantry units, artillery and mobile artillery, published by Wehrmacht Major General Erich von Manstein in 1935. In particular, this document argued the feasibility of creating divisions of assault self-propelled guns of three batteries (six vehicles per battery), intended to support the advancing infantry, suppress bunkers, bunkers and enemy resistance units, as well as combat their armored vehicles.

"Armor" for infantry support

The memorandum caused a lively discussion among the German military, but in 1936, Daimler-Benz received an order to carry out design work to create self-propelled assault guns on the chassis of the then newest Z.W tank. (future Pz.Kpfw.III). At the end of the 20s, an attempt was already made to create self-propelled guns based on the Hanomag WD-25 tractor, but these were vehicles with an open artillery platform, and their serial production was abandoned. Later, in 1930, Daimler-Benz designers developed a project for an assault self-propelled gun for... the USSR - as part of the activities of the joint Soviet-German Technical Commission (TEKO). It was planned to protect the self-propelled gun with armor thickness from 15 (sides and rear) to 30 mm (front), arm it with a 76-mm gun, and its weight should not exceed 12 tons. The German side missed all the deadlines specified in the contract, and after the completion of the work in mid-1932, it set a price for its developments that was several times higher than the approved price. Representatives of the Soviet Union refused further cooperation, but the developments obtained were useful to Daimler-Benz in the future, when designing an assault self-propelled gun for the army of the Third Reich.

In 1937, five prototypes of the new self-propelled guns were assembled at the Daimler-Benz plant in Berlin-Marienfeld (the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.B tanks was used for their assembly). To speed up and reduce the cost of work, the conning towers of the vehicles were made not from armor plates, but from ordinary structural steel. The deckhouses were bolted to the chassis. Four crew members were placed in one fighting compartment, which was an innovation for armored vehicles of that time.

One of the zero modification StuG III prototypes. Round inspection hatches are visible in the lower frontal armor plate (only prototypes had them)

The main weapon of the new self-propelled gun was the 75-mm StuK 37 L/24 cannon with a 24-caliber barrel produced by the Essen corporation Krupp. Horizontal guidance of the gun was carried out within ±12º, vertical – from −10º to +20º. The ammunition load was 44 rounds. An MG-34 machine gun was additionally placed in the conning tower of the vehicle. Later, the MP-40 submachine gun was added to the self-propelled guns' armament.

Since 1938, prototypes have undergone intensive testing at various test sites in Germany. Simultaneously with the start of testing, disputes regarding the feasibility of creating self-propelled guns resumed, since there were Pz.Kpfw.IV tanks that carried the same weapons. Lieutenant General Heinz Guderian was especially opposed to the creation of self-propelled guns, but the initiator of the new project, Erich von Manstein, insisted on his point of view. Soon the realities of the Polish campaign clearly demonstrated the need for infantry units to have armored mobile artillery units at their disposal, and all questions were removed. At the end of 1939, mass production of new self-propelled guns began.

StuG III prototype. Eight road wheels combined into bogies are clearly visible
Source – worldwarphotos.info

In January-February 1940, the first production copies left the gates of the Daimler-Benz plant, and already on March 28, the new self-propelled gun was given the army designation Sturmgeschutz III (abbreviated as StuG III). Subsequently, the self-propelled gun underwent many modifications.

The first production cars were called StuG III Ausf.A and differed from the prototypes by using the modernized chassis of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.F tank. The five experimental self-propelled guns had eight road wheels per side in the chassis, which were assembled in pairs into four balancing bogies. Serial self-propelled guns now had six road wheels, and they were not assembled into bogies.

The armament of the production vehicle did not differ from the prototype. The frontal armor of the wheelhouse was 50 mm, the rear armor plate was 26 mm, and the side armor was 30 mm. In the front part of the cabin, its side armor protection was reinforced with additional 9-mm armor plates, which were welded to the hull at an angle of 60º. The thickness of the cabin roof reached 11 mm. The thickness of the rear armor plate was increased from 21 to 30 mm. In addition, to increase strength, the designers removed the side escape hatches. The total weight of the self-propelled guns reached 19.6 tons.

The reservation scheme of the StuG III Ausf.E differed little from the reservation of the self-propelled guns of the first series
Source – hisofweapons.ukoz.ru

The crew members were provided with optical observation devices. The commander had at his disposal an SF 14z stereo tube, for installation of which a special hatch was provided in the cabin roof. The gun was aimed using a Sfl ZF periscope sight located to the left of the gun, and the driver controlled the vehicle using a Fahrersehklappe 50 device with a KFF2 binocular periscope. The only one who was not provided with an optical device was the radio operator (he had at his disposal a VHF radio, located in a special armored box on the left fender).

