Difference between revisions of "T-III (USSR)"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42}}
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{{About
 +
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = the other captured medium tank
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| link = T-V (USSR)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=ussr_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should 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 a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should 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 a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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During the Polish campaign, Red Army soldiers found a damaged [[Pz.III J|Pz.III]] tank, abandoned by its crew, which was secretly transported to the USSR and thoroughly studied. With the attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union, Red Army soldiers began capturing other Pz.III tanks. These were then repaired and put into service with Soviet units under the designation '''T-III''' (Type-3). They were successfully used until 1943, when, due to insufficient penetration of the main gun and a limited supply of captured ammunition, they were withdrawn from service.
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{{Break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''', or the captured German ''Pz.Kpfw.III'', is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].
+
The Soviet '''T-III''' was introduced in [[Update 1.43]]. Being a copy of the German [[Pz.III J]], it also boasts a powerful 50 mm gun, which allows it to engage even the most heavily armoured combat vehicles encountered in battles. Its decent mobility allows it to both keep up with light tanks, supporting them with fire, and to take up advantageous firing positions. One of the tank's key drawbacks is its mediocre survivability: the crew is compactly arranged, and the upper glacis plate and sides are easily penetrated. Therefore, for increased protection, the tank should be angled with a corner towards the enemy.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-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 helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the 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 helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
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{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
−
!Armour
+
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
−
!Front
 
−
!Sides
 
−
!Rear
 
−
!Roof
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Hull
+
| Hull || 50 mm (12°) ''Front plate'' <br> 25 mm (86°), 50 mm (52°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 50 mm (23-69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 50 mm (14-46°) ''Top'' <br> 50 mm (10-66°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
−
|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
+
| Turret || 50 mm (10-25°) ''Turret front'' <br> 50 mm (12-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 mm (20-25°) || 30 mm (12-15°) || 10 mm
−
|50 mm (10-25°) ''Turret front''
 
−
50 mm (12-62°) ''Gun mantlet''
 
−
|30 mm (20-25°)
 
−
|30 mm (12-15°)
 
−
|10 mm
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
!Armour
+
| Cupola || 50 mm || 50 mm || 50 mm || 10 mm
−
!Sides
 
−
!Roof
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
|Cupola
 
−
|50 mm
 
−
|10 mm
 
 
|}
 
|}
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
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* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
 
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
  
−
With only an unangled 50 mm armour plate at the front, even some rank I guns can penetrate the T-III's armour. Angling will not really help, as you will expose your even thinner side armour. However, the lower glacis is quite angled, and most small-calibre rounds will bounce off harmlessly. The ammunition is stored in the back of the tank, minimizing the threat of being ammo-racked.
+
With only a vertical 50 mm armour plate at the front, even some rank I guns can penetrate the T-III's armour. Angling will not really help, as you will expose your even thinner side armour. However, the lower glacis is quite angled, and most small-calibre rounds will bounce off harmlessly. The ammunition is stored in the back of the tank, minimizing the threat of being ammo-racked.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}
 +
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
{{main|KwK L/42 (50 mm)}}
 
{{main|KwK L/42 (50 mm)}}
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|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 99 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.24 || 7.25 || 8.80 || 9.73 || 10.35 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
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| rowspan="2" | 99 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 11.4 || 15.8 || 19.2 || 21.2 || 22.6 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
−
| 3.27 || 3.85 || 4.67 || 5.17 || 5.50
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| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
* '''PzGr 39''' - {{Annotation|APC|Armour-Piercing Capped}} - This is your main ammo type, use it whenever you think it has enough penetration to penetrate your target. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
 
−
* '''PzGr 40''' - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid}} - this variation of APCR is lighter, slightly faster and offers the best penetration (up to 132 mm). Use it against heavily armoured beasts. However, don't expect it to cause any real damage upon penetration. It only deals damage to modules/crew straight in its path, due to the fact that it has no explosive filler.
 
