War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

J7W1

2021-08-08T02:04:59Z

U35111552: /* Description */ Updated J7W page to reflect how the plane flies in WT's current state.

{{Specs-Card
|code=j7w1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].

The J7W1 Shinden is a bomber interceptor designed to make quick work of raiding bomber aircraft. It has exceptional performance at altitude, more than exceptional armament and a decent climb rate. The J7W1 is however, not particularly fast except at very high altitudes, and thus in most relevant situations in War Thunder, is a subpar brick of a plane at best which climbs okay-ish and handles amazingly in dives, but that's literally it. It cannot run from anything, nor can it hide, nor can it hope to turn against anything that is not a bomber.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The J7W1 Shinden has a maximum speed of 892 km/h (558 mph/485 kt) IAS (this is Vne speed - the absolute maximum speed). In a dive from service ceiling, a speed of mach 0.9 has been recorded and is sustained until IAS speed limit is reached. The aircraft can handle a max load of 11G and compresses rudder, pitch and roll at extremely high IAS speed in order of descending effect.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
|-
! rowspan="2" |Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 8,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
!Stock
| 723 || 703 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.5 || 32.2 || 15.3 || 15.3 || rowspan="2" | 650
|-
!Upgraded
| 779 || 750 || 28.6 || 30.0 || 23.0 || 18.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 498 || 469 || 320 || ~8 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 563 || < 560 || < 560 || > 314
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 8,400 m || 1,660 hp || 1,942 hp
|-
|}
[[File:J7W1 vario over altitude.png|thumb|]]
[[File:J7w1 power - altitude envelope.png|thumb]]

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 16 mm Steel plate in the nose, in front of ammo boxes and pilot

The J7W1 is protected by armour glass (70 mm) in front of pilot and steel armour plate (16 mm) in front of pilot in between guns. It is very prone to fires, and which are difficult to extinguish. Engine snipes are common, due to the position of the engine. Wing tip damage can increase the likelyhood of unrecoverable flat spins.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 5 navy (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 30 mm Type 5 navy cannons, nose-mounted (60 rpg = 240 total)

;Muzzle velocities

* Shells: HEF-T, PT, P: 910 m/s
* Shells: HEF-I, HEF: 720 m/s
* Tracer: 910 m/s
* All other belts: Mixed shell velocities, see above.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)
* 4 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (240 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

The Shinden is a high-altitude specialist with (sadly) not much role in War Thunder's current state. There are no objectives in any game mode up at the high altitudes where the thing shines, while its high BR of 6.0 means that it doesn't often face the 4-engine bombers it was designed to counter, but instead ''literal swarms of Ju-288Cs,'' which are nearly as fast as or faster in most normal combat altitudes than you and have more reliable defensive firepower than your offensive firepower. It does not climb that spectacularly, particularly because the engine only has one supercharger gear setting for high altitude. It dives amazingly when it is able to get the drop on an opponent - unlike literally every other Japanese fighter, it does not compress very much at higher speeds. But, it turns like a bus and thus can only strictly do "Boom & Zoom" type attacks, then running like hell and hoping the foe can't catch you if you missed your shots. The roll and rudder are responsive at high speeds, enabling you to line up your shots very well, though. The guns are devastating when they do work, obliterating single-engine fighters, but sadly they spark without seeming to do much damage more often than not, especially versus the bombers it is meant to kill. This plane only might have some degree of use in Combined Ground Battles solely as an anti-CAS plane, due to the lack of red markers enabling it to surprise people more often with its insane dive speeds.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Auto control available || Combined || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Pilot has some protection in the back from the engine.
* Competitive high speed turn rate
* Good roll rate
* Amazing pitch response
* 4 x 30 mm cannons make for some great offensive firepower, but they have sparking issues.
* Great high speed and handling and dive.
* Since the engine and propeller are located in the rear, it is not likely to take damage or catch fire from shots landing at its front.

'''Cons:'''

* Slow sustained turn rate.
* High speed rudder suffers some compression, though less than many other Japanese aircraft at the tier
* Pilot more exposed at the front.
* Since the engine is located in the rear, it is especially vulnerable to enemies behind it.
* Shots to the front may damage its "tail" flaps.
* Fuel tanks are easily flammable and do not self seal fully.

== History ==

The J7W1 ''Shinden'' (震電, "Magnificent Lightning") was an Imperial Japanese fighter of WWII that was built near the end of the war in an attempted response to the American B-29 Superfortress bombers. The aircraft used a canard wing formation, (canard wing formation refers to how the main wings are mounted at the rear of the fuselage and smaller wings are placed at the front. Similar to the Curtiss-Wright XP-55 Ascender.) Like the Ascender, the J7W1 was never put into mass-production and was abandoned while still in the prototype stage.<ref>"Kyushu J7W1 Shinden (Magnificent Lightning)." ''National Air and Space Museum'', 18 Apr. 2019, airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/kyushu-j7w1-shinden-magnificent-lightning.</ref>

Developed with the intention of intercepting heavy bombers, it was given 4 nose-mounted 30 mm cannons.

Development of the aircraft began in 1944, but shortages of manufacturing supplies continued to delay its development and testing and the first prototype wasn't completed until April 1945. The Navy placed high hopes in the new model and it was originally hoped that the Kyushu's Zasshonokuma factory and Nakajima's Handa plant would be able to produce over a thousand of the aircraft by 1947.

The prototype first flew on 3 August 1945 from Itazuke Air Base. The plane flew a total of three times, each time as a test flight before it was grounded permanently due to the Japanese surrender and end of the war.

Various parts of the Shinden survived the end of the war and its fuselage can be seen at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.<ref>"Kyushu J7W1/2 'Shinden.'" ''Kyushu J7W1/2 - Shinden'', tanks45.tripod.com/Jets45/Histories/Shinden/Shinden.htm.</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=j7w1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

{{Skin-gallery
|market|J7W1 "The Shark"|J7W1 'The Shark'.jpg|Camo "J7W1 'The Shark'"
|market|ugcitem_1000623|J7W1 '418'.png|Camo "J7W1 '418' in training livery"
}}

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|INb9VjLxKf0|'''Most unusual aircraft''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:25 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|6Cyq6xsiD70|'''(Arcade): {{PAGENAME}} Shinden - Magnificent Lightning''' - ''tx141TX''|yYMCtg6qa40|'''War Thunder Sub's Choice Ep 39: {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''Jengar''|fphmndESyNU|'''The Shooting Range #60''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:06 discusses the J7W1.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[XP-55]]
* [[J21 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4548-profile-j7w1-shinden-the-magnificent-lightning-en|[Profile] J7W1 Shinden - The magnificent lightning]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/202472-kyushu-j7w1/ [Forum<nowiki>]</nowiki> Aircraft Datasheet]
* [[wikipedia:Kyushu_J7W|[Wikipedia] Kyushu J7W]]

===References===
<references />

{{AirManufacturer Kyushu}}
{{Japan fighters}}

J2M2

2021-08-08T00:47:11Z

U35111552: /* General info */ Updated for game's current state.

{{About
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The J2M2 Raiden is an odd duck of an interceptor, featuring the ''weird'' combination of high climb rate but poor diving characteristics. It's main go-to is somewhat like the Bf-109 and Yak series - vertically looping opponents to bleed their speed and then swooping down or coming up behind them to punish. The guns are frustrating to use due to their below-average muzzle velocity, small ammo supply, and atrociously low rate of fire on the cannons.

The aircraft shares the same characteristics as the future J2M3 and M5 and can be a demo of what is there to come in the Japanese tree. The other models do not have particularly higher engine performance, and are only slightly faster with slightly better firepower, their main advantage being vastly more ammo to spray with.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 569 || 551 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.7 || 20.4 || 16 || 16 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 626 || 596 || 18.8 || 19.0 || 28.3 || 21.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~13 || ~10
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 430 || < 460 || < 400 || > 324
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Unlike other Japanese fighters, the J2M2 has some decent armour. There is a 70 mm bulletproof glass plate in front of the pilot. There is also a tiny triangular section of steel that is 8 mm behind the pilots head. Another thing the J2M2 has that other Japanese planes don't have near rank 3, is self-sealing fuel tanks. There is however no armour around the engine so the engine is very prone to bullets striking and damaging it.
[[File:J2M2 - Bulletproof glass 70 mm.png|none|thumb|Picture displaying the 70 mm bulletproof glass plate in front of the pilot. ]]

[[File:J2M2 - Steel 8 mm.png|none|thumb|303x303px|Picture showing the 8 mm steel plate behind the pilots head.]]

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)|Type 97 navy (7.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)
* 2 x 7.7 mm Type 97 navy machine guns, nose-mounted (550 rpg = 1,100 total)

The two 7.7 mm machine guns are mounted in the cowling of the aircraft serve as good backups if the cannons run dry, or if there is a need to poke a fleeing enemy into a maneuver. The cannons are decent, but the best belts are by far Stealth. The HEF-I and HEF-T rounds have quite low TNT equivalent amounts, while the HEF without tracer has nearly double that amount of explosive. Due to the spotty nature of the guns, Stealth helps mainly by allowing you to surprise opponents more often, as well as having the most HEF by far.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)

The two 60 kg bombs are basically worthless. Do not take them.

== Usage in battles ==


In the start of a match, you'll want to use your best advantage, climbing. The J2M2 has an incredible rate of climb for its BR. This will almost always guarantee you an altitude advantage, and from there, you should pick out your targets one-by-one. The J2M2 does not have the best offensive guns so make sure to never head-on. If you are diving on an opponent and they are trying to head-on, break off and do a spiral climb. Your opponent (if he's greedy enough) will stay on you and lose all of his energy. Once you see him about to go into a stall, quickly dive down to him and shoot him down, but do not go too fast as your controls lock up badly above 550kph. Another advantage of the J2M2 is the top speed. The J2M2 can go very fast for its BR and you should use it to your advantage.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent climb rate (21.2 m/s spaded)
* Excellent top speed (592 km/h or 370 mph)
* Easily outperforms other allied aircraft it usually faces
* Out turn most allied planes except for the Spitfire
* Small size
* Does not bleed energy like the Zero
* More ammo for the 20 mm than the early Zero models
* Has armour and self-sealing fuel tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Awful high-speed diving characteristics
* Still very low ammo supply on the cannons of just 100 rounds per gun
* Low muzzle velocity makes the cannons hard to aim
* Low fire rate means you do not kill quickly despite surprisingly good TNT filler per HEF bullet.
* Slower than US planes
* 7.7 mm machine guns are quite ineffective at 4.3, lowering your combat capability once cannon ammo runs out

== History ==

{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}

===Development===
During the China Incident (Sino-Japanese war) the Navy had sustained some damage from Chinese bomber groups as they didn't have any dedicated interceptors at the time, for this reason the Navy put out multiple specifications for planes to deal with threats which the Chinese made clear to the Navy. For bombers specifically they specified for a strictly local-defense interceptor known as the ''{{Annotation|14-Shi|14th year of the Showa reign, 1939}} Interceptor''.

The designer behind the [[A6M (Family)|A6M]], Jiro Horikoshi and his team started development on this specification. But due the harsh unrealistic specifications for mainly engine output required for the team to use a strong engine which wasn't available yet and with the oversized engine required for the task resulted in a sleek but stubby plane.

After the initial '''J2M1''' prototypes outfitted with the {{Annotation|1,044 kW|1,400 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4C ''Kasei 13'' 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine and didn't come near the specification requirements, engine vibrations coming from the cooling system and a troublesome undercarriage design held it back from being used as a production model.

The [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] was outfitted with {{Annotation|1,379 kW|1,850 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4R-A ''Kasei 23a'' 14-cylinder radial engine which somewhat overcame the teething problems but still didn't reach the requirements, overburdened with engine problems and electrical malfunctions in the landing gear remained.

Mitsubishi wanted to make the best of it and get out the J2Ms into combat service before it was officially adopted in the Navy. Engine problems and performance were only further resolved in further modifications.
===Combat History===
The first few produced [[J2M2]]s were delivered to the development units in December 1942 but the troublesome amount of engine problems still held it back from mass production. Troubleshooting almost took a year and the first batch of the serial built [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] could be delivered to 381st Kōkūtai in December of 1943.

Furthermore, the [[J2M2|'''J2M2''']] saw limited action in the Philippines, although it was largely ineffective due to the limited initial production batch and design flaws.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=j2m2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

{{Skin-gallery|market|J2M2, IJNAS Prototype|J2M2 IJNAS Prototype.png|Camo "IJNAS Prototype"}}

;Images

[[File:J2M2.png|thumb|J2M2 in hangar w/ decals.|none]]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|KqLoa0NIpzE|'''The Shooting Range #178''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:36 discusses the J2M "Raiden".|9rpm13C84M0|'''IN THE NAME OF THUNDER!''' - ''Raiden'' section at 01:53 discusses the J2M's.|t3xD7JpnHeI|'''Best aircraft for Boom & Zoom''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:48 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;[[J2M (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Template:AirManufacturer Mitsubishi|Mitsubishi]] [[J2M3]] (following model)

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/234529-mitsubishi-j2m2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}

J2M5 30mm

2021-08-08T00:36:29Z

U35111552: /* Offensive armament */ Updated to reflect game's current state.

{{About
| about = premium Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m5_30mm
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.51 "Cold Steel"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,580 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 585 || 569 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.2 || 20.6 || 12.9 || 12.9 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 646 || 615 || 18.5 || 19.0 || 23.9 || 17.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 400 || < 400 || < 460 || > 324
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,800 m || 1,510 hp || 1,812 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,750 m || 1,400 hp || 1,680 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 6,200 m || 1,310 hp || 1,572 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 8.5 mm Steel plate in pilot's headrest

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 5 navy (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 30 mm Type 5 navy cannons, wing-mounted (42 rpg = 84 total)

Tracer Belts are the most consistent on such slow-firing guns, with the highest TNT equivalent bursting charge at nearly 60g, though still less than similar guns in other nations.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

The premium J2M5 with 2 x 30 mm cannons sits at a favorable BR of 4.7. Its handling is identical to the other J2M5 - a fighter with decent climb rate, decent turning, and an emphasis on vertically looping opponents to bleed their speed before swooping down to punish. Generally, what it can't out-turn, it can out-loop; what it can't out-loop, it can probably out-turn. It is still rather slow compared to a lot of its opponents, but due to the BR it is nowhere near as borderline hopeless as the other model of the plane is.

The plane's main downside is high-speed control stiffening, which sets in at 550kph IAS. Thus while it can climb rather well, it cannot dive well to put that altitude to good use. The other downside comes from the slow rate of fire on the guns, paired with rather low ammo supply on those guns of just 42 rounds per gun. However, when they hit, they will kill more consistently than either Type 99 or Ho-5 cannons.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil
! Water
! Type
|-
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Controllable 3 gears || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed
* Favourable matchmaking for what it's capable of
* Climbs very well
* 30 mm cannon shells are lethal when they hit single-engine fighters, but tend to spark a lot vs anything larger.
* Reasonably nimble at low and medium speeds
* Has awful high speed diving characteristics.
* 8.5 mm bulletproof glass behind the pilot
* Large, sloped 70 mm bulletproof glass in front of the pilot
* Above-average roll rate at lower speeds
* Slow firing cannons are good for ammo conservation
* Premium rewards
* Relatively low repair cost in realistic and simulator battles

'''Cons:'''

* High repair price in arcade mode
* Very poor high-speed performance
* Elevator doesn't respond well at high speeds
* Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
* Prone to engine and fuel fires
* Firing the guns slow the plane down immensely
* Cannons are mounted in the wings, resulting in significant convergence issues
* Extremely limited ammunition pool
* Moderate to poor energy retention

== History ==
{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}
Nearing the end of the war, the focus of the J2Ms was shifted towards even more local interceptors as requested at a faster approach. With the '''J2M5, ''Raiden Model 33'''''<nowiki/>'s a new and last engine revision was made, the Kasei 26a engine with a mechanically driven supercharger. This allowed the '''''Model 33''''' to get higher speeds at higher altitudes compared to that of the [[J2M4 Kai|J2M4, Model 32]] at the cost of total range which was a sacrifice that was required as American bombers got closer and closer to the mainland.

Within the '''''Model 33''''' there has been several prototype variants and armament configurations of only one becoming a production line variant, the ''J2M5a, Raiden Model 33 Ko'' which had four 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons.

One other of these variants, the '''J2M5 with Type 5 30 mm's''', which didn't make it to the production line, as by the time, bombers got through and bombed the Japanese logistics from December 1944 onward, which took its toll on the aircraft production overall.

A direct hit on the Mitsubishi aircraft plant caused the complete loss of airframes, machine tools, and jigs and eventually halted production. Production generally suffered less from direct hits on factories, which were rare, but from attacks on suppliers and consequent shortages of material and construction tools.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


; Other members of the [[J2M_(Family)|J2M family]]:

* [[J2M2]]
* [[J2M3]]
* [[J2M4 Kai]]
* [[J2M5]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/249893-mitsubishi-j2m5/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}
{{Japan premium aircraft}}

J2M4 Kai

2021-08-08T00:27:44Z

U35111552: /* Description */ Updated J2M4 page to reflect its current state in the game.

{{About
|about=premium Japanese aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=other vehicles of the same family
|link=J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m4_kai
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]] and costs 3,850 Golden Eagles.

Although stubby, the Mitsubishi J2M4, Raiden Model 32 can be considered one of the fastest Japanese fighters in War Thunder, though it is still slower than most of its opponents.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 611 || 592 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.1 || 22.9 || 13.2 || 13.2 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 664 || 637 || 19.9 || 21.0 || 22.7 || 17.3
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~10 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 400 || < 420 || > 324
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 8.5 mm Steel plate in pilot's headrest

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons, wing-mounted (190 rpg = 380 total)
* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (150 rpg = 300 total)

Wielding four 20 mm cannons, this aircraft ''appears'' that it would be as devastating as an [[Fw 190 A-5|Fw 190]], but the guns are ''atrocious.'' The TNT filling of the best shells, the HEF rounds, is quite good at nearly 17g TNT equivalent. These guns suffer in terms of rate of fire, muzzle velocity, and having two different velocities that cannot be fired independently of each other, making its firepower an unfocused mess at best. However, you have a large ammo supply and can thus spray quite a lot. Stealth Belts are recommended because they have the most tracerless HEF rounds with 17g TNTe, and none of the deceptively bad HEF-T or HEF-I with nearly half that. Stealth is also recommended because without tracers you can surprise opponents more to make the awful guns work.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==


Generally, the J2M4 performs similarly to the [[I-185 (M-82)]], but with more emphasis on horizontal maneuverability at the cost of climb rate. It rolls rather well at low-medium speeds, stiffens up very badly at higher speeds, and has decent but not great guns.

The plane's main mode of attack, due to the odd combination of fairly high climb rate yet poor dive performance and subpar straight-line speed is to vertically loop opponents to death, mixing in some horizontal turning to throw off some opponents who may also be good in the vertical area. Staying below 550kph IAS is crucial, for above that you seriously lock up and cannot maneuver.

The plane has two different types of 20mm Type 99 cannon - a pair of Model 1s in the outer mounts with 190 rounds per gun and a pair of Model 2s in the inner mounts with 150 rounds per gun. The individual HEF rounds are not that bad, with nearly 17g TNT equivalent, but compared to their opponents, they have below-average muzzle velocity, ''atrociously low rate of fire'', and the two Models of cannon have wildly different muzzle velocities, so your firepower is surprising unfocused unless shooting exactly at your convergence distance. Stealth belts are preferable due to opponents reacting less, allowing you to make the awful guns work, and because Stealth has the most of the best tracerless HEF rounds. The HEF-T and HEF-I rounds have nearly HALF the TNT amount, and should be avoided where possible.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed
* Large ammunition pool
* Climbs very well
* Has generally good dive characteristics
* Good energy retention
* 12 mm armour plate behind windscreen
* Good roll rate at lower speeds
* Decent high altitude performance due to the turbocharger

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor high speed performance
* Prone to engine and fuel fires
* Doesn't turn well
* Elevator doesn't respond well, especially at high speeds
* Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
* Differing muzzle velocities between the two marks of the Type 99 cannon on the J2M4 will require you to lead much further than normal as an order to utilize the full effectiveness of the J2M4's firepower
* Low rate of fire on both gun types

== History ==

{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}

===Development===
As the development behind the ''14-Shi Interceptor'' ([[J2M2]] and [[J2M3]]) were disappointing in performance and didn't achieve it's projected goal, Mitsubishi set up a new goal with the availability of newer and stronger engines, this would be called under the ''14-Shi Kai Interceptor''.

Jiro Horikoshi and his team redesigned the nose of the plane to hold the new Kasei 23c engine and with this prototype they achieved the requested goal, this plane would be known as the '''J2M4, ''Raiden Model 32'''''. It solved the engine vibrations and the cooling system was more reliable compared to that of the previous models. It would still preserve the same electrical malfunctions to the landing gear which didn't get redesigned as the engine and its performance were a more pressing issue.

This progress allowed Mitsubishi to further develop the Raiden and so they would with the Kasei 26a, equipping it in the [[J2M5|J2M5, ''Raiden Model 33'']].

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/216840-mitsubishi-j2m4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}
{{Japan premium aircraft}}

J2M5

2021-08-08T00:12:46Z

U35111552: /* Modifications and economy */ Updated J2M5 page to reflect game's current state.

{{About
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.51 "Cold Steel"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,580 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 590 || 571 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.6 || 13.0 || 13.0 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
|646||615||18.5||19.0||23.9||17.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 400 || < 420 || > 324
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,800 m || 1,510 hp || 1,812 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 6,800 m || 1,450 hp || 1,740 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 7,200 m || 1,400 hp || 1,680 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 8 mm Steel - Armour plate in pilot's headrest

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Unlocking the Radiator upgrade should be the Raiden pilot's first concern, as the engine has overheating issues comparable to, though less quick than, the [[F8F-1B]] and [[Ki-83]], where it will gradually destroy itself even at 100% throttle - this upgrade slows that down via better cooling. Next in importance are the guns, because frankly, ''they suck.'' The individual bullets are stronger than those of Hispano and ShVAK cannons, with nearly 17g TNT equivalent, but suffer from quite low rate of fire compared with all of its contemporaries, and low muzzle velocity compared with a lot of contemporaries, AND differing muzzle velocity on the two types of Type 99 cannon it bears. Once firepower is upgraded, prioritize performance unlocks. Unlike the [[J2M3]], this one has no ordinance to unlock and the 60kg bombs are not worth using.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (210 rpg = 420 total)
* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons, wing-mounted (190 rpg = 380 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

The J2M5 can be thought of as an [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw-190]] crossed with a [[Yak-3]]. The most similar plane elsewhere in the game is the [[I-185 (M-82)]], but with an engine tuned for higher altitudes at the cost of somewhat lower climb rate. It primarily can beat opponents by vertically looping them to death, similar to a Yak or Bf-109, but the horizontal maneuverability is surprisingly good, though not A6M Zero good. Generally, you can out-loop most opponents, and what you can't out-loop, you can probably out-turn.

The J2M5 wields two 20 mm Type 99 Mk. 1 cannon and two 20 mm Type 99 Mk. 2 cannons in the wings. The stock belts are particularly lackluster, though a large ammo pool can allow you to get beyond that quickly. Stealth is the best belt despite the guns being subpar in both velocity and rate of fire compared with ALL of its opponents, because only the HEF rounds have fairly high TNT equivalent at nearly 17g per bullet. Comparatively the HEF-T and HEF-I rounds have around half that. Use Universal Belts to learn the gun lead, then swap to Stealth ASAP. Magnifying the problems is the fact that the guns have wildly different muzzle velocities. The outer pair of Type 99 Model 1s have 588m/s, which is ''atrociously slow''. The inner pair of Type 99 Model 2s meanwhile are 750m/s. Thus the firepower is very unfocused unless firing ''EXACTLY at your convergence range.''

Overall, the Raiden is best used as a surprise attack, high altitude, vertically looping fighter that punishes enemy carelessness. It is less maneuverable than the Zero family, but gains noticeably more speed, though like the J2M3 the guns are iffy at best due to low rate of fire, low muzzle velocity, and two different muzzle velocities that cannot be fired independently of each other. The J2M5 also has improved cockpit visibility over the [[J2M2]] and [[J2M3]] variants.

For ground attack, the J2M5 can equip two 60 kg bombs under the wings. These are barely enough to reliably kill Air AI Artillery, and are not advisable to take.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 3 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed
* Large ammunition pool
* Climbs very well
* Has generally good dive characteristics
* Good energy retention
* 12 mm armour plate behind the windscreen
* Good roll rate at lower speeds
* Improved cockpit visibility over [[J2M2]]/[[J2M3]]

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor high-speed performance
* Prone to engine and fuel fires
* Turning ability isn't as good as most other planes in Japanese tree, leading to "culture shock" among people used to carelessly out-turning all their foes in prior planes.
* Elevator doesn't respond well, especially at high speeds
* Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
* Differing muzzle velocities between the two marks of the Type 99 cannon on the J2M5 will require different leads for each to hit

== History ==
{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}
Nearing the end of the war, the focus of the J2Ms was shifted towards even more local interceptors as requested at a faster approach. With the '''J2M5, ''Raiden Model 33'''''<nowiki/>'s a new and last engine revision was made, the Kasei 26a engine with a mechanically driven supercharger. This allowed the '''''Model 33''''' to get higher speeds at higher altitudes compared to that of the [[J2M4 Kai|J2M4, Model 32]] at the cost of total range which was a sacrifice that was required as American bombers got closer and closer to the mainland.

Within the '''''Model 33''''' there has been several prototype variants and armament configurations of only one becoming a production line variant, the ''J2M5a, Raiden Model 33 Ko'' which had four 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons.

One other of these variants, the [[J2M5 30mm|J2M5 with Type 5 30 mm's]], which didn't make it to the production line, as by the time, bombers got through and bombed the Japanese logistics from December 1944 onward, which took its toll on the aircraft production overall.

A direct hit on the Mitsubishi aircraft plant caused the complete loss of airframes, machine tools, and jigs and eventually halted production. Production generally suffered less from direct hits on factories, which were rare, but from attacks on suppliers and consequent shortages of material and construction tools.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=j2m5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|KqLoa0NIpzE|'''The Shooting Range #178''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:36 discusses the J2M "Raiden".}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/249893-mitsubishi-j2m5/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}

J2M3

2021-08-07T23:52:51Z

U35111552: /* Description */

{{About
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

[[File:CockpitImage_J2M3.jpg|thumbnail|right|Engine information on the left. Orientation in the centre. Flight info on the right. Easy! The J2M3 continues the good cockpit visibility featured on all Japanese fighters.]]

Although a stubby and small aircraft, the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden can be considered one of the best Japanese fighters in War Thunder. The main advantage the Raiden has over some of its Allied counterparts is its climb rate. In realistic battles, the J2M3 can climb to altitude very fast, especially when given an air start. Once at a high altitude, the Raiden pilot can pick and choose targets, dictating where and when they want to fight. Problem is, the guns, while ''appearing'' good on paper with ~17g TNT equivalent (TNTe) per bullet, ''their rate of fire is atrocious compared to other nations' 20mm cannons, while their muzzle velocity is also subpar compared with those of most other nations.'' This renders the plane ''extremely'' frustrating to use when taking into account the fact that it has ''extreme'' control stiffening above 550kph IAS. Recommended belt is Stealth, because it has only the HEF rounds with that high TNTe and none of the HEF-I or HEF-T rounds with ''half'' that yield or less. But even that will be subpar, because the plane has two different models of Type 99 cannons with vastly different muzzle velocities (588m/s on the outer pair and 750m/s on the inner one), rendering your guns a very unfocused ''mess'' to aim.

The Raiden aircraft's main downside is its lack of manoeuvrability at higher speeds. Similar to its German counterpart, the Fw 190 A-8, the Raiden struggles to beat enemies in turn fights, especially Spitfires although one shouldn't turn with a Spitfire in general. If caught in a sticky situation, the Raiden pilot may choose to dive away or seek help from teammates. Trying to fight an enemy Spitfire in a turn battle with the J2M is a terrible idea unless the enemy aircraft is damaged or many teammates are nearby. Moreover, the J2M's high-speed manoeuvrability is poor, making the entire aircraft lock up. It can be very difficult to pull out of a dive, roll, or turn when at high speeds with the J2M. The Raiden's manoeuvrability is more or less on par with its enemies in simulator battles, for the most part.

The main strength of the J2M3 is its very high Power-to-Weight Ratio - it can vertically play with most opponents with ease, while still being able to horizontally outmaneuver a lot of opponents with the flaps deployed. It is similar to but worse in most respects except rip speed than the [[Yak-3U]]. The plane can even give Bf-109K-4s a run for their money in the vertical.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 571 || 551 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.8 || 20.5 || 16.0 || 16.0 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 625 || 596 || 18.8 || 19.0 || 28.5 || 21.3
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 400 || < 420 || > 324
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,203 m || 1,680 hp || 1,999 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,400 m || 1,560 hp || 1,856 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 8.5 mm Steel plate in pilot's headrest

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Unlocking the Radiator should be the first concern, as the plane has an annoying overheating problem, where much like the [[F8F-1B]] or [[Ki-83]], the engine will gradually overheat and destroy itself even at 100% throttle, though not quite as quickly as those two, on Automatic Engine Controls. Of next priority are the guns, because they're such a mess that you need the element of surprise that the lack of tracers from Stealth belts gives you in order to secure kills. Get every performance module on the way down as you unlock the gun upgrades. Ordinance, while handy in Combined Ground, is of least concern due to the plane's not-so-nice high speed diving characteristics making aiming the Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 useful rockets at player tanks difficult at best.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (210 rpg = 420 total)
* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons, wing-mounted (190 rpg = 380 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)|Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1|Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1|Type 5 No.1 Mod.9|Type 5 No.6 Mod.9}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)
* 2 x Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1 rockets
* 2 x Type 5 No.1 Mod.9 rockets
* 2 x Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 rockets
* 2 x Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

Featuring two 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons and two 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons with plenty of ammunition, the J2M3 is rather annoying to work with. The two gun pairs have wildly different muzzle velocities, and as a result are quite unfocused in their fire. The individual bullets are fairly strong, with nearly 17g TNT equivalent, but suffer ''horrifically low rate of fire'' (510 rounds per minute [rpm] on Model 1 and 490 rpm on Model 2) compared with the 600-800 rpm of most of its opponents.