StuG III Ausf.A on the street of a Western European city, 1940

During the period from January to June 1940, the Daimler-Benz plant produced 30 StuG III vehicles of the Ausf.A modification.

In June 1940, at the Berlin enterprise Alkett (Altmärkische Kettenfabrik), part of the state concern Reichswerke AG, production of the modification began StuG III Ausf.B. From that moment on, this company became the main manufacturer of the StuG III assault self-propelled gun. The new vehicles were planned to be assembled on the basis of the Pz.Kpfw.III chassis latest model Ausf.G, but since there were not enough of them, the first self-propelled guns were released on the chassis of the previous Ausf.F series. The latest StuG III Ausf.B self-propelled guns were produced on the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.H chassis.

StuG III Ausf.B. A distinctive feature is the asymmetrical gaps between the 1st and 2nd, as well as the 2nd and 3rd support rollers
Source – dishmodels.ru

The self-propelled gun differed from the previous modification by a new six-speed manual transmission gears installed instead of a five-speed preselector gearbox from the same manufacturer ZF Friedrichshafen AG. In addition, the ignition system in the 12-cylinder 300-horsepower Maybach HL 120 TRM engine was modified. The width of the tracks was increased from 360 mm to 400, correspondingly increasing the size of the road wheels. The conning tower and armament have not undergone any changes. The total weight of the vehicle increased slightly - to 20.2 tons. During the year (from June 1940 to May 1941), German industry produced 360 self-propelled guns of this modification.

Red Army soldiers from the captured team take the captured StuG III Ausf.S self-propelled gun to the rear. Summer 1942
Source – rgakfd.ru

Modifications of the Ausf.B were still being produced when production of the series began in the Alkett workshops. StuG III Ausf.C. On these self-propelled guns, the aiming embrasure in the front panel of the cabin was removed, and the sight eyepiece was moved to the roof of the cabin, placed in a special hatch (due to this, its shape changed). The antenna was made foldable, with a special protective wooden groove provided for it. In the spring of 1941, 100 of these “products” were produced, after which the company began production StuG III Ausf.D. The new self-propelled guns were almost no different from the previous series, therefore, in German accounting statistics, vehicles of both modifications were counted as StuG III Ausf.С/D. An external distinctive feature of the StuG III Ausf.D was the presence of protective brackets on the headlights. During the period from May to September 1941, German enterprises produced 150 self-propelled guns of this modification.

Self-propelled gun StuG III Ausf.D, captured by the British in North Africa
Source – skaramanga-1972.livejournal.com

In September 1941, production of self-propelled guns began StuG III Ausf.E, which were planned to be used as command vehicles. They wanted to replace the light half-track armored personnel carriers Sd.Kfz.253 observer-spotters, who were withdrawn from the units of StuG self-propelled guns. To do this, not one, but two radio stations were placed in armored boxes above both fenders of each self-propelled gun. They did not completely occupy the space allotted to them, so six additional shells were placed in the left of the boxes, which increased the ammunition load of the self-propelled guns to 50 rounds. The designers abandoned inclined side additional armor plates. The total number of vehicles of this modification manufactured from September 1941 to March 1942 was 284 units.

Ausf.E – the latest modification of the StuG III, armed with a short-barreled 75 mm gun
Source – waralbum.ru

With new guns to a new life

On September 28, 1941, Hitler signed an order in which he demanded to increase the armor-piercing ability of the guns of German tanks and self-propelled guns, so that they could fight on equal terms with the latest models of Soviet armored vehicles. In pursuance of this order, a 75-mm gun from Rheinmetall-Borsig AG StuK 40 L/43 with a barrel length of 43 calibers was chosen for the modernization of the Sturmgeschutz III. The new gun was excellent for fighting T-34 and KV-1 tanks, but could not conduct overhead fire, which reduced its effectiveness in the fight against enemy infantry, artillery and bunkers. For experimental purposes, a StuK 40 was installed on one of the StuG III Ausf.E self-propelled guns, and another vehicle was armed with a 105 mm howitzer. All this served as the basis for the new StuG III series and the creation of the StuH 42 self-propelled howitzer on its basis.

In March 1942, production of a modernized self-propelled gun began. StuG 40 Ausf.F(the designation “StuG III Ausf.F” was also used), apart from the new gun, it differed little from the StuG III Ausf.E. An electric fan was installed on the roof of the conning tower, and the ammunition capacity of the new vehicle was increased to 54 rounds. Instead of the Sfl ZF sight, the gunner received an improved Sfl ZF la sight.

