Difference between revisions of "Pz.IV F2"
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| − | The ''' | + | 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 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. | 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 | + | 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 | + | 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. ''' | '''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 | + | 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 | + | 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 == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === 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 | + | <!--''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.''--> | ''If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''--> | ||
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'''Notes:''' | '''Notes:''' | ||
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick. | * 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. | + | * 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. | * 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 | + | 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 === | === Mobility === | ||
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=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| − | <!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft | + | <!--''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|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}} | {{main|MG 34 (7.92 mm)}} | ||
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* The 75mm KwK 40 cannon is fantastic, expect a lot of destruction with just one shot | * 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 | * The stock PzGr 39 shell has sufficient penetration and damage capable of destroying most tanks | ||
| − | * PzGr 40 APCR shell | + | * 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 | * 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 | * Great mobility and top speed, fastest of all Panzer IV with the KwK 40 | ||
* Very large ammo capacity at 87 rounds | * Very large ammo capacity at 87 rounds | ||
| − | * Is a good tank even in high rank games thanks to its speed and firepower | + | * Is a good tank even in high-rank games thanks to its speed and firepower |
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
* Armour is only 50 mm at its thickest, every tank the F2 faces can punch right through the armour with ease | * Armour is only 50 mm at its thickest, every tank the F2 faces can punch right through the armour with ease | ||
| − | * Due to | + | * 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 | * 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 | + | * 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 | * 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 | * PzGr 40 APCR tends to bounce due to the bad normalization. Not to mention that it dose little in post-penetration damage | ||
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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 '''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 | + | 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=== | ===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. | 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 | + | 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 | + | 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. | 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 == | == Media == | ||
Revision as of 16:13, 22 May 2019
Contents
Description
The Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. F2 (Panzer IV F2) is a rank II German medium tank
with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. Introducing the 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 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. 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)
| 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
| Mobility characteristic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Weight (tons) | Add-on Armour weight (tons) |
Max speed (km/h) |
| 22.3 | 0.3 | 48 (AB) |
| 43 (RB/SB) | ||
| Engine power (horsepower) | ||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded |
| Arcade | 465 | 572 |
| Realistic/Simulator | 265 | 300 |
| Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | ||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded |
| Arcade | 20.85 | 25.65 |
| Realistic/Simulator | 11.88 | 13.45 |
Armaments
Main armament
| 75 mm KwK 40 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Vertical guidance |
Horizontal guidance |
Stabilizer | ||
| 87 | -10°/+20° | ±180° | N/A | ||
| Turret rotation speed (°/s) | |||||
| Mode | Stock | Upgraded | Prior + Full crew | Prior + Expert qualif. | Prior + Ace qualif. |
| Arcade | 8.30 | 11.53 | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Realistic | 8.30 | 9.80 | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||
| Stock | Prior + Full crew | Prior + Expert qualif. | Prior + Ace qualif. | ||
| 7.67 | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ | ||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
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 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity in m/s |
Projectile Mass in kg |
Fuse delay
in m: |
Fuse sensitivity
in mm: |
Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent): |
Normalization At 30° from horizontal: |
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° |
| 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 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
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
7th rack empty |
8th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | 78 (+9) | 68 (+19) | 58 (+29) | 48 (+39) | 38 (+49) | 28 (+59) | 19 (+68) | 10 (+77) | 1 (+86) | Yes |
Turret empty: 58 (+29)
Machine guns
| 7.92 mm MG 34 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coaxial mount | ||||||
| Capacity (Belt capacity) | Fire rate (shots/minute) |
Vertical guidance |
Horizontal guidance | |||
| 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. So taking any HEAT shells into battle is pointless
History
Development
The Pz.Kpfw. IV's creation, like its predecessor the 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 and KV-1 tanks. The 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 was no match to its long range gun, and the 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 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
Skins and camouflages for the "Panzer IV F2" from live.warthunder.com.
Sights
Read also
Sources
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Germany medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| Pz.III | Pz.III B · Pz.III E · Pz.III F · Pz.III J · Pz.III J1 · Pz.III J1 TD · Pz.III L · Pz.III M · Pz.III N |
| Pz.IV | Pz.IV C · Pz.IV E · Pz.IV F1 · Pz.IV F2 · Pz.IV G · Pz.IV H · Pz.IV J · Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J |
| Pz.V | VK 3002 (M) · Panther A · Panther D · Panther F · Panther G · Ersatz M10 · Panther II |
| M48 upgrades | M48A2 G A2 · M48 Super |
| Leopard 1 | Leopard I · Leopard A1A1 · Leopard A1A1 (L/44) · Leopard 1A5 · C2A1 · Turm III |
| Leopard 2 | PT-16/T14 mod. · Leopard 2K · Leopard 2AV |
| Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123) · Leopard 2A4M · Leopard 2 PL · Leopard 2A5 · Leopard 2 PSO · Leopard 2A6 · Leopard 2A7V | |
| Trophies | ▀M4 748 (a) · ▀T 34 747 (r) |
| Other | Nb.Fz. · KPz-70 |
| USA | mKPz M47 G · M48A2 C |
| USSR | ◊T-72M1 |
