List of Panzer IV variants

This is a list of Panzerkampfwagen IV variants, including prototypes, conversions and projected designs.

Production models

Data from:[1]

Ausf.A
1/BW / (Sd.Kfz.161)
35 produced by Krupp-Gruson, between November 1937 and June 1938.
Ausf.B
2/BW
42 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from May to October 1938.
Ausf.C
3/BW
140 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1938 to August 1939.
Ausf.D
4/BW / 5/BW
200 + 48 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1939 to October 1940.
Ausf.E
6/BW
206 produced by Krupp-Gruson, from October 1940 to April 1941.
Ausf.F
7/BW
471 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from April 1941 to March 1942.
Ausf.F2
7/BW / (Sd.Kfz.161/1)
Temporary designation for Ausf F chassis built with long 7.5cm KwK40 L/43 main gun, later renamed into Auf. G and 8/BW.
Ausf.G
8/BW
1,927 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from March 1942 to June 1943.
Ausf.H
9/BW / (Sd.Kfz.161/2)
~2,324 produced by Krupp-Gruson, Vomag and Nibelungenwerke from June 1943 to February 1944.
Ausf.J
10/BW
~3,160 produced by Vomag Nibelungenwerke from February 1944 to April 1945.

Specialist vehicles and conversions on Panzer IV chassis

Data from:[1]

Note this section lists the official designations as used by the German armed forces, followed by alternatives, names, Gerät numbers etc. with a precis of information

Tauchpanzer IV
Panzerkampfwagen IV als Tauchpanzer
42 converted from July 1940 as submersible medium support tanks.
Panzerbefehlswagen mit 7.5 cm KwK L/48
97 command tanks converted from Ausf.Js from March to September 1944. (Essentially identical to the Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV).
Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV
90 artillery spotter tanks converted from Ausf.Js from July 1944 March 1945. (Essentially identical to the Panzerbefehlswagen mit 7.5cm KwK L/48).
A Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, based on the Panzer IV chassis, mounting the 75 mm Pak L/48 anti-tank gun.
Jagdpanzer IV
Gerät 820 / Sturmgeschütz IV (7.5cm StuK40 L/48) / (Sd.Kfz.162)
Tank destroyer based on the Panzer IV chassis. 1,108 produced by Krupp-Gruson from December 1943 to March 1945, the first 31 converted from Panzer IV chassis.
Sturmgeschütz neuer Art mit 7.5 cm PAK L/48 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV
Gerät 821 / (Sd.Kfz.167)
Assault tank based on the Panzer IV chassis. 769 produced by Vomag from January to November 1944 (plus 26 chassis).
Panzer IV/70(A)
Gerät 558 / Panzerwagen 604/9 / (Sd.Kfz.162/1)
Improved Jagdpanzer IV mounting a 7.5cm PaK42 L/70. 278 were produced by Nibelungenwerke from August 1944 to March 1945.
Panzer IV/70(V)
Gerät 559 / Panzerwagen 604/10 / (Sd.Kfz.162/1)
Improved Jagdpanzer IV mounting a 7.5cm PaK42 L/70. 930 were produced by Vomag from August 1944 to March 1945.
Dicker Max
10.5cm K18 auf Panzer Selbstfahrlafette IVa / 10.5 cm K18 gepanzerte Selbstfahrlafette (10.5 cm K18 (gp.Sfl.)) / 10 cm K18 (Pz.Sfl.IVa)
A self-propelled gun intended to attack heavily fortified bunkers. The mission was changed to tank-destroyer to take on allied super-heavy tanks, but only two were produced by Krupp-Gruson before the concept was abandoned. Both tanks saw combat on the Eastern Front during 1941 to good effect.
Nashorn
8.8cm PaK43/1 (L/71) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III/IV (Sf) / Hornisse
Tank destroyer on the Panzer IV chassis mounting an 8.8cm PaK43/1 L/71; 494 produced by Deutsche-Eisenwerke from February 1943 to March 1945.
A Sturmpanzer IV infantry-support gun (Casemate MG variant (flexible mount)).
Brummbär
Sturmpanzer IV / StuG IV mit 15cm StuH43 / (Sd.Kfz.166)
Assault infantry gun, 298 produced by Deutsche Eisen-Werke from April 1943 to March 1945 + 8 converted from Panzer IV.
Hummel
15cm Schwere Panzerhaubitze auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III/IV (Sf) / Gerät 807 / (Sd.Kfz.165)
100 self propelled artillery produced by Alkett and Deutsche-Eisenwerke, mounting 15cm sFH18/1 L/30 howitzer.
Munitions Fahrzeuge
157 Hummel chassis built as ammunition carriers for the Hummel.
10.5 cm leFH18/1(Sf) auf Geschützwagen IVb
Pz Sf IVb (3 Serie) / (Sd.Kfz.165/1)
An experimental light field howitzer tank, mounting a 10.5cm leFH18/1 in a partially traversing turret, built in a series of 8 by Krupp-Gruson in November 1942.
Brückenleger IV
BL IV
20 bridge layer tanks built by Krupp-Magirus, on Ausf.C and Ausf.D chassis, from February to May 1940.
Munitionschlepper füf Karlgerät
A single ammunition carrier for the Gerät 040 built on the chassis of an Ausf.D. Thirteen Ausf.F1 also converted on the production line as well as other Pz IV chassis.
Bergepanzer IV
Thirteen armoured recovery vehicles converted from Pz IV chassis from October to December 1944.
Sturmstegpanzer
Infantriesturmsteg auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV
Two (or 4) infantry assault bridge carriers converted from Ausf.C chassis in 1940. Each tank had 2 walkways, similar to extending fire ladders, that extended horizontally to cross obstructions.
The Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun.
Wirbelwind
Flakpanzer IV/2cm Vierling / Pz Fgst IV/3
Quadruple 2cm flak Vierling 38 mounted on obsolete Panzer IV chassis. 1 prototype converted in May 1944 and 86 converted by Ostbau from July to November 1944.
Ostwind I
Flakpanzer IV/3.7cm FlaK / Gerät 582 / Flakpanzerwagen 604/17
Single 3.7cm FlaK43/1 L/60 mounted on obsolete Panzer IV chassis. 1 prototype converted in July 1944, 36 converted by Ostbau plus 7 new production by Ostbau from December 1944 to March 1945.
Kugelblitz
Leichter Flakpanzer IV (3cm) / Gerät 582 / Flakpanzerwagen 604/4
Lightweight AA tank with a 3cm Doppelflak turret. Only two prototypes were built by Deutsche-Eisenwerke in February 1945 before development switched to the Pz 38(d) chassis.
Möbelwagen
3.7cm Flak auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV (Sf) / (Sd.Kfz.161/3)
(Möbelwagen - furniture van) Anti-aircraft tank, 240 produced by Deutsche-Eisenwerke from March 1944 to March 1945.
Ostwind II
Flakpanzer IV/3.7cm Flakzwilling
A single prototype produced in January 1945 by Ostbau, mounting a 3.7cm Flakzwilling 44 ( a 3.7cm Flakzwilling 43 with the guns mounted side-by-side). Loss of the Ostbau facility due to the Soviet advance precluded production.