The StuG 40 Ausf.F assault gun from the 5th SS Viking Panzer Division moves along a flooring made of railway sleepers in the Kharkov area
Source – waralbum.ru

In June 1942, the hull and conning tower armor began to be reinforced with additional 30 mm armor plates, as a result of which the total thickness of the frontal armor increased to 80 mm. This increased the weight of the car by 450 kg and reduced its top speed. A total of 182 units with reinforced armor were produced, in which, in addition, two headlights with blackout covers were replaced with one from Notek, which was initially mounted on the left wing, and later moved to the middle of the upper frontal sheet of the hull.

In the summer of 1942, another 31 StuG 40 Ausf.F units were armed with 75-mm StuK 40 guns with 48-caliber barrels. During the period from March to September 1942, German industry produced 364 StuG 40 Ausf.F of all modifications.

In September 1942, the production of Pz.Kpfw.III tanks was completely stopped in the Alkett workshops, and the company concentrated on the production of the StuG III self-propelled gun, which was once again modified. New episode received the mark StuG 40 Ausf.F/8. The main changes affected the body of the self-propelled gun (it was made more technologically advanced and convenient). The thickness of the rear armor plate was increased to 50 mm, while the thickness of the front armor remained unchanged (80 mm). The designers made the towing earrings in the form of brackets, which were a continuation of the body. In addition, it has changed appearance access hatches to the transmission (in the front of the vehicle) and to the engines (in the rear).

The designers abandoned the smoke exhaust device of previous models, which was used to camouflage self-propelled guns, as well as folding antennas, so the wooden safety boxes for them were removed.

StuG 40 Ausf.F/8 assault gun on display at the Military Museum in Belgrade, Serbia
Source – wikimedia.org

The StuG 40 Ausf.F/8 was equipped with a gun that had a single-chamber muzzle brake. At the beginning of 1943, a protective shield for the MG-34 machine gun began to be installed on F/8 modification vehicles above the loader's hatch on the right side of the roof. Since May 1943, armored side screens began to be installed on self-propelled guns that survived the battles, which effectively protected them from hits from cumulative shells and armor-piercing PTR bullets. From September to December 1942, 250 StuG 40 Ausf.F/8 self-propelled guns were manufactured.

From December 1942 to March 1945, the Alkett company produced the last, most successful and most widespread series of self-propelled guns - StuG 40 Ausf.G, which is also referred to in various sources as StuG III Ausf.G.

Most of the changes affected the armored hull. The armored boxes for radios were removed, and the sides were extended to the middle of the fenders. The first vehicles in the series retained 50 mm frontal armor, which was reinforced with overhead 30 mm armor plates attached to the hull with bolts or welding. Since April 1944, the company began to use 80-mm armored steel for the manufacture of frontal parts.

The electric fan was initially located in the same place as on the StuG 40 Ausf.F series, but later it was moved to the rear of the cabin roof. The driver's observation device was eliminated, the embrasure under which in the wheelhouses of the first G series cars was simply welded. Later, the designers also abandoned the driver’s observation device, which was located on the left side of the self-propelled gun.

From November 1943, on some self-propelled guns, instead of the old welded gun mantlet of the 75-mm StuK 40 L/48 gun, they began to mount a new cast one, which was called Saukopfblende (German - “boar’s snout”). Both masks were installed on vehicles until the end of the war. Since June 1944, a coaxial MG-34 machine gun began to be mounted in welded mantlets, and in October of the same year it also appeared in cast mantlets.

In self-propelled guns produced after May 1944, a hole appeared in the roof of the wheelhouse for a mortar that fired smoke and fragmentation grenades. Before this, some self-propelled guns were equipped with 90-mm NbK 39 smoke grenade launchers, which were installed in the front part of the wheelhouse (three each to the left and right of the gun).

An early version of the StuG 40 Ausf.G assault gun on the march in Italy. Visible are 90 mm NbK 39 smoke grenade launchers, as well as additional 30 mm armor welded to the lower armor plate

The StuG 40 Ausf.G was produced with a commander's cupola, which improved visibility for the vehicle commander. Since the armor of the walls was weak, from October 1943 it began to be equipped with a fairing - a cast shield that reflected bullets and shrapnel.