  
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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* '''PzGr 39''' - {{Annotation|APC|Armour-Piercing Capped}} - This is your main ammo type, use it whenever you think it has enough penetration to penetrate your target. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
+
* '''PzGr 40''' - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour-Piercing Composite Rigid}} - this variation of APCR is lighter, slightly faster and offers the best penetration (up to 132 mm). Use it against heavily armoured beasts. However, don't expect it to cause any real damage upon penetration. It only deals damage to modules/crew straight in its path, due to the fact that it has no explosive filler.
−
|-
+
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
+
{{:KwK L/42 (50 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, PzGr 40}}
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| PzGr 39 || APC || 80 || 76 || 62 || 48 || 38 || 29
 
−
|-
 
−
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 116 || 107 || 74 || 47 || 30 || 19
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| PzGr 39 || APC || 685 || 2.05 || 1.2 || 9.0 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1,050 || 0.9 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
'''Last updated: 1.101.0.44'''
+
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
−
[[File:Ammoracks Pz.III J.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Pz.III J (Identical to {{PAGENAME}}).]]
+
<!-- '''Last updated: 1.101.0.44''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''99''' || 73&nbsp;''(+26)'' || 47&nbsp;''(+52)'' || 32&nbsp;''(+67)'' || 0&nbsp;''(+99)'' || No
+
| '''99''' || 74&nbsp;''(+25)'' || 48&nbsp;''(+51)'' || 33&nbsp;''(+66)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+98)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
Notes:
+
'''Notes''':
 +
 
 
* Racks disappear when all shells in the rack have been loaded/shot.
 
* Racks disappear when all shells in the rack have been loaded/shot.
−
* Racks 1 to 3 emptied: 32&nbsp;''(+67)''
+
* Racks 1 to 3 emptied: 33&nbsp;''(+66)'' shells.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}
 
{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
 
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mount
+
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
−
! Capacity<br>(Belt capacity)
 
−
! Rate of fire<br>(shots/minute)
 
−
! Vertical<br>guidance
 
−
! Horizontal<br>guidance
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coaxial || 4,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
+
| Coaxial || 4,350 (150) || 900 || - || -
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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== Usage in battles ==
 
== 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).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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).'' -->
−
Use of this tank is similar to the Pz. III F. While it does have significantly better armour on the front than its predecessor, the higher BR of 2.3 means it faces tougher, more well-armoured opposition in up-tiers to 3.3. The [[T-34 (1940)]] is almost impenetrable, except for some weakspots around the turret and flat-on below the tracks. [[M4A1]]s are similar in speed to you, have better sloped frontal armour that you cannot penetrate, more powerful guns, and stabilizers. APCR post-penetration damage is not sufficient enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally penetrate a Sherman or T-34. The best way to attack these tanks is to flank them with your good mobility, or wait for them to overextend, then shoot at their weaker side armour. Furthermore, the high fuse sensitivity makes many lightly-armoured things with strong guns your worst nightmare, since you'll over-penetrate repeatedly in most cases, allowing easy return fire from the enemy. Enemy SPAAG, in particular, is very dangerous because of your 15 mm turret ring weak pot, enabling them to spray all over you to incapacitate your gunner and loader.
+
This tank is a captured Pz.III J, and plays similarly. While it does have significantly better armour on the front than its predecessor, the higher battle rating means it faces tougher, more well-armoured opposition in uptiers. The [[T-34 (1940)]] is almost impenetrable, except for some weak spots around the turret and flat-on below the tracks. [[M4A1]]s are similar in speed to you, have better sloped frontal armour that you cannot penetrate, more powerful guns, and stabilizers. APCR post-penetration damage is not sufficient enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally penetrate a Sherman or T-34. The best way to attack these tanks is to flank them with your good mobility, or wait for them to overextend, then shoot at their weaker side armour. Furthermore, the high fuse sensitivity makes many lightly-armoured tank destroyers equipped with strong guns your worst nightmare, since you'll over-penetrate repeatedly in most cases, allowing easy return fire from the enemy. Enemy SPAAGs, in particular, are very dangerous because of your 15 mm turret ring weak spot, enabling them to spray all over you to incapacitate your gunner and loader.
−
 