For ground attack, the J2M3 has frankly awful ordinance. 60kg bombs are near-worthless, requiring pinpoint aim to take out even Air AI Artillery. The only relevant ordinance type for Combined Ground Battles are the Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rockets (a Tier IV module unlock), which with 10kg explosive mass, will take out any player-controlled tank they directly hit thanks to overpressure. But the plane's diving characteristics are not the best, so it will be hard to aim those.

Overall, the Raiden is best used as a surprise attack, high altitude fighter with an emphasis on vertically looping opponents to death, similar to the Bf-109 family. The guns aren't great, but with Stealth you can "walk" your fire onto your target and make them work decently enough.

The Raiden pilot will find him/herself frequently outclassed in speed by many opponents, but most of your opponents will be careless enough to try maneuvering with you, allowing you to catch them. The Raiden's BR is frankly at a legacy state from a different time in the game's history, and simply has not been played enough in recent years by enough of the game population to adjust its statistics and thus BR down to a reasonable level.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed, although lower than its contemporaries
* Large ammunition pool
* Insanely high climb rate
* Has generally adequate dive characteristics
* Quite excellent energy retention
* Great medium-speed manoeuvrability
* 12 mm armour plate behind the windscreen
* Reasonable roll rate at lower speeds
* Excellent performance at high altitudes

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor high-speed performance
* Prone to engine and fuel fires
* Doesn't turn well at higher speeds
* Elevator doesn't respond well, especially at high speeds
* Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
* Differing muzzle velocities between the two models of the Type 99 cannon on the J2M3 will require you to lead much further than normal as an order to utilize the full effectiveness of the J2M3's firepower
* Below-average rate of fire on both types of Type 99 cannon mean that while your guns hit fairly hard per bullet, you still take longer to secure a kill than all your opponents do.

== History ==

{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}
===Development===
During the China Incident (Sino-Japanese war) the Navy had sustained some damage from Chinese bomber groups as they didn't have any dedicated interceptors at the time, for this reason the Navy put out multiple specifications for planes to deal with threats which the Chinese made clear to the Navy. For bombers specifically they specified for a strictly local-defense interceptor known as the ''{{Annotation|14-Shi|14th year of the Showa reign, 1939}} Interceptor''.

The designer behind the [[A6M (Family)|A6M]], Jiro Horikoshi and his team started development on this specification. But due the harsh unrealistic specifications for mainly engine output required for the team to use a strong engine which wasn't available yet and with the oversized engine required for the task resulted in a sleek but stubby plane.

After the initial J2M1 prototypes outfitted with the {{Annotation|1,044 kW|1,400 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4C ''Kasei 13'' 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine and didn't come near the specification requirements, engine vibrations coming from the cooling system and a troublesome undercarriage design held it back from being used as a production model.

The [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] was outfitted with {{Annotation|1,379 kW|1,850 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4R-A ''Kasei 23a'' 14-cylinder radial engine which somewhat overcame the teething problems but still didn't reach the requirements, overburdened with engine problems and electrical malfunctions in the landing gear remained.

Mitsubishi wanted to make the best of it and get out the J2Ms into combat service before it was officially adopted in the Navy. Engine problems and performance were only further resolved in further modifications.

The [[J2M3|J2M3 Model 21]] was developed parallel with the [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] with improved armament of four 20 mm Type 99's in the wings (two [[Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Model 1]]s and two [[Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)|Model 2]]s).

===Combat History===
Production of the [[J2M3|J2M3 Model 21]] was parallel with the [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] and the first [[J2M3]]s appeared in October 1943 but deliveries to combat units started at the beginning of February 1944.

Furthermore, the [[J2M2]] and [[J2M3]] saw limited action in the Philippines, although it was largely ineffective due to the limited initial production batch and design flaws.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=j2m3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:J2M3 USAAF Livery.jpeg|thumb|none|300px|{{PAGENAME}} in USAAF Livery]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yHuUGzezChI|'''Best after-party picks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|KqLoa0NIpzE|'''The Shooting Range #178''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:36 discusses the J2M "Raiden".}}

== See also ==


;[[J2M (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Template:AirManufacturer Mitsubishi|Mitsubishi]] [[J2M2]] (previous model)
* [[Template:AirManufacturer Mitsubishi|Mitsubishi]] [[J2M4 Kai]] (following model)

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/202467-mitsubishi-j2m3/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}

J2M3

2021-08-07T23:51:58Z

U35111552: /* Description */ Updated J2M3 page to reflect years of FM changes and the game's current state. The guns USED to be good, but they aren't anymore, and haven't been in years.

{{About
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = J2M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=j2m3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

[[File:CockpitImage_J2M3.jpg|thumbnail|right|Engine information on the left. Orientation in the centre. Flight info on the right. Easy! The J2M3 continues the good cockpit visibility featured on all Japanese fighters.]]

Unlike its other Naval brethren in the Japanese tech tree, the Raiden possesses a top speed rivalling that of the [[P-51D-5|P-51 D-5 Mustang]]. Although a stubby and small aircraft, the Mitsubishi J2M Raiden can be considered one of the best Japanese fighters in War Thunder. The main advantage the Raiden has over some of its Allied counterparts is its climb rate. In realistic battles, the J2M3 can climb to altitude very fast, especially when given an air start. Once at a high altitude, the Raiden pilot can pick and choose targets, dictating where and when they want to fight. Problem is, the guns, while ''appearing'' good on paper with ~17g TNT equivalent (TNTe) per bullet, ''their rate of fire is atrocious compared to other nations' 20mm cannons, while their muzzle velocity is also subpar compared with those of most other nations.'' This renders the plane ''extremely'' frustrating to use when taking into account the fact that it has ''extreme'' control stiffening above 550kph IAS. Recommended belt is Stealth, because it has only the HEF rounds with that high TNTe and none of the HEF-I or HEF-T rounds with ''half'' that yield or less. But even that will be subpar, because the plane has two different models of Type 99 cannons with vastly different muzzle velocities (588m/s on the outer pair and 750m/s on the inner one), rendering your guns a very unfocused ''mess'' to aim.

The Raiden aircraft's main downside is its lack of manoeuvrability at higher speeds. Similar to its German counterpart, the Fw 190 A-8, the Raiden struggles to beat enemies in turn fights, especially Spitfires although one shouldn't turn with a Spitfire in general. If caught in a sticky situation, the Raiden pilot may choose to dive away or seek help from teammates. Trying to fight an enemy Spitfire in a turn battle with the J2M is a terrible idea unless the enemy aircraft is damaged or many teammates are nearby. Moreover, the J2M's high-speed manoeuvrability is poor, making the entire aircraft lock up. It can be very difficult to pull out of a dive, roll, or turn when at high speeds with the J2M. The Raiden's manoeuvrability is more or less on par with its enemies in simulator battles, for the most part.

The main strength of the J2M3 is its very high Power-to-Weight Ratio - it can vertically play with most opponents with ease, while still being able to horizontally outmaneuver a lot of opponents with the flaps deployed. It is similar to but worse in most respects except rip speed than the [[Yak-3U]]. The plane can even give Bf-109K-4s a run for their money in the vertical.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 571 || 551 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.8 || 20.5 || 16.0 || 16.0 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 625 || 596 || 18.8 || 19.0 || 28.5 || 21.3
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 488 || 454 || 280 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 400 || < 420 || > 324
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,203 m || 1,680 hp || 1,999 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,400 m || 1,560 hp || 1,856 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 70 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 8.5 mm Steel plate in pilot's headrest

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Unlocking the Radiator should be the first concern, as the plane has an annoying overheating problem, where much like the [[F8F-1B]] or [[Ki-83]], the engine will gradually overheat and destroy itself even at 100% throttle, though not quite as quickly as those two, on Automatic Engine Controls. Of next priority are the guns, because they're such a mess that you need the element of surprise that the lack of tracers from Stealth belts gives you in order to secure kills. Get every performance module on the way down as you unlock the gun upgrades. Ordinance, while handy in Combined Ground, is of least concern due to the plane's not-so-nice high speed diving characteristics making aiming the Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 useful rockets at player tanks difficult at best.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (210 rpg = 420 total)
* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons, wing-mounted (190 rpg = 380 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)|Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1|Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1|Type 5 No.1 Mod.9|Type 5 No.6 Mod.9}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)
* 2 x Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1 rockets
* 2 x Type 5 No.1 Mod.9 rockets
* 2 x Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 rockets
* 2 x Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

Featuring two 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 cannons and two 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons with plenty of ammunition, the J2M3 is rather annoying to work with. The two gun pairs have wildly different muzzle velocities, and as a result are quite unfocused in their fire. The individual bullets are fairly strong, with nearly 17g TNT equivalent, but suffer ''horrifically low rate of fire'' (510 rounds per minute [rpm] on Model 1 and 490 rpm on Model 2) compared with the 600-800 rpm of most of its opponents.

For ground attack, the J2M3 has frankly awful ordinance. 60kg bombs are near-worthless, requiring pinpoint aim to take out even Air AI Artillery. The only relevant ordinance type for Combined Ground Battles are the Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rockets (a Tier IV module unlock), which with 10kg explosive mass, will take out any player-controlled tank they directly hit thanks to overpressure. But the plane's diving characteristics are not the best, so it will be hard to aim those.

Overall, the Raiden is best used as a surprise attack, high altitude fighter with an emphasis on vertically looping opponents to death, similar to the Bf-109 family. The guns aren't great, but with Stealth you can "walk" your fire onto your target and make them work decently enough.

The Raiden pilot will find him/herself frequently outclassed in speed by many opponents, but most of your opponents will be careless enough to try maneuvering with you, allowing you to catch them. The Raiden's BR is frankly at a legacy state from a different time in the game's history, and simply has not been played enough in recent years by enough of the game population to adjust its statistics and thus BR down to a reasonable level.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Controllable || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed, although lower than its contemporaries
* Large ammunition pool
* Insanely high climb rate
* Has generally adequate dive characteristics
* Quite excellent energy retention
* Great medium-speed manoeuvrability
* 12 mm armour plate behind the windscreen
* Reasonable roll rate at lower speeds
* Excellent performance at high altitudes

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor high-speed performance
* Prone to engine and fuel fires
* Doesn't turn well at higher speeds
* Elevator doesn't respond well, especially at high speeds
* Lack of armour around fuel tanks or engine
* Differing muzzle velocities between the two models of the Type 99 cannon on the J2M3 will require you to lead much further than normal as an order to utilize the full effectiveness of the J2M3's firepower
* Below-average rate of fire on both types of Type 99 cannon mean that while your guns hit fairly hard per bullet, you still take longer to secure a kill than all your opponents do.

== History ==

{{main|J2M (Family)|l1=History of the J2M}}
===Development===
During the China Incident (Sino-Japanese war) the Navy had sustained some damage from Chinese bomber groups as they didn't have any dedicated interceptors at the time, for this reason the Navy put out multiple specifications for planes to deal with threats which the Chinese made clear to the Navy. For bombers specifically they specified for a strictly local-defense interceptor known as the ''{{Annotation|14-Shi|14th year of the Showa reign, 1939}} Interceptor''.

The designer behind the [[A6M (Family)|A6M]], Jiro Horikoshi and his team started development on this specification. But due the harsh unrealistic specifications for mainly engine output required for the team to use a strong engine which wasn't available yet and with the oversized engine required for the task resulted in a sleek but stubby plane.

After the initial J2M1 prototypes outfitted with the {{Annotation|1,044 kW|1,400 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4C ''Kasei 13'' 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engine and didn't come near the specification requirements, engine vibrations coming from the cooling system and a troublesome undercarriage design held it back from being used as a production model.

The [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] was outfitted with {{Annotation|1,379 kW|1,850 hp}} Mitsubishi MK4R-A ''Kasei 23a'' 14-cylinder radial engine which somewhat overcame the teething problems but still didn't reach the requirements, overburdened with engine problems and electrical malfunctions in the landing gear remained.

Mitsubishi wanted to make the best of it and get out the J2Ms into combat service before it was officially adopted in the Navy. Engine problems and performance were only further resolved in further modifications.

The [[J2M3|J2M3 Model 21]] was developed parallel with the [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] with improved armament of four 20 mm Type 99's in the wings (two [[Type 99 Model 1 (20 mm)|Model 1]]s and two [[Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)|Model 2]]s).

===Combat History===
Production of the [[J2M3|J2M3 Model 21]] was parallel with the [[J2M2|J2M2 Model 11]] and the first [[J2M3]]s appeared in October 1943 but deliveries to combat units started at the beginning of February 1944.

Furthermore, the [[J2M2]] and [[J2M3]] saw limited action in the Philippines, although it was largely ineffective due to the limited initial production batch and design flaws.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=japan&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=j2m3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:J2M3 USAAF Livery.jpeg|thumb|none|300px|{{PAGENAME}} in USAAF Livery]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|yHuUGzezChI|'''Best after-party picks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|KqLoa0NIpzE|'''The Shooting Range #178''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:36 discusses the J2M "Raiden".}}

== See also ==


;[[J2M (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Template:AirManufacturer Mitsubishi|Mitsubishi]] [[J2M2]] (previous model)
* [[Template:AirManufacturer Mitsubishi|Mitsubishi]] [[J2M4 Kai]] (following model)

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/202467-mitsubishi-j2m3/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}

Sd.Kfz. 6/2

2019-06-02T21:01:32Z

U35111552: /* Usage in battles */ updated to reflect 1.85 ammo standardization, added con about massive gun recoil

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_6_2_flak36}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.62.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

The 3.7-cm Flak 36 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz 6/2 is a half-track-based anti-aircraft vehicle. With its 3.7 cm cannon, it can easily dispatch any aircraft given the circumstances. However, its gun (with APHE ammo) can also make it a very good improvised anti-tank vehicle. It has enough penetration to go through front armour of most tanks at its rank and reliably cuts through side/rear armour and weak spots (even at some range), causing impressive damage.

Because it is based on a simple truck, it has no armour anywhere, and even machine guns can knock out the driver inside, and crew manning the turret is completely exposed. However, it can be surprisingly durable at times, mostly because of inexperienced players attacking it with AP/APCR ammo, and often targeting all the wrong places, like the Engine, Driver sitting inside, or edges of the turret armour. It has mobility comparable to a lighter medium tank, and very good cross-country performance, because of its combined wheel/track chassis.

Being an SPAA, this vehicle is designed to shoot down aeroplanes. It was originally designed to follow alongside convoys, so to be used with other vehicles of the type. Its gun has a relatively low rate of fire for an SPAA, however, its shells pack quite the punch. Being a 37mm cannon, should it get a good hit, it will likely down the plane. It also gets access to AP belts, which can be used against tanks. It can penetrate any medium or light tank of its rank (from the side/rear usually), but will struggle against heavier opponents like the [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]]. However, hunting tanks are not its job which is why it is not the best at that.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Structural Steel
*Rolled homogeneous armour (Gun shield)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 3 mm (3-9°) ''Grille'' 3 mm (83-84°) ''Front hood'' || 3 mm || 3 mm || 3 mm
|-
| Gun Shield || 7 mm (25-33°) || 10 mm || N/A || N/A
|}
'''Notes:'''

* There is simply no armour anywhere, as it is basically a simple truck with AA gun mounted on its back
* Only "armour" is on the front of the turret, which can protect from some light machine gun fire and shrapnel from nearby explosions

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 11.1 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 54 (AB)
|-
|50 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|163
|201
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|102
|115
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|14.68
|18.11
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|9.19
|10.36
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|FlaK 36 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[FlaK 36 (37 mm)|37 mm FlaK 36]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity each)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="3" | 318 (6) || 160 || -8°/+85° || ±180°
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 30.82 || 42.66 || 51.80 || 57.28 || 60.94
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 20.83 || 24.50 || 29.75 || 32.9 || 35.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 0.49 || 0.43 || 0.40 || 0.38
|-
|}

=== Ammunition ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr || APHE || 46 || 43 || 31 || 21 || 14 || 9
|-
| Sprgr. 18 || FI-T || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| M.Gr.18 || FI-T || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr || APHE || 740 || 0.69 || 1.3 || 15 || 22.1 || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| Sprgr. 18 || FI-T || 820 || 0.62 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 49.3 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M.Gr.18 || FI-T || 914 || 0.55 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 108 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===Belt types===
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Belts''' || '''Shell composition''' || '''Combat usage'''
|-
| align="left" |'''''Default''''' || align="left" | APHE / FI-T (Armour Piercing High Explosive –Fragmentation Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | This belt is useful against lightly armoured open-topped tank destroyers, or bombers. Against other SPAA this belt can reliably take out crew, armament, ammo and engine.
|-
| align="left" |'''''Sprgr. 18''''' || align="left" | FI-T (Fragmentation Incendiary Tracer) shell || align="left" | Versus planes and open combat compartment vehicles. Lighter aircraft will often go down by a single hit.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr''''' || align="left" | APHE (Armour Piercing High Explosive) shell || align="left" | Ammo against tanks. It has comparable power to regular Rank I tanks, but combined with the Insane RoF, can be very deadly. It even has the HE filler, 3-4 well aimed penetrating hits can disable any tank.
|-
| align="left" |'''''M.Gr.18''''' || align="left" | FI-T (Fragmentation Incendiary Tracer) shell || align="left" | Versus planes and open combat compartment vehicles. Lighter aircraft will often go down by a single hit.
|-
|}

=== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] ===
[[File:Ammoracks_Sd.Kfz.62.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Sd.Kfz. 6/2.]]

There are 15 ammunition boxes strung about the bed of the truck. Two under the loader, three sitting on the tailgate, and the rest under the benches behind the driver. Most tankers won't bother trying to ammo rack you thanks to your exposed crew members, so bring as much as you want. However, near misses from aircraft and tanks alike could set off a box since they are kind of everywhere if you do take a full load, so follow alternate recommendation if one has concerns for this.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''53''' || 50 ''(+3)''
|46 ''(+7)''
|43 ''(+10)''
|39 ''(+14)''
|36 ''(+17)''
|29 ''(+24)''
|18 ''(+35)''
|0 ''(+53)''|| style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}
'''Ammo recommendations:'''

* Recommended ammo load: 53.
* Alternate recommended ammo load: 36. Keeps all ammo under the bed bench.

== Usage in battles ==

To use this machine to its fullest capabilities it is recommended to stay from areas of heavy combat, as you can be taken out very easily, especially by machine gun fire and HE shells. You should always stay behind friendly troops, but don't stay at spawn as it is most likely the first place enemy planes will go to drop bombs.

If you want to fight with the tanks, you'll definitely need to research APHE-only belts. Go forward with your teammates, but ALWAYS stay some distance behind them, avoid any open terrain, watch the battlefield situation carefully and wait. Use your speed to get out of any unfavourable battle condition. When you find a suitable target (No KV-1...), one good idea is to reverse around the corner turned sideways, with your gun aiming at the expected enemy direction. This manoeuvre exposes only half of your turret and makes it possible to very quickly hide again behind the corner when needed. Your driver, engine and more than half of the vehicle remain hidden the whole time, significantly shortening the exposure time and lowering the chance of being immobilised. Aim at sides of the turret, hull, or any other weak areas.

1.85's ammo standardization absolutely slaughtered this vehicle's already limited antitank capability at 3.0, cutting its APHE penetration from 65mm to just 46mm. The gun also suffers massive recoil problems on this half-track mount, causing it to spray all over the place, making any engagements beyond point blank range essentially pointless unless against a lightly armored unit.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* 37 mm capable of dealing heavy damage to both planes and tanks (if aimed at weak spots)
* Deadly against light tanks and tank destroyers
* Can penetrate T-34s (Pre T-34-85) if you aim at the turret cheeks
* Will destroy most planes in one or two hits, doing more damage than the 20 mm on previous SPAA
* Decently fast (50 km/h top speed)
* Insane reloading rate
* Loosing 1 or 2 crew members have no noticeable effect on vehicle performance (Apart from temporal immobilisation for example)
* Having no armour is also an advantage - AP/APCR Rounds that most players use often just harmlessly pass through the vehicle without doing any damage
* Difficult to destroy in one shot unless using pure HE rounds as APHE rounds will often just pass through without detonation
* Some players don't recognize this vehicle as any kind of threat, and carelessly show their sides or entire tanks, only to be easily destroyed afterwards
* Friendly tanks around you often have higher priority for all enemies, meaning you can often escape from combat unharmed, or surprise unsuspecting enemies with your powerful gun

'''Cons:'''

* Slow rate of fire can make shooting down faster planes difficult
* No armour - single HE shell from anything will usually knock out the vehicle
* Very vulnerable to Artillery calls; Even being 20 m away from it does not prevent the crew from being injured, or even incapacitated
* Gun goes up when it is traversing over the driver, preventing you from firing ahead of your vehicle
* Entire crew vulnerable to being strafed by planes and tank machine gun fire
* Ammo can run out if not careful
* Gun recoil is ridiculous, making continuous fire useless vs any decently armored target
* Knocked out easily if rammed by an aeroplane
* Hull break can happen from with a well-placed shot
* Less penetration than predecessors

== History ==

===The gun===
The 3.7 cm FlaK cannon was an anti-aircraft gun capable of fully automatic fire at a rate of 150 rounds per minute and is able to fire onto Allied aircraft up to four kilometres away. Multiple variants were made for the FlaK cannon from the 3.7 cm FlaK 18/36/37/43. The FlaK 18 was the initial variant with a dual-axle mount. The Flak 36 was a simplified variant with a lighter single-axle mount, the FlaK 37 has a simplified sighting system, and the FlaK 42 was the variant made for the German Kriegsmarine for their surface ships and U-boats. Of the variants, the FlaK 36 and 37 were the most produced guns

===The vehicle===
The ''Sd.Kfz.6'' was a half-track designed in 1934 for the purpose of towing the 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer or 11 men in the back of the half-track, which could be covered by a canvas structure to protect the crew from the elements of nature. The vehicle was powered by a Maybach HL 54TUKRM 6-cylinder engine with 115 hp. Along with its use as a tractor for the 10.5 leFH 18 howitzer and other artillery pieces, the vehicle was to be used to tow heavy equipment for engineer units. Production was carried out by both Büssing-NAG and Daimler-Benz corporations. About 750 units were made during its production life until 1942.

===Anti-aircraft mount===
As World War II progressed, the need for a mobile air defence capable of engaging low flying targets became urgent. German engineers attempted to fill this need by modifying vehicles to fit an anti-aircraft gun. The ''Sd.kfz.6'' half-track was modified with a new superstructure on the back, removing the backseats where the passengers would be. The superstructure allows the installation of a traversable anti-aircraft gun. The gun of choice for the ''Sd.kfz.6'' was the 3.7 cm FlaK 36, the conversion for the vehicle was designated the '''3.7 cm Flak 36 auf Selbstfahrlafette Sd.Kfz.6/2'''.

The ''Sd.Kfz.6/2'' has the FlaK cannon mounted on the back, however, there is no gun shield for the crew to provide small arms protection from the ground. Thus, the ground support role for the vehicle was not a recommended role and is more best against flying targets. However, a modification on the vehicle by the crew to give protection against small arms and shrapnel. Ammunition for the gun was towed on a separate trailer towed by the half-track.

Modifications on the ''Sd.Kfz.6'' into the ''Sd.Kfz.6/2'' was carried out from 1941 to 1943, whereof the 750 of the ''Sd.Kfz.6'', 339 were converted into the anti-aircraft variant. As the war progressed, the ''Sd.Kfz.6/2'' were supplemented with the more numerous ''Sd.Kfz.7'' half-track.

=== In-game description ===
"To fight against enemy aircraft, German designers developed a new AA gun based on the 5-ton Sd.Kfz. 6 produced by the company Bussing-NAG. The new AA vehicle had a 37 mm 3,7 cm FlaK 36 L/98 anti-aircraft gun with a 98-caliber long barrel placed on a rotating carriage. The vehicle carried 120 shells, towed by a Sonderanhanger Sd.Ah. 57 trailer. The anti-aircraft gun traveled with spare barrels. The 10.4 ton setup supported a crew of 5 to calculate the gun's trajectory.

The anti-aircraft gun's effective rate of fire was 120 rounds per minute. The gun could fire at targets up to an altitude of 4,800 meters. In stowed position, the sides of the towing vehicle were raised, and in combat situations they were reclined to facilitate a circular range of fire. The vehicle could reach a speed of 50 kph and had a maximum range of 317 km.

The AA vehicle was produced by the companies Bussing-Nag, Daimler Benz, Böhmisch-Mährischen Maschinenfabrik, and Praga from 1941 to 1943. A total of 339 were built. During production, the gun was fitted with a shield to protect those performing the calculations from bullets and shrapnel. Shield construction varied.

At least 200 Sd.Kfz. 6/2 anti-aircraft guns entered the service of the Luftwaffe, and the rest joined the Wehrmacht's anti-aircraft divisions. An anti-aircraft division consisted of 9 AA vehicles. This vehicle was used in combat on all fronts."

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|udFWDS6bbo8|37 mm of Pain [The Iron Armenian]}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Pz.IV F2

2019-06-02T20:54:07Z

U35111552: /* Pros and cons */ updated to reflect 1.85's ammo standardization.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_F2}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IVF2.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''Panzer IV F2''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. Introducing the [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|long 75 mm cannon]] onto the Panzer IV tank, the Panzer IV F2 presents the new age of firepower for the medium tank.

The Panzer IV F2 is a very capable tank on the battlefield. It can engage enemies at medium range with startling effectiveness, but at long ranges, its effectiveness starts to drop.

The Pz. IV F2, along with the IV G, is one of the mainstays of the German armour line in Rank II/III. Unlike the previous C/E models, it has a much more powerful KwK 40 L/43 75mm long-barrelled gun that can reliably penetrate nearly every single tank within the F2's BR range (2.3-4.3). The new gun is a very welcome upgrade for any German tanker, having a very good PzGr 39 shell with good HE filler and high velocity. It is not recommended to use APCR due to poor spalling/fragmentation effects and low ranged penetration except against the thickest armour.

Besides the gun, the F2 also possesses decent manoeuvrability. While not on par with certain Russian and British tanks such as the T-34 and Cromwell, the IV can still comfortably outflank and outspeed Shermans, KV-1s, and in some cases, unspaded T-34 models. Use this manoeuvrability to avoid shots and get into crucial firing positions, as the IV F2 has very poor armour compared to its contemporaries.

The armour on the IV F2 is unfortunately very bad for its 3.3 BR. Without the added tracks/armour, the 50mm front plate and mantlet are far from sufficient at stopping any shell besides HMG fire at 3.3. Use the F2's mobility to reach comfortable firing positions, and do not overexpose the thin side armour. It is also recommended to not take more than ~40 shells, the IV F2 is very vulnerable to ammo-racking with a full ammo loadout.

'''Remember: while the F2 can penetrate (and basically OHK) every tank within its BR range, it can be penetrated by any tank in return. '''

The most distinctive feature of this variant is a '''new [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|KwK 40 L/43 gun]]''', found with only minor adjustments on all later Pz.IV variants, as well as on some StuG tank destroyers. It is one of the most powerful guns around its [[BR]], having both very good penetration and damage potential. Overall, this weapon is very similar to 76 mm guns equipped on many T-34s, albeit with more penetration at the expense of some post penetration damage. Unlike the main guns featured on previous Pz.IV models, the KwK 40 L/43 is quite accurate and fires at a higher velocity. With this gun, the Pz.IV F2 is more than capable of tackling any armour it faces. There are almost no tanks at this BR that are well armoured enough to withstand its gun. Factor this with good gun depression and a stable chassis and it results in an excellent vehicle. Other than the gun itself, the F2 features no other notable differences than previous models; it uses the exact same hull as its predecessor, the [[Pz.IV F1|Pz.IV F1]]. It also retains the generally good manoeuvrability from earlier Panzer IVs.

The tank is not perfect though. It is by no means the fastest tank at the BR, with the T-34 being almost 10 km/h faster and the Cromwell 15 km/h faster. Then there is the armour. It is flat and quite thin at 50 mm and can be penetrated by most Rank 1 gun at 500 m or less. Angling can increase its effectiveness, but too much can expose the even thinner side armour. The roof armour is even worse, at only 10 mm, meaning that 12.7 mm AP rounds can penetrate the Panzer IV from above. This makes the F2 a good target for pretty much any vehicle on the game (except some low-rank SPAA). Another big weakness that the F2 shares with its predecessors are its large commander's cupola, which only has 30 mm of protection. A well-aimed HE round or APHE round can at the very least knock out the commander, if not the entire turret crew.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (13-59°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 30 mm (4-15°) || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (11°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (7-29°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (23-26°) || 30 mm (15-17°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Armour will, unfortunately, let down the F2 in any frontal engagement to the point where even the T-50 or BT-5 can penetrate the front at close range, and penetrate the side and rear at virtually any range. The turret armour all round is practically the same.
* Most rounds shot at the cupola would only knock out the commander, but some penetrating APHE shells (after exploding inside the cupola) create a wave of shrapnel that bounces from the inside of the cupola into the turret, often knocking out the entire turret crew.

