#germany
This article will summarize the history of the German Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank and its variants, including their development, production, and service history. The Pz.Kpfw. IV was one of the most produced fully tracked German armoured vehicles of the Second World War, second only to the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun. In addition to its original role as a medium tank, the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw. IV served as a versatile platform for many self-propelled weapon designs.
The Tiger II or Sdkfz. 182 (Sdkfz. 267 / Sdkfz. 268 for Command vehicles), also known as the King Tiger (officially Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. H/B, P), was delivered to the German Wehrmacht starting in October 1943 and represented one of the most advanced tank designs of World War II. A total of 492 units were produced, with the majority manufactured by Henschel and Krupp. The Tiger II combined the robust armor of its predecessor, the Tiger I, with sloped frontal armor up to 185 mm thick and the powerful 8.8-cm KwK 43 L/71 gun, capable of destroying almost any Allied tank at long range. Weighing 70 tons, with a top speed of 38 km/h (road) and a range of up to 170 km, it was prone to mechanical failures and fuel shortages, limiting its strategic effectiveness.
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.
In this guide is about the 7,5 cm KwK and StuK 37 L/24 (as well as modernized K.51). The gun was a prewar development of a compremise of firepower to size. Duo to its size and weight, as well as ammo development put it in a role of multipurpose on a great amount of different vehicles, used prewar till the very end.
The Panzerwerfer 42, also known as the Sd.Kfz. 4/1, was a German multiple rocket launcher from World War II that stood out for its combination of firepower and mobility. It was developed on the chassis of the “Maultier” half-track, a modified version of the Opel Blitz truck, to improve its ability to maneuver in difficult terrain. The vehicle was equipped with a 15 cm Nebelwerfer 42, capable of firing up to ten rockets simultaneously. These rockets, with a range of approximately 7,000 meters, could carry explosive, smoke, or incendiary payloads.
The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw. III for short), commonly known as the Panzer III, was a German medium tank in service from 1937. It played an important role in the Second World War as the Panzer III and its chassis was used on all fronts. From 1936 to 1942, 5,700 Panzer IIIs were built. In addition, more than 10,000 StuG IIIs (Sdkfz.142) based on the same chassis were built from 1940 to 1945.
The Eurofighter 2000 Typhoon (Block 10 Tranche 2), Typhoon FGR.4, and F-2000A are 4.5th generation fighter jets with exceptional versatility and advanced technology, found in the German, British, and Italian tech trees. Equipped with AIM-120B AMRAAMs and AIM-9M Sidewinders, they excel in both long-range and close-quarters air combat. On the ground attack side, the Typhoons boast an impressive arsenal, including advanced guided bombs and missiles, making them equally devastating against ground targets.
In the early 1960s, the West German Bundeswehr used the aging M41 Walker Bulldog as their primary reconnaissance tank. There was a clear need for a more modern, capable tank to fulfill this role. As a result, the Spähpanzer Ru 251, a light reconnaissance tank based on the Kanonenjagdpanzer 4-5 tank destroyer, was developed as a potential replacement. The Ru 251 was a fast, agile light tank, but it never reached full production, as it was overshadowed by the emerging Leopard 1 main battle tank.
The Bf 109 was, without a doubt, a legendary warplane of World War 2. Alongside the Fw 190, the famed Messer was one of the main single-engine fighters of the German Luftwaffe until the very end of the war in 1945, but some countries still used its modifications up until the 1950s and even '60s.
Among the many armored vehicles that saw service during World War II, few have attained the mythic status of the Panzerkampfwagen VI, also known as the Tiger I. This 57-ton beast marks the beginning of the German heavy tank line and is a textbook example of a tank of its class, capable of inflicting and taking heavy damage due to its powerful armament and thick armor protection.