Pilot models, prototypes and experimental designs

Data from:[1]

VK2001(Rh)
(VK - Versuchs Kampffahrzeug - research combat vehicle) A pilot model produced by Rheinmetall-Borsig in two versions.
VK2002(MAN)
A pilot model produced by MAN AG.
VK2001(D)
A pilot model produced by Daimler-Benz.
VK2001(K)
A pilot model produced by Krupp.
BW
Battaillonsführerwagen - (Battalion commanders vehicle). Pre-production articles for development of the Panzer I.
Raketenwerfer auf PzKpfw IV
A conversion of a Pz IV to carry a quadruple rocket launcher.
PzKpfw IV für zwei 7.5 cm Ruckstossfrei Kanone 43 und 3 cm MK103
A proposal to mount 2x 7.5cm RfK 43 (Ruckstossfrei Kanone 43 - recoilless cannon 43) recoil-less rifles and a single 30mm MK103 automatic cannon on a Pz IV.
Sonderausführung des Panzerkampfwagen IV
Panzerkampfwagen IV mit hydrostatischen Antrieb
A prototype, ordered by the SS, with a hydrostatic drive unit, converted from an Ausf.G.
Panzerkampfwagen IV mit Schachtellaufwerk
BW40
A single prototype built with interleaving road wheel suspension.
Panzerfähre
PzF
A tracked amphibious ferry / cargo carrier. Two prototypes delivered in mid 1942.
Sturmgeschütz neuer Art
Two prototype tank destroyer / assault guns, built by Aklett in 1944, with a rigidly mounted 7.5cm PaK39 L/48.
Heuschrecke 10
10.5cm leFH18/1 L/28 auf Waffenträger GW IVb
An experimental light field howitzer tank, with de-mountable fully traversing turret, built in a series of 3 by Krupp in November 1942. The production vehicle was intended to be armed with a 10.5cm leFH43.
Leichte PzH18/40/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen III/IV (Sf)
An experimental light field howitzer tank, with de-mountable leFH18/40/2 L/28 howitzer, in a fully traversing turret. A single prototype built by Deutsche-eisenwerke to a Rheinmetall-Borsig design in November 1942. The production vehicle was intended to be armed with a 10.5cm leFH43.
Panzerkampfwagen IV mit Minenrollen
A single Ausf.C converted with mine-clearing rollers front and rear.
2 cm Flakvierling auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV (Sf)
Möbelwagen
(Möbelwagen - furniture van)Experimental anti-aircraft tank conversion, mounting a 2cm Flakvierling 38, not released for production.
Zerstörer 45
Flakpanzer IV/3cm Flakvierling
A single prototype produced in December 1945 by Ostbau, mounting a 3cm Flakvierling 103/38, essentially a Wirbelwind with 30mm MK 103 cannon instead of 20mm.
Mittlere Waffenträger 12.8 cm K81
Proposed self-propelled artillery; 12.8cm K81 mounted on Panzer IV chassis.
Mittlere Waffenträger 15 cm sFH18 L/29.5
Proposed self-propelled artillery; 15cm sFH18 L/29.5 mounted on Panzer IV chassis.
BW (Rh-B)
A single prototype built by Rheinmetall-Borsig in 1930, a precursor to the Pz IV.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Peter Chamberlain; Hilary L. Doyle (1993). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War II. Arms and Armour. pp. 88–119. ISBN 1-85409-214-6.
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