Initially, the loader's hatch, located in the front right part of the cabin roof, consisted of two doors - rear and front, which, when raised, served as a shield for the MG-34 machine gun. On later versions of the self-propelled gun, the hatch doors could already be opened to the left and right, and the MG-42 machine gun, mounted on the roof, could be controlled remotely by the gunner. The need to lean out of the hatch now arose only at the moment of reloading the weapon. In this case, the gunner was protected by the side doors of the open hatch, which stood vertically in the open position, as well as a small V-shaped shield mounted on the machine gun.

A German tankman fires from an MG-34 machine gun mounted on a StuG III Ausf.G self-propelled gun
Source – waralbum.ru

For the StuG 40 Ausf.G, two types of tracks were produced - 400 mm wide (regular) and 550 mm wide (the so-called “eastern” ones, intended to increase the vehicle’s cross-country ability on quickly liquefied heavy soils and in the snow of the Eastern Front). On later versions of the self-propelled guns, the designers abandoned the rubber coating of the support rollers, which was due to the shortage of rubber that arose in the Third Reich towards the end of the war.

Almost all self-propelled guns of the G series received 5-mm screens that protected them from hits from cumulative projectiles. The cars had only one problem with the screens - when driving over rough terrain, they often caught on the ground, so soon the lower front corners of the screens began to be cut off. Since the summer of 1943, self-propelled guns began to be coated with a special Zimmerit coating, which protected them from magnetic mines.

German assault gun StuG III Ausf.G with side anti-cumulative shields and zimmerit coating of the hull
Source – waralbum.ru

From December 1942 to April 1945, the Alkett plant produced 5191 StuG 40 Ausf.G self-propelled guns. In February 1943, the MIAG company in Braunschweig joined their production, where until March 1945 they produced another 2,643 vehicles of this modification. In addition, in 1943, 165 self-propelled guns were produced on the basis of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M. tanks, and in 1944 - 173 self-propelled guns on the chassis of “triples” of other modifications that underwent repair and restoration work at the Alkett enterprise. Thus, the assembly shops delivered a total of 8172 Ausf.G series vehicles (according to other sources - 7720).

In total, during the Second World War, the industry of the Third Reich produced 9675 StuG III of all series and modifications, which makes this self-propelled gun the most massive armored vehicle that entered service with the Wehrmacht.

StuG 40 Ausf.G with pig snout gun mantlet and Zimmerit coating
Source – nevsepic.com.ua

More and more new models

The fighting on the Eastern Front in the first month of the war showed the need to create large-caliber armored mobile artillery mounts necessary to suppress enemy resistance centers and strongholds. Back in July 1941, the chairman of the tank commission of the Army Armament Directorate, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, initiated the creation of a 150-mm self-propelled gun, which was entrusted to the designers of the Alkett company to develop. From December 1941 to January 1942, a similar number of 150-mm self-propelled guns were produced on the basis of twelve StuG III Ausf.E self-propelled gun chassis. To produce twelve more units, they used the StuG III Ausf.F/8 self-propelled gun chassis, on which armored deckhouses with howitzers were installed in the fall of 1942. The new self-propelled gun received the designation StuIG 33B– the word Infanterie (German – “infantry”) was added to the decoding of the properties of the weapon.

The main weapon for the new self-propelled gun was the 15 cm schweres Infanterie Geschütz 33 field howitzer, or 15 cm sIG 33 for short (150 mm heavy infantry gun of the 1933 model), which was equipped with a recoil device that allowed it to be mounted on an armored chassis. The firing range of the 15 cm sIG 33 was 4.7 km, and this gun could only be aimed horizontally by ±3°. Vertical pointing angles reached +25° and −6°. The ammunition load of the new self-propelled gun was 30 shells. Additionally, a detachable MG-34 machine gun was installed in the self-propelled gun cabin.

150-mm self-propelled gun StuIG 33В on the march
Source – plaza.rakuten.co.jp

In October 1942, the first twelve guns received their baptism of fire in the battles of Stalingrad as part of the 177th and 244th separate battalions of siege guns, where they died. From the remaining twelve self-propelled guns, the 17th siege anti-personnel artillery battery was formed, which was assigned to the 22nd Panzer Division. She took part in an attempt to break through the ring closed by the Red Army around the 6th Infantry Army of the Wehrmacht in Stalingrad. In these battles, the division was defeated, and the battery lost six self-propelled guns.

The remaining six vehicles were transferred to the 23rd Tank Division, where they became part of the 201st Tank Regiment as an assault battery. The battery took part in the battles on the Kursk Bulge, during the defense of the Dnieper line, and as of September 1944, only five self-propelled guns remained operational. Only one copy of the StuIG 33B has survived to this day, exhibited at the Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment in Kubinka (Russia).