Due to its weak armour, enemies with 37 mm guns or larger can pose a threat. So take every enemy tank seriously, especially if they are on the flanks. In particular, watch out for tanks that fire powerful HE shells, like the SU-122 and Type 4 Ho-Ro. They will easily destroy the Panzer by aiming at the cupola, or turret armour. If the Pz.IV F2 has been up-tiered then watch out for KV-1's. The Pz.IV F2 can penetrate it from the front however these spots are small and it will easily penetrate the Panzer IV while it is reloading if the Panzer does not knock out the KV-1 with one shot.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armour weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 22.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | 0.3 || colspan="1" | 48 (AB)
|-
|43 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|20.85
|25.65
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|11.88
|13.45
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 40 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 40]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 87 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.67 || 6.78 || 6.25 || 5.90
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 135 || 133 || 121 || 107 || 95 || 85
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 175 || 173 || 151 || 127 || 108 || 91
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 740 || 6.8 || 1.3 || 15.0 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 919 || 4.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.4 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 550 || 5.7 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| K.Gr.Rot Nb. || 423 || 6.8 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

=====Shell types=====

*'''PzGr 39''' - Armour Piercing Ballistic Cap shell - This is the main ammo type, always use this if there's a chance of penetrating the enemy armour. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
*'''PzGr 40''' - Armour Piercing Composite Rigid shell - The extra penetration can help at longer ranges, but does less overall damage. Use only against targets that the stock ammo wouldn't likely penetrate (like the side of the turret on a [[M4A3E2|Jumbo]]).
*'''Hl.Gr. 38B''' - Cumulative Anti-armour shell - it is recommended to completely avoid this kind of shell as its performance is vastly inferior in all aspects compared to APCBC or APCR ammo used by this tank.
*'''SprGr. 34''' - High Explosive shell - Carry only very few of these. They are useless against anything other than unarmoured AA vehicles, to which it is lethal.

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IVF2.png|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Panzer IV F2]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''87''' || 78 ''(+9)'' || 68 ''(+19)'' || 58 ''(+29)'' || 48 ''(+39)'' || 38 ''(+49)'' || 28 ''(+59)'' || 19 ''(+68)'' || 10 ''(+77)'' || 1 ''(+86)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Turret empty: 58 ''(+29)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Always try to use the terrain to the tank's advantage. This vehicle retains the superb gun depression of the previous Panzer IVs, which allows the player to hide the tank's entire hull behind terrain and to only expose its turret while shooting. Too much enemy attention (even from a distance) poses a serious problem as the F2's turret is unable to deflect almost anything that hits it. After firing few shots, always retreat back to cover and let the opponents find another target before re-engaging.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* The 75mm KwK 40 cannon is fantastic, expect a lot of destruction with just one shot
* The stock PzGr 39 shell has sufficient penetration and damage capable of destroying most tanks
* PzGr 40 APCR shell has high muzzle velocity and high penetration for the heavily armoured foes
* Gun depression of 10 degrees, rarely will have to expose the hull when shooting over hills
* Great mobility and top speed, fastest of all Panzer IV with the KwK 40
* Very large ammo capacity at 87 rounds
* Is a good tank even in high-rank games thanks to its speed and firepower

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is only 50 mm at its thickest, every tank the F2 faces can punch right through the armour with ease
* Due to its sub-optimal armour, the F2 can be easily dealt with in close quarters combat. Must rely on the F2's speed and manoeuvrability when attempting to brawl
* Cramped tank with ammo stocked all over the fighting compartment. Most penetrating APHE shells will either knock out the entire crew or detonate an ammo rack. Going into battle fully loaded is not advised
* Despite the great gun depression, like all the other Panzer IV's, the F2 has a huge commander's cupola atop a weakly armoured turret Continuous turret exposure will yield disastrous results
* F2's matchmaking is quite a leap from previous Panzer IV's. Brand new F2 players will begin to encounter "big" anti-tank guns
* PzGr 40 APCR tends to bounce due to the bad normalization. Not to mention that it dose little in post-penetration damage
* High penetration rounds may over-penetrate thinly armoured vehicle and cause minimal damage
* The Hl.Gr 38B HEAT shell has worse muzzle velocity, penetration, and post-penetration damage than the stock PzGr 39 shell. HEAT is only worth carrying to hull break various "milk trucks" and "potato trucks" (SPAAG) that the tank may encounter.
* 1.85's ammo standardization made T-34 and Sherman UFPs much harder to frontally penetrate if they angle even slightly

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Pz.Kpfw. IV's''' creation, like its predecessor the [[Pz.III E|Pz.Kpfw. III]], was devised by Heinz Guderian. He envisioned a support tank to be used to handle anti-tank guns and fortifications. The Panzer IV was to work alongside the more numerable Panzer III in Panzer Divisions (three company of IIIs and one of IVs) to engage the enemy, giving the role of fighting enemy armoured forces to the Panzer IIIs. As a support tank, the tank was to have the short 75 mm howitzer as its main armament and have a weight limit of 24 tons. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig worked on the development of the tanks, but the Krupp's model was selected for further testing.

The chosen model from Krupp, once finished, used a leaf-spring double-bogie system for its suspension, doing away the proposed interleaved or torsion bar suspension system earlier devised for the sake of faster production. The vehicle held five crew members: the commander, gunner, loader, radio operator (and hull machine gunner), and driver. Though it looked symmetrical, the Panzer IV turret was actually offset to the left of the chassis centerline a bit while the engine was also offset to the right. This was to allow the torque shaft to turn the turret. The offset also meant that most of the ammo is held on the right side of the tank in storage areas. The Panzer IV was then accepted into service and production began in 1936.

===Panzer IV Ausf. F2===
With the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. The [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV Ausf. F1]] with its short 75 mm howitzer was upgraded with the KwK 40 L/43, then designating it the '''Panzer IV Ausf. F2'''. The new cannon was able to penetrate 77 mm of armour at 1,800 meters with standard armour-piercing rounds compared to the 43 mm of the howitzer. The new gun helped put the Panzer IV back into balance and could theoretically hold against the T-34s and KV-1s that the Soviets were sending. The Panzer IV Ausf. F2 still retained the 50 mm front armour thickness with 30 mm on the sides.

Despite the new gun, it had some deficiency on the tank. First is a new weight, the tank now weighed 23.6 tons, and the heavy gun in front made the vehicle nose-heavy, enough that the forward suspension springs were always under compression, causing the tank to sway even without any steering.

Most of the F2 variants saw service in either Russia or against the Allies in Africa (though in very small quantities). In Russia, the Ausf. F could penetrate the T-34 at up to 1,600 meters now and took part in Case Blue Offensive. In Africa, the Panzer IV Ausf. F2 could deal with all of the Allied armour available. The venerable [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] was no match to its long range gun, and the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] was also helpless.

The Panzer IV Ausf. F2 still had some faults, and three months after its production started, it was renamed the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV Ausf. G]] with a few upgrades.

=== In-game description ===
"The next variant of this tank was designed to increase its combat power. A new 75 mm 7,5 cm KwK 40 gun with a long 43-caliber barrel and a muzzle velocity of 770 mps for armor-piercing rounds was developed by designers worked at the companies Krupp and Rheinmetall. The gun's barrel had a characteristic single-chamber muzzle brake and was mounted in a new mantlet with a new TZF 5f sight. A new ammunition stacking system was used, and the amount of ammunition carried was upgraded to 87 rounds, 32 of which were located in the turret. The armor on the gun's recoil devices was modified. This variant's operational weight was 23,000 kilograms.

Production began releasing the new tanks in April 1942. The new tanks entered combat in the summer of 1942 and were able to fight the Soviet T-34 and KV, matching their firepower. The new tanks were completely superior to British and American tanks of the day. By July 1942, 175 Pz. IV Ausf. F2 had been manufactured, and another 25 had been converted from the F1. In May 1942, 8 tanks with increased armor thickness were released.

These tanks took part in combat in Africa and on the Eastern Front in 1942 and 1943.

In September 1942, 10 Ausf. F2 tanks were delivered to Nazi Germany's most loyal ally, Hungary.

A number of captured tanks were used by the Red Army.

Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2 tanks in use in 1942 and 1943 sported a huge variety of color schemes, since new types of camouflage were being adopted in February 1943."

== Media ==
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pz_iv_f2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the "Panzer IV F2" from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==

[http://storage.net-fs.com/hosting/3912593/2/index.htm A 3D camera perspective inside a Panzer IV gunner seat. Panzer IV seems to be F2 or lower due to presence of turret side vision ports.]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.

2019-06-02T20:45:29Z

U35111552: /* Usage in battles */ updated to reflect 1.85 ammo standardization

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_9_flak37}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_8,8cmFlak37Sfl.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update_1.63_"Desert_Hunters"|Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. It features the famous 8.8 cm FlaK 37 cannon on a half-track mount, presenting heavy firepower at the cost of armour and even mobility due to its heavy weight.

The vehicle is affectionately nicknamed as the:

* 'Flak-Bus'
* 'Flak-Track'

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Half-track || 10 mm ''Grille'' 8 mm (85-86°) ''Front hood'' 14.5 mm (50°) ''Driver View'' || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm || 14.5 mm
|-
| Gun shield || 14.5 mm (17-41°) || 10 mm (14°) || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Tracks are 10 mm thick while suspension wheels are 15 mm thick.

If encountered in combat, attacking players can attempt to dispatch it at longer ranges. At slightly higher Battle-Ratings it is extremely unlikely that a player will use this vehicle to lead in the front line, but if he/she does, it can usually be easily dispatched from a concealed position. When the enemy is sniping, it is a difficult vehicle to destroy in a map with uneven and hilly terrain like Kuban where plentiful cover allows it to hide easily, but can be destroyed more easily on congested and more urban maps like Advance to the Rhine as there is increased difficulty for long ranged combat due to abundances of buildings and walls to use as cover for both sides.

Due to limited gun vertical traverse, smaller vehicles with lower chassis such as ASU-57 or similar can easily defeat it in extremely closer quarters engagement by simply driving up and make physical contact with the vehicle. The limited vertical traverse of the 88mm gun will mean the attacking vehicle cannot be damaged or destroyed in this situation.

There are multiple ways to destroy this vehicle. Users must take note that the design of the targeted vehicle has separated compartments for driving, gunnery and ammunition storage. Each one must be targeted best in accordance to different situations presented. Attacking forces unfamiliar with the vehicle may be confused as to which compartment to target first; the exposed ammunition storage, disable the gunnery or disable its movements; valuable time expended on this decision usually results in destruction of the unwitting user's vehicle. This does not become a problem if attacking vehicles are equipped with High-Explosive shells, as even a glancing hit will completely disable or destroy it without the need to selectively target individual compartments. If not equipped with High=Explosive Shells and the user is unfamiliar with the target vehicle, they may opt do disable the gunnery controls first and buying more valuable time to target the remaining compartments. Alternatively, due to the vehicle being constructed of light armour, can be easily perforated with 50. or higher caliber shells to ensure quick destruction if the first shell misses or fails to deal critical damage. Artillery Strike can also easily and quickly disable or destroy the vehicle. Due to the exposed crew and light armour, a brief strafe from Fighter or Bomber aircraft can also quickly disable or destroy it in a single pass.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 24.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 43 (AB)
|-
|40 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|326
|___
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|203
|230
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|13.41
|__.__
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|8.35
|9.46
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|FlaK 37 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[FlaK 37 (88 mm)|88 mm FlaK 37]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 40 || -3°/+85° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 9.69 || 13.41 || 16.28 || 18.00 || 19.15
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 6.55 || 7.70 || 9.35 || 10.34 || 11.0
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 6.50 || 5.75 || 5.30 || 5.00
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Pzgr. || APCBC || 153 || 151 || 140 || 128 || 116 || 106
|-
| Sprgr. L/4,5 || HE || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13 || 13
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Pzgr. || APCBC || 810 || 9.5 || 0.8 || 28 || 160 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. L/4,5 || HE || 820 || 11 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 935 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_8,8cmFlak37Sfl.png|right|x250px|thumbnail||[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the 8.8 cm Flak.37]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''40''' || 21 ''(+19)'' || 1 ''(+39)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Despite the presence of a whopping 88 mm gun on the back of this half-track, the complete lack of any armour gives this vehicle a short lifespan on the front lines. Thus, the best course is to keep the half-track as far away from the battle as possible. The gun has a slow gun traverse and a terrible depression when angled towards the front, so firing against targets at close range on level ground will leave the vulnerable and unable to return fire against targets of low-profile chassis. The gun however can be depressed further at a lower degree when pointed to the sides and rear of the vehicle as it provides more physical clearance. As such when engaging targets on level ground at close to medium ranges, it is recommended to turn the entire vehicle clockwise or counterclockwise for 45 degrees and the gun turret 45 degrees in opposition to the angle of the chassis for clearance. This should be accomplished only in areas with enough maneuvering room to ingress and egress to guarantee clearance, or else the half-rack will find itself stuck (in some cases literally) between a rock and a hard place. Find cover behind rocks or other obstacles, inch out of cover only enough to show the gun, then race back into cover after firing to avoid being shot and losing valuable crew members.

The ammo rack at the back of the halftrack can be reduced from two possible racks to one by reducing your total ammo count from 40 shells to 21, with the 21st shell will be loaded in the gun breech. This can reduce the possibility of an ammo rack explosion.

In the ways of modification purchases, try to obtain the spare parts and FPE first. From there, research Horizontal Drive, Adjustment of Fire, and Elevation Mechanism to increase your total combat effectiveness. The stock halftrack's turn rate is rather poor and needs improvement if you want to be able to quickly react to a changing battlefield. One thing that cannot be stressed enough is the fact that this vehicle is the definition of a ''Glass Cannon''. Most of the time, your TD will be destroyed by either an ammo rack explosion or most commonly a tank burn-down. Since the Flak.37 does not have armour, HEAT and HE shells can destroy you with one well placed shot.

1.85's standardization of AP slope modifiers for all the various kinds of kinetic round badly affected this vehicle. The sloped penetration suffered significantly, from 63mm to just 52mm. This renders T-34 and Sherman models a lot harder to penetrate if they angle slightly. When combined with it having hull break these days, it is definitely a lot harder to play than it used to be - the only advantage it has over the [[KwK 40 (75 mm)]] now is the large TNT filler.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* 88 mm cannon in Rank II
* Has a high potency of destroying tanks it encounters in just one shot
* Extremely fast reloads (avg. 6 seconds)
* Six crew member
* Gun elevation maxed at 85°, some may use it to fight larger aircraft
* Paper thin armour makes AP shell more likely to pass through
* More than adequate ammo for prolonged combat

'''Cons:'''

* Very little armour, a heavy machine gun or strafing aircraft, and ramming planes will make mincemeat out of this vehicle
* Armour can hull-break
* Crew exposed, artillery barrages could be lethal
* Boxes near the rear are ammo racks, smart players will just take out your gunner and shoot there
* Heavy half-track and gun gives low and sluggish speed
* With a gun depression of -3 degrees and the gun being high off the ground, you will have a near impossible chance of hitting short tanks that are really close to you on level ground
* You are a priority target for airstrikes or even escorting fighters, smart players will take the chance to destroy the vehicle (AB)

== History ==

===The half-track===
The '''Sd.Kfz. 9''' (nicknamed the ''Famo'') was Germany's heaviest half-track seeing service in World War II. The first model was made in 1936 and entered service with the Wehrmacht in 1938. Its primary purposes was as an artillery tractor and a tank recovery vehicle. The vehicle was able to tow about 28 tonnes, which was more than capable of towing the 24 cm Kanone 3 siege gun and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV]], but required two to four to tow the heavier [[Panther A|Panther]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]]. It was produced between 1938 to 1944 with 2,500 units produced.

===The gun===
The '''8.8 cm FlaK''' is a German anti-aircraft artillery and one of their mainstay anti-air and anti-tank weapons in World War II. The 8.8 cm caliber was developed in 1917 during the times of World War I from available naval caliber to effectively combat Allied aircraft. The first of the FlaK series, the ''FlaK 18'', was mounted on a easily deployable and traversable gun platform, has a semi-automatic loading system, and had a wide variety of ammunition available from high-explosives and armour-piercing. The guns first saw service in the Spanish Civil War and it proved as one of the most effective anti-aircraft guns of the period. Improvements to the Flak led to the ''FlaK 36'' and ''FlaK 37'' with new features such as a two-piece barrel and ability to fire without deploying the gun platform. Though the set-up time for the platform was quick at two and a half minutes, the weight of the gun required a half-track such as the Sd.Kfz 7 to quickly move it to a new position. The gun proved effective on ground targets as well, much of an impact that it was adapted as a tank armament on the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] heavy tank. The FlaK series ended up being produced in the thousands from 1933 to 1945, with up to 21,000 units produced in that time period.

===8.8 cm Flak.37 sfl===
In 1940, fifteen examples of Sd.Kfz.9 were adapted to be mounted with the 8.8 cm FlaK 18 guns. These were officially known as '''8.8 cm Flak 18 (Sfl.) auf Zugkraftwagen 18t'''. Its primary purpose was to serve in an anti-tank role, with the half-track needed to provide much-needed mobility to the gun. Aside from these 15 units produced, not much is known of its combat performance on the battlefield, but its existence inspired some American tank destroyer designs in 1943 to mount an anti-aircraft gun on a mobile vehicle, but these proved unsuccessful.

== Media ==

Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=germ_sdkfz_9_flak37 8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.] in Warthunder Live.

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/4244-development-8-8cm-flak-37-sf-auf-s-zgkw-18t-a-heavyweight-flak-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> 8.8cm Flak 37 (Sf.) auf s. Zgkw. 18t - A Heavyweight Flak]
* [[Wikipedia:Sd.Kfz._9#Variants|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> Sd.Kfz._9 - Variants]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Marder III H

2019-06-02T20:37:12Z

U35111552: Updated ammo performance to reflect 1.85's broad change, and added info on it hull breaking.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_Marder_III_ausf_H}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_MarderIIIH.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or '''Marder III H''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]].

The Marder III H is a step above the basic [[Marder III]]. As it is in Germany's open - top tank destroyer line, it's calling card is its superb firepower; in fact, it has the most powerful gun for the battle rating 2.0 - 3.0 - 4.0 range - APCBC is almost always enough to '''penetrate and destroy any tank on the battlefield''', and with APCR, it has '''the highest penetration of any tank for its battle rating range''' - even at '''battle rating 5.0 your gun will remain competitive'''.

The Marder III Ausf. H mounts a 75 mm gun slightly surpassing those on the late [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV's]], thus its only disadvantages are its weak armour and its open encasement.

Being a modified Pz.38(t) tank, it is one of the more mobile of the German tanks - nearly matching some Russian tanks. It has a better gun close-range wise and has better armour coverage, being curved to the sides, unlike the earlier Marder III.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (19°) ''Front plate'' 12 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (13°) ''Lower glacis'' || 16 mm ''Upper'' 15 mm ''Lower'' || 15 mm || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 11 + 8 mm (31°) || 11 mm (8-9°) || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Note:''' 

* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 11.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 46 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|227
|280
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|142
|160
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|20.09
|24.78
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.57
|14.16
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|PaK 40/3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[PaK 40/3 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK 40/3 L46]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 38 || -2°/+22° || ±30° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.57 || 14.63 || 17.76 || 19.63 || 20.89
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 7.14 || 8.40 || 10.20 || 11.28 || 12.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.60 || 6.75 || 6.24 || 5.90
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 151 || 148 || 135 || 121 || 108 || 96
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 197 || 195 || 170 || 144 || 121 || 102
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 792 || 6.8 || 1.3 || 15.0 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.4 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 990 || 4.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 550 || 5.7 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_MarderIIIH.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Marder III H.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''38''' || 37 ''(+1)'' || 33 ''(+5)'' || 29 ''(+9)'' || 25 ''(+13)'' || 17 ''(+21)'' || 9 ''(+29)'' || 1 ''(+37)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Gun shield empty: 33 ''(+5)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Vz.37 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Vz.37 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm Vz.37]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 769 || ±10° || ±10°
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Since you are an unprotected tank from behind, try to be as far from the action as possible. If getting close to enemy tanks cannot be prevented (Urban maps, Allied retreat etc), then try to hide at least a part of your hull against a wall or rock.

Use the horizontal range of the Marder III H as much as possible - as a turret-less SPG, it has excellent - if not the best - gun traverse for any turret-less SPG. This tank destroyer can be penetrated easily; it has next to no armour at its battle rating. keep close to other tanks to prevent this in urban maps, and stay close to cover in other maps. Also, be careful when being targeted by Artillery; one close hit on your rear and you can be destroyed by shrapnel. Another important thing to take into account is the fact that ammunition is stored in the nearly unarmoured gun shield - nearly any vehicle in the game - with the notable exception of the [[GAZ-AAA (4M)]] - can penetrate this tank with ease. To get Ammunition out of the turret, bring only 32 shells, leaving the "turret" basically empty - 32 shells is more than enough. Another fact to take into account is that nearly all shells will over penetrate the "turret", with no damage, a crewman knocked out or 2.

1.85's ammunition standardization badly affected the sloped penetration of the APCBC shell, nerfing the sloped pen from 65mm to 52mm at 60 degrees. This means that Shermans and T-34s (especially the T-34E/T-34E STZ) are no longer pennable on the UFP if they angle a little bit.

===Modules===
First off, the Marder III H is hull-breakable, which triggers when a 75mm+ size AP round strikes the gun breech, transmission, or engine block. It also triggers when a large HE or any size HEAT shell hits it. Due to this alteration, get Tracks & Horizontal Drive first, then Adjustment of Fire, Elevation Mech, and the three engine upgrades. Then you are free to get Parts/FPE.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Outstanding gun for its rank
* Armour that protects the crew from MG fire, but thin enough to allow normal AP rounds to over-penetrate
* Fairly small tank destroyer can hide behind most obstacles
* Good gun elevation
* Excellent horizontal arc of 30°, that allows hiding easily the tank
* Amazing penetration with APCR ammunition

'''Cons:'''

* Vulnerable to HE rounds
* Not fully enclosed (Exposed crew)
* Bad gun depression
* Extremely high penetration that it often over penetrates most light tanks that it faces
* Hull-breakable

== History ==

===Development===
After the start of ''Operation Barbarossa'', the Wehrmacht found a very dire problem of the lack of a mobile anti-tank system and adequate anti-tank weapons, especially after the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. The only mass-issued anti-tank was the 37 mm Pak 36 and the only mobile anti-tank system widely used was the ''Panzerjäger I'' with the Czech 47 mm anti-tank gun. Modifications to current vehicles in service was done to put more self-propelled anti-tank weapons into service, which created the ''Marder I'' from the French Lorraine, the ''Marder II'' from the [[Pz.II F|Panzer IIs]], and the '''Marder III''' from the Czech [[Pz.38(t) F|Panzer 38(t)]].

===Specifications===
The Marder III, with the rest of the ''Marder'' series, gave Germany forces a self-propelled gun mounting a better gun than what was available on German tanks, such as the 75 mm Pak 40 or captured Soviet 76.2 mm guns chambered for the Pak 40 ammo. All of the ''Marders'' share a lack of armour for the crew, the top and rear of the vehicle is left exposed to mortar, shrapnel, or infantry weapons. This weakness is mitigated with the fact that the ''Marders'' is supposed to be anti-tank motor carriages that are to ambush incoming enemy tanks.

The '''Marder III Ausf. H''' uses the Panzer 38(t) as it was a design going obsolete, and new large German anti-tank weapons were being produced, so they mounted these guns onto the Panzer 38(t) first. The finished self-propelled mount had a higher silhouette than the Panzer 38(t), which left it more vulnerable, but had a 75 mm Pak 40 gun and withhold 38 rounds in the vehicle. A machine gun on the hull was retained for anti-infantry purposes.

The Marder III Ausf. H predecessor, simply named as the '''[[Marder III]]''' mounted a rechambered 76.2 gun instead of a Pak 40. Another variant created, the '''Ausf. M''', featured a lower silhouette and a better-sloped armour and fighting compartment, despite only holding 27 rounds for the mounted Pak 40. A total of 3,472 Marder IIIs and its version was created or converted from Panzer 38(t) during its production life.

===Combat usage===
The Marder III Ausf. H fought on all front of the war, being produced from 1942 to 1945, with 450 Marder III Ausf. H with the Pak 40 converted and produced. Using the tested design of the Panzer 38(t), the Marder III experienced a reliable mechanical history and has a gun that could take out most allied tanks in the war. The vulnerability to the crew due to lack of armour was its most pressing issue, with only a front shield plate at most 15 mm thick and side plates that can't enclose the crew. This makes it as very poor assault vehicles or tank substitutes as the open top could allow infantry to easily kill the crew from hidden areas, despite that, it is sometimes repurposed to this role to the chagrin of the crew.

As its production was underway, Germany already had a few self-propelled assault weapons being produced such as the [[StuG III F|StuG III]] that could have the same anti-tank capabilities, yet was fully armoured, enclosing the crew inadequate armour. This obvious advantage over the open ''Marder'' series encouraged the development of a new kind of tank destroyer from the Panzer 38(t) with better armour, which will eventually create the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]. Despite that, the ''Marders'' continued to serve to the end of the war.

=== In-game description ===
"An antitank vehicle designed by Alkett. The prototype was built in June, 1942. It was produced from November, 1942 to April, 1943 at the BMM factory. The Marder II Ausf.H was also rebuilt from damaged tanks at the Wehrmacht factory in Prilougi using cabins obtained from BMM.

Marder IIIs were used actively on all fronts of World War II. Most of them were used on the Eastern Front.

A total of 613 Marder III Ausf.H tank destroyers were produced."

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Marder III

2019-06-02T20:28:57Z

U35111552: /* Ammunition */ Updated to reflect broad ammo change in 1.85

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_Marder_III}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_MarderIII.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|name}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].

The armour of the Marder is its biggest fault. Because it is open-topped, strafing runs from fighter planes can disable the crew very easily, even leading to ammo detonation! Enemy tanks only have this privilege because of poor positioning of the Marder, or because of a highly exploited breakthrough of allied defences. The front turret armour is also very thin and is vulnerable to basically any weapon save most 7.62 MGs. The hull armour at the front is rather thick at 50mm and is decently sloped for a tank destroyer. It still should not be relied on heavily, but if angled correctly it can be used to deflect British 2 pdr. guns, German, US and Russian 37mm and sometimes 50mm guns, as well as most ammunition used by the KV-1 series of tanks.

The Marder also has surprisingly poor manoeuvrability for a small tank destroyer. Being based on the Pz38(t) chassis, forward turning abilities slow the tank down significantly and neutral turning leaves a lot to be desired. The fact that the Marder has a forward facing gun with no turret means that it is required for the whole vehicle to turn to align the gun onto target if out of its arc of fire. Therefore, it is highly recommended to play with a squadmate or more mobile player, as the mobility of the Marder can significantly hamper urban combat abilities. Use the high speed of the Marder to reach a comfortable shooting position and stay there- the poor traverse and turning speed is fatal against nearly all turreted vehicles, along with the very poor armour.