 
−
=== Modules ===
 
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
! Tier
 
−
! colspan="2" | Mobility
 
−
! Protection
 
−
! colspan="2" | Firepower
 
−
|-
 
−
| I
 
−
| Tracks
 
−
|
 
−
| Parts
 
−
| Horizontal Drive
 
−
| PzGr 40
 
−
|-
 
−
| II
 
−
| Suspension
 
−
| Brake System
 
−
| FPE
 
−
| Adjustment of Fire
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Filters
 
−
|
 
−
| Crew Replenishment
 
−
| Elevation Mechanism
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
| Transmission
 
−
| Engine
 
−
|
 
−
| Artillery Support
 
−
|
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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* Accurate and decently powerful gun
 
* Accurate and decently powerful gun
−
* Great gun depression
+
* Good -10° gun depression
 
* Decent mobility
 
* Decent mobility
 
* APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
 
* APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
−
* Armour is fairly decent, can protect reliably against lower-ranked tanks
+
* Armour can reliably protect against low calibre guns
 +
* Panzer III profile may trick some enemies into ignoring this vehicle
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Penetration is lacking, as is post-penetration damage against enemies in up-tiers
+
* Relatively low armour penetration for regular ammunition
−
* Awful turret traverse speed
+
* Slow turret traverse speed
−
* Flat armour with little slope, weak side armour
+
* Flat frontal armour and thin side armour
−
* Large and weakly armour commander's cupola, often sticks out above the terrain, drawing the enemies' attention
+
* Large commander's cupola can attract enemy fire
−
* Has no HE shell
+
* Panzer III profile will attract friendly fire in Simulator mode
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the 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></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>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the 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></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>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
  
−
The {{PAGENAME}} is the Russian designation for a captured [[Panzer III]], which saw extensive service during the early phases of Operation Barbarossa. After the battle of Moscow, the Russian army got a hold of lots of German equipment and it was subsequently evaluated. The T-III was mostly issued as a command vehicle due to its increased comfort and reliable radio. Often times captured vehicles would be refitted with Soviet parts for logistical reasons.
+
The {{PAGENAME}} is the Soviet designation for a captured [[Panzer III]], which saw extensive service during the early phases of Operation Barbarossa. After the battle of Moscow, the Soviet army got a hold of lots of German equipment and it was subsequently evaluated. The T-III was mostly issued as a command vehicle due to its increased comfort and reliable radio. Often times captured vehicles would be refitted with Soviet parts for logistical reasons. It saw combat in the battles of Kursk, Leningrad and Stalingrad, earning themselves a great reputation. The T-III was operated by the Red Army until late 1943 after which they were dropped out of service in favour of newer Soviet vehicles or newly captured [[T-V (USSR)|Panther]] tanks.
 +
 
 +
{{break}}
 +
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
 +
The designation used for the captured Pz.Kpfw.lll German medium tank in the Red Army arsenal. The tank was an early modification of the Pz.Kpfw.lll Ausf.J that was armed with a short-barrel 50 mm KwK.38 L/42. The Ausf.J differed from previous modifications by its enlarged frontal body armour (50 mm) and certain mechanical changes. These tanks were popular with Soviet tank crews due to their excellent scopes, their loadout, and the convenience of the crew.
 +
{{Navigation-End}}
  
−
It saw combat in the battles of Kursk, Leningrad and Stalingrad, earning themselves a great reputation.
+
== Media ==
 +
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
−
The T-III was operated by the Red Army until late 1943 after which they were dropped out of service in favour of newer Soviet vehicles or newly captured [[T-V (USSR)|Panther]] tanks.
+
;Skins
  
−
=== In-game description ===
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_pzkpfw_III_ausf_J_L42 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
−
The designation used for the captured Pz.Kpfw.lll German medium tank in the Red Army arsenal. The tank was an early modification of the Pz.Kpfw.lll Ausf.J that was armed with a short-barrel 50mm KwK.38 L/42. The Ausf.J differed from previous modifications by its enlarged frontal body armor (50 mm) and certain mechanical changes. These tanks were popular with Soviet tank crews due to their excellent scopes, their loadout, and the convenience of the crew.
 