150-mm self-propelled gun StuIG 33В on display at the Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment in Kubinka

The second, more successful and widespread self-propelled howitzer, created on the basis of the StuG III, was StuH 42 . After the execution of Hitler's order of September 28, 1941, when the StuK 37 gun was replaced by the longer StuK 40, the StuG 40 self-propelled guns no longer fully corresponded to the functions of an assault gun. The flat trajectory of the new gun's projectile made it difficult to fight enemy infantry defending in trenches and trenches, as well as its firing points. To fill the gap, it was decided to create a self-propelled howitzer with a gun of more than large caliber and the hinged flight path of the projectile.

The 10.5 cm leFH18/40 howitzer, model 1918, manufactured by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG, was chosen as the main weapon for the new self-propelled gun. The first experimental StuH 42 was created on the StuG III Ausf.E chassis, the next five prototypes were assembled on the StuG III Ausf.F chassis and four more on the StuG III Ausf.F/8 chassis.

Train with StuH 42 self-propelled guns at Lyubotin station
Source – warallbum.ru

The vehicle went into production with a modified gun, which differed from the field one in the design of the recoil device and the modernized shape of the bolt. Since September 1944, the muzzle brake was no longer mounted on the barrel. The self-propelled gun's ammunition consisted of 36 shells, of which 26 were high-explosive fragmentation, and another 10 were cumulative, penetrating armor 90–100 mm thick. Just like the StuG III Ausf.G, on the roof of the new self-propelled guns there was a shield behind which was hidden an MG-34 or MG-42 machine gun, from which the loader could fire, if necessary.

Self-propelled gun StuH 42 of the early series, abandoned by the Germans on the Eastern Front. Howitzer without muzzle brake, gun mantlet - welded
Source – warallbum.ru

The design of the self-propelled howitzer was not much different from the StuG III - only the layout of the gun and the placement of shells were different. Self-propelled howitzers, like the StuG III Ausf.G, eventually received cast gun mantlets instead of welded ones and were also shielded with additional anti-cumulative armor. Later examples were coated with a zimmerite coating. In total, from March 1942 to April 1945, German industry produced 1,299 StuH 42 units.

Self-propelled gun StuH 42 with troops on armor. Muzzle brake of early modifications, cast gun mantlet
Source – warallbum.ru

"Incendiary" self-propelled guns

In December 1942, it was decided to create flamethrower self-propelled guns based on the StuG III Ausf.F StuGIII Flamm, which would be intended to storm fortified enemy strongholds. Work on new vehicles began in February 1943. Instead of a 75-mm gun, 14-mm flamethrowers, protected by steel casing pipes, were installed in the conning tower of the self-propelled gun (Wegmann & Co. and Koebe were responsible for the installation of flamethrower weapons).

Source – wehrmacht-history.com

The flamethrower's firing range was 50–60 m, depending on weather conditions(wind direction and strength). Before firing, the fire mixture was heated up for about five minutes with hot water, which was supplied to the containers from the radiator. Throwing was carried out using compressed air, the production of which was produced by a compressor equipped with a separate two-piston gasoline engine. The ammunition capacity of each vehicle was 1000 liters of fire mixture. Horizontally, the flamethrower could be aimed at ±10° without additional rotation by the self-propelled gun hull, and vertically it fired at angles from +20° to −6°. In total, German machine builders produced 10 vehicles of this modification.

Flamethrower self-propelled gun StuG III Fl Flamm
Source – moderndrawings.jexiste.be

In 1944–45, part of the StuG III Ausf.G chassis was used to create armored personnel carriers for transporting shells ( Munitionspanzer auf StuG 40 Ausf.G), which were used to transport 75-mm and 105-mm shells along with the Sd.Kfz.250 and Sd.Kfz.251 half-track armored personnel carriers, but since very few of them were produced, preference was given to the latter two vehicles.

Changes in the design of the vehicle consisted in the fact that the gun was not installed, and the embrasure in the front plate was welded with an armor lining. Sometimes, for the convenience of loading/unloading shells, a crane boom was mounted on the roof of the wheelhouse.

On a larger chassis

On November 23 and 26, 1943, the Allied flying fortresses, which did not stop bombing military and industrial targets in Germany, severely damaged the production workshops of the Alkett enterprise in Berlin. In order not to stop the release anti-tank self-propelled guns, the need for which at the front was growing every day, the Germans decided to entrust part of the production of self-propelled guns to a subsidiary of the Krupp corporation in Magdeburg (Krupp-Gruson-Werk). Since it specialized in the production of medium tanks Pz.Kpfw.IV, they decided to install the StuG III Ausf.G wheelhouses on the Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G chassis to save time. There was no economic feasibility in such a decision, but the current situation left German engineers no other choice.