However, the Marder makes up for most of these drawbacks with its high velocity, high damage 76mm cannon. It can OHK every single tank within the 1.7-3.7 BR range. Whether it be a Sherman, T-34, or Churchill, no UFP (upper front plate) is safe. Ballistics are very similar to all other 75mm long guns in the German line (IV F2, Marder III H, etc.), and thus experienced German tankers should not have issues assimilating to the Marder's cannon.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (19°) ''Front plate'' 12 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (13°) ''Lower glacis'' || 16 mm ''Upper'' 15 mm ''Lower'' || 15 mm || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 11 + 8 mm (31°) || 11 mm (8-9°) || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Note:''' 

* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 11.3 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 46 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|227
|280
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|142
|160
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|20.09
|24.78
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.57
|14.16
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|PaK 36(r) (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[PaK 36(r) (76 mm)|76 mm PaK 36(r)]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 30 || -6°/+18° || ±10.5° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 10.57 || 14.63 || 17.76 || 19.63 || 20.89
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 7.14 || 8.40 || 10.20 || 11.28 || 12.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 9.23 || 8.16 || 7.52 || 7.10
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 rot || APCBC || 138 || 135 || 124 || 112 || 101 || 91
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 189 || 188 || 165 || 139 || 117 || 99
|-
| Sprgr. 39 || HE || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 rot || APCBC || 740 || 7.6 || 1.2 || 25 || 34 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 450 || 5.1 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 875.5 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 990 || 4.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. 39 || HE || 550 || 6.3 || 0.2 || 0.5 || 585 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_MarderIII.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Marder III]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" width="10%" |Recommendations
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''30''' || 27 ''(+3)'' || 23 ''(+7)'' || 19 ''(+11)'' || 15 ''(+15)'' || 11 ''(+19)'' || 7 ''(+23)'' || 4 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+29)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Left side empty: 15 ''(+15)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Vz.37 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Vz.37 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm Vz.37]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Hull mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,200 (200) || 769 || -6°/+18° || ±10°
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==
The Marder III is a stereotypical glass support cannon at its BR of 2.7. It can deal with most opposition it sees even in full uptiers rather comfortably, though it is no longer as easy as it used to be before 1.85's Ammunition Standardization. While the vertical penetration of the best shell, PzGr39 rot, remained almost unchanged, the sloped penetration dropped by almost 25% from its old 60 degree penetration value, from 60mm to 47mm. '''This means the gun is no longer able to frontally "LOLpen" T-34 or Sherman models through the front hull reliably, any angling on their part and the shot will bounce off.''' It is still very solid at its BR, but requires more thought when aiming. Cromwells, Valentines, and Churchills die all the same as before.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Good gun penetration
* Powerful at all ranges
* Relatively high forward speed
* Relatively good HE filler in APCBC rounds
* Average hull armour of 50 mm
* Capable of penetrating all tanks frontally at its BR range (1.7-3.7)
* High capacity spotting machine gun in the hull

'''Cons:'''

* Tall profile, hindering concealment ability
* Slow turning movement
* Very prone to falling over due to height, especially for newer players with low amounts of invested crew points towards driver
* Very thin gun shield for the gun crew
* Open top vehicle, gunner and loader can be easily machine-gunned
* Vehicle can be hull broken
* Struggles with T-34 and Sherman UFPs if they angle after 1.85's ammunition standardization

== History ==

===Development===
After the start of ''Operation Barbarossa'', the Wehrmacht found a very dire problem of the lack of a mobile anti-tank system and adequate anti-tank weapons, especially after the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. The only mass-issued anti-tank was the fairly weak 37 mm Pak 36 and the only mobile anti-tank system widely used was the ''Panzerjäger I'' with the Czech 47 mm anti-tank gun. Modifications to current vehicles in service was done to put more self-propelled anti-tank weapons into service, which created the ''Marder I'' from the French Lorraine, the ''Marder II'' from the [[Pz.II F|Panzer IIs]], and the '''Marder III''' from the Czech [[Pz.38(t) F|Panzer 38(t)]].

===Specifications===
The Marder III, with the rest of the ''Marder'' series, gave Germany forces a self-propelled gun mounting a better gun than what was available on German tanks, such as the 75 mm Pak 40 or captured Soviet 76.2 mm guns chambered for the Pak 40 ammo. All of the ''Marders'' share a lack of armour for the crew, the top and rear of the vehicle is left exposed to mortar, shrapnel, or infantry weapons. This weakness is mitigated with the fact that the ''Marders'' are supposed to be anti-tank motor carriages that are to ambush incoming enemy tanks.

The Marder III use the Panzer 38(t) as it was a design going obsolete, and lots of Soviet 76.2 mm guns were captured, so they mounted these guns onto the Panzer 38(t) first. The finished self-propelled mount had a higher silhouette than the Panzer 38(t), which left it more vulnerable, but had a rechambered 76.2 mm Pak 36(r) gun with the Pak 40 ammo and could hold 30 rounds in the vehicle. A machine gun on the hull was retained for anti-infantry purposes.

The Marder III with a 75 mm Pak 40 gun mounted instead of the rechambered 76.2 guns was called the '''[[Marder III H|Marder III Ausf. H]]'''. Another variant created, the '''Ausf. M''', featured a lower silhouette and a better-sloped armour and fighting compartment, despite only holding 27 rounds for the mounted Pak 40. A total of 3,472 Marder IIIs and its version was created or converted from Panzer 38(t) during its production life.

===Combat usage===
The Marder III fought on all front of the war, being produced from 1942 to 1945, with 2,080 Marder III with the 76.2 mm gun converted and produced. Using the tested design of the Panzer 38(t), the Marder III experienced a reliable mechanical history and has a gun that could take out most allied tanks in the war. The vulnerability to the crew due to lack of armour was its most pressing issue, with only a front shield plate at most 15 mm thick and side plates that can't enclose the crew. This makes it as very poor assault vehicles or tank substitutes as the open top could allow infantry to easily kill the crew from hidden areas, despite that, it is sometimes repurposed to this role to the chagrin of the crew.

As its production was underway, Germany already had a few self-propelled assault weapons being produced such as the [[StuG III F|StuG III]] that could have the same anti-tank capabilities, yet was fully-armoured, enclosing the crew in adequate armour. This obvious advantage over the open ''Marder'' series encouraged the development of a new kind of tank destroyer from the Panzer 38(t) with better armour, which will eventually create the [[Jagdpanzer 38(t)|Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]. Despite that, the ''Marders'' continued to serve to the end of the war.

=== In-game description ===
An antitank vehicle designed on the basis of the Pz.38(t) tank by the BMM company (formerly ChKD) by installing a 76.2mm F-22 division cannon on the chassis of a captured Soviet tank that had been modified by German engineers. The impetus for building this platform was the fact that in 1941 it became clear on the Eastern Front that the Wehrmacht did not have the means to fight Soviet heavy tanks. At the time, the captured 76.2mm F-22 division cannon was able to fight these tanks, so they decided to install it on the reliable frame of the Pz.38(t). BMM produced 344 of these antitank vehicles.

== Media ==
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23marderiii Skins and camouflages for the Marder III from live.warthunder.com.] Watch out for the "Marder III H" entries as they will not fit on this first version. You need the ones with the small, not rounded turret.

== Read also ==
[https://warthunder.com/en/news/2767/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Marder III]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Sd.Kfz.234/2

2019-06-02T20:13:09Z

U35111552: Minor updates on shell performance, shell type, and other small changes.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_234_2}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234 2.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (34-35°) ''Top'' 8 (19-35°) + 4 mm || 10 mm (21-46°) || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (20°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (1-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm (24-26°) || 14.5 mm (25°) 8 mm (21°) ''Pistol port'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels provide 10 mm thick protection.
* Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===


The Puma can reach a speed of around 45 km/h on flat terrain. Thanks to its transmission, it can drive in reverse with the same speed and maneuverability. Due to its wheeled design, it struggles in sand, snow and mud. It is also hard to keep going straight in a line at high speeds. The game does offer some degree of compensation for this via the "Activate Cruise Mode" control binding under the "Tank Driving" subsection. When using Cruise Mode, hold down the desired key you bound its activation to, and steer with mouse movements, allowing pinpoint steering while retaining speed. However, you cannot shoot while using Cruise Mode, so use it wisely.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 39 (50 mm)}}

The Puma fields the KwK.39/1 cannon, a similar cannon to that seen in the late Panzer III models, as well as the same ammunition. The cannon was designed for a anti-tank role and it does its job well at 2.7. It can select from a 95mm pen APC-HE shell, witch should be your main round, two APCR shells with 128mm and 150mm pen, respectively (you should carry a few of the better ones, especially if you uptier the Puma so it might see KV-1s, as well for long range sniping) and an HE shell witch can be used against AA trucks. As the APC-HE shell has no ballistic cap, it might struggle against angled armour, so it is best to go for side shots. With a reload of 4.1 seconds and high velocity shells, this tank can do the job both in close-quarters and at long range.

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 42 (7.92 mm)}}
The Puma has a coaxial MG 42 that is only useful against exposed crew members.

== Usage in battles ==


The Puma adopts a lot of typical light tank tactics. To play this vehicle well, you must shoot and scoot. Your fast reload times in combination with a very fast reverse speed makes it ideal for firing around a corner then backing up and flanking. The tank is very fast on road, however it has poor performance off-road so it is not recommended on desert maps and muddy maps where you can get slowed down by the terrain. Due to the fact that you have weak armour and a compact crew module, penetrative shots typically result in your destruction. It is advised to not brawl with tanks and to flank whenever possible, using your speed and mobility versus enemy tanks as your armour. Use the terrain to your advantage, firing over hills and making good use of your gun depression. Sidescrape corners and do not hold angles, as you will most likely be destroyed.

The tank's speed in combination with its low spawn cost in RB as a light tank makes it ideal to spawn in at the start of the game and capture the objective in 2 or 3 point domination. This guarantees you spawn points for a respawn and gives you opportunities to flank the enemy.

The real beauty of the Puma is its ability to flank around different parts of the map very quickly. It is extremely maneuverable and can traverse most types of terrain very quickly (avoid mud). You should take up a covert play style with this vehicle. Even if you see an enemy, you should only fire at the perfect moment, where you are guaranteed a score. This especially applies to T-34s and KV-1's, where hits to the side or rear are far more effective. This being said, the 5cm gun is a great gun. It is easy to use, high velocity, accurate and has a good range of ammunition.

Notable enemies you will meet are the [[T-34 (1942)]] and [[M4|M4 Sherman]], along with armoured tanks like the [[Churchill Mk I|Churchill]], [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda II]], [[Valentine Mk XI|Valentine]], and the [[KV-1_(L-11)|KV-1]] These tanks are difficult to penetrate and require advanced knowledge of weakspots, so it is advised to avoid these where possible. Medium tanks are easier to combat if flanked, however it is not always reliable due to the weak penetration of the PzGr 39 and the poor penetration to sloped armour for PzGr 40.

Out of all the enemies you will meet, the T-34s are probably the biggest threat. The sloped armour is difficult to penetrate and they have excellent mobility, meaning you will meet them often. The gun is also utterly devastating for the Puma. The high explosive filler and range of shells will make short work of your vehicle. If you encounter an T-34 (any variant), aim for the turret cheeks and take out the gunner. Aiming at the frontal hull armour is unreliable and often results in a ricochet. T-34s are also very, very mobile, so it is best to go for side shots on them if you insist on engaging them.

Shermans also present the problem of sloped frontal armour. The M4A1 isn't as much of a problem, but the M4/M4A2/M4A3 variants are more difficult to penetrate. From the side, Shermans have flat armour and tall profiles. They are easy to destroy when flanked, but they too have exceptionally good mobility, especially cross-country, so they can prove to be even more of a pain to deal with than T-34s. They also have short-stop stabilizers and .50cals which make them even more of a threat.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 5 cm L/60 cannon firepower
* PzGr 40 has 150mm of pen at point blank; good for its rank
* The 5cm gun is great for sniping lightly armoured targets at long range
* The 5cm gun is a good counter for heavily armoured tanks such as the Matilda and Valentine
* Fast reloading time
* Very fast forward and reverse speed
* Good gun depression
* Great for rushing cap points
* Good at flanking and ambushing enemy vehicles
* Can skip over rocky terrain and other hard surfaces
* Makes a great scout vehicle in higher ranks

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour, and extremely thin rear armour
* Compact crew compartment, allows to be easily destroyed in one shot when fighting a skilled player
* Slow turret rotation. In combination with the sharp turns at high speed, it is slow to aim
* Starts to snake around at high speeds making it hard to control
* Moderate acceleration
* Cannot turn in place due to wheels
* Under powered engine which gives it bad off-road performance
* Relatively low gun elevation
* Very vulnerable to close air support
* Does not like deep snow or mud

== History ==

===Development===
The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to '''Sd.Kfz.234''' family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234/2]], which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|5 cm L/60]] gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|2 cm KwK 38]], this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm howitzer]], this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|Sd.Kfz.234/4]], also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|7.5 cm PaK 40]] anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

===Combat usage===
The Sd.Kfz.234 cars were originally intended for the conflicts in North Africa. However, the engine development took abnormally long to complete and by the time it was ready, the North African theater had concluded. Nevertheless, they served in the Western and Eastern front with success, but was impeded by its low production count.

The Sd.Kfz. 234/2 variant was arguably the most popular, as the staple of the 234 family. The vehicle served in the Panzer Lehr Division, 1st and 2nd SS Panzer Division, 2nd, 7th, 13th, and 20th Panzer Division. The Sd.Kfz.234 in the recon companies were allocated in 19 or 25 vehicles per division, further split into platoons up to six vehicles and one as the headquarters. However, due to their low production numbers, this allocation was rarely kept in full strength in the war,

The Sd.Kfz.234 first saw combat in Normandy after D-Day in the stationed Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer Division in the Sd.Kfz.234/2 variant. The divisions used these vehicles in recon roles until their withdrawal behind the Seine River, with Panzer Lehr having 8 Sd.Kfz.234/2 of the original 26 it had. These divisions were rebuilt in the fall of 1944 with the Sd.Kfz.234/1 and Sd.Kfz.234/3 after the 234/2 ceased production.

== Media ==

[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23puma '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Sd.Kfz.234/2 "Puma" from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] (Sd.Kfz.234/2 included)

== See also ==


* [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] - Tank destroyer version of the chassis, with a [[K51 L/24 (75 mm)|75 mm K51]] gun.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]] - Another tank destroyer version with the longer [[PaK 40/3 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK 40/3]] gun.

== External links ==


* [http://warthunder.com/en/news/4713-development-sd-kfz-234-2-puma-the-nimble-feline-predator-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma: The Nimble Feline Predator]

{{Germany light tanks}}

Sd.Kfz.234/3

2019-06-01T20:04:05Z

U35111552:

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_234_3}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234 3.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] in the "Good Old S.U.M.M.E.R" event of 2018.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm || 10 mm || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 14.5 mm (34°) || 14.5 mm || 10 mm || 0 mm
|-
|}

When dealing with the Sd.Kfz.234/3, the best way to deal with this tank is to catch it out of position and/or from behind. Because of its low armour values, it can be easily destroyed with 12.7 mm MG fire or HE shells to the open roof. Most AP and APHE shots will simply over-penetrate the vehicle's front armour and will not do much to the crew compartment unless aimed at specific crew locations or it hull-breaks the Sd.Kfz.234/3. As such, explosive ammunition or machine gun fire are the more preferred methods of elimination.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 11.5 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 98 (AB)
|-
|90 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|298
|367
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|186
|210
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|25.91
|31.91
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|16.17
|18.26
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The "Stumpwagen" is armed with the [[KwK 37 (75 mm)]], and features four useful ammunition types. 52mm pen APCBC, 80mm pen HEAT, 100mm pen HEAT, and Smoke. The gun has great zoom and a very fast fire rate.

== Usage in battles ==

This armoured car is as much fun to play as the Sd.Kfz.234/4. The short 75 mm gun and the 234 chassis work amazingly well within its battle rating. The best way to play this Rank I Goliath is to use your speed and to try get side and rear shots on the enemy but since you have HEAT at your disposal, you are almost guaranteed to obliterate anything frontally at your battle rating and visa versa . The 234/3 has the same weaknesses as the 234/2 which means it can be and will be torn up by 12.7 mm machine gun fire, assume the position has been spotted after firing and move out via reverse. Engaging in a head-on is unadvised but you can come out kicking should you find yourself against any higher tanks as you should be able to reload fast enough, though this is not a go to option.

The 75 mm gun is the same as early Panzer IV and can destroy any other vehicles at and above its battle rating with one hit, meanwhile the 234/3 has a great speed of 50-60 km/h forwards and backwards to relocate. Because of this, it is possible (though not necessarily needed) to use the 75 mm and return fire while making haste. Terrain foliage such as bushes are great assets for concealment, shadows as well so use them and stay hidden.

Like it's older brother, it is recommended to follow the exact same tactics, those being:

# Get behind great cover, either hard cover or visual cover (so rocks and or bushes are great)
# Use your cover for great visibility (for you to view the enemy)
# The ability to get deadly hits into the enemies

In its Battle Rating of 1.7, the 234/3 will face anything and everything between 1.0 and 2.7, It can and will be destroyed by anything and everything here. But keep in mind that tanks can use Artillery and Air-Spawns to take you down if they can't directly see you, so get under a roof and/or likewise cover where they can't see you nor hit you.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Adequate ammo supply for prolonged combat.
* Can move forward and backwards with equal speed.
* Eight wheel drive gives it a good surface traction and handling, much better maneuverability.
* Shorter Gun than Sd.Kfz.234/2, making it harder to identify behind bushes
* HEAT Shells are available for usage
* Premium bonus.

'''Cons:'''

* Very weak armour, can be penetrated by aircraft weapons and heavy machine guns.
* Open-topped, making it very vulnerable to attacks from the air or artillery.
* Can be disabled by aircraft simply by ramming it.
* Limited gun traverse.
* Crew compartment is littered with ammo.
* Vehicle will be immobilized if one driver is knocked out despite having two drivers in its layout, due to game mechanic limitations of having only one driver at a time.
* Less penetration than the 234/2.

== History ==

The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to '''Sd.Kfz.234''' family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234/2]], which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|5 cm L/60]] gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|2 cm KwK 38]], this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm howitzer]], this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|Sd.Kfz.234/4]], also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|7.5 cm PaK 40]] anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] - Standard version of the chassis, with a turreted [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 39]] gun.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]] - Alternative tank destroyer version with the longer [[PaK 40/3 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK 40/3]] gun.

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Nb.Fz.

2019-06-01T20:01:09Z

U35111552: Filled in mostly empty page on this tank.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_nbfz_VI}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.51 "Cold Steel"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Nebaufahrzeug has even higher survivability than Panzer III/IV tanks at similar BRs, due to its size and relegation of crews to several turrets. The armor on it is actually rather thin, despite it looking very imposing and being trolly in layout. It has six crew, a driver, two machine gunners in small independent turrets, and a gunner, loader, and commander in the main turret where the pair of weapons are. The front armor thickness ranges from just 13mm to 20mm, making it possible to immobilize it with .50cal machine gun fire frontally.

=== Mobility ===
The top speed of the vehicle is just 28kph, which for low tiers where non-french reserve tanks are go-karts, is quite bad. The P/W ratio, on the other hand, is rather good at 11.9hp/ton, giving it very nice acceleration considering how large it is. It feels much like the Russian KV-1 in that regard.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The main armament of the Nebaufahrzeug is the [[KwK 37 (75 mm)]], which shoots 52mm pen APCBC-HE, 80mm pen HEAT, and Smoke. Problem is, due to the current limitations of the game, it is impossible to take more than four different kinds of shells, and for multi-gun tanks each gun can just pick two shells in its repertoire. So the practical combinations would be either APCBC+HEAT, APCBC+Smoke, or HEAT+Smoke.

=== Additional armament ===
The Nebaufahrzeug also has a second antitank gun in the main turret, a [[KwK 36 (37 mm)]], to the left of the 75mm, This shoots either 47mm pen APHE or 91mm pen APCR. It is decent, much like the same gun on the Pz. III B and Pz. III E, but is best used as a backup to the 75mm between reloads on that. It shoots at far higher velocities than the 75mm, so it is more suited to long range engagements.

=== Machine guns ===
The Nebaufahrzeug has three 7.92mm Dryse machine guns, which are similar to the MG34 and use the same belts. At best they're good for zapping flak trucks, but in practicality they're almost useless since the two extra MG turrets have very poor turret traverse.

== Usage in battles ==
This vehicle may LOOK like a heavy tank, but it is anything but. The armor is far too thin to use this thing for its armor, relegating it to a support/ambush role. By binding separate keys for the two guns, you can "one-two-punch" just about anything you encounter.

The HEAT on the 75mm, however, is generally inadequate against the B1 bis and useless against the B1 ter. The Valentine MkI is a bit easier to pen but has a much stronger gun you want to avoid at all costs. The 37mm APCR doesn't fare that much better against any of these targets either. Frankly, just avoid these where possible.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Can chain the two guns between reloads of each
* Both guns reload in similarly fast speeds
* High survivability due to numerous and well-spaced out crew
* More mobile than one would expect for such a large tank
* Good zoom on the guns

*

'''Cons:'''

* Armor is deceptively thin for such a large tank
* Top speed is nothing to write home about in this tier.
* It may as well roll over and die vs the B1 bis, B1 ter, and Valentine MkI
* AWFUL turret traverse on all three turrets makes it hard to react well to multiple enemies, let alone flak trucks.

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

=== In-game description ===
"An experimental multi-turret medium tank. The first models were built in 1934. During construction the tank took on the designation of Neubaufahrzeug V (Nb.Fz.V) for the first two vehicles. The second series of three tanks had the designation Nb.Fz.VI.

In German military documentation the designation Panzerkampfwagen VII is also encountered; it was later replaced by Pz.Kpfw.IVnA (Panzerkampfwagen IV new Art). During the Norwegian campaign the tanks were also referred to in documents as Neubau-Pz.Kpfw.IV.

All three tanks of the second series were used during the Norwegian operation. They were officially part of the special tank battalion Panzer Abteilung zur besonderer Vervendung 40 (Pz.Abt1. Zb.V 40). The tanks were combined into one company under the command of Lt. Hans Horstmann.

The official name of this subdivision in battalion documentation was Zug “Plutos”, but it was most commonly referred to by its commander’s name as Panzerzug “Horstmann.” The company’s emblem was a mammoth’s head located in front of the driver’s cabin."

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Sd.Kfz. 140/1

2019-06-01T18:40:18Z

U35111552: Filled in empty page on tank

{{Specs-Card
|code = germ_pzkpfw_38t_Aufklarungspanzer
|store = 5157
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_SdKfz140-1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} premium German light tank {{Battle-rating}}.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
This vehicle is all-around better than the Flakpanzer I at the same BR in the tech tree. It has a 50mm front plate, a 30mm sloped turret, and four crew spaced out nicely.

=== Mobility ===
Speed and P/W ratio are both superior to the Flakpanzer I, being 58kph forward, 6kph backward, and 15.45hp/ton P/W ratio.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
This tank is equipped with the [[KwK 38 (20 mm)|FlaK 38 (20 mm)]], which is one of the better low-tier guns. It has good HE for taking out planes, 46mm pen AP-I, and 64mm pen APCR. Unlike the Flakpanzer I, the APCR belt is full APCR instead of half.

=== Machine Guns ===
This tank has a coaxial 7.92mm MG42 machine gun that is sufficient for hosing down flak trucks, but given that the main armament is already good at that job, a player will most likely never use this gun at all on this vehicle, unless jumped between reloads.

== Usage in the battles ==
The Sd.Kfz.140/1 is simply better than the Flakpanzer I. Faster, more mobile, better-armored, not hull-breakable, better APCR belt, less wobbly suspension, and better survivability. It does the same job as its main tree brethren, flanking and taking out specific targets of opporitunity with the HVAP. Like the other two flackers, it cannot deal with B1 bis, B1 ter, or Valentine MkI at all, but otherwise it can shred everything it encounters.

The only cons it has vs the Flakpanzer I are gun depression of just -4 degrees, vs the Flakpanzer's -10 degrees, and slower turret traverse of 12.4 degrees/sec vs the Flakpanzer's 24.5 degrees/sec. Also, the reload rate is half what the Flakpanzer I or Gepard have, 7.6 seconds vs their 3.9 seconds.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Decent to good armor for the tier that can shrug off several reserve guns with poor shots
* Great penetration for 1.3 BR
* Great survivability, not hull breakable
* Good turret traverse for the tier
* Great mobility for the tier
* Less wobbly than Flakpanzer I

*

'''Cons:'''

* Low gun depression of -4 degrees
* Half the turret traverse of the Flakpanzer I
* Bigger profile
* Even longer reload between clips than main tree vehicles.

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
"The Aufklärungspanzer 38(t) reconnaissance tank was based on the Pz.38(t) towards the end of 1943, by the BMM construction office in Prague. The order specifications required a 20 mm automatic cannon and a 75 mm regular cannon.

A Praga AE engine with 160 hp at 2600 rpm replaced the Praga AC. This required a change in the exhaust system and the introduction of a longer exhaust pipe, which, together with a muffler, was put on the tank's roof. The tank's hull received a new superstructure, with modified inclination and with riveted joints for its armor plates.

The tank's armament consisted of a 20 mm automatic KwK38 L/55 cannon paired with a 7.92 mm MG42 machine gun. The guns could be pointed anywhere between -4 and 70 degrees and so could fire at air targets. The tank's ammunition included 300 shells and 1,500 machine gun rounds.

The open-top hexahedral turret, manufactured by the company Appelt, was equipped with a metal mesh to protect against hand grenades. The tank's armor thickness ranged from 8 to 50 millimeters. Its operational weight reached 9,750 kg. At this weight, its maximum highway speed was 52 kph, and its maximum highway range was 240 kilometers.

The Aufklärungpanzer 38(t) tank was accepted into the Wehrmacht in 1944, but large-scale production of the machine was never successfully introduced. A total of 70 tanks were produced.

The tanks were used on both the West and the Eastern Fronts.

Its design was successful, reliable, and advanced. However, the rivet joints in its armor plating were a disadvantage."

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.38(t) F

2019-06-01T17:23:02Z

U35111552: Filled in nearly empty page on this tank

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_F}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Panzer 38(t) F has similar bad survivability to the Pz.35(t) and Pz.38(t), but it boasts DOUBLE the front hull and turret front armor. This makes it frontally immune to many reserve tier guns, particularly Japanese, French, and Italian guns. Thus while it is harder to pen, if it gets penned it is taken out easily.

=== Mobility ===
The Panzer 38(t) F has nearly identical mobility to the Pz.38(t) A, aside from slightly higher weight making it a tad more sluggish in all respects. The role on the map of finding and (ab)using ambush points is the same as its predecessors.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The gun is the same [[KwK 38(t) (37 mm)]] as the Panzer 38(t) A. It is slightly better than the Pz.35(t)'s gun, but not by a practical amount, and therefore is used in exactly the same way. 56mm pen APC-HE, 61mm pen APCBC-HE, and 93mm pen APCR. This works vs most things it encounters, but Valentines, B1 bis, B ter, Matildas, and Sherman 105s are nightmares, and the higher BR of 2.0 means it sees these often.

=== Machine guns ===
The tank has a 7.92mm MG37(t) machine gun, which is good to hose down flak trucks, but not good for anything else.

== Usage in the battles ==
The tank is the same average mobility that the predecessors of it have, and the okay-at-best gun means it needs to act the same way despite semi-frequently running into near-impossible situations vs Valentines, B1s, Sherman 105s, and Matildas.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Decently good gun for tier
* HE filler helps easily knock out things you can pen
* Armor is good vs low-BR tanks you frequently see, due to reserves being permanently uptiered
* Has high-pen APCR for some of its armored nemeses.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Many things are faster than it
* When it does get penned, it generally dies in one shot due to small crew compartment.
* Gun is very inadequate in uptiers

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
A modified version of the Pz.38(t) light tank designed on the basis of combat experience in Poland. The tank’s armor was enhanced to 50 mm in the front and 30 mm on the sides. Two similar versions of the Pz. 38(t) Ausf. E and Ausf F were released between November, 1940 and October, 1941. 525 tanks were produced, including both versions.

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.38(t) A

2019-06-01T17:10:23Z

U35111552: Updated armor penetration of gun and Usage in Battles section to reflect newer additions.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_38t_ausf_A}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf. A is a small nimble beginners tank. It boasts a decent 37 mm cannon, which can easily get through most armour at its rank. The tank is primarily a support tank, helping the larger tanks push forward. The armour is not very heavy, and most cannons and autocannons can get through it. Always try to make use of your gun depression, hiding your hull behind terrain and obstacles, while exposing only your turret to the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25 mm (18-23°) ''Front plate'' 12 mm (74°) ''Front glacis'' 25 mm (14°), 8 mm (65°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm || 15 mm (11-14°) || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 25 mm (10°), 15 mm (9-10°) ''Turret front'' 25 mm (0-90°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (0-9°) || 15 mm (8°) || 8 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 8 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 9.7 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 47 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|194
|238
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|111
|125
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|20.00
|24.54
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|11.44
|12.89
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38(t) (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 38(t) (37 mm)|37 mm KwK 38(t)]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 90 || -10°/+25° || ±180° || Vertical
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.33 || 18.45 || __.__ || __.__ || 26.35
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.33 || 9.80 || __.__ || __.__ || 14.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 4.29 || __.__ || __.__ || 3.30
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Pzgr. 34(t) || APC || 49 || 46 || 35 || 25 || 18 || 13
|-
| PzGr. 40 || APCR || 93 || 91 || 49 || 23 || 2 || 1
|-
| Pzgr.(t) umg. || APCBC || 52 || 50 || 38 || 27 || 19 || 13
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Pzgr. 34(t) || APC || 741 || 0.85 || 1.3 || 15 || 22.1 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr. 40 || APCR || 1020 || 0.37 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Pzgr.(t) umg. || APCBC || 750 || 0.82 || 1.3 || 15 || 22.1 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|Ammo racks of the {{PAGENAME}}.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''90''' || 61 ''(+29)'' || 31 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+89)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

Center empty: 31 ''(+59)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|Vz.37 (7.92 mm)|l1=vz.37 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Vz.37 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm vz.37]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 5,500 (200) || 769 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
The Panzer 38(t) A is used in much the same way as the Pz.35(t). It is lighter than and better-engined than its predecessor, so it can get to ambush positions faster. The gun is the same, but the higher BR pits it against B1 ters and and other armored threats that it cannot deal with easily, even with its APCR shell.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

*Very fast and manoeuvrable
*Excellent choice for flanking
*37mm gun is good to deal with most threats
*Excellent gun depression and compact size allows great use of terrain as a cover
*Gun is also quite accurate, making longer range engagements easier
* Can carry a large number of different shells types
* One of the best ''climbing'' abilities in the game
* Short Reload time
* Good turret traverse speed
* Has a vertical stabilizer

'''Cons:'''

* As a light tank, can't take many frontal hits well from heavier and bigger adversaries
* 37 mm can only do so much, won't penetrate the armour of heavier tanks if angled
* Although fast, handling at low speeds is quite cumbersome
* Slow top speed of 30 km/h
* Pretty weak front armour thickness
* Small crew in a small compartment, easy to knock out

== History ==

===Development===
In 1935, ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), the tank manufacturer in Czechoslovakia wanted to find a replacement to the [[Pz.35(t)|LT vz.35]] (Also known as the ''Panzer 35(t)'' in German service). The reason being is that the vz.35 was complex and had its faults that impeded its efficiency and orders for new tanks would be coming from the gradually growing Czechoslovak army and other countries. They work jointly with Škoda Works in the development of this new tank.