  
−
== Media ==
+
;Videos
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
{{Youtube-gallery|wfhLr_6QczU|'''Premium Review, T-III. A nice fun and cheap tank!''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;[[Panzer III (Family)|Related development]]
 +
 
 +
* [[Pz.III J]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 +
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
 
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}
 
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 19:42, 21 August 2024

This page is about the Soviet medium tank T-III (USSR). For the other captured medium tank, see T-V (USSR).
▂T-III
ussr_pzkpfw_iii_ausf_j_l42.png
GarageImage T-III (USSR).jpg
ArtImage T-III (USSR).png
▂T-III
USSR flag.png USSR
I Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
2.3 2.3 2.3
Class:
PREMIUM
Purchase:700 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game

Description

During the Polish campaign, Red Army soldiers found a damaged Pz.III tank, abandoned by its crew, which was secretly transported to the USSR and thoroughly studied. With the attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union, Red Army soldiers began capturing other Pz.III tanks. These were then repaired and put into service with Soviet units under the designation T-III (Type-3). They were successfully used until 1943, when, due to insufficient penetration of the main gun and a limited supply of captured ammunition, they were withdrawn from service.

The Soviet T-III was introduced in Update 1.43. Being a copy of the German Pz.III J, it also boasts a powerful 50 mm gun, which allows it to engage even the most heavily armoured combat vehicles encountered in battles. Its decent mobility allows it to both keep up with light tanks, supporting them with fire, and to take up advantageous firing positions. One of the tank's key drawbacks is its mediocre survivability: the crew is compactly arranged, and the upper glacis plate and sides are easily penetrated. Therefore, for increased protection, the tank should be angled with a corner towards the enemy.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull53 / 30 / 53
Turret30 / 30 / 30
Crew5 people
Visibility88 %

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Barrel shroud, Cupola)
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
Cupola 50 mm 50 mm 50 mm 10 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

With only a vertical 50 mm armour plate at the front, even some rank I guns can penetrate the T-III's armour. Angling will not really help, as you will expose your even thinner side armour. However, the lower glacis is quite angled, and most small-calibre rounds will bounce off harmlessly. The ammunition is stored in the back of the tank, minimizing the threat of being ammo-racked.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB60 / 12 km/h
RB and SB54 / 10 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
1 back
Weight21.8 t
Engine power
AB572 hp
RB and SB300 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB26.2 hp/t
RB and SB13.8 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 60 12 21.8 465 572 21.33 26.24
Realistic 54 10 265 300 12.16 13.76

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB857 Sl icon.png
RB428 Sl icon.png
SB495 Sl icon.png
Crew training2 300 Sl icon.png
Experts15 000 Sl icon.png
Aces115 Ge icon.png
Research Aces320 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 40 / 40 / 50 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 112 / 112 / 112 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Mods tank ammo.png
50mm_kwk_38_39_APCR2_ammo_pack
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support

Armaments

Main armament

50 mm KwK L/42 cannon
Ammunition99 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
5.2 → 4.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 20°
Main article: KwK L/42 (50 mm)
50 mm KwK L/42 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 99 -10°/+20° ±180° - 11.4 15.8 19.2 21.2 22.6 5.20 4.60 4.24 4.00
Realistic 7.1 8.4 10.2 11.3 12.0

Ammunition

  • PzGr 39 - APC - This is your main ammo type, use it whenever you think it has enough penetration to penetrate your target. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
  • PzGr 40 - APCR - this variation of APCR is lighter, slightly faster and offers the best penetration (up to 132 mm). Use it against heavily armoured beasts. However, don't expect it to cause any real damage upon penetration. It only deals damage to modules/crew straight in its path, due to the fact that it has no explosive filler.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
PzGr 39 APC 80 76 62 48 38 29
PzGr 40 APCR 116 107 74 47 30 19
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
PzGr 39 APC 685 2.05 1.2 9 28.9 48° 63° 71°
PzGr 40 APCR 1,050 0.9 - - - 66° 70° 72°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-III (USSR)
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
99 74 (+25) 48 (+51) 33 (+66) 1 (+98) No

Notes:

  • Racks disappear when all shells in the rack have been loaded/shot.
  • Racks 1 to 3 emptied: 33 (+66) shells.