Since the Pz.Kpfw.IV chassis was longer than the chassis used to assemble the StuG III, the driver's position was outside the standard conning tower, and a separate armored conning tower with an escape hatch and two periscopes was designed for him. The resulting completely new self-propelled gun received the designation StuG IV and was modernized along with the changes that were made to the standard StuG III conning tower and the Pz.Kpfw.IV chassis (for example, the last hulls of the new self-propelled guns were mounted on the “four” chassis of the Ausf.J modification).

Destroyed German StuG IV assault gun
Source – warallbum.ru

Since the design of the cabins of the self-propelled guns produced by Alkett and Krupp-Gruson-Werk coincided, additional weapons(a forward-facing machine gun and a machine gun on the roof of the cabin), radio stations and other equipment were almost identical. Due to its more spacious chassis, the StuG IV had more ammunition - 63 rounds versus 54 for the StuG III Ausf.G.

During the period from December 1943 to March 1945, 1108 vehicles (according to other sources - 1163) of a new design were produced in Magdeburg. Another 31 self-propelled guns were converted from finished tanks, which arrived at Krupp factories for overhaul. Only three copies of these self-propelled guns have survived to this day - two in Poland (one of them is operational) and one in Latvia.

StuG IV with a remote-controlled machine gun on the roof, a hole for a coaxial machine gun in the gun mantlet, screens, but without a zimmerit coating
Source – militaryimages.net

Stugas enter the battle

For the first time, StuG III assault guns took part in combat operations in the spring and summer of 1940 in France and Holland. Self-propelled guns, from which four batteries were formed in the training artillery regiment (Artillerie Lehr Regiment) in Uteborg-Damme, supported the advance of the infantry units to which they were attached. Battery No. 640 supported the 3rd regiment of the division "Großdeutschland" ("Great Germany"), battery No. 659 - 13th Army Corps, No. 660 - tank division SS "Totenkopf" ("Death's Head"), and No. 665 arrived in France only at the beginning of July and practically did not participate in the battles. Combat practice showed the need to increase the number of such units in the Wehrmacht.

The first StuG III batteries were formed on the basis of the standard structure approved on November 1, 1939. Each battery consisted of three platoons of two vehicles each, that is, the battery size was six vehicles. Each platoon, in addition to combat self-propelled guns, included service vehicles: a command half-track armored vehicle Sd.Kfz.253, intended for artillery observers, and a front-line ammunition transporter Sd.Kfz.252 with an Sd.Anh.32 trailer. Thus, the StuG III battery was an impressive combat unit in terms of numbers.

StuG III Ausf.B assault gun unit on the Eastern Front. At the head of the column is the armored personnel carrier of the platoon commander Sd.Kfz.253
Source – waralbum.ru

By November 1940, a sufficient number of self-propelled guns had been produced to begin forming them into three-battery divisions of 18 vehicles each (not counting service armored personnel carriers). Since November, the staff of each division began to additionally include a separate self-propelled gun for its commander, in addition, each battery was assigned one vehicle for battery commanders. The number of StuG IIIs in the division increased to 22 vehicles.

In the foreground is an Sd.Kfz.252 ammunition carrier, behind it is a StuG III Ausf.C/D self-propelled gun
Source – waralbum.ru

During this period, StuG III divisions took part in battles in Greece and Yugoslavia. During the entire period before the start of the campaign on the Eastern Front, of all the Sturmgeschutz IIIs that fought in France and the Balkans, only one vehicle was lost. But in the summer of 1941 the situation changed dramatically.

Very few StuG IIIs fought in Africa. At the beginning of 1942, a battery of three self-propelled units StuG III Ausf.D arrived in Tripoli (Libya) as part of the SonderVerband 288 special forces unit, formed from personnel of the 800th Special Forces Division "Brandenburg". The strength of the unit was initially 1,400 people, and by May 1942 it was gradually increased to 1,800 with 610 units of equipment. This actually sabotage regiment was commanded by Colonel Otto Menton. “Stugas” and “Marders” assigned to the special forces were intended for its assault and anti-tank support. As part of a special unit also called the "Menton Group", StuG III Ausf.D took part in the assault on British positions at El Ghazala and the capture of Tobruk.

After the defeat at El Alamein, SonderVerband 288 retreated to Tunisia along with other units of Panzer Army Africa. Along the way he lost all his armored vehicles, including all three StuG III Ausf.D. One of these self-propelled guns in good condition was captured by the British, and is currently on display in the Bovington Museum.