The next tank design, designated in Czechoslovakia as the '''LT vz.38''', fitted a conventional design for the interwar period. The armour was riveted with about 25 mm thick in the front hull and was not sloped. The engine was placed in the rear, with a two-man turret in the centre, and the driving compartment in the front with a front transmission. Perhaps the biggest distinction for this tank design was the use of a leaf-spring unit suspension consisting of four large wheels. The turret housed the 37 mm Skoda A7 armament with about 90 rounds of ammunition stored in the vehicle. Unlike traditional designs, the coaxial machine gun is mounted on a ball mount allowing it to be aimed independently on targets, yet could be fixed for coaxial usage. There is another machine gun in front used by the assistant driver, who also doubled as the radio operator placed on the left of the operator as the driver was on the right side of the tank. The LT vz.38 was a very reliable design.

The LT vz.38 was successfully exported under the name ''"TNH"'' and was given to Iran, Peru, Switzerland, and Lithuania, all under different names, but done in small quantities (Iran bought the most at 50 units). The British Royal Armoured Corps ordered one trial model out in an evaluation, but their evaluations came that the vehicle was uncomfortable for the crew and was impossible to lay the gun when the vehicle is in motion, thus the British did not order any and returned the trial model. Then in 1937, the Czechoslovak armed forces started a contest for a new tank to be put into service. Three companies, Škoda, ČKD and Tatra, were involved and submitted their various designs with Škoda a variant of the LT vz.38, ČKD a prototype model different from the LT vz.38, and Tatra a very different design concept altogether. The army then chose the LT vz.38 model and ordered 150 units in July 1938, but these were never put to service in Czech usage when the German-occupied Czechoslovakia in March 1939.

===German adoption===
When Germany took control of Czechoslovakia, they ordered the LT vz.38 production to continue as its firepower, armour, and mobility was considerably better than the Panzer I and [[Pz.II C|Panzer II]], which made up most of the German armoured forces in 1939. At first, it was used under the designation '''LTM 38''', but this was changed in January 1940 to the '''Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)''', or the '''Panzer 38(t)''' for short. The Panzer 38(t) was used as a substitute for the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] due to the similarity in armour and armament. The 37 mm Skoda A7 cannon was renamed the 37mm KwK38 (t). The Germans would gradually upgrade the design in its production life and have seven different variants (A-G) of the normal production model, but are divided into one with 25 mm of frontal riveted armour originally, and the [[Pz.38(t) F|other]] with a total frontal armour thickness of 50 mm by bolting on another 25 mm of armour to the hull. Production under Germany control continued from 1939 to 1942 with a total of 1,414 tank units built (excluding export models and other vehicles built with the chassis).

===Combat usage===
The Panzer 38(t) served well in the initial campaigns for Germany in World War II, performing well in the invasion of Poland and France in 1939 and 1940 respectively. Some notable German tank aces would start their careers with this tank; such as Otto Carius, who would become one of Germany's well known [[Tiger H1|Tiger]] Ace. Though unable to deal with the heavier tanks in Allied service, it was able to engage the armour of most light tank designs at the time. It wasn't until the initiation of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, where the Panzer 38(t) has become outclassed in all ways by the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34s]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. Due to the small two-man turret, it could not be modified to accept a larger gun capable of defeating these tanks. Not only that, but the Panzer 38(t) was also vulnerable to the Soviet 47 mm anti-tank gun due to the lower armour quality on the tank. These two drawbacks of the Panzer 38(t) caused it to be retired from front-line services for better tanks such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV]]. Despite its retirement, the chassis was found to be a very adaptable design, so it would continue to be used in a variety of roles such as the ''[[Marder III H|Marder III]]'' and ''[[Jagdpanzer 38(t)]]'' tank destroyer, ''[[Flakpanzer 38|Flakpanzer 38(t)]]'' anti-aircraft gun, and the ''Grille'' self-propelled artillery piece. A dedicated reconnaissance variant is known as the ''Aufklärungspanzer 38(t)'' was also built to supplement the need for reconnaissance vehicles.

Despite its retirement as a front-line weapon, the Panzer 38(t) tank still saw usage as a reconnaissance vehicle and an anti-partisan vehicle in German-controlled territory. The usage of the chassis in different roles freed up many turrets to serve as fortifications to be used in a variety of locations, such as the Atlantic Wall, which proved well in against infantry attacks as it's small 37 mm cannon was inadequate against the increasing armour of Allied tanks.

===Other countries===
The Panzer 38(t), as a widely exported tank model, also saw service with Romania, Kingdom of Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Peru, and Iran. Sweden was one of the few countries that were granted a license to construct the Panzer 38(t) under their designation as the ''Stridsvagn m/41'' after their initial batch were seized by the Germans with the takeover of Czechoslovakia. Deliveries of the first batch of the initial tank model started in December 1942 and ended in August 1943. Then the second batch of 122 units was ordered in mid-1942 for more of these tanks due to urgent demand, the second batch would have the 50 mm armour plate thickness and with a redesigned interior and better engine to compensate the weight increase. 104 of the second batch was delivered before production ended in March 1944. Some of these tanks would be converted into ''sav M/43'' assault guns or armoured personnel carriers during and after the war. Peru was also another prolific user of the Panzer 38(t), using them in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War in 1941 as the mainstay of their tank battalions. The tanks added with the lack of capable anti-tank weapons in Ecuadorian forces made the Panzer 38(t) proved very well in the war and even stayed in service for more than 50 years before being retired.

=== In-game description ===
"The Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A light tank was developed by the company ČKD in 1938 for the Czechoslovakian Army, under the designation LT vz.38. Serial production of the tank in 1939 manufactured 150 machines. After the German occupation began, they entered the service of the German Army, under the designation Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A.

8 rollers were installed in place of the multi-wheel suspension chassis typical of Czechoslovakian tank construction. The front and rear pairs of wheels were joined with a balancer using a leaf spring unit for shock absorption. The suspension's design coped well with the full 8,500 kg of the tank's weight and allowed designers to save a couple hundred kilograms. The tank had a forward mechanical transmission with a 5-speed Praga-Wilson gearbox, which later became the standard for all tanks of this type.

The PzKpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A tanks were completely identical to those intended for the Czechoslovakian Army, with the exception of some equipment. German engineers slightly increased the armor of the ball-mount machine gun in the tank's hull and replaced the vz.37 radio for their own Fu5 with the handle antenna. The tank had Praga ERA engines providing 125 horsepower. Its armament consisted of 37-мм Škoda A-7 3.7 cm KwK 38(t) L/47.8 cannons with 72 shells and two Zbrojovka Brno ZB vz.37 (MG.37(t)) machines guns with 2,400 rounds for both. The tank's armor thickness ranged from 8 to 25 millimeters.

These machines were used in German Panzer divisions in the Polish and French campaigns and in the attack on the USSR.
The PzKpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A is considered the best Czech-made tank.\t
The tank's main disadvantages were the riveted joints between its armor plates and the use of fragile, inflexible steel. A 45 mm projectile could fragment the armor plating and bolts, and these fragments would do more damage to the crew and the tank than the shrapnel from the projectile itself."

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23panzer38t '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the 38(t) series from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Pz.35(t)]] - Preceding Czech tank design.
* [[Pz.38(t) F]] - Succeeding version.

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3279/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) Ausf. A & F]
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/735/current/ [Legends<nowiki>]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)]

{{Germany light tanks}}

Pz.35(t)

2019-06-01T17:05:08Z

U35111552: Filled in a blank page, removed wrong historical section since this is the Pz.35(t), not the Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_35t}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Pz.35(t) has a key advantage over most low-BR tanks that is seen only also on French tanks - it has 25mm front armor on the hull and turret which makes it immune to 12.7mm machine guns that are commonplace at its tier. The sides are pennable with such weapons, however. It has four crew with decent spacing between them, but a far cry from the Panzer III/IV, so while it can save you sometimes, don't rely on it, especially if a Russian APBC or British 2-pdr is coming your way.

=== Mobility ===
With a top speed of 33kph and a P/W of 11.43hp/ton in RB/SB, the tank has reasonably good mobility for a reserve tank. Stuarts and BTs run circles around you, however.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The Pz.35(t) is armed with the [[KwK 34(t) (37 mm)]], which has an APC-HE shell with 49mm pen and a Tier 1 unlockable APCBC shell with 52mm pen. It also possesses an 85mm pen APCR shell for more stubborn armored targets such as B1 bis.

=== Machine guns ===
The tank has a 7.92mm MG37(t), which is a decent gun to hose down flak trucks but not good for much else.

== Usage in the battles ==
The tank is average in most respects, aside from frontal immunity to .50cals. Since many enemies are faster than you, it is adviseable to bunker down and ambush people. Mobility is good enough that you can actually get to ambush positions while they are still relevant to the match.

While you can penetrate B1 bis from the side, it is adviseable to just avoid them, since APCR postpen damage is currently poor. It does not uptier well if used in 1.3+ lineups, since Valentines and B1 ters are practically immune to the APCR as well.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Gun is decent for tier penetration wise
* Stock and unlockable ammunition has HE filler to kill reliably in one shot
* Mobility and acceleration are decent for the tier
* Frontally immune to 12.7mm guns, unusual for a reserve tank.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Many things are faster than it
* Gun is inadequate vs many targets it can encounter, and being BR 1.0 ensures every single match is an uptier.
* Armor won't stop anything bigger than a .50cal.
* Survivability when penned is not great, when compared to the Pz III/IV at the same tier.

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Flakpanzer 38

2019-06-01T16:50:29Z

U35111552: Filled in nearly empty page on this vehicle.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_flakpanzer_38t_Gepard}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Flakpanzer 38(t)}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Flakpanzer 38(t) Gepard has thin but highly sloped front armor that resists 7-8mm machine guns and even 12.7mm machine guns. The gun shield will shrug off rifle-calibers but not 12.7s. It has only two crew like its predecessor, the Flakpanzer I. It is also hull-breakable.

=== Mobility ===
Top speed and P/W ratio are much higher than the Flakpanzer I coming before it. 45kph forward, 6kph backward, and a P/W ratio in RB/Sim of 15.31 hp/ton, higher in Arcade.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The gun is the same as its predcessor, the [[FlaK 38 (20 mm)]]. It has sufficient HE shells for planes, 46mm pen AP-I, and 64mm pen APCR. The belt size is identical. Reload between clips is long. The gun can pen most things the tank encounters, barring Valentines, Matildas, B1 bis, B1 ter, and T-28E.

== Usage in battles ==
The Flakpanzer 38 is an even better flanker and support unit than the Flakpanzer I, and should be used in the same way. Flank around, engage tanks mainly, shoot planes when they aren't aware of you.

Just like the Flakpanzer I, avoid heavily armored opposition, especially frontally. You can barely pen B1 bis, M3 Lee variations, and T-28Es on the side, but cannot pen Valentines, Matildas, or B1 ters from much of any side.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Great penetration for the tier
* Fast fire rate
* Fast turret traverse
* Great mobility for the tier
* Hull shrugs off 12.7mm machine guns

*

'''Cons:'''

* Low-survivability due to two crew and hull-breakability
* Long reload between clips is very punishing if you spray too much.
* Open-topped and vulnerable to planes using any weapon

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's devblog entry (if applicable) and the ingame encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Flakpanzer I

2019-06-01T16:39:25Z

U35111552: Filled in nearly empty page on this vehicle.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_flakpanzer_I_ausf_A}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft (SPAA) vehicle {{Battle-rating}}.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Flakpanzer I does not have good survivability, unlike the Panzer II, III, and early IV models. It has only two crew and is hull breakable, so it generally gets knocked out by any incoming shot. Even 7.5-8mm machine guns can kill a Flakpanzer frontally. It is also hull-breakable, so early-game HEAT spammers are your nemeses.

=== Mobility ===
The mobility of the vehicle is decent to good for the tier, at 31kph forward and 6kph backward. Power-to-Weight ratio is reasonably good at 10.36hp/ton fully upgraded. It is responsive when steering on most terrain, though snow can be troublesome at times.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
The Flakpanzer I is armed with the [[FlaK 38 (20 mm)]], which is a fantastic gun for the tier. It boasts a high fire rate, 20-round clips, useful HE to shred low-flying planes, 46mm pen AP-I, and 64mm pen APCR. The gun will shred most enemies it can encounter with the APCR belt, even though it is only half APCR.

== Usage in the battles ==
The Flakpanzer I is extremely versatile, but due to nearly nonexistent armor, it is best used as a flanker and tank-killer with situational use against unaware planes. The mounting of the gun is VERY wobbly, so do not expect to be able to do quick reaction shots in surprise encounters. Turret traverse is very fast, however, allowing it to react fast when not moving to new threats not immediately aware of its presence. While it CAN spray at targets, it is adviseable not to spray most of the time because the reload between clips is rather long and punishing for the tier.

While the gun is great, there are some enemies it encounters that you should straight-up avoid if at all possible. These are the Valentine MkI, B1 bis, and B1 ter. If used in 1.7 lineups, the Matilda MkII, T-28E, and M3 Lee/US Grant I/UK Grant I/RU M3 Medium are also significant threats. It can kill the B1 bis, T-28E, and M3 Lee variations in some situations, but the B1 ter, Valentine, and Matilda are totally immune even to the APCR belt outside lucky turret ring hits.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* High penetrating gun for tier
* Fast turret traverse
* Mobile enough for tier
* Responsive handling
* High Fire Rate
* Large Clip Sizes

*

'''Cons:'''

* Long Reload b/t Clips
* Gun is insufficient against the more armored opponents
* Nonexistent armor and survivability due to two crew and hull-breakability
* Many things are faster than it
* Vulnerable to surprise-strafing from planes

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
In early 1940, the ordnance logistics department directed the Alkett and Daimler-Benz companies to develop a weapon mount with a circular field of fire, to be mounted on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A tank. The outdated chassis was used since the Germans were intensely seeking alternative ways to use chassis.

The Flakpanzer I had a hull, engine, transmission, and chassis which were similar to the Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. A tank. In the modified turret box, in the place of the dismantled old turret, a 20 mm 2 cm Flak 38 gun was installed on a platform. The gun had an operational fire rate of 220 rounds per minute and allowed the tank to effectively engage low-flying targets. This gun's vertical angle could range from -10 to 87 degrees.

A total of 24 of these self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were built. Two more were built with 2 cm FlaK 30 guns.
All of the Flakpanzer I guns which were released were used by the 614th flak battalion, which fought on the Eastern Front at Stalingrad. The guns were often used for direct fire support for ground troops, firing against ground targets.

One of their flaws was that trajectory calculation was cumbersome. In order to compensate for this, folding metal sides were added, but they did not do much to remedy the situation. Therefore, attacking ground targets required 5 people, but anti-aircraft fire required a crew of 8. The anti-aircraft vehicle was protected by nothing but its front armor. Most of the ammunition was placed in a specially designed Sd.Ah.51 trailer. Communication between vehicles was carried out using signal flags, since the radio equipment had been dismantled.
The vehicle's biggest advantage was that the 20 mm anti-aircraft guns could be dismantled and installed on a platform towed behind the vehicle. These dismantling and installation procedures took 4 and 6 minutes, respectively.

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.IV E

2019-06-01T16:21:45Z

U35111552: Small corrections to penetration of AP round due to 1.85's ammo standardization. Added con of bad HEAT postpen.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_E}}

==Description==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IVE.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage.]]
{{break}}
The '''{{specs|name}}''' ('''Panzer IV E''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

In the game, compared to the previous modification [[Pz.IV C]], E modification is mostly an armour upgrade - front lower plate is now 50 mm thick, side and rear armour have been increased by 5mm. Plus, the front and side armour have additional armour plates installed on them. Commander's cupola got thicker as well. Gun remains the same, short 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24. Another notable thing is the availability of a new improved Hl.Gr.38C HEAT ammunition, with higher armour penetration.

Mobility got improved as well - top speed has been raised from 35 kph to 43 kph. Reverse speed has been slightly raised too (from about 6 kph to 8 kph).

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 + 30 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (72°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (14°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 20 + 20 mm || 20 mm || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm ''Turret front'' 35 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 20 mm || 20 mm || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Upper front armour (30 mm) is enhanced by added 30 mm plate, making it 60 mm thick total, with small areas with only 30 mm.
* Side armour is also enhanced by added armour plates as well, 40 mm thick total.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
* Hull underside right above tracks is only 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armour weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 21.0 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 48 (AB)
|-
|43 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|22.14
|27.24
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.62
|14.28
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 37 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 37]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 80 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.33 || 18.45 || 22.40 || 24.77 || 26.35
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.33 || 9.80 || 11.90 || 13.16 || 14.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 4.29 || 3.79 || 3.49 || 3.3
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| K.Gr.rot Pz. || APCBC || 52 || 50 || 45 || 38 || 34 || 30
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38C || HEAT || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| K.Gr.rot Pz. || APCBC || 385 || 6.8 || 1.3 || 15.0 || 80 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.6 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38C || HEAT || 450 || 4.8 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 875.5 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 420 || 5.7 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| K.Gr.Rot Nb. || 423 || 6.8 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''80''' || 72 ''(+8)'' || 63 ''(+17)'' || 54 ''(+26)'' || 45 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+44)'' || 27 ''(+53)'' || 18 ''(+62)'' || 9 ''(+71)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,700 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

The gun is very powerful, with a great rate of fire, and with HEAT shells, can one-shot most of its opponents. While being able to penetrate most of your opponent's frontal armour, you are a lot more effective when the enemy doesn't see you as your armour is not the greatest. Pz.IV E is often capable of annihilating an enemy vehicle with a single AP shell, regardless of the angle of the enemy's armour. It has a fair amount of armour as well, however, due to the lack of an actual slope it may seem considerably more fragile than some Soviet vehicles when facing AP shells.

Against most threats, it is often wiser to close in with the enemy vehicle, to make targeting the weakest areas possible, increasing the chance of successful penetration. When engaging vehicles at close range, it is, for example, a good idea to count on the slower turret speed of the Soviet machines, allowing the player to circle around them with ease and deliver devastating shots. Bear in mind that while this tank can easily obliterate any vehicle at its own BR, against higher rank enemies the relatively poor penetration of the gun and very slow shell travel speed can become a problem. However, take note that your standard AP round can still penetrate most tanks you face at BR 2.0 but take HEAT rounds for the more heavily armoured tanks (Such as the Valentine and Matilda II). An advisable approach to play the Pz.Kpfw Ausf. E is to attack the enemy's flanks and avoid direct encounters with enemy vehicles.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Powerful gun
* Gun is devastating to lightly armoured vehicles
* Excellent gun depression
* Access to improved HlGr 38C HEAT ammo, which has enhanced penetration and can hull break most lighter enemies, particularly BT-5/7 that Russia spams out.
* Good mobility
* Has access to smoke shells

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turret armour
* The starting shells lack penetration
* Gun lacks penetration at longer ranges
* Low-velocity gun
* Commander's cupola is huge and easy to hit
* Postpen of HEAT is currently not all that great below 120mm caliber.

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Pz.Kpfw. IV's''' creation, like its predecessor the [[Pz.III E|Pz.Kpfw. III]], was devised by Heinz Guderian, where he envisioned a support tank to be used to handle anti-tank guns and fortifications. The Panzer IV was to work alongside the more numerable Panzer III in Panzer Divisions (three company of IIIs and one of IVs) to engage the enemy, giving the role of fighting enemy armoured forces to the Panzer IIIs. As a support tank, the tank was to have the short 75 mm Howitzer as its main armament and have a weight limit of 24 tons. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig worked on the development of the tanks, but the Krupp's model was selected for further testing.

The chosen model from Krupp once finished used a leaf-spring double-bogie system for its suspension, doing away the proposed interleaved or torsion bar suspension system earlier devised for the sake of faster production. The vehicle held five crew members, the commander, gunner, loader, radio operator (and hull machine gunner), and driver. Though it looked symmetrical, the Panzer IV turret was actually offset to the left of the chassis centre line a bit while the engine was also offset to the right, this was to allow the torque shaft to turn the turret. The offset also meant that most of the ammo is held on the right side of the tank in storage areas. The Panzer IV was then accepted into service and production began in 1936.

===Panzer IV Ausf. E===
After the Battle of Poland and France, the deficiencies of the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV Ausf. C]] saw it being upgraded on October 1940 to the '''Panzer IV Ausf. E'''. Still retaining the KwK 37 L/24 75 mm howitzer gun, but with an upgrade to 50 mm thick, with the original 20 mm glacis plus a 30 mm steel plate bolted onto the glacis as improvised protection. The commander cupola was moved slightly forward to accommodate the new storage bin on the back of the turrets from that model on.

Despite that, the Ausf. E was soon taken over by a new variant in production in April 1941, the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV Ausf. F]]. Though, the Ausf. E saw service alongside it in Operation Barbarossa, but was soon found to be terribly outgunned by the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks. It was replaced from front-line service with the Ausf. F variant.

=== In-game description ===
A modification of the Pz.Kpfw IV medium tank that took into account all the flaws that had previously come to light. The armor plating was enhanced, the front of the body was now covered by additional 30 mm plates, and the sides — by 20 mm plates. The tank now weighed 21 tons. A new model of tracks was also used that had a width of 400 mm rather than the old 360 mm tracks.
The tanks of this series were released between September, 1940 and April, 1941. 223 tanks were produced.

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
===Skins and camouflages===
Links for [[Custom_skins|custom camouflages]]:

*[http://live.warthunder.com/?q=%23pziv_e Link to all "Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. E"]

====Top six downloaded skins from live.warthunder.com====

* [http://live.warthunder.com/post/141375/ Pzkpfw. IV Ausf. E "61" 20. Pz.Div. [Russia 1941]]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Pz.IV C

2019-06-01T16:17:46Z

U35111552: Changed armor descriptor from "Good" to "Decent" due to new additions and alterations to American, British, and French vehicles.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_IV_ausf_C}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IVC.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''Panzer IV C''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 12 mm (72°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (14°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm || 15 mm || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm ''Turret front'' 30 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm || 15 mm || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.
* Hull underside right above tracks is only 5 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armour weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 19.2 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 39 (AB)
|-
|35 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|24.22
|29.79
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.80
|15.62
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 37 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK 37]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 80 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 8.30 || 11.53 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.30 || 9.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 4.29 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| K.Gr.rot Pz. || APCBC || 52 || 50 || 45 || 39 || 34 || 30
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| K.Gr.rot Pz. || APCBC || 385 || 6.8 || 1.3 || 15.0 || 80 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Hl.Gr. 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.6 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || +0° || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 420 || 5.7 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| K.Gr.Rot Nb. || 423 || 6.8 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IVC.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Panzer IV C.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''80''' || 72 ''(+8)'' || 63 ''(+17)'' || 54 ''(+26)'' || 45 ''(+35)'' || 36 ''(+44)'' || 27 ''(+53)'' || 18 ''(+62)'' || 9 ''(+71)'' || 1 ''(+79)'' || style="text-align:left" | no
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,400 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Panzer IV Ausf. C is a fine tank in Rank I due to its high powered yet low-velocity cannon. It is often capable of annihilating an enemy vehicle with a single HE or HEAT shell, regardless of the angle of the enemy's armour. It has a fair amount of armour, however, due to the lack of an actual slope, it may seem considerably more fragile than some Soviet vehicles when facing AP shells. Against Rank I, it is often wiser to close in with the enemy vehicle, counting on the slower turret speed of the Soviet machines, allowing the player to circle around them with ease and deliver devastating shots. Bear in mind that while this tank can easily obliterate any vehicle at its own BR, against higher rank enemies the relatively poor penetration of the gun and very slow shell travel speed can become a problem. Avoiding direct encounters, and using flanking maneuvers is advisable.

Regarding gameplay, the "Panzer Kampfwagen IV Ausführung C" can be a difficult tank to use. The reason is that while armour and speed are comparable with other tanks of its rank, the gun clearly shows its roots as an infantry support weapon, not designed to fight other tanks. With its low muzzle velocity and low penetration values of basic ammunition, compared to 37 mm and 45 mm guns of the Ausf.C’s opposition. Like in the same tree with the [[Pz.38(t)_A|Panzer 38(t)]], it offers similar armour and speed, too.d

However, with HEAT ammunition and a skilled player, the Ausf.C can be a great tank. HEAT ammo is difficult to aim due to its very low muzzle velocity, but its superb penetration, unmatched by anything in its rank, renders any enemy armour protection useless. Coupled with fast reload times, the Ausf.C can be a surprisingly effective frontline brawler, crippling or destroying enemy tanks regardless of their armour protection. In this role, it’s essential to dispatch the enemy before they can fire – the flat armour cannot protect the Panzer IV against anything at point-blank range.

If preferring a safer playstyle, it can lob HEAT shells from afar – this is difficult task to do, but as HEAT ammo does not lose penetration over distance, the Panzer IV C can destroy targets afar as well as up close and the armour may bounce a hit or two from longer distances. Engaging moving targets is however very challenging.

Despite its low penetration, it's actually not that bad. The statistics may indicate low penetration but remember. The Panzer IV C is at a battle rating of 1.3, it can penetrate actually pretty much everything it meets with normal AP shells. Also, the 75 mm has a very fast rate of fire. The gun size is also fantastic and there are frequent knock-outs with one shot. Don't worry about T-50s, T-126s, and other thicker-armored early French tanks, the gun can pen all of them with either round at its disposal.

Overall, the Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C suffers from its roots as an infantry support tank and many players will avoid it, but if willing to take up the challenge, one could put the HEAT shells to good use and achieve great results. Further research then levels up to another part of the Pz.Kpfw.IV line – the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV '''Ausf. E''']], sporting additional armour and improved HEAT rounds with 100 mm of penetration.

===Modules===
'''1) Parts and Turret Drive:''' the tank is quite robust but some parts are very fragile;- turret can get jammed, and front mounted transmission can get hit. 
'''2) Fire Extinguisher and HEAT:''' HEAT for use against more heavily armoured tanks. Fire extinguisher to improve the suitability, and/or to extinguish engine fires. 
'''3) Other gun enhancing modifications:''' then the remaining modifications.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Decent armour
* Very potent main armament
* Rapid fire
* Smooth gear changes
* Good mobility
* Spacious fighting compartment

'''Cons:'''

* Frontal armour is thin
* No slope of armour reduces its effectiveness
* Gun has low muzzle velocity of 385-450m/s, thus giving it high drop which makes hitting moving targets very hard.
* Turret cheeks can be penned easily

== History ==


===Development===
The '''Pz.Kpfw. IV's''' creation, like its predecessor the [[Pz.III E|Pz.Kpfw. III]], was devised by Heinz Guderian, where he envisioned a support tank to be used to handle anti-tank guns and fortifications. The Panzer IV was to work alongside the more numerable Panzer III in Panzer Divisions (three company of IIIs and one of IVs) to engage the enemy, giving the role of fighting enemy armoured forces to the Panzer IIIs. As a support tank, the tank was to have the short 75 mm howiter as its main armament and have a weight limit of 24 tons. MAN, Krupp, and Rheinmetall-Borsig worked on the development of the tanks, but the Krupp's model was selected for further testing.

The chosen model from Krupp once finished used a leaf-spring double-bogie system for its suspension, doing away the proposed interleaved or torsion bar suspension system earlier devised for the sake of faster production. The vehicle held five crew members, the commander, gunner, loader, radio operator (and hull machine gunner), and driver. Though it looked symmetrical, the Panzer IV turret was actually offset to the left of the chassis centre line a bit while the engine was also offset to the right, this was to allow the torque shaft to turn the turret. The offset also meant that most of the ammo is held on the right side of the tank in storage areas. The Panzer IV was then accepted into service and production began in 1936.

===Panzer IV Ausf. C===
The initial Ausf. A variant of the Panzer IV had armour only about 14 mm, enough to stop small arms fire. It quickly moved on to the Ausf. B with a more powerful engine and transmission, and more armour to 30 mm thick. Then the '''Panzer IV Ausf. C''', introduced in 1938, showed up with a better engine and slightly more armour on the turret to 30 mm. The Ausf. C ended with the Panzer IV with the KwK 37 L/24 75 mm howitzer gun that was capable of penetrating 43 mm of armour with armour-piercing rounds. The tank weighed 18 tons in this variant.

The early variant of the Panzer IV Ausf. C and Ausf. D (has 20 mm side armour) saw combat in Poland and France, where its light armour and gun had difficulty against the British [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] and French Char B1 tanks. A 50 mm Pak 38 cannon was tested on the Ausf. D in response to the threat, but the swift victory of the French campaign ended these tests.

After the initial stages of World War II, the Panzer IV Ausf. C saw further upgrades to its later variants. Its next variant, made in October 1940, was the [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV Ausf. E]].

=== In-game description ===
The Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf. C was the first Pz. IV variant to undergo relatively large-scale production. The tanks were produced from September 1938 to August 1939 in factories belonging to the company Krupp-Gruson. Beginning with the 40th tank to be produced, a Maybach HL 120TRM engine with 265 hp was used. This variant of tank had a specially reinforced stop under the gun barrel which reclined the radio antenna out of the way when the turret was rotated. The coaxial machine gun was fitted with an armored casing. This variant included a new 6-speed gearbox. The vehicle's speed was increased to 40 kph. Its forward armor was 16 mm thick. The tank commander received a new commander's cupola. Ausf. C tanks had a modified engine installation and an improved turret rotating ring. On Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C vehicles, the radio operator did not have a directional machine gun but an observation slit and pistol porthole instead.