Machine guns

7.92 mm MG34 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition4 350 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main article: MG34 (7.92 mm)
7.92 mm MG34
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 4,350 (150) 900 - -

Usage in battles

This tank is a captured Pz.III J, and plays similarly. While it does have significantly better armour on the front than its predecessor, the higher battle rating means it faces tougher, more well-armoured opposition in uptiers. The T-34 (1940) is almost impenetrable, except for some weak spots around the turret and flat-on below the tracks. M4A1s are similar in speed to you, have better sloped frontal armour that you cannot penetrate, more powerful guns, and stabilizers. APCR post-penetration damage is not sufficient enough to be counted upon when you need it the most, plus neither PzGr.40/1 or PzGr.40 can frontally penetrate a Sherman or T-34. The best way to attack these tanks is to flank them with your good mobility, or wait for them to overextend, then shoot at their weaker side armour. Furthermore, the high fuse sensitivity makes many lightly-armoured tank destroyers equipped with strong guns your worst nightmare, since you'll over-penetrate repeatedly in most cases, allowing easy return fire from the enemy. Enemy SPAAGs, in particular, are very dangerous because of your 15 mm turret ring weak spot, enabling them to spray all over you to incapacitate your gunner and loader.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Accurate and decently powerful gun
  • Good -10° gun depression
  • Decent mobility
  • APCR ammo has very high speed and good penetration, making shooting at long range easier
  • Armour can reliably protect against low calibre guns
  • Panzer III profile may trick some enemies into ignoring this vehicle

Cons:

  • Relatively low armour penetration for regular ammunition
  • Slow turret traverse speed
  • Flat frontal armour and thin side armour
  • Large commander's cupola can attract enemy fire
  • Panzer III profile will attract friendly fire in Simulator mode

History

The T-III (USSR) is the Soviet designation for a captured Panzer III, which saw extensive service during the early phases of Operation Barbarossa. After the battle of Moscow, the Soviet army got a hold of lots of German equipment and it was subsequently evaluated. The T-III was mostly issued as a command vehicle due to its increased comfort and reliable radio. Often times captured vehicles would be refitted with Soviet parts for logistical reasons. It saw combat in the battles of Kursk, Leningrad and Stalingrad, earning themselves a great reputation. The T-III was operated by the Red Army until late 1943 after which they were dropped out of service in favour of newer Soviet vehicles or newly captured Panther tanks.


Archive of the in-game description

The designation used for the captured Pz.Kpfw.lll German medium tank in the Red Army arsenal. The tank was an early modification of the Pz.Kpfw.lll Ausf.J that was armed with a short-barrel 50 mm KwK.38 L/42. The Ausf.J differed from previous modifications by its enlarged frontal body armour (50 mm) and certain mechanical changes. These tanks were popular with Soviet tank crews due to their excellent scopes, their loadout, and the convenience of the crew.


Media

Skins
Videos
Premium Review, T-III. A nice fun and cheap tank! - Joseph 2000

See also

Related development

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · Т-80U-Е1 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2

USSR premium ground vehicles
Light tanks  BA-11 · RBT-5 · BT-7A (F-32) · T-26 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-26E · T-126 · PT-76-57 · 2S38
Medium tanks  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34E · T-34-57 (1943) · T-34-85E · T-34-100 · T-44-122 · TO-55 · T-55AM-1 · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-80UD · Т-80U-Е1
  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2 · ▂T-III · ▂T-V · ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
Heavy tanks  SMK · T-35 · ▂MK-II "Matilda" · KV-1E · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6) · KV-122 · KV-220 · IS-2 "Revenge" · Object 248 · IS-6 · T-10A
Tank destroyers  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
  SU-57 · SU-76D · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A · SU-100Y · SU-122P · Object 120
SPAA  ▂Phòng không T-34 · ZUT-37

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