Destroyed Pz.Kpfw.III tank and StuG III Ausf.D assault gun (right) from SonderVerband 288 on a road in North Africa. A column passes by British tanks M3 "Stuart"
Source – waralbum.ru

Another six StuG.III Ausf.F/8 from the 1st battery of the 242nd assault gun division, specially prepared for desert warfare, were sent from the vicinity of Uteborg to Naples on December 31, 1942. There, the self-propelled guns were loaded onto ferries and sent to Tunisia, calling at the port of Trapania in Sicily. On the way to the island, one transport with two Stukas was sunk by Allied aviation. The remaining four vehicles reached Tunisia, where they were renamed Assault Battery No. 90 and assigned to the Barentin parachute regiment. On May 1, 1943, the regiment capitulated, and the battery was assigned to the airborne brigade of Major General Bernard Ramcke, as part of which it surrendered to the Allies on May 15 of the same year.

A StuG III Ausf.A assault gun breached the bridge. Balkans, 1941
Source – waralbum.ru

In the endless eastern expanses

By the start of Plan Barbarossa, twelve divisions and five separate StuG III batteries had been formed, which were subordinate to the commanders of Army Groups North, Center and South. Separate units of self-propelled guns also became part of the SS troops. So, on June 22, 1941, as part of the SS division “Totenkopf”, the Western Bug crossed the 192nd StuG III division, one battery of which crossed the river along the bottom (this battery had previously been prepared for landing in Britain). In SS units, the number of vehicles in batteries could differ from their number in Wehrmacht units. Thus, in the SS division “Das Reich” (“Reich”), a separate StuG III battery consisted of eight vehicles, each of which had its own name in honor of the famous German commanders (“Seydlitz”, “Lutzow”, “Prince Eugene”, etc. .).

With the outbreak of hostilities, the StuG III, the main share of which were vehicles of the Ausf.B modification, took an active part in the main battles on the Eastern Front. They were especially “noticeable” during the assault on fortified areas on the border of the USSR and the “old” Soviet-Polish border, during the general assault on Kyiv in August 1941 and in the battles in the Crimea. In Soviet documents, vehicles of this model were designated as “artsturm” (they were not called that in any other country in the world).

Kiev residents inspect the captured German self-propelled gun StuG III Ausf.C, captured near the village of Vita-Pochtovaya. August 1941
Source – waralbum.ru

The StuG III's good frontal armor for that time, which the 45-mm gun (the main anti-tank weapon of the Red Army) could not penetrate, as well as the low silhouette made them a formidable weapon, including for tanks. The standard T-34 gun could penetrate the frontal armor of the StuG III only at medium and close distances, while the likelihood of damage to the Soviet tank during the approach to the German self-propelled guns was very high. Perhaps it was thanks to this that in the first six months of the war (from June 22 to December 31, 1941), the Wehrmacht lost only 96 self-propelled guns.

During the same period, the use of captured StuG III by the Red Army began. It is reliably known about two self-propelled guns captured by the Red Army in the first half of August 1941 in the area of ​​​​the village of Vita-Pochtovaya near Kiev. They were exhibited for viewing by Kiev residents in one of the central squares of the city, and then were sent to the troops (their further fate is unknown).

At the beginning of 1942, due to the increase in the number of self-propelled guns in the troops, the number of vehicles in the platoon was increased. Thus, the number of StuG III batteries increased to 10 units (including the command vehicle), and the number of the division - to 31. At the same time, due to the revealed insufficient armor of self-propelled guns, the production of the Ausf.F model began, the thickness of the frontal armor of which was increased to 80 mm. In addition, they began installing a new gun, the StuK 40 L/43, capable of penetrating the armor of the T-34 and KV-1. This is what the Soviet self-propelled tankman Yu. N. Polyakov, who fought on the SU-76, recalled about the new StuG III: “We knew the same 75mm artillery assault. The armor was thicker than ours. And they have a good gun.”

StuG III/40 divisions played a significant role in the third (final) assault on Sevastopol in June 1942, after which the city fell. Between 50 and 65 StuG IIIs took part in these battles, and the German self-propelled gun divisions suffered significant losses (the 197th division was completely destroyed). Self-propelled guns died on minefields, from the fire of coastal batteries and anti-aircraft guns, from grenades of soldiers and marines.

German soldiers walk down the street past a StuG III self-propelled gun. Outskirts of Sevastopol, 1942
Source – waralbum.ru

It is curious that on June 30, 1942, it was the crews of several StuG IIIs of the 190th division (the first at the front to receive Ausf.F modification vehicles), together with soldiers of the 72nd Infantry Regiment, who broke through to the Sevastopol Panorama building and hoisted the flag of the Third Reich on it.