As a result of these improvements, the vehicle's reliability and ease of manufacturing were improved.
140 units were produced in all.

This variant of tank participated in every operation during the first part of World War II.

The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C's disadvantages became evident immediately after the attack on the USSR. The width of the tank tread did not provide adequate cross-country ability over soft terrain and snow-covered surfaces. The short-barreled 7,5 cm KwK 37 L/24 gun, with a muzzle velocity of 385 m/s for an armor-piercing projectile, was completely ineffective against heavily armored tanks like the British Matilda and the Soviet KV and T-34.

The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. C tank fought in combat operations until 1943.

== Media ==

Links for [[Custom_skins|custom camouflages]]:

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pz_iv General link to all Pz.4 on live.warthunder]
*[http://live.warthunder.com/?q=%23pz_iv_c Kink to all "#pz_iv_c" on live.warthunder]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2901/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> PzKpfw IV Ausf.C]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

15cm sIG 33 B Sfl

2019-06-01T16:09:27Z

U35111552: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sturmpanzer_II}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. Based on the Panzer II chassis, it mounted a 150 millimeter cannon and was used during the North African campaign.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop High Velocity or High Penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.

Despite having very little armor, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before being destroyed. However, it is hull-breakable against 75mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HEAT capability.

=== Mobility ===

The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45 kph, but due to the low Power/Weight ratio of 17.04 hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to 8.4 kph.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SIG 33 (150 mm)}}

The Sturmpanzer II mounts an S.I.G. 33 Infantry Support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.

The J.Gr.38 HE shell penetrates 65 mm against vertical armour and 60 mm against armour sloped back 60 degrees from vertical (30 degrees from horizontal), due to it having similar mechanics to naval Guns of the same calibre. The 8.6 kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a follow-up shot is guaranteed.

- Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even one-shot top rank tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell penetrates 185 mm against vertical armor and still has a 4.16 kg TNT equivalent of explosives behind it, giving it effectively 40-45 mm penetration from the explosion splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates of the game, 120mm and larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top rank vehicles - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.

== Usage in battles ==


The Sturmpanzer has no air defence weapons, so sticking with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a good idea. If you want to close range brawl with low tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea since the long reload will cause you trouble if you get swarmed by lots of tanks. It has the capability to knock out much higher BR tank, so if you're uptiered, it's not the end of the world. However shoot before your opponent shoots, because if you come across a higher tier tank, you will be eliminated almost instantaneously. The best thing to do is to fire, then fall back to reload in a safe haven.

Due to the huge HE splash ability and sheer caliber of the gun, it can even be used to hull break high tier IFVs - BMP-1s at 7.3 are especially common to encounter. It does the same thing to BMP-2s, M3 Bradleys, Warriors, Centauros, and many other vehicles. The HE splash, however, is strong enough that it can oneshot the light but non-hull-breakable vehicles such as the M41A1 Bulldog, any AMX-13 variation, Crusaders in lower ranks, and many others. Purposely uptiering it can be a very effective way to earn Silver Lions with the "God Mode!" award - killing something 5 BR ranks higher (BR 7.0+) than you which nets 20,000 Silver Lions.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank can eliminate most modules or crew members of a tank in one well aimed shot, if not destroying it
* Can survive hits it will take from rank 1 tanks
* Can make a fair turn at speed when driving along
* Low profile and small front make it easy to hide and easy to camouflage with bushes

'''Cons:'''

* Reload means it is inadequate for close-range combat without allied support
* HE and HEAT are both stopped by various soft debris found on most maps such as fences, concrete blocks, brick walls, wood objects, etc.
* Open-topped and very vulnerable to aircraft as a result

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

15cm sIG 33 B Sfl

2019-06-01T16:01:50Z

U35111552: /* Pros and cons */ Added bit on low profile of tank and how it can be purposely uptiered to oneshot various IFVs.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sturmpanzer_II}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]]. Based on the Panzer II chassis, it mounted a 150 millimeter cannon and was used during the North African campaign.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop High Velocity or High Penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.

Despite having very little armor, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before being destroyed. However, it is hull-breakable against 75mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HEAT capability.

=== Mobility ===

The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45 kph, but due to the low Power/Weight ratio of 17.04 hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to 8.4 kph.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SIG 33 (150 mm)}}

The Sturmpanzer II mounts an S.I.G. 33 Infantry Support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.

The J.Gr.38 HE shell penetrates 65 mm against vertical armour and 60 mm against armour sloped back 60 degrees from vertical (30 degrees from horizontal), due to it having similar mechanics to naval Guns of the same calibre. The 8.6 kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a follow-up shot is guaranteed.

- Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even one-shot top rank tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell penetrates 185 mm against vertical armor and still has a 4.16 kg TNT equivalent of explosives behind it, giving it effectively 40-45 mm penetration from the explosion splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates of the game, 120mm and larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top rank vehicles - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.

== Usage in battles ==


The Sturmpanzer has no air defence weapons, so sticking with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a good idea. If you want to close range brawl with low tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea since the long reload will cause you trouble if you get swarmed by lots of tanks. It has the capability to knock out much higher BR tank, so if you're uptiered, it's not the end of the world. However shoot before your opponent shoots, because if you come across a higher tier tank, you will be eliminated almost instantaneously. The best thing to do is to fire, then fall back to reload in a safe haven.

Due to the huge HE splash ability and sheer caliber of the gun, it can even be used to hull break high tier IFVs - BMP-1s at 7.3 are especially common to encounter. It does the same thing to BMP-2s, M3 Bradleys, Warriors, Centauros, and many other vehicles. The HE splash, however, is strong enough that it can oneshot the light but non-hull-breakable vehicles such as the M41A1 Bulldog, any AMX-13 variation, Crusaders in lower ranks, and many others. Purposely uptiering it can be a very effective way to earn Silver Lions with the "God Mode!" award - killing something 5 BR ranks higher than you which nets 20,000 Silver Lions.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank can eliminate most modules or crew members of a tank in one well aimed shot, if not destroying it
* Can survive hits it will take from rank 1 tanks
* Can make a fair turn at speed when driving along
* Low profile and small front make it easy to hide and easy to camouflage with bushes

'''Cons:'''

* Reload means it is inadequate for close-range combat without allied support
* HE and HEAT are both stopped by various soft debris found on most maps such as fences, concrete blocks, brick walls, wood objects, etc.
* Open-topped and very vulnerable to aircraft as a result

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Pz.II F

2019-05-16T12:52:35Z

U35111552: Filled in empty page on Panzer II F

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_II_ausf_F}}

== Description ==
The Panzer II F is a Rank I German Light Tank at BR 1.3. Performance is similar to other low tier German tanks, but the gun makes it stand out. With careful use, it is easily one of the best low-tier German tanks, but due to slow turret traverse and long reload between belts, it is just as easy to fail in.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The Panzer II F is slightly less protected than the Panzer II C coming before it, with 30mm front plating on its turret & hull instead of the 35mm on its predecessor. It still has three crew, so it is easy to oneshot-KO with most ammo types.

=== Mobility ===
Mobility is identical to the Panzer II C, they use the same engine, transmission, and weigh almost the exact same.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun.''

The chief difference between the Panzer II F and its predecessor is the gun. The II F uses the 20mm KwK38, which has almost double the fire rate compared to the KwK30 of its predecessor. The clip size is still the same as before - just ten shots. The reload is also identical, so while it is tempting to "spray-n-pray," it is more practical to use it like you would an autoloading tank at higher tiers. Also, when all SPAAG got their antitank belts halved or more in effectiveness, the Panzer IIs were spared this nerf, so you do not have to worry about changing ammunition performance with every shot, which makes the "autoloader-like" playstyle more attractive, unlike similar-BR Italian Tanks using 20mm autocannons, the [[AB41]] and [[L6/40]].

The belts used by this cannon are as follows:

* Default belt is 50% AP-IT and 50% HEFI-T
* Unlockable full AP-IT belt with 46mm pen
* Unlockable full HVAP-T belt with 64mm pen

=== Machine guns ===
Just like its predecessor, this tank has one coaxial 7.92mm MG34. Due to slow turret traverse common to most lower-tier German tanks, this is not a very practical weapon.

== Usage in the battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

This tank is similar to the Panzer II C - an average light tank for lower ranks with decent armor and decent mobility, but a very potent cannon. It does not like sloped armor well due to poor normalization of APCR rounds. The higher rate of fire is actually quite punishing, since it means that the normal player is spraying-and-praying and reloading more often. If used like an autoloader tank from higher ranks, however, it is actually somewhat clubby. Do not get overconfident in this tank just because your gun shoots fast and pens a lot - APCR postpen damage is not great. Furthermore, the slightly higher BR of 1.3 means it can see the insanely clubby B1 ter that it cannot pen reliably from the front OR the side even with the APCR belt.

Furthermore, poor turret traverse means that the tank can easily be outmaneuvered by a Stuart or BT. This relative difference is the same in both AB and RB/SB.

Find a good position, be patient, and double-check before moving in. If you wish to brawl, have others covering your flanks to mitigate slow turret traverse.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Great penetration for tier with 64mm pen APCR belt
* Amazing fire rate for tier, identical to the Flak38 cannon
* Decent and very trolly armor for tier against the inadequate low-end French or Japanese cannons
* Low-ish profile
* Distinctive shape means friendly fire in Simulator is unlikely.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Only three crew makes it easy to take out
* Sometimes lacking postpen damage against anything larger than reserves.
* Long-ish reload for tier of 7.4 seconds between belts can be very punishing if you spray-n-pray
* Slow turret traverse makes it unsuited to brawling
* Many other tanks at its tier easily outspeed and out-shoot it

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.II C

2019-05-15T20:51:00Z

U35111552: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_II_ausf_C}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Pz.II C is a vehicle that fits well in any line-up using low-rank German tanks. The first of its column in the German tech tree, the Pz.II C can be distinguished from the later [[Pz.II F|Ausf. F]] model by its heavier frontal armour. A distinguishing feature for this series of Panzer II is the trademark 20 mm automatic cannon, which can be a curse to new users or a gift to players who know how to use the vehicle well. This autocannon can give several misconceptions on the Pz.II's utilities that can lure players into assuming it is a close quarters vehicle. The reality is much different - at close ranges, the 20 mm autocannon with its 280 round per minute (RPM) rate of fire and ''PzGr.40'' APCR ammo can have great effect on a single target, but the reload time and 10 round-capacity per magazine can backfire hard if the Pz.II C faces against more tanks than a single magazine can deal with.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Pz.II C has (on the surface) decent frontal armour, with 35 mm for the front plate with a section of heavily sloped 30 mm armour on the glacis, then a sloped lower glacis that has 35 mm as well. The side, rear, and hull roof armour are a paltry 15 mm, including the turret sides. The front turret face is 30 mm that do not overlap with the 30 mm thick gun mantlet well, so it will be rare, if not impossible, for a chance at relying on a 60 mm overlapping area to deflect rounds.

Generally speaking, the Pz.II C does not have enough armour to defend itself unless fighting from an extreme range (which most early-ranked tanks can't reasonably do well), facing SPAA vehicles that are only using high-explosive shells, or facing against some early-ranked French tanks.

Put shortly - do everything to ensure that the Pz.II C does not get hit, because even one well placed shot in the crew compartment will likely knock the Pz.II C out.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 30 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (36°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 15 mm || 15 mm || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (9-74°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (5-52°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (20-46°) || 15 mm (16-22°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 10 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

Mobility-wise, the Pz.II C is actually better than most of its peers, but the [[BT-5|BT]] series tanks and [[M3 Stuart]]s will still outpace the Pz.II C quite easily. Regardless, the Pz.II C can get around the battlefield quite respectably, and the vehicle's power to weight ratio makes it easy for the Pz.II C to go up steep inclines than larger, heavier vehicles. However, Pz.II C is not going to outrun a pursuing enemy team, so locating good cover is immensely useful for the Pz.II C's survival.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 9.1 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 49 (AB)
|-
|44 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|217
|267
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|124
|140
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|23.85
|29.34
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.63
|15.38
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 30 (20 mm)}}

The main armament of the Pz.II C is the 20 mm KwK 30 automatic cannon.

With the ability to access APCR capable of penetrating 64 mm at point blank range, combined with its magazine-loaded rapid fire, the 20 mm can puncture through most enemy armour at this battle rating range like it is fabric.

The biggest problem with the 20 mm autocannon is the 10 round magazines combined with a 7.4 stock reload time, meaning that the tank may successfully take out two or three enemy tanks with controlled bursts, but is likely to be taken out during the reload. Another problem to consider is in the powerful APCR ammunition, in that its impressive penetration statistics can make the gun reach out to about 200-300 meters, but the penetrative power drop off rapidly after that due to velocity drop, even more so than the standard ''PzGr.'' round.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK 30]]
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="2" | 150 (10) || 280 || -9°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.30 || 9.80 || 11.9 || 13.2 || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.80 || 6.9 || 6.36 || 6.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 35 || 33 || 26 || 18 || 13 || 9
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 64 || 63 || 26 || 8 || 3 || 1
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 780 || 0.15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 1050 || 0.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 900 || 0.11 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 10.2 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=====Belt types=====
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Belts''' || '''Shell composition''' || '''Combat usage'''
|-
| align="left" |'''''Default ''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]], [[:Category:Ammunition#Cannon_shells|HEFI-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer – High Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | The belt composition means that 50% of the shells (HEFI-T) are useless against tanks while the other 50% (API-T) is nearly useless against planes. However, this belt is reliable against open-topped or thin-skinned vehicles like SPAA vehicles. Since there are no dedicated high-explosive shells for the selection, having one belt of this in reserve does not hurt for those situations.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | This belt offers a good transition from the ''Default'' to the ''PzGr 40'' APCR belt. The round offers decent use and damage against lightly armored tanks, especially at close range. Due to lack of high-explosive filler however, it is better to focus on the ''PzGr 40'' belt to maximize penetration power.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr 40''''' || align="left" | HVAP-T (High Velocity Armour Piercing tracer) shell || align="left" | Probably the best belt with the best penetrating shell for the vehicle. While the damage effects post-penetration can be quite poor, the rapid fire from the autocannon can mitigate this problem by following up quickly with another penetrating shot. In close combat, these shells should be used against modules and crew member to make the most of each shell. Against angled armor, however, the APCR ammo may not be very effective, just like any other APCR shell. Unlike the Flakpanzer 1 and Flakpanzer 38, this belt is still 100% APCR.
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''15''' || 8 ''(+7)'' || 1 ''(+14)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

Mounted opposite to the 20 mm autocannon is the MG 34, which is loaded with a 50 round belt with an AP-I/AP-I/AP-T ammo pattern. With 13 mm of maximum penetration at point blank range, this gun's 800 RPM rate of fire will make short work of unarmoured vehicles like truck-based SPAA, as well as exposed enemy crewmen.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

The main key to success with this vehicle is to drive aggressively, trying to take shots at relatively close range (100-300 meters or even less). Aim for the enemy's weak spots such as modules and crew members. Go for flank or rear shots in order to make the most of the 20 mm close-range penetration power on the enemy's thinner armour plates.

When positioning the Pz.II C, try to use the terrain to remain hull down so that a quick reverse can mask the hull. With this position, the Pz.II C can quickly scoot forward and fire off a few quick shots before reversing to a safe position away from enemy fire. Keep this in mind when attempting to ambush the enemy in an open arena with little cover, as cover and concealment are more reliable in disrupting enemy return fire accuracy than the Pz.II's thin armour.

Alternatively, the Pz.II C can be played as a support vehicle, a second line tank to say the least, to assist more armoured allies when pushing the cap. Use short bursts (2-4 rounds ideally) to disable enemy vehicles by targeting weak points like their transmission or turret crew, then use the remaining ammo to take out the rest of the enemy crew, or let friendly tankers take them out for assists. The Pz.II C lacks the mobility to disengage and run from tanks like the M3 Stuarts or BT series tanks, but if their transmission, driver, or tracks are taken out, they will be temporarily immobilized and the Pz.II C player has bought themselves time to scurry back to friendly lines, where more powerful guns and numbers can be brought to counter the enemy.

Also, as a light tank with decent speed and low profile, the Pz.II C can act as a spotter (unfortunately without the use of the [[Scouting|scout]] mechanics) to locate enemy tanks for allies to prioritize and hit with guns, artillery, or airstrikes.

The biggest threat to the Pz.II C on the battlefield are tanks that have very good armour and firepower at the expense of their mobility. The [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine]], [[FCM.36]], and [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] are examples of tanks that will easily deflect even 20 mm ''PzGr 40'' shots, either due to their impressive frontal hull and turret armour, or just because they are so slow that the Pz.II C will engage them at ranges that render the shell penetration power ineffective. If one of these tanks are spotted trundling along in the distance, do not bother taking the shot because the 20 mm are unlikely able to do even cosmetic damages, while at the same time drawing their attention and revealing the Pz.II C's position due to the shell tracers.

Generally speaking, if the target is about the size of a coin when looking at it on max zoom in the gunner's sight, it is too far for effective fire and should not be engaged.

A more advanced method of playing this is to use it like an autoloading gun from higher BRs - fire only one or two shots per click at a given time. This helps avoid spraying uselessly at bigger, more stubborn targets.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Good armour on the front
* Autocannon provides better damage than most guns of its rank due to ability to fire in quick succession
* Fast, very agile
* Very good on urban-based maps, small width can maneuvre through narrow passages
* Low Profile
* In Simulator, Friendly Fire less likely due to very obvious shape and profile not shared by much of anything else

'''Cons:'''

* Poor penetration when not using HVAP-T rounds
* 20 mm autocannon is lacking at ranged shootouts
* Magazine-loaded armament means there are lengthy and vulnerable downtime for reloads
* Only three crew members
* Top speed is slower than the fastest tank encountered, which are common opponents
* Relatively cramped interior make it easy for tank to be knocked out in one shot, as shot can hit crew, fuel, or ammo

== History ==

===Development===
In 1934, the development of the new German tanks, which would be the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]], was falling behind schedule despite an urgent need for tanks. As a stopgap solution until the designs were finalized, the Germany Army submitted a request for a new tank, giving the responsibility of designing to Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz. The product was a design based off the German Panzer I light tank, but was larger with the addition of an extra bogie wheel and had a 20 mm autocannon as its main armament. The finished tank was designated the '''Panzer II''' and production was to start in 1935, but tank deliveries did not start until 18 months later. At this time, it was in a low rate production status by 1936. By the time the Panzer II reached the '''Ausf. C''' designation, it was fitted with an improved suspension system to support the tank's weight. The changes included five larger wheels attached to new leaf springs. In 1937, the Ausf. C entered full production with MAN and other manufacturers. Over 1,600 Panzer II light tanks were produced between 1937 to 1942.

===Combat usage===
The Panzer II would serve in the initial stages of World War II in the Poland, France, North African Campaign, and Operation Barbarossa as Germany's most numerous tank (By May 1940, there were about a thousand Panzer Is and IIs, but only 381 Panzer III and 290 Panzer IVs). By 1941, it was clear that the Panzer II was starting to become obsolete. With increasing quantity of Panzer IIIs and IVs, the Panzer II was relegated to reconnaissance duties. By 1942, it was largely removed from front lines and production ceased by 1943. The turrets of these tanks were repurposed for use on defensive bunkers on the Atlantic Wall, and the chassis continued in service for other roles, such as a self-propelled gun and tank destroyer in the ''Wespe'' and ''Marder II'' respectively.

Early in the war during the Poland and French Campaigns, the Panzer II Ausf. C's armour was deemed inadequate as every anti-tank weapon in service at the time could penetrate the armour. The German response was to increase the armour, first with a front armour increase to 30 mm on the Ausf. D, then ending with a 35 mm front armour and 20 mm side armour on the [[Pz.II F|Panzer II Ausf. F]].

== Media ==

== Live.Warthunder ==
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23Pz_II_c '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Panzer II C from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==

* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2778/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> PzKpfw II Ausf C/F and DAK]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany light tanks}}

Pz.II C

2019-05-15T20:50:14Z

U35111552: /* Usage in the battles */ Added another alternative playstyle of using the PzII like one would use an autoloading tank from higher tier.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_II_ausf_C}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Pz.II C is a vehicle that fits well in any line-up using low-rank German tanks. The first of its column in the German tech tree, the Pz.II C can be distinguished from the later [[Pz.II F|Ausf. F]] model by its heavier frontal armour. A distinguishing feature for this series of Panzer II is the trademark 20 mm automatic cannon, which can be a curse to new users or a gift to players who know how to use the vehicle well. This autocannon can give several misconceptions on the Pz.II's utilities that can lure players into assuming it is a close quarters vehicle. The reality is much different - at close ranges, the 20 mm autocannon with its 280 round per minute (RPM) rate of fire and ''PzGr.40'' APCR ammo can have great effect on a single target, but the reload time and 10 round-capacity per magazine can backfire hard if the Pz.II C faces against more tanks than a single magazine can deal with.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Pz.II C has (on the surface) decent frontal armour, with 35 mm for the front plate with a section of heavily sloped 30 mm armour on the glacis, then a sloped lower glacis that has 35 mm as well. The side, rear, and hull roof armour are a paltry 15 mm, including the turret sides. The front turret face is 30 mm that do not overlap with the 30 mm thick gun mantlet well, so it will be rare, if not impossible, for a chance at relying on a 60 mm overlapping area to deflect rounds.

Generally speaking, the Pz.II C does not have enough armour to defend itself unless fighting from an extreme range (which most early-ranked tanks can't reasonably do well), facing SPAA vehicles that are only using high-explosive shells, or facing against some early-ranked French tanks.

Put shortly - do everything to ensure that the Pz.II C does not get hit, because even one well placed shot in the crew compartment will likely knock the Pz.II C out.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 30 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (36°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 15 mm || 15 mm || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (9-74°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (5-52°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (20-46°) || 15 mm (16-22°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 10 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

Mobility-wise, the Pz.II C is actually better than most of its peers, but the [[BT-5|BT]] series tanks and [[M3 Stuart]]s will still outpace the Pz.II C quite easily. Regardless, the Pz.II C can get around the battlefield quite respectably, and the vehicle's power to weight ratio makes it easy for the Pz.II C to go up steep inclines than larger, heavier vehicles. However, Pz.II C is not going to outrun a pursuing enemy team, so locating good cover is immensely useful for the Pz.II C's survival.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 9.1 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 49 (AB)
|-
|44 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|217
|267
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|124
|140
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|23.85
|29.34
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.63
|15.38
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 30 (20 mm)}}

The main armament of the Pz.II C is the 20 mm KwK 30 automatic cannon.

With the ability to access APCR capable of penetrating 64 mm at point blank range, combined with its magazine-loaded rapid fire, the 20 mm can puncture through most enemy armour at this battle rating range like it is fabric.

The biggest problem with the 20 mm autocannon is the 10 round magazines combined with a 7.4 stock reload time, meaning that the tank may successfully take out two or three enemy tanks with controlled bursts, but is likely to be taken out during the reload. Another problem to consider is in the powerful APCR ammunition, in that its impressive penetration statistics can make the gun reach out to about 200-300 meters, but the penetrative power drop off rapidly after that due to velocity drop, even more so than the standard ''PzGr.'' round.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK 30]]
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="2" | 150 (10) || 280 || -9°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.30 || 9.80 || 11.9 || 13.2 || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.80 || 6.9 || 6.36 || 6.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 35 || 33 || 26 || 18 || 13 || 9
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 64 || 63 || 26 || 8 || 3 || 1
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 780 || 0.15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 1050 || 0.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 900 || 0.11 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 10.2 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=====Belt types=====
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Belts''' || '''Shell composition''' || '''Combat usage'''
|-
| align="left" |'''''Default ''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]], [[:Category:Ammunition#Cannon_shells|HEFI-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer – High Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | The belt composition means that 50% of the shells (HEFI-T) are useless against tanks while the other 50% (API-T) is nearly useless against planes. However, this belt is reliable against open-topped or thin-skinned vehicles like SPAA vehicles. Since there are no dedicated high-explosive shells for the selection, having one belt of this in reserve does not hurt for those situations.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | This belt offers a good transition from the ''Default'' to the ''PzGr 40'' APCR belt. The round offers decent use and damage against lightly armored tanks, especially at close range. Due to lack of high-explosive filler however, it is better to focus on the ''PzGr 40'' belt to maximize penetration power.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr 40''''' || align="left" | HVAP-T (High Velocity Armour Piercing tracer) shell || align="left" | Probably the best belt with the best penetrating shell for the vehicle. While the damage effects post-penetration can be quite poor, the rapid fire from the autocannon can mitigate this problem by following up quickly with another penetrating shot. In close combat, these shells should be used against modules and crew member to make the most of each shell. Against angled armor, however, the APCR ammo may not be very effective, just like any other APCR shell. Unlike the Flakpanzer 1 and Flakpanzer 38, this belt is still 100% APCR.
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''15''' || 8 ''(+7)'' || 1 ''(+14)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

Mounted opposite to the 20 mm autocannon is the MG 34, which is loaded with a 50 round belt with an AP-I/AP-I/AP-T ammo pattern. With 13 mm of maximum penetration at point blank range, this gun's 800 RPM rate of fire will make short work of unarmoured vehicles like truck-based SPAA, as well as exposed enemy crewmen.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

The main key to success with this vehicle is to drive aggressively, trying to take shots at relatively close range (100-300 meters or even less). Aim for the enemy's weak spots such as modules and crew members. Go for flank or rear shots in order to make the most of the 20 mm close-range penetration power on the enemy's thinner armour plates.

When positioning the Pz.II C, try to use the terrain to remain hull down so that a quick reverse can mask the hull. With this position, the Pz.II C can quickly scoot forward and fire off a few quick shots before reversing to a safe position away from enemy fire. Keep this in mind when attempting to ambush the enemy in an open arena with little cover, as cover and concealment are more reliable in disrupting enemy return fire accuracy than the Pz.II's thin armour.

Alternatively, the Pz.II C can be played as a support vehicle, a second line tank to say the least, to assist more armoured allies when pushing the cap. Use short bursts (2-4 rounds ideally) to disable enemy vehicles by targeting weak points like their transmission or turret crew, then use the remaining ammo to take out the rest of the enemy crew, or let friendly tankers take them out for assists. The Pz.II C lacks the mobility to disengage and run from tanks like the M3 Stuarts or BT series tanks, but if their transmission, driver, or tracks are taken out, they will be temporarily immobilized and the Pz.II C player has bought themselves time to scurry back to friendly lines, where more powerful guns and numbers can be brought to counter the enemy.

Also, as a light tank with decent speed and low profile, the Pz.II C can act as a spotter (unfortunately without the use of the [[Scouting|scout]] mechanics) to locate enemy tanks for allies to prioritize and hit with guns, artillery, or airstrikes.

The biggest threat to the Pz.II C on the battlefield are tanks that have very good armour and firepower at the expense of their mobility. The [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine]], [[FCM.36]], and [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] are examples of tanks that will easily deflect even 20 mm ''PzGr 40'' shots, either due to their impressive frontal hull and turret armour, or just because they are so slow that the Pz.II C will engage them at ranges that render the shell penetration power ineffective. If one of these tanks are spotted trundling along in the distance, do not bother taking the shot because the 20 mm are unlikely able to do even cosmetic damages, while at the same time drawing their attention and revealing the Pz.II C's position due to the shell tracers.

Generally speaking, if the target is about the size of a coin when looking at it on max zoom in the gunner's sight, it is too far for effective fire and should not be engaged.

A more advanced method of playing this is to use it like an autoloading gun from higher BRs - fire only one or two shots per click at a given time. This helps avoid spraying uselessly at bigger, more stubborn targets.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Good armour on the front
* Autocannon provides better damage than most guns of its rank due to ability to fire in quick succession
* Fast, very agile
* Very good on urban-based maps, small width can maneuvre through narrow passages
* Low Profile

'''Cons:'''

* Poor penetration when not using HVAP-T rounds
* 20 mm autocannon is lacking at ranged shootouts
* Magazine-loaded armament means there are lengthy and vulnerable downtime for reloads
* Only three crew members
* Top speed is slower than the fastest tank encountered, which are common opponents
* Relatively cramped interior make it easy for tank to be knocked out in one shot, as shot can hit crew, fuel, or ammo

== History ==

===Development===
In 1934, the development of the new German tanks, which would be the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]], was falling behind schedule despite an urgent need for tanks. As a stopgap solution until the designs were finalized, the Germany Army submitted a request for a new tank, giving the responsibility of designing to Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz. The product was a design based off the German Panzer I light tank, but was larger with the addition of an extra bogie wheel and had a 20 mm autocannon as its main armament. The finished tank was designated the '''Panzer II''' and production was to start in 1935, but tank deliveries did not start until 18 months later. At this time, it was in a low rate production status by 1936. By the time the Panzer II reached the '''Ausf. C''' designation, it was fitted with an improved suspension system to support the tank's weight. The changes included five larger wheels attached to new leaf springs. In 1937, the Ausf. C entered full production with MAN and other manufacturers. Over 1,600 Panzer II light tanks were produced between 1937 to 1942.

