PzKpfw III Ausf F

[David W]

Guys, can you help?

I'm looking for evidence, photographic or otherwise of the presence of PzKpfw III Ausf F in North Africa.
I had always assumed that they were, but can't actually find any photos.

Thanks in advance, David.

[Alanmccoubrey]

David, The problem is, how can we tell an upgraded F, which is how it would appear in Africa, from a G ? The driver's visor I guess is the only real difference.

http://www.wargamer.com/Hosted/Panzer/panzer3a.htm

[David W]

Alan.

Good point. I for one couldn't. (unless there was a clear shot of the drivers visor)

I guess I was expecting to see a 5cm L/42 armed machine with the old (Ausf E/F) style of gun mantlet.
But perhaps they were all replaced with the gun upgrade?

Alan, I've just had another thought, wouldn't the Ausf G have had a different cupola and additional armour on the hull and superstructure rear?

David.

[Alanmccoubrey]

David, the 5cm gun couldn't be mounted without its own external mantlet so that wouldn't be a clue. The F had the additional armour fitted as well but you're correct about the old style cupola, I'd forgotten about that.

[von Salza]

Hi David/Alan,

I'm not even sure the cupola type would give you a definitive ID either. There's a picture (plate 193 page 63) in Chamberlain & Doyle's Encyclopaedia of German Tanks of World War 2 that purports to be of a Pz. III AusfG in North Africa and it also has the old type of cupola as used on the AusfF.

If we can't use the cupola for ID (fairly evident in most pictures of armoured vehicles) then we're back to square one, looking for a view of the front to check for the pivoting visor for the driver. It will therefore be extremely difficult to differentiate between the F & G models in most photos.

Regards

David

[David W]

Thanks David.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little query.........................

Pz Kw III Ausf. L (late version) or Ausf. G?

This tank was fitted with a a 5cm KwK L/42 gun with external mantlet and roof ventilator; old driver’s visor and cupola but has a Gepäckkasten (storage box) also. The first return roller was not moved forward .......................

Source: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Foto-Schwerer-Pa ... rmvSB=true

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Alanmccoubrey]

Raúl, as you now know from else where this is in fact a Tauchpanzer IIIAusf G. The framing around the mantlet and hull MG are the indicators for this. Also there were no Ausf L fitted with the short 50mm gun and neither did they have the vision posts on the turret sides.

[tigre]

Thank you very much Alan .

Pz Kw III Ausf. L (late version) or Ausf. G?

just now I realized that I wrote Ausf. L, in fact my wish was to write Ausf. F (late), really I do not know why I put L instead. Anyway clear now. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more...................

Pz Kw III in action!.

Source: http://www.ebay.de/itm/W6-Foto-116-I-D- ... rmvSB=true.

Cheers. Raúl M .