The units equipped with the StuG III self-propelled gun suffered significant losses in the Battle of Stalingrad - the 243rd, 244th and 245th assault gun divisions were completely destroyed in the cauldron on the Volga. In 1942, the irretrievable losses of the StuG III amounted to 332 vehicles.

German soldiers and StuG III assault guns on the street of destroyed Stalingrad, 1942
Source – waralbum.ru

From March 2, 1943, in connection with the advent of self-propelled howitzers created on the basis of the StuG III (StuН 42), in order to make self-propelled gun batteries more versatile, they began to be combined, adding three StuН 42 vehicles to the seven StuG III or StuG 40. Thanks to this, the battery became universal and could fight both enemy armored vehicles (using the flat trajectory of 75-mm StuG III/40 self-propelled gun shells) and its field fortifications, which were suppressed by 105-mm howitzers.

In 1943, there was a significant organizational change in the management of self-propelled gun units - they were transferred from the Wehrmacht artillery department to the armored department. After this, many self-propelled gun divisions were included in the tank and motorized divisions of the Wehrmacht.

The most significant battle in which the StuG III/40 took part in 1943 was the Battle of Kursk, in which 455 of these self-propelled guns took part. As of June 30, 1943, 26 assault gun divisions were concentrated on the Eastern Front, equipped with 35 StuG III Ausf.A-E self-propelled guns, 727 StuG 40 Ausf.F-G and 57 StuH 42 assault howitzers. Thus, near Kursk, the Wehrmacht concentrated up to 50 % self-propelled guns of this type. In the battle, the Germans lost 273 StuG III/40 and 38 StuH 42, and in total in 1943, the Wehrmacht lost 1,492 self-propelled guns and 73 self-propelled howitzers of these types (of this number, German repairmen were able to return only 208 vehicles to service).

In the same year, production of the SU-76I self-propelled gun began in the Soviet Union, which was made on the basis of the chassis of captured Pz.Kpfw.III tanks and StuG III/40 self-propelled guns. A total of 201 units were produced from April to November 1943, but then production was stopped in favor of self-propelled guns of its own production, SU-76m, since the flow of captured tanks was very unstable, and repairing captured equipment in the field caused a lot of difficulties.

SU-76I in the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow
Source – la-star.ru

At the beginning of 1944, four-platoon batteries appeared in the StuG III/40 divisions (three platoons were equipped with StuG III/40, and one with StuН 42). Until the end of the war, batteries of 10 and 14 self-propelled guns coexisted in parallel; at the same time, the expanded divisions of self-propelled guns began to be renamed into brigades, which could include a different number of batteries (from two to five), which introduced additional difficulties in accounting for the real number of vehicles in units .

From the very beginning of the Eastern campaign, there was a constant increase in the number of StuG III self-propelled guns of all modifications, but in 1944–45 the German industry, production capacity which suffered irreparable losses as a result of bombing by Allied aircraft, no longer had time to compensate for the Wehrmacht's losses in armored vehicles.

German equipment on Mitteltragheim street in Königsberg (after the assault). In the foreground is a StuG III Ausf.G assault gun, in the background is a Jgd.Pz.IV tank destroyer
Source – waralbum.ru

Finally

The StuG III turned out to be a very successful self-propelled gun. It had a low silhouette and "held" the shells of the main Soviet tanks, which made it an excellent anti-tank weapon, especially if it operated from an ambush. It should also be noted that in the top ten German tank aces, seventh and eighth places are occupied by the commanders of these particular self-propelled guns. Major Hans Zandrock fought in the Afrika Korps (Tank Army "Africa"), and then in the Luftwaffe division "Hermann Göring" ("Hermann Göring") in the parachute armored regiment (German statistics credit him with 123 tank victories), and at the expense of his colleague Sergeant Fritz Lang from the 232nd Assault Gun Battalion attributed 113 damaged vehicles.

After the end of World War II, the StuG III continued to be in service with the armies of several countries in Europe and the Middle East: Finland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Spain, Egypt and Syria. The last military action in which these vehicles took part was the Six-Day War of 1967. The Yad Le-Shiryon armored vehicle museum in Latrun still displays the StuG III Ausf.G, captured by the Israelis during that war, and at least two more damaged self-propelled guns have been rusting on the heights of the Golan Heights for half a century.

Destroyed Syrian StuG III on the Golan Heights
Source – waronline.org