===Combat usage===
The Panzer II would serve in the initial stages of World War II in the Poland, France, North African Campaign, and Operation Barbarossa as Germany's most numerous tank (By May 1940, there were about a thousand Panzer Is and IIs, but only 381 Panzer III and 290 Panzer IVs). By 1941, it was clear that the Panzer II was starting to become obsolete. With increasing quantity of Panzer IIIs and IVs, the Panzer II was relegated to reconnaissance duties. By 1942, it was largely removed from front lines and production ceased by 1943. The turrets of these tanks were repurposed for use on defensive bunkers on the Atlantic Wall, and the chassis continued in service for other roles, such as a self-propelled gun and tank destroyer in the ''Wespe'' and ''Marder II'' respectively.

Early in the war during the Poland and French Campaigns, the Panzer II Ausf. C's armour was deemed inadequate as every anti-tank weapon in service at the time could penetrate the armour. The German response was to increase the armour, first with a front armour increase to 30 mm on the Ausf. D, then ending with a 35 mm front armour and 20 mm side armour on the [[Pz.II F|Panzer II Ausf. F]].

== Media ==

== Live.Warthunder ==
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23Pz_II_c '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Panzer II C from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==

* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2778/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> PzKpfw II Ausf C/F and DAK]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany light tanks}}

Pz.II C

2019-05-15T20:46:54Z

U35111552: /* Belt types */ Added bit on belt composition

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_II_ausf_C}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Pz.II C is a vehicle that fits well in any line-up using low-rank German tanks. The first of its column in the German tech tree, the Pz.II C can be distinguished from the later [[Pz.II F|Ausf. F]] model by its heavier frontal armour. A distinguishing feature for this series of Panzer II is the trademark 20 mm automatic cannon, which can be a curse to new users or a gift to players who know how to use the vehicle well. This autocannon can give several misconceptions on the Pz.II's utilities that can lure players into assuming it is a close quarters vehicle. The reality is much different - at close ranges, the 20 mm autocannon with its 280 round per minute (RPM) rate of fire and ''PzGr.40'' APCR ammo can have great effect on a single target, but the reload time and 10 round-capacity per magazine can backfire hard if the Pz.II C faces against more tanks than a single magazine can deal with.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Pz.II C has (on the surface) decent frontal armour, with 35 mm for the front plate with a section of heavily sloped 30 mm armour on the glacis, then a sloped lower glacis that has 35 mm as well. The side, rear, and hull roof armour are a paltry 15 mm, including the turret sides. The front turret face is 30 mm that do not overlap with the 30 mm thick gun mantlet well, so it will be rare, if not impossible, for a chance at relying on a 60 mm overlapping area to deflect rounds.

Generally speaking, the Pz.II C does not have enough armour to defend itself unless fighting from an extreme range (which most early-ranked tanks can't reasonably do well), facing SPAA vehicles that are only using high-explosive shells, or facing against some early-ranked French tanks.

Put shortly - do everything to ensure that the Pz.II C does not get hit, because even one well placed shot in the crew compartment will likely knock the Pz.II C out.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 30 mm (73°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (36°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 15 mm || 15 mm || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (9-74°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (5-52°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (20-46°) || 15 mm (16-22°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 10 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

Mobility-wise, the Pz.II C is actually better than most of its peers, but the [[BT-5|BT]] series tanks and [[M3 Stuart]]s will still outpace the Pz.II C quite easily. Regardless, the Pz.II C can get around the battlefield quite respectably, and the vehicle's power to weight ratio makes it easy for the Pz.II C to go up steep inclines than larger, heavier vehicles. However, Pz.II C is not going to outrun a pursuing enemy team, so locating good cover is immensely useful for the Pz.II C's survival.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 9.1 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 49 (AB)
|-
|44 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|217
|267
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|124
|140
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|23.85
|29.34
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.63
|15.38
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 30 (20 mm)}}

The main armament of the Pz.II C is the 20 mm KwK 30 automatic cannon.

With the ability to access APCR capable of penetrating 64 mm at point blank range, combined with its magazine-loaded rapid fire, the 20 mm can puncture through most enemy armour at this battle rating range like it is fabric.

The biggest problem with the 20 mm autocannon is the 10 round magazines combined with a 7.4 stock reload time, meaning that the tank may successfully take out two or three enemy tanks with controlled bursts, but is likely to be taken out during the reload. Another problem to consider is in the powerful APCR ammunition, in that its impressive penetration statistics can make the gun reach out to about 200-300 meters, but the penetrative power drop off rapidly after that due to velocity drop, even more so than the standard ''PzGr.'' round.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK 30]]
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="2" | 150 (10) || 280 || -9°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 8.30 || 9.80 || 11.9 || 13.2 || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.80 || 6.9 || 6.36 || 6.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 35 || 33 || 26 || 18 || 13 || 9
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 64 || 63 || 26 || 8 || 3 || 1
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr || API-T || 780 || 0.15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T || 1050 || 0.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. || HEFI-T* || 900 || 0.11 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 10.2 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

=====Belt types=====
{| class="wikitable"
| '''Belts''' || '''Shell composition''' || '''Combat usage'''
|-
| align="left" |'''''Default ''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]], [[:Category:Ammunition#Cannon_shells|HEFI-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer – High Explosive Fragmentation Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | The belt composition means that 50% of the shells (HEFI-T) are useless against tanks while the other 50% (API-T) is nearly useless against planes. However, this belt is reliable against open-topped or thin-skinned vehicles like SPAA vehicles. Since there are no dedicated high-explosive shells for the selection, having one belt of this in reserve does not hurt for those situations.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr''''' || align="left" | [[:Category:Ammunition#Kinetic_energy_shells|API-T]] (Armour Piercing Incendiary tracer) shell || align="left" | This belt offers a good transition from the ''Default'' to the ''PzGr 40'' APCR belt. The round offers decent use and damage against lightly armored tanks, especially at close range. Due to lack of high-explosive filler however, it is better to focus on the ''PzGr 40'' belt to maximize penetration power.
|-
| align="left" |'''''PzGr 40''''' || align="left" | HVAP-T (High Velocity Armour Piercing tracer) shell || align="left" | Probably the best belt with the best penetrating shell for the vehicle. While the damage effects post-penetration can be quite poor, the rapid fire from the autocannon can mitigate this problem by following up quickly with another penetrating shot. In close combat, these shells should be used against modules and crew member to make the most of each shell. Against angled armor, however, the APCR ammo may not be very effective, just like any other APCR shell. Unlike the Flakpanzer 1 and Flakpanzer 38, this belt is still 100% APCR.
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''15''' || 8 ''(+7)'' || 1 ''(+14)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

Mounted opposite to the 20 mm autocannon is the MG 34, which is loaded with a 50 round belt with an AP-I/AP-I/AP-T ammo pattern. With 13 mm of maximum penetration at point blank range, this gun's 800 RPM rate of fire will make short work of unarmoured vehicles like truck-based SPAA, as well as exposed enemy crewmen.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,800 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

The main key to success with this vehicle is to drive aggressively, trying to take shots at relatively close range (100-300 meters or even less). Aim for the enemy's weak spots such as modules and crew members. Go for flank or rear shots in order to make the most of the 20 mm close-range penetration power on the enemy's thinner armour plates.

When positioning the Pz.II C, try to use the terrain to remain hull down so that a quick reverse can mask the hull. With this position, the Pz.II C can quickly scoot forward and fire off a few quick shots before reversing to a safe position away from enemy fire. Keep this in mind when attempting to ambush the enemy in an open arena with little cover, as cover and concealment are more reliable in disrupting enemy return fire accuracy than the Pz.II's thin armour.

Alternatively, the Pz.II C can be played as a support vehicle, a second line tank to say the least, to assist more armoured allies when pushing the cap. Use short bursts (2-4 rounds ideally) to disable enemy vehicles by targeting weak points like their transmission or turret crew, then use the remaining ammo to take out the rest of the enemy crew, or let friendly tankers take them out for assists. The Pz.II C lacks the mobility to disengage and run from tanks like the M3 Stuarts or BT series tanks, but if their transmission, driver, or tracks are taken out, they will be temporarily immobilized and the Pz.II C player has bought themselves time to scurry back to friendly lines, where more powerful guns and numbers can be brought to counter the enemy.

Also, as a light tank with decent speed and low profile, the Pz.II C can act as a spotter (unfortunately without the use of the [[Scouting|scout]] mechanics) to locate enemy tanks for allies to prioritize and hit with guns, artillery, or airstrikes.

The biggest threat to the Pz.II C on the battlefield are tanks that have very good armour and firepower at the expense of their mobility. The [[Valentine Mk I|Valentine]], [[FCM.36]], and [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] are examples of tanks that will easily deflect even 20 mm ''PzGr 40'' shots, either due to their impressive frontal hull and turret armour, or just because they are so slow that the Pz.II C will engage them at ranges that render the shell penetration power ineffective. If one of these tanks are spotted trundling along in the distance, do not bother taking the shot because the 20 mm are unlikely able to do even cosmetic damages, while at the same time drawing their attention and revealing the Pz.II C's position due to the shell tracers.

Generally speaking, if the target is about the size of a coin when looking at it on max zoom in the gunner's sight, it is too far for effective fire and should not be engaged.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Good armour on the front
* Autocannon provides better damage than most guns of its rank due to ability to fire in quick succession
* Fast, very agile
* Very good on urban-based maps, small width can maneuvre through narrow passages
* Low Profile
* Very distinctive profile means friendly fire can be effectively nil

'''Cons:'''

* Poor penetration when not using HVAP-T rounds
* 20 mm autocannon is lacking at ranged shootouts
* Magazine-loaded armament means there are lengthy and vulnerable downtime for reloads
* Only three crew members
* Top speed is slower than the fastest tank encountered, which are common opponents
* Relatively cramped interior make it easy for tank to be knocked out in one shot, as shot can hit crew, fuel, or ammo

== History ==

===Development===
In 1934, the development of the new German tanks, which would be the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IV]], was falling behind schedule despite an urgent need for tanks. As a stopgap solution until the designs were finalized, the Germany Army submitted a request for a new tank, giving the responsibility of designing to Krupp, MAN, Henschel, and Daimler-Benz. The product was a design based off the German Panzer I light tank, but was larger with the addition of an extra bogie wheel and had a 20 mm autocannon as its main armament. The finished tank was designated the '''Panzer II''' and production was to start in 1935, but tank deliveries did not start until 18 months later. At this time, it was in a low rate production status by 1936. By the time the Panzer II reached the '''Ausf. C''' designation, it was fitted with an improved suspension system to support the tank's weight. The changes included five larger wheels attached to new leaf springs. In 1937, the Ausf. C entered full production with MAN and other manufacturers. Over 1,600 Panzer II light tanks were produced between 1937 to 1942.

===Combat usage===
The Panzer II would serve in the initial stages of World War II in the Poland, France, North African Campaign, and Operation Barbarossa as Germany's most numerous tank (By May 1940, there were about a thousand Panzer Is and IIs, but only 381 Panzer III and 290 Panzer IVs). By 1941, it was clear that the Panzer II was starting to become obsolete. With increasing quantity of Panzer IIIs and IVs, the Panzer II was relegated to reconnaissance duties. By 1942, it was largely removed from front lines and production ceased by 1943. The turrets of these tanks were repurposed for use on defensive bunkers on the Atlantic Wall, and the chassis continued in service for other roles, such as a self-propelled gun and tank destroyer in the ''Wespe'' and ''Marder II'' respectively.

Early in the war during the Poland and French Campaigns, the Panzer II Ausf. C's armour was deemed inadequate as every anti-tank weapon in service at the time could penetrate the armour. The German response was to increase the armour, first with a front armour increase to 30 mm on the Ausf. D, then ending with a 35 mm front armour and 20 mm side armour on the [[Pz.II F|Panzer II Ausf. F]].

== Media ==

== Live.Warthunder ==
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23Pz_II_c '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Panzer II C from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==

* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/2778/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> PzKpfw II Ausf C/F and DAK]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany light tanks}}

Pz.III J

2019-05-15T20:43:44Z

U35111552: /* Main armament */ Added max possible reload speed of 4.0 sec for Pz3J

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IIIJ.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J''' (or '''Panzer III J''') is a Rank I German medium tank with a battle rating of 2.3. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Barrel shroud, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' 25 mm (86°), 50 mm (52°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (23-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 50 mm (14-46°) ''Top'' 50 mm (10-66°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (10-25°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (12-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (20-25°) || 30 mm (12-15°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 21.8 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 59 (AB)
|-
|53 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|21.33
|26.24
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.16
|13.76
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38 (50 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 99 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 3.30 || 4.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 3.30 || 3.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 5.20 || _.__ || _.__ || 4.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 74 || 73 || 59 || 45 || 34 || 26
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 118 || 117 || 84 || 56 || 37 || 25
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 132 || 130 || 94 || 63 || 42 || 28
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 685 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 25 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1005 || 1.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1050 || 0.92 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''99''' || 75 ''(+24)'' || 50 ''(+49)'' || 25 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+98)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Left side empty: 50 ''(+49)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==
Use of this tank is similar to the Pz. III F, and while it does have significantly better armor on the front than its predecessor, the higher BR of 2.3 means it faces MUCH nastier opposition in semi-frequent uptiers to 3.3. T-34 (1940)s are almost unpennable from any side except flat-on below the tracks. M4A1s are similar in speed to you, have thinner sides, are spacious, have powerful guns, and stabilizers. Cromwells are much faster than you with stronger guns. You literally can only hope for them to get overconfident, overextend, and shoot them in the side or rear. APCR postpen damage is not reliable enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally pen a Sherman or T-34 anyway. The gap between 2.3 and 3.3 is tremendous, and is just as crippling as that between 6.7 and 7.7, for an accurate relative comparison.

Furthermore, even in the best circumstances, the high fuse sensitivity makes many lightly-armored things with strong guns your worst nightmare, since you'll overpen repeatedly in most cases, allowing easy return fire from the person you failed to knock out, which more often than not cripples you. Enemy SPAAG in particular are frustrating to KO because of your 15mm turret ring weakspot enabling them to spray all over you to KO your gunner and loader.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and decently powerful gun
* Great gun depression
* Good Mobility
* APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
* Armour is fairly decent, can protect reliably against beginner's and some lower BR tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Penetration is a bit lacking, as is postpen against things in uptiers.
* Awful turret traverse speed
* Flat armour with little slope, weak side armour
* Large commander's cupola, often sticking out above the terrain, drawing enemy attention.
* Rather high fuse sensitivity for such a lackluster cannon

== History ==
===Development===
The '''Panzerkampfwagen III''' medium tank, or the '''Panzer III''' was developed in the 1930s. Starting in early 1934, Heinz Guderian set down some specifications for a new tank, which Army Weapons Department took up to design the tank to weigh no more than 24,000 kilograms with a top speed of 35 km per hour. This tank's role was to be the main tank of the German army and was expected to destroy opposing tanks, as opposed as a tank made to destroy anti-tank guns and opposing infantrymen, which the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV]] took up in.

Damlier-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall produced prototypes meeting the specifications and the Damlier-Benz model was chosen after testing in 1936-1937. The Panzer III model used a leaf-spring suspension in its early models (Ausf. A - Ausf. D) before utilizing a six-wheeled torsion-bar suspension in the [[Pz.III E|Ausf. E]] and beyond. The Panzer III had a crew of five people, the commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver. The best feature of the Panzer III during its introduction that is the most overlooked was the three-man turret, which was not as common at the time. This frees the commander to be able to effectively command the tank while maintaining situational awareness rather than be burdened by the role of a loader or gunner, improving combat effectiveness of the tank. Despite this rather advance design, the turret did not have a turret basket for the crew. It was a proven design and production began in May 1937. The total number of Panzer IIIs tanks constructed in its production life was 5,774 units (excluding [[StuG III F|StuG III]] variant).

===Specifications===
The Panzer III started with only 15 mm of armour on all sides, this was quickly upgraded to 30 mm on front, side, and rear on the Ausf. D, E, F, and G models. Then the Ausf. H placed an additional 30 mm of armour onto the front hull as an interim solution before the '''Panzer III Ausf. J''' gave the Panzer III a 50 mm armour thickness on the front and rear. The Panzer III Ausf. J still retained the 50 mm KwK 38 cannon from the [[Pz.III F|Ausf. F]], which provided much needed firepower over the 37 mm KwK 36. The Panzer Ausf. J had a 300 PS Maybach HL 120 TRM engine that gave it a top speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) with a operational range of 155 km (96 mi.).

===Combat usage===
The Panzer III Ausf. J gave the German army better armour for their Panzer III and with a better gun. However, it was still considered undergunned to the Soviet contemporary [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks as the 50 mm KwK 38 was not powerful enough to penetrate these tanks frontally with normal ammo. This requires the use of APCR, which was in low supply. The Soviet [[T-26|T-26]] and [[BT-5|BT series]] light tanks were still easily taken care of and were still in larger quantities than the T-34s and KVs, but T-34 production was kicking off and it won't be long before the T-34 becomes the main tank of the Red Army.

The Panzer III still needed improvements if it ever was to go up against the more modern tanks and Germany needed it to stay in service as long as possible as their new tanks are being developed. The next variant featured additional armour and a better 50 mm cannon, the 50 mm KwK 39, on the [[Pz.III J1|Panzer III Ausf. J1]]. The armour had an additional 20 mm offset armour in the front hull and turret, plus the 50 mm KwK 39 featured a longer barrel than the 50 mm KwK 38, increasing its penetration values.

== Media ==
'''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the ''Panzer III Ausf.J'' from live.warthunder.com. There are plenty of category terms flying around. So looking through every one of them will be necessary.

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pz_iii_j #pz_iii_j]
*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pziii_j #pziii_j]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Pz.III J

2019-05-15T20:42:23Z

U35111552: /* Pros and cons */ Detailed life playing the Panzer III J.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IIIJ.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J''' (or '''Panzer III J''') is a Rank I German medium tank with a battle rating of 2.3. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Barrel shroud, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' 25 mm (86°), 50 mm (52°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (23-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 50 mm (14-46°) ''Top'' 50 mm (10-66°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (10-25°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (12-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (20-25°) || 30 mm (12-15°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 21.8 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 59 (AB)
|-
|53 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|21.33
|26.24
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.16
|13.76
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38 (50 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 99 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 3.30 || 4.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 3.30 || 3.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 5.20 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 74 || 73 || 59 || 45 || 34 || 26
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 118 || 117 || 84 || 56 || 37 || 25
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 132 || 130 || 94 || 63 || 42 || 28
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 685 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 25 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1005 || 1.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1050 || 0.92 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''99''' || 75 ''(+24)'' || 50 ''(+49)'' || 25 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+98)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Left side empty: 50 ''(+49)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==
Use of this tank is similar to the Pz. III F, and while it does have significantly better armor on the front than its predecessor, the higher BR of 2.3 means it faces MUCH nastier opposition in semi-frequent uptiers to 3.3. T-34 (1940)s are almost unpennable from any side except flat-on below the tracks. M4A1s are similar in speed to you, have thinner sides, are spacious, have powerful guns, and stabilizers. Cromwells are much faster than you with stronger guns. You literally can only hope for them to get overconfident, overextend, and shoot them in the side or rear. APCR postpen damage is not reliable enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally pen a Sherman or T-34 anyway. The gap between 2.3 and 3.3 is tremendous, and is just as crippling as that between 6.7 and 7.7, for an accurate relative comparison.

Furthermore, even in the best circumstances, the high fuse sensitivity makes many lightly-armored things with strong guns your worst nightmare, since you'll overpen repeatedly in most cases, allowing easy return fire from the person you failed to knock out, which more often than not cripples you. Enemy SPAAG in particular are frustrating to KO because of your 15mm turret ring weakspot enabling them to spray all over you to KO your gunner and loader.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and decently powerful gun
* Great gun depression
* Good Mobility
* APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
* Armour is fairly decent, can protect reliably against beginner's and some lower BR tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Penetration is a bit lacking, as is postpen against things in uptiers.
* Awful turret traverse speed
* Flat armour with little slope, weak side armour
* Large commander's cupola, often sticking out above the terrain, drawing enemy attention.
* Rather high fuse sensitivity for such a lackluster cannon

== History ==
===Development===
The '''Panzerkampfwagen III''' medium tank, or the '''Panzer III''' was developed in the 1930s. Starting in early 1934, Heinz Guderian set down some specifications for a new tank, which Army Weapons Department took up to design the tank to weigh no more than 24,000 kilograms with a top speed of 35 km per hour. This tank's role was to be the main tank of the German army and was expected to destroy opposing tanks, as opposed as a tank made to destroy anti-tank guns and opposing infantrymen, which the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV]] took up in.

Damlier-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall produced prototypes meeting the specifications and the Damlier-Benz model was chosen after testing in 1936-1937. The Panzer III model used a leaf-spring suspension in its early models (Ausf. A - Ausf. D) before utilizing a six-wheeled torsion-bar suspension in the [[Pz.III E|Ausf. E]] and beyond. The Panzer III had a crew of five people, the commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver. The best feature of the Panzer III during its introduction that is the most overlooked was the three-man turret, which was not as common at the time. This frees the commander to be able to effectively command the tank while maintaining situational awareness rather than be burdened by the role of a loader or gunner, improving combat effectiveness of the tank. Despite this rather advance design, the turret did not have a turret basket for the crew. It was a proven design and production began in May 1937. The total number of Panzer IIIs tanks constructed in its production life was 5,774 units (excluding [[StuG III F|StuG III]] variant).

===Specifications===
The Panzer III started with only 15 mm of armour on all sides, this was quickly upgraded to 30 mm on front, side, and rear on the Ausf. D, E, F, and G models. Then the Ausf. H placed an additional 30 mm of armour onto the front hull as an interim solution before the '''Panzer III Ausf. J''' gave the Panzer III a 50 mm armour thickness on the front and rear. The Panzer III Ausf. J still retained the 50 mm KwK 38 cannon from the [[Pz.III F|Ausf. F]], which provided much needed firepower over the 37 mm KwK 36. The Panzer Ausf. J had a 300 PS Maybach HL 120 TRM engine that gave it a top speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) with a operational range of 155 km (96 mi.).

===Combat usage===
The Panzer III Ausf. J gave the German army better armour for their Panzer III and with a better gun. However, it was still considered undergunned to the Soviet contemporary [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks as the 50 mm KwK 38 was not powerful enough to penetrate these tanks frontally with normal ammo. This requires the use of APCR, which was in low supply. The Soviet [[T-26|T-26]] and [[BT-5|BT series]] light tanks were still easily taken care of and were still in larger quantities than the T-34s and KVs, but T-34 production was kicking off and it won't be long before the T-34 becomes the main tank of the Red Army.

The Panzer III still needed improvements if it ever was to go up against the more modern tanks and Germany needed it to stay in service as long as possible as their new tanks are being developed. The next variant featured additional armour and a better 50 mm cannon, the 50 mm KwK 39, on the [[Pz.III J1|Panzer III Ausf. J1]]. The armour had an additional 20 mm offset armour in the front hull and turret, plus the 50 mm KwK 39 featured a longer barrel than the 50 mm KwK 38, increasing its penetration values.

== Media ==
'''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the ''Panzer III Ausf.J'' from live.warthunder.com. There are plenty of category terms flying around. So looking through every one of them will be necessary.

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pz_iii_j #pz_iii_j]
*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pziii_j #pziii_j]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Pz.III J

2019-05-15T20:32:52Z

U35111552: /* Usage in the battles */ Added description of general experiences playing the Pz. III J.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IIIJ.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. J''' (or '''Panzer III J''') is a Rank I German medium tank with a battle rating of 2.3. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Barrel shroud, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' 25 mm (86°), 50 mm (52°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (23-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 50 mm (14-46°) ''Top'' 50 mm (10-66°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (10-25°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (12-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (20-25°) || 30 mm (12-15°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 50 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 21.8 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 59 (AB)
|-
|53 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|21.33
|26.24
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|12.16
|13.76
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38 (50 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 99 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 3.30 || 4.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 3.30 || 3.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 5.20 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 74 || 73 || 59 || 45 || 34 || 26
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 118 || 117 || 84 || 56 || 37 || 25
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 132 || 130 || 94 || 63 || 42 || 28
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 685 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 25 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1005 || 1.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1050 || 0.92 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''99''' || 75 ''(+24)'' || 50 ''(+49)'' || 25 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+98)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Left side empty: 50 ''(+49)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==
Use of this tank is similar to the Pz. III F, and while it does have significantly better armor on the front than its predecessor, the higher BR of 2.3 means it faces MUCH nastier opposition in semi-frequent uptiers to 3.3. T-34 (1940)s are almost unpennable from any side except flat-on below the tracks. M4A1s are similar in speed to you, have thinner sides, are spacious, have powerful guns, and stabilizers. Cromwells are much faster than you with stronger guns. You literally can only hope for them to get overconfident, overextend, and shoot them in the side or rear. APCR postpen damage is not reliable enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally pen a Sherman or T-34 anyway. The gap between 2.3 and 3.3 is tremendous, and is just as crippling as that between 6.7 and 7.7, for an accurate relative comparison.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and decently powerful gun
* Great gun depression
* Good Mobility
* APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
* Armour is fairly decent, can protect reliably against beginner's and some lower BR tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Penetration is a bit lacking
* Awful turret traverse speed
* Flat armour with little slope, weak side armour
* Large commander's cupola, often sticking out above the terrain, drawing enemy attention.

== History ==
===Development===
The '''Panzerkampfwagen III''' medium tank, or the '''Panzer III''' was developed in the 1930s. Starting in early 1934, Heinz Guderian set down some specifications for a new tank, which Army Weapons Department took up to design the tank to weigh no more than 24,000 kilograms with a top speed of 35 km per hour. This tank's role was to be the main tank of the German army and was expected to destroy opposing tanks, as opposed as a tank made to destroy anti-tank guns and opposing infantrymen, which the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV]] took up in.

Damlier-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall produced prototypes meeting the specifications and the Damlier-Benz model was chosen after testing in 1936-1937. The Panzer III model used a leaf-spring suspension in its early models (Ausf. A - Ausf. D) before utilizing a six-wheeled torsion-bar suspension in the [[Pz.III E|Ausf. E]] and beyond. The Panzer III had a crew of five people, the commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver. The best feature of the Panzer III during its introduction that is the most overlooked was the three-man turret, which was not as common at the time. This frees the commander to be able to effectively command the tank while maintaining situational awareness rather than be burdened by the role of a loader or gunner, improving combat effectiveness of the tank. Despite this rather advance design, the turret did not have a turret basket for the crew. It was a proven design and production began in May 1937. The total number of Panzer IIIs tanks constructed in its production life was 5,774 units (excluding [[StuG III F|StuG III]] variant).

===Specifications===
The Panzer III started with only 15 mm of armour on all sides, this was quickly upgraded to 30 mm on front, side, and rear on the Ausf. D, E, F, and G models. Then the Ausf. H placed an additional 30 mm of armour onto the front hull as an interim solution before the '''Panzer III Ausf. J''' gave the Panzer III a 50 mm armour thickness on the front and rear. The Panzer III Ausf. J still retained the 50 mm KwK 38 cannon from the [[Pz.III F|Ausf. F]], which provided much needed firepower over the 37 mm KwK 36. The Panzer Ausf. J had a 300 PS Maybach HL 120 TRM engine that gave it a top speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) with a operational range of 155 km (96 mi.).

===Combat usage===
The Panzer III Ausf. J gave the German army better armour for their Panzer III and with a better gun. However, it was still considered undergunned to the Soviet contemporary [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks as the 50 mm KwK 38 was not powerful enough to penetrate these tanks frontally with normal ammo. This requires the use of APCR, which was in low supply. The Soviet [[T-26|T-26]] and [[BT-5|BT series]] light tanks were still easily taken care of and were still in larger quantities than the T-34s and KVs, but T-34 production was kicking off and it won't be long before the T-34 becomes the main tank of the Red Army.

The Panzer III still needed improvements if it ever was to go up against the more modern tanks and Germany needed it to stay in service as long as possible as their new tanks are being developed. The next variant featured additional armour and a better 50 mm cannon, the 50 mm KwK 39, on the [[Pz.III J1|Panzer III Ausf. J1]]. The armour had an additional 20 mm offset armour in the front hull and turret, plus the 50 mm KwK 39 featured a longer barrel than the 50 mm KwK 38, increasing its penetration values.

== Media ==
'''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the ''Panzer III Ausf.J'' from live.warthunder.com. There are plenty of category terms flying around. So looking through every one of them will be necessary.

*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pz_iii_j #pz_iii_j]
*[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pziii_j #pziii_j]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Pz.III F

2019-05-15T20:24:54Z

U35111552: /* Usage in the battles */ Updated section to reflect newish BR of 2.0, Pz3F doesn't see T-34s or M4A1s any longer.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_F}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage Pz.IIIF.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. F''' ('''Panzer III Ausf. F''') is a Rank I German medium tank with a battle rating of 2.0. It was introduced in during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. Compared to the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III Ausf. E]], the Panzer III Ausf. F presents a newer [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|5 cm KwK 38]] main gun.

