The E-series (Entwicklung; development series) consisted of a series of standardized tank types which were intended to replace existing German tanks of the Second World War such as the Panther, Tiger, Jagdpanzer IV, and Panzerjäger 38(t). However, most of them only reached the development stages and were not fully built.
Development
Development of the E series began in April 1943 under the direction of engineer Heinrich Kniepkamp, who had been thinking about a new tank series since 1941. The new series included the types E-10, E-25, E-50, E-75, E-100 and Waffenträger. The types E-10, E-25 and Waffenträger were to use parts from the Pz.38(t) to simplify production, while the other three variants used similar parts. All three shared a new suspension technology which was lighter than previous ones, and the engine was to be exactly the same for the E-50 and E-75, which would have meant that both chassis looked pretty much the same and could only be recognized by the reinforced suspension on the E-75.
The only model that was partially built was the E-100. It was built in a small Adler factory because the Third Reich’s requirements for projects such as super-heavy tanks like the E-100 meant that development was halted due to a lack of recoil pads. These were used on existing tanks like the Tiger II and Panther. For this reason, the rest of the E-series was abandoned and only the Waffenträger was built in significant numbers.
The E-100 was built in the workshop of Adler and Heinrich Kniepkamp until the end of the war, when the Allies captured the E-100 chassis, while most of the Waffenträgers were probably used during the Battle of Berlin and were mostly destroyed. With the fall of Berlin, further plans that would have provided more information about the E-series today were most likely destroyed, if any existed.
E-10
The E-10 was supposed to be the smallest model in the E series and weigh around ten tons, as the name suggests. The E-10 was also given a nickname, “Hetzer”. However, due to a misunderstanding, the manufacturers also gave the name “Hetzer” to the Panzerjäger 38(t), which they were also producing. The E-10 was supposed to have a 7.5 cm PaK 42 L/70 as armament. The engine was supposed to have a 400 hp engine. Like the E-25, the E-10 was intended to incorporate parts of the Panzerjäger 38(t) and Pz. 38(t) to simplify production.
E-25
The E-25 tank destroyer, also called “Jaguar”, was intended to replace the Pz. III and Pz. IV and their tank destroyer variants, although it was a tank destroyer. It was based on the E-10 but was a little longer and also used parts of the Panzerjäger 38(t) and Pz. 38(t). The E-25 was to have the same armament — a 7.5 cm KwK 42 L/70, a Maybach engine with up to 550 hp, and a hydrodynamic transmission from Voith. In addition, a 30 mm MK 108 was planned in a separate machine gun turret, similar to the M3 Lee. It was developed until 1945 under Hermann Klaue at Argus in Karlsruhe, but many components were lost towards the end of the war.
E-50
The E-50 was to be armed with an 8.8 cm KwK 43 L/71. The armor and mass of the E-50 were based on those of the Panther, Panther II, and Tiger II, which is why the front armor was 100 mm, which was intended to give it its approximate weight of 50 tons. These 50 tons were to be supported by a new suspension technology which provided that all road wheels of the tracks had their own guide rod, and an oil hydraulic system with springs kept the E-50 mobile in vegetation. It was also to be equipped with a 900 hp Maybach HL 234. The E-50 was intended to replace the Panther.
E-75
The E-75 was intended to replace the Tiger II. The E-75 had a 12.8 cm KwK 44, which was also used in the Jagdtiger. Its armor was to be 150 mm at the front. Its total weight was to be 75 tons. It was to have roughly the same dimensions as the E-50. It was to be equipped with a 900 hp Maybach HL 234, which the E-50 also had, which gave the E-75 a top speed of 40–45 km/h. The technology for the suspension was also the same as in the E-50, but due to its heavier weight the E-75 had a reinforced form of suspension which had eight road wheels per side instead of six, which were to bear its enormous weight.
E-100
The E-100 is the best known model of the E-series and also the only one of the whole E-series which was possibly the most developed because, among others, the British army captured a prototype of the E-100 chassis and brought it to Great Britain where the chassis was subjected to several tests to check its usefulness.
After the development of the E-series began in 1942, the production order for the E-100 came in 1943. However, the production and research ban in 1944 led to the E-series project being officially terminated. However, the Adler company secretly continued to build the prototype of the E-100 until the Allied forces captured it in April 1945 and then brought it to Great Britain.
The E-100 weighed 140 tons and was powered by a Maybach HL 230 P30 engine with 700 hp. The plan was to use a more powerful Maybach HL 232 engine with supercharging and around 1200 hp. Its top speed was 20 km/h, but was to be increased to 40 km/h. The vehicle’s track width is 100 cm. The total length of the vehicle is 8.7 m, the width is 4.48 m and the height is 3.3 m (chassis). The crew was to consist of six men.
Between 1942 and 1944 there were many considerations regarding the armament. The largest caliber that was intended to be installed was a 17.3 cm KwK 44. After that there was the consideration of installing a 15 cm KwK or a 12.8 cm KwK 44. Finally, the Adler company decided on the 12.8 cm KwK 44. The E-100 in the game also uses the 12.8 KwK. In addition, the E-100 would have received a 7.5 cm KwK 44 L/36.5 as well as an MG 34.
Finally, after the tests, the chassis was scrapped at a scrapyard in Great Britain.
Waffenträger
The Waffenträger was also part of the E series and was the only one produced, although the exact production figures are not known. In the last years of the war, the Wehrmacht was to become more mobile and more capable of striking, which is why Steyer Krupp, Börsig, Rheinmetall, Ardelt and other companies were working on placing a powerful anti-tank gun such as the 10.5 cm or the 8.8 cm on artillery tractors in the hope of turning the hopeless situation on the Eastern Front in 1944 around.
The last remaining variant of the “Waffenträger” is the one in the tank museum in Kubinka, which is a Steyer-Krupp model that was equipped with an 8.8 PaK 43 L/71. The hull had an armor thickness from 20 mm to 5 mm, while the shield has an armor of 5 mm. The chassis has a length without the tube of 5.43 m, a height of 2.4 m and a width of 2.44 m. The engine consisted of a 6-cylinder Maybach HL 42 TRM petrol engine with 100 hp. The fuel tank holds 120 liters of fuel, which gave the “waffenträger” a range of 110 km on the road. In total, the waffenträger weighed 11.2 tons and required 4 men to operate. Here, too, parts of the Pz. 38(t) were used for the “Waffenträger”, such as the wheels and the tracks.
The only use of the “Waffenträger” was in the Battle of Berlin, where the few examples were thrown against the Red Army, which destroyed almost all of them and only the remaining “Waffenträger” went to the tank museum in Kubinka.