In game, Ausf. F modification differs from its predeccesor - Pz.III E mostly by its new 5 cm KwK 38 L/42 gun. While it doesn't offer that much more penetration than previous gun, and has a bit longer reload, it definitely causes more damage upon successful penetration. Other than that, only the turret armour has been enhanced a bit - most of the turret front armour is now 37mm thick (was 30mm). These changes makes the tank only slightly heavier, but the effect on mobility is negligible.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 25 mm (85°), 30 mm (53°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (22-72°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 10 mm (74°), 20 mm (33-70°) ''Top'' 20 mm (11-66°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (14-30°) ''Turret front'' 37 + 37 mm (5-52°)''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (17-26°) || 30 mm (0-23°) || 10 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The barrel shroud around the main gun is 20 mm thick.
* Bustle racks on the rear hull sides give another 30 mm thick armour at their locations.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 19.8 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 79 (AB)
|-
|71 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|465
|572
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|265
|300
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|23.48
|28.89
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.38
|15.15
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 38 (50 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK 38 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK 38]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 99 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 3.30 || 4.50 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 3.30 || 3.80 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 5.20 || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 74 || 73 || 59 || 45 || 34 || 26
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 118 || 117 || 84 || 56 || 37 || 25
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 132 || 130 || 94 || 63 || 42 || 28
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 685 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 25 || 28.9 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1005 || 1.1 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1050 || 0.92 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

=====Shell types=====

*'''PzGr 39''' - Armour Piercing Capped shell - This is the main ammo type, use it whenever it has enough penetration to penetrate the target. It deals most damage, because of its explosive filler. On this tank, most of the time it is not necessary to use any other type of ammo.
*'''PzGr 40/1''' - Armour Piercing Composite Rigid shell - This type of ammo should be used if the gun is having trouble penetrating the opponent, or trying to hit a fast moving tank at some distance. However, its damaging potential is much lower, because it has no explosive filler to further enhance damage after the penetration. It is also much lighter than Gr 39, so it looses penetration faster over distance. It is also notable that it does not ricochet so easily from highly sloped armour.
*'''PzGr 40''' - Armour Piercing Composite Rigid shell - this variation of APCR is even lighter, slightly faster and offers best penetration. Use these against the occasional T-34 and Sherman tanks, which have highly sloped armour and are generally very resistant to the basic APC ammo. However, don't expect it to cause any real damage upon penetration, its even worse than that of PzGr 40/1. It basically only deals damage to modules/crew straight in its path. It is therefore almost useless to fire them at things like turret cupolas, as it will usually just fly right through them without causing any damage.

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IIIF.png|right|x250px|thumbnail||[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Panzer III F.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''99''' || 75 ''(+24)'' || 50 ''(+49)'' || 25 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+98)'' || style="text-align:left" | yes
|-
|}

Turret empty: 50 ''(+49)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[MG 34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 34]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

This tank should be played as a second line support or area denial vehicle, due to acceptable speed and accurate, potent gun, yet sluggish turret traverse even when fully upgraded. Avoid engagements at less than 500 meters, where the armour offers more protection against low-velocity guns and the 50 mm cannon retains its penetration well. Always try to use the terrain to the Panzer III's advantage, it has a very nice gun depression, so the Panzer III will have no problem with attacking over hills and various obstacles, while hiding the vulnerable hull.

At 2.0 BR, this tank does not see T-34 (1940), M4A1 (US/FR), Cromwell V, AMX-13 (FL-11), and other very potent and popular 3.3 tanks. Rather its worst opposition will be the 3.0 Churchill Mk I, the 2.3 B1 ter, the 3.0 3-inch Gun Carrier, and the 2.7 M3 Lee/Grant I (versions for US, UK, or RU). All will demand heavy use of APCR to deal with in frontal confrontations, and all but the M3 Lee clones demand APCR for even side shots.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and decently powerful gun.
* Great gun depression.
* Very high APCR shell velocity (over 1000 m/s).
* Good mobility.
* Armour is fairly decent- will protect the tank against 37mm guns at range and 20mm cannon at all ranges if angled properly.

'''Cons:'''

*Awful turret traverse speed.
*Flat armour with little slope.
*Low reverse speed.

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Panzerkampfwagen III''' medium tank, or the '''Panzer III''' was developed in the 1930s. Starting in early 1934, Heinz Guderian set down some specifications for a new tank, which Army Weapons Department took up to design the tank to weigh no more than 24,000 kilograms with a top speed of 35 km per hour. This tank's role was to be the main tank of the German army and was expected to destroy opposing tanks, as opposed as a tank made to destroy anti-tank guns and opposing infantrymen, which the [[Pz.IV C|Panzer IV]] took up in.

Damlier-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall produced prototypes meeting the specifications and the Damlier-Benz model was chosen after testing in 1936-1937. The Panzer III model used a leaf-spring suspension in its early models (Ausf. A - Ausf. D) before utilizing a six-wheeled torsion-bar suspension in the Ausf. E and beyond. The Panzer III had a crew of five people, the commander, gunner, loader, driver, and assistant driver. The best feature of the Panzer III during its introduction that is the most overlooked was the three-man turret, which was not as common at the time. This frees the commander to be able to effectively command the tank while maintaining situational awareness rather than be burdened by the role of a loader or gunner, improving combat effectiveness of the tank. Despite this rather advance design, the turret did not have a turret basket for the crew. It was a proven design and production began in May 1937. The total number of Panzer IIIs tanks constructed in its production life was 5,774 units (excluding [[StuG III F|StuG III]] variant).

===Specifications===
The Panzer III Ausf. A through C had 15 mm of armour on all sides with 10 mm on top and 5 mm on the bottom. This was quickly upgraded to 30 mm on front, side, and rear on the Ausf. D, E, F, and G models. The '''Panzer III Ausf. F''' featured a 50 mm KwK 38 cannon, an upgrade over the previous 37 mm KwK 36. The Panzer Ausf. F had a 300 PS Maybach HL 120 TRM engine that gave it a top speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) with a operational range of 155 km (96 mi.).

===Combat Usage===
The Panzer III Ausf. F was first prompted by the German army concerns of their tank-killing tank being undergunned during the French campaign, where the appearance of the French Char B1 and British [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda]] tanks proved that their current arsenal was inadequate to counter these threats. Though it was initiated during the campaign, it was over before it could be fully implemented among the armoured forces. It wasn't until Operation Barbarossa, where the appearance of the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks forced the Germans to take up better weapons for their anti-tank inventory. The solution was the 50 mm KwK 38, which helped the Panzer III be able to destroy these Soviet tanks with APCR rounds. Even though the newer Soviet tanks may put the Panzer III out of frontline duties, it still stayed as the more common Soviet [[T-26|T-26]] and [[BT-5|BT series]] light tanks were more easily destroyed by the Panzer III.

The German army continued to upgrade their Panzer III to keep them in service as long as possible. The Panzer III Ausf. H featured another 30 mm of armour applied to the original 30 mm of armour on the hull. The next significant upgrade was to the [[Pz.III J|Panzer III Ausf. J]], which featured a solid 50 mm of frontal and rear armour plating.

== Media ==
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23Pz_iii_f '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the "Panzer III Ausf. F" from live.warthunder.com.]

===Sights===

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Pz.III E

2019-05-14T19:03:55Z

U35111552: Filled in empty page on Pz III E

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_E}}

== Description ==
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
The crew of the Pz. III E is well-spaced out, enabling survival of a frontal pen or two by typical low tier cannons. Compared to the [[Pz.III B]], the frontal armor protection is roughly doubled, to 30-35mm on the turret face and 30mm on the upper & lower front plates. The turret has some overlapping plates for up to 65mm of protection on some areas, sometimes saving you from otherwise guaranteed knockout. The sides are also 30mm thick while the rear is 20mm sloped, making it totally immune to tank-mounted .50cal machine guns.

=== Mobility ===
Top speed improves significantly over the Pz. III B, at 71kph forward and 12kph reverse. Power/Weight is similar, 29.3hp/ton in AB & 15.38hp/ton for RB/SB. Maneuverability is similar to its predecessor.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

The Pz. III E has the same main gun as its predecessor, the 37mm KwK36. Ammunition is the same - PzGr. APHE with 46mm pen and 13g explosive mass as stock, with 91mm pen PzGr.40 APCR as an unlock.

=== Machine guns ===
Like its predecessor, the Pz. III E has two coaxial 7.92mm MG34 machine guns that easily shred lightly armored flak trucks seen commonly at low tiers. Slow turret traverse makes it generally useless vs aircraft, however.

== Usage in the battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===
The Pz. III E still has the "average" flavor of its predecessor, but is able to rely on its armor a little more than before. However, the higher BR of 1.7 means it runs into much nastier opposition. The B1 ter at 2.3 is just about unpennable from any side even with the APCR shell, the Matilda Mk II at 2.7 is slightly easier to pen but has a gun strong enough to annihilate you at a mere glance. The M5A1 at 2.3 runs circles around you with a better gun than you.

'''Pros:'''

* Gun is average for the tier
* APHE postpen helps securing kills quickly considering its other downsides
* High-pen APCR for tier helps immensely with uptiers
* Significantly improved mobility over Pz. III B.
* Totally immune against .50cal machine gun fire from other tanks

*

'''Cons:'''

* Slow turret traverse for tier of only 5.1 degrees/s makes it not well-suited to close-range combat
* Stock shell not suited to killing many opponents, even some at its same BR
* APCR postpen is generally inadequate yet you are forced to use it more often than not
* Easily crippled or knocked out from above by aircraft-mounted .50cals.

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.III B

2019-05-14T18:35:28Z

U35111552: /* Survivability and armour */ Added bit on crew spacing in tank

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B}}

== Description ==
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
Like many low-BR tanks, it is frontally pennable by .50cal machine guns found on most American tanks, as well as the French P.7T AA and the Russian GAZ (4M) DshK. Every low tier cannon except the French 37mm SA18 L/21 has no trouble penetrating you anywhere. The crew is well-spaced out, however, so you can generally survive a frontal pen or two.

=== Mobility ===
The Pz.III B has average to below-average mobility for low tier with 35kph top speed, and useable but not great reverse speed of 5.5kph. Power/Weight Ratio is 20.8hp/ton in Arcade, but only 15.62 in RB/SB, which is average to below-average.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 36 (37 mm)}}

The Pz.III B is the first vehicle in the German ground tree armed with the 37 mm KwK 36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour, and the PzGr.40 with 91 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour.

The PzGr. APHE fires at 745 m/s and has a 13 g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22 g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across, but is best used in side shots.

The PzGr.40 APCR fires at 1020 m/s and pens 91 mm.

=== Machine guns ===
This vehicle has two coaxial 7.92mm MG34 machine guns, which helps with very common flak trucks and such that you encounter at low tiers.

== Usage in the battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

This tank is more or less average in most respects. American and Russian reserves best it in speed. British reserves have similar speed, worse reverse, much better guns, better gun depression, and similar armor. French reserves have worse guns but nearly double the frontal armor. Japanese reserves have better speed, nearly identical guns, and much better gun depression. Italian reserves are slower, have slower fire rates, and have much better armor.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed of 35kph
* Reasonable acceleration to achieve top speed
* Gun works well enough against most things you encounter, though side shots are preferable.
* Has high-penetration APCR to deal with more irritating opponents frontally

*

'''Cons:'''

* Easily incapacitated by .50cal machine guns common at the tier, even frontally
* Only stock shell has useful postpen damage, but it can barely kill M3 Stuarts frontally ever since 1.85's ammo standardization
* APCR postpen damage is generally terrible, yet tank has to rely on this a lot of the time for frontal pens
* slow turret traverse like many early German tanks of only 5.1 degrees/sec
* Requires APCR to pen even the side of the fairly common French B1 bis.
* Roof armor thin enough to be penned by .50cal machine guns

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.III B

2019-05-14T18:33:42Z

U35111552: Filled out empty page with knowledge from playing tank ingame.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B}}

== Description ==
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
Like many low-BR tanks, it is frontally pennable by .50cal machine guns found on most American tanks, as well as the French P.7T AA and the Russian GAZ (4M) DshK. Every low tier cannon except the French 37mm SA18 L/21 has no trouble penetrating you anywhere.

=== Mobility ===
The Pz.III B has average to below-average mobility for low tier with 35kph top speed, and useable but not great reverse speed of 5.5kph. Power/Weight Ratio is 20.8hp/ton in Arcade, but only 15.62 in RB/SB, which is average to below-average.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|KwK 36 (37 mm)}}

The Pz.III B is the first vehicle in the German ground tree armed with the 37 mm KwK 36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour, and the PzGr.40 with 91 mm penetration at point blank range against flat armour.

The PzGr. APHE fires at 745 m/s and has a 13 g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22 g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across, but is best used in side shots.

The PzGr.40 APCR fires at 1020 m/s and pens 91 mm.

=== Machine guns ===
This vehicle has two coaxial 7.92mm MG34 machine guns, which helps with very common flak trucks and such that you encounter at low tiers.

== Usage in the battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

This tank is more or less average in most respects. American and Russian reserves best it in speed. British reserves have similar speed, worse reverse, much better guns, better gun depression, and similar armor. French reserves have worse guns but nearly double the frontal armor. Japanese reserves have better speed, nearly identical guns, and much better gun depression. Italian reserves are slower, have slower fire rates, and have much better armor.

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Decent top speed of 35kph
* Reasonable acceleration to achieve top speed
* Gun works well enough against most things you encounter, though side shots are preferable.
* Has high-penetration APCR to deal with more irritating opponents frontally

*

'''Cons:'''

* Easily incapacitated by .50cal machine guns common at the tier, even frontally
* Only stock shell has useful postpen damage, but it can barely kill M3 Stuarts frontally ever since 1.85's ammo standardization
* APCR postpen damage is generally terrible, yet tank has to rely on this a lot of the time for frontal pens
* slow turret traverse like many early German tanks of only 5.1 degrees/sec
* Requires APCR to pen even the side of the fairly common French B1 bis.
* Roof armor thin enough to be penned by .50cal machine guns

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

Pz.III B

2019-05-14T16:17:23Z

U35111552: /* Main armament */ Added details on gun and ammo types.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_pzkpfw_III_ausf_B}}

== Description ==
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpfull for survival in combat?''

''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and maneuverability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.''

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibilty of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

The Pz. III B is the first vehicle in the German Ground Tree armed with the 37mm Kwk36. This gun has two ammo types, PzGr. APHE with 46mm pen point blank vs flat armor and PzGr.40 with 91mm pen point blank vs flat armor.

The PzGr. APHE fires at 745m/s and has a 13g PETN explosive mass with a TNT equivalent of 22g. With 46mm pen, it is sufficient to harm most things it comes across, but is best used in side shots.

The PsGr.40 APCR fires at 1020m/s and pens 91mm.

=== Additional armament ===
''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''

=== Machine guns ===
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

== Usage in the battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

''ETC.''

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

15cm sIG 33 B Sfl

2019-05-14T15:04:55Z

U35111552:

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sturmpanzer_II}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop High Velocity or High Penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.

Despite having very little armor, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before dying. However, it is hull-breakable against 75mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HEAT capability.

=== Mobility ===

The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45kph, but due to a low-ish Power/Weight Ratio of 17.04hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to 8.4kph.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SIG 33 (150 mm)}}

The Sturmpanzer II mounts an S.I.G. 33 Infantry Support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.

The J.Gr.38 HE shell pens 65mm vs vertical armor and 60mm vs armor sloped back 60 degrees from vertical (30 degrees from horizontal), due to it having similar mechanics to Naval Guns of the same caliber. The 8.6kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a followup shot is guaranteed.

- Note: the HE on this is so powerful that it can even oneshot top tier tanks reliably, but due to the huge mobility disadvantage, this is not recommended unless you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell pens 185mm vs vertical armor, and still has a 4.16kg TNT equivalent, giving it effectively 40-45mm pen from HE splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates of the game, 120mm & larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top tier - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.

== Usage in battles ==


The Sturmpanzer has no Air Defence weapons, so sticking with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a good idea. If you want to close range brawl with low tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea since the long reload will cause you trouble if you get swarmed by lots of tanks. It has the capability to knock out much higher BR tank, so if you're uptiered, it's not the end of the world. However shoot before your opponent shoots, because if you come across a higher tier tank, you will be eliminated almost instantaneously. The best thing to do is to fire, then fall back to reload in a safe haven.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank can eliminate most modules or crew members of a tank in one well aimed shot, if not destroying it.
* Can survive hits it will take from rank 1 tanks.
* Can make a fair turn at speed when driving along.

'''Cons:'''

* Reload means it is inadequate for close-range combat without allied support.
* HE and HEAT are both stopped by various soft debris found on most maps such as fences, concrete blocks, brick walls, wood objects, etc.
* Open-topped and very vulnerable to aircraft as a result.

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

15cm sIG 33 B Sfl

2019-05-14T15:02:26Z

U35111552: Added detail on shell types and how recent updates affected them, added top speed, P/W, reverse speed, and some other Cons.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sturmpanzer_II}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Sturmpanzer II does have enough armour to stop low BR tank rounds, however it should not be relied upon to stop High Velocity or High Penetration rounds, especially from other SPGs. It is an open topped vehicle, and since it has no machine guns, it is very vulnerable to air attack.

Despite having very little armor, it does have a lot of empty space in the tank to resist multiple penetrating hits before dying. However, it is hull-breakable against 75mm or larger guns with sufficient AP velocity or HEAT capability.

=== Mobility ===

The Sturmpanzer II can go up to 45kph, but due to a low-ish Power/Weight Ratio of 17.04hp/ton in AB and 9.74 hp/ton in RB, the practical top speed is significantly less. Reverse speed is decent, up to 8.4kph.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|SIG 33 (150 mm)}}

The Sturmpanzer II mounts an S.I.G. 33 Infantry Support cannon, which can fire HEAT or HE rounds. The shell velocity is very slow (240m/s), so slow that it can be awkward to target moving targets or those at long ranges, especially with HE rounds. The calibre of the gun is 15 cm (150 mm/5.9 in). The Sturmpanzer does not have any other weapons.

The J.Gr.38 HE shell pens 65mm vs vertical armor and 60mm vs armor sloped back 60 degrees from vertical (30 degrees from horizontal), due to it having similar mechanics to Naval Guns of the same caliber. The 8.6kg explosive mass ensures that anything that gets penetrated is instantly knocked out or is so badly crippled that a followup shot is guaranteed.

The J.Gr.39 HI/A HEAT shell pens 185mm vs vertical armor, and still has a 4.16kg TNT equivalent, giving it effectively 40-45mm pen from HE splash on top of the HEAT superplastic copper jet penetration. In one of the minor updates of the game, 120mm & larger HEAT rounds were altered to act more like HE shells to benefit top tier - tanks such as the Sturmpanzer are unintentional beneficiaries of this change.

== Usage in battles ==


The Sturmpanzer has no Air Defence weapons, so sticking with an SPAA tank at the back of the map is a good idea. If you want to close range brawl with low tier tanks, then sticking with another tank is a good idea since the long reload will cause you trouble if you get swarmed by lots of tanks. It has the capability to knock out much higher BR tank, so if you're uptiered, it's not the end of the world. However shoot before your opponent shoots, because if you come across a higher tier tank, you will be eliminated almost instantaneously. The best thing to do is to fire, then fall back to reload in a safe haven.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank can eliminate most modules or crew members of a tank in one well aimed shot, if not destroying it.
* Can survive hits it will take from rank 1 tanks.
* Can make a fair turn at speed when driving along.

'''Cons:'''

* Reload means it is inadequate for close-range combat without allied support.
* HE and HEAT are both stopped by various soft debris found on most maps such as fences, concrete blocks, brick walls, wood objects, etc.
* Open-topped and very vulnerable to aircraft as a result.

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Panzerjager I

2019-05-14T14:42:47Z

U35111552: Filled in missing details for reload speed, updated penetration of Pzgr.36(t) to 1.85's ammo standardization, added stuff to Pros&Cons section.

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_panzerjager_1}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_PanzerjagerI.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''4,7 cm Pak(t) auf Pz.I Ausf.B''', otherwise known as the '''Panzerjäger I''', is a Rank I German tank destroyer with a battle rating of 1.7. It was introduced in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]].

The vehicle is based on a Pzkpfw. I chassis, which is also found on the [[Flakpanzer I]]. This means it has no armour. It has a silhouette slightly resembling a [[Marder III]], but is quite scaled down.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 13 mm (18°) ''Front plate'' 13 mm (72-75°) ''Front glacis'' 13 mm (26°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm || 13 mm || 8 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 14 mm (26°)|| 14 mm (15-18°)|| N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 10 mm thick while the tracks are 15 mm thick.

Any enemies at this rank can pierce your armour. However, the biggest threats are the SPAA vehicles due to their higher rate of fire with effective weapons that will absolutely rip apart the vehicle. Airplanes too are a concern, and Artillery is very deadly.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 6.4 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 46 (AB)
|-
|42 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|142
|175
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|88
|100
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|22.19
|27.34
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|13.75
|15.62
|-
|}

== Armaments ==

{{main|Pak(t)(Sf.) (47 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Pak(t)(Sf.) (47 mm)|47 mm Pak(t)(Sf.)]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 86 || -8°/+10° || ±15° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 7.10 || 9.90 || _.__ || __._ || __._
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 7.10 || 8.40 || _.__ || __._ || __._
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 3.90 || 3.49 || 3.33 || 3.0
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| Pzgr.36(t) || APC || 75 || 72 || 58 || 44 || 33 || 25
|-
| Pzgr.40 || APCR || 103 || 102 || 73 || 49 || 32 || 22
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| Pzgr.36(t) || APC || 775 || 1.7 || 1.2 || 25.0 || 15 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Pzgr.40 || APCR || 1080 || 0.83 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_PanzerjagerI.png|right|thumbnail|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the Panzerjäger I.|x250px]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''86''' || 50 ''(+36)'' || 38 ''(+48)'' || 28 ''(+60)'' || 10 ''(+76)'' || 0 ''(+86)'' || style="text-align:center" | Yes
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Although virtually unarmoured, it ''can'' be used in a head-on manner. However, this is not recommended. It is much better to snipe or ambush the enemy. Its gun may have a good Rate of Fire, but many other guns of its rank, such as the British 2 pounder, will reload faster than you. Your gun is extremely powerful for its rank, which means you will go through almost anything, so there is no need to throw yourself in front of the enemy.

The gun on this suffered a catastrophic nerf in 1.85's ammo standardization, slashing the penetration of the stock shell from 90mm to 75mm, so while the gun still mostly oneshots anything it comes across, a few things laugh at it. These are the B1 bis, B1 ter, and Matilda MkII if used as the highest-BR option in your lineup. The B1 bis is only frontally pennable on the turret ring or the exposed breech of the hull-mounted 75mm. The B1 ter is only killable in flank shots with APCR or a very lucky turret ring hit. The Matilda is only frontally pennable on the turret ring or demands use of APCR.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

*Large ammo reserve of 86 rounds.
*Agile vehicle.
*Good power-to-weight ratio (27.34hp/ton in AB, 15.62hp/ton in RB/SB)
*One of the best guns in Rank I, can penetrate most things it comes up against and kill them in 1-2 penetrating hits due to HE filler.
*Access to APCR ammunition for certain targets the APC-HE cannot pen reliably
*Good ballistics for 47 mm, can be used effectively at long range.
*Narrow, can fit in tight spaces.

'''Cons:'''

*Tall profile, bigger target.
*Very thin armour, maximum is 15 mm. Vulnerable to strafing aircraft.
*Crew operating the gun have no armour protection in the top and rear of their position.
*Not a lot of horsepower, poor for towing downed allied vehicles.
*No defensive machine gun, open-top SPAA can be a problem.
*Gun quickly becomes obsolete in uptiers, it does not cope well with sloped armour.

== History ==

===Development===
The heavily armoured tanks in Allied inventory was considered a threat to the German armoured forces, which consisted of mostly 3.7 cm gun that were ineffective. To counter these threats, the Germans sought for a vehicle able to mount a bigger gun able to fight these tanks. It was found that they could convert obsolete chassis designs like the Panzer I to mount the guns, thus saving the design process of developing a new vehicle for the role. The Czech 4.7 cm Pak(t) anti-tank gun was chosen for this task, and was mounted on a converted Panzer I chassis with the turret removed, a gun shield was used for the mount of the gun. Between 1940 to 1941, 202 Panzer I’s were converted by Alkett and Deutz AG to these tank destroyers, designated the ‘’’Panzerjäger I‘’’, the first of its kind of tank destroyers in the war.

===Combat usage===
The Panzerjäger I were organised in anti-tank battalions, each having three companies with nine vehicles each. Five battalions in the war were equipped with the tank destroyer. The first usage of the Panzerjäger I was in the Battle of France, where four battalions were committed. Though, only Anti-Tank Battalion 521 saw service from the beginning to the end as the other four were still in training when the campaign started. The opinion of the crew of these vehicles were positive, saying that the weapon was adequate to distances up to 600 meters if the enemy had 45 to 50 mm of armour. However, the crew also say that the ability to observe the battle in the vehicle was terrible, the crew had to look over the shield to see what is ahead, risking themselves to injury to the head.

After the Battle of France, the Panzerjäger I's in Anti-Tank Battalion 605 were sent to the North African Campaign, though only 3 of the 27 vehicles made it as the transport freighter ''Castellon'' carrying the rest was sunk. The battalion was in full strength during the British offensive in Operation Crusader in November 1941, to which they lost 13 vehicles in the battle. Battle experience praise the accuracy the vehicle provides, but state that the vehicles were too weak for the combat conditions and the gun didn’t have enough penetration in long distance. With an APCR round, it was found it could destroy the venerable Matilda infantry tanks at distance of around 400 meters. The battalion continued this battle of attrition with reinforcement and losses that during the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, only 11 Panzerjäger I’s were left in the battalion. The last two replacement vehicle were sent to the battalion in November 1942. In Operation Barbarossa, five anti-tank battalions were equipped with the Panzerjäger I’s, which made up a total of 135 vehicles. The combat experience was subpar, while the Panzerjäger I had a good effective range of up to 1,000 to 1,200 meters, but the high profile of the vehicle presented a big target to enemy anti-tank weapons and artillery, even shrapnels from high-explosive shells could penetrate the thin armour. Many Panzerjäger I’s were destroyed and by the Fall of 1942, many battalions reported to be under equipped for further action and were disbanded. At this point, better anti-tank weaponry and vehicles were more accessible and replaced the Panzerjäger I in service, notably the Marder series.

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== Read also ==

* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/886/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> The Panzerjäger I, and announcing a branch of German SPGs with open cabins]
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/4478-profile-panzerj%C3%A4ger-i-the-first-german-tank-hunter-en [Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> Panzerjäger I - The first German Tank Hunter]

== Sources ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41)

2019-05-14T14:09:31Z

U35111552: Added details on Survivability, Mobility, Armament, Pros&Cons, and attached link to video guide

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_sdkfz_221_s_pz_b_41}}

== Description ==

The Sd.Kfz.221 (s.Pz.B.41) is a rank I German light tank at Battle Rating 1.3 in all modes. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===


The Sd.Kfz.221 has very weak armour. It gets penetrated on every side, so you should think of it as if you have no armour at all.

The problem of the Sd.Kfz. 221 isn't really the armour. It's that the gunner is exposed. A single coaxial bullet can knock him out and if not in a position for Crew Replenishment, the player will be knocked out with it. Due to only two crew, it is instantly knocked out in RB or SB and a sitting duck in AB even if it has Crew Replenishment active.

=== Mobility ===

The mobility, on the other hand, is great for a wheeled vehicle. The double steering axles allow it to make tight turns even though it is a wheeled vehicle. There is, however, one main flaw with the double steering axles design, it is difficult to drive straight forward after making the slightest turn. The vehicle has a tendency to oversteer by itself and requires adjustments to keep it driving straight. This is extremely problematic if driving at full speed. To counter this problem, it is best to simply slow down before making turns. An alternative is to enable "Driver Assist" in the controls, so slight adjustments of the mouse steer it properly instead.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===
''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

The [[S.Pz.B.41 (28/20 mm)|28/20mm s.Pz.B.41]] squeezebore cannon fires only one ammo type, 2.8/2cm PzGr.41. Technically speaking the ammo type is "Armor-Piercing-Composite Non-Rigid," but since there is no ingame file for that type, it is modelled as "Armor-Piercing Composite Rigid" instead. It has an extremely high muzzle velocity of 1400m/s, and penetrates 95mm at 10m distance vs flat armor. Vs 30-degree armor, it pens an acceptable 73mm, but at steep angles it pens just 22mm. Rate of fire is excellent like most low-tier guns, but currently like all APCR, the postpen damage is poor.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very fast in a straight line (80kph)
* Excellent Power/Weight Ratio (35.75hp/ton AB, 18.75hp/ton RB/SB) makes its top speed practically achieveable
* Good rate of fire from the main gun (3.9s stock, 3.0s aced)
* Good penetration from the 28/20 mm ammunition of 95mm at point blank
* Small profile
* Low shell drop due to 1400m/s muzzle velocity

'''Cons:'''

* Limited gun arc
* Thin armour, easily penetrable by most all vehicles and aircraft
* Wheeled vehicle, cannot neutral steer like tanks and must be moving forward/backward to steer
* Wheeled vehicle, not much traction (and therefore speed or acceleration) on snow or sand unless you stick to roads
* Can easily tip over in a sharp turn
* Only 2 crew members; one crew member lost = instant loss (especially if you don't have ''Crew Replenishment'' researched)
* APCR is the only ammo choice, postpen damage is almost completely inadequate for all but the smallest enemy tanks.

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==
Video Guide to vehicle by TheEuropeanCanadian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L5i_oupaCU

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany light tanks}}