- Yes
- No
I would like to sugges the StuIG 33B which is the keypiece between the mobile 15 cm s.I.G. 33 Selbstfahrlafetten such as on Pz I, II and 38 and the Sturmpanzer IV.
In game it would be a lower Br armored Derp gun similar to the Sturmpanzer IV and could be a TT counterpart.
After losses of the previous lightly armored 15 cm s.I.G. 33 gun carriers it was decided to incooperate more armor in form of the Sturmpanzer Series. The Sturm Infanteriegeschütz 33B was put into development after a converence with AH on the 20th September 1942 with great importance after high requests of fully and strong armored Infantry support guns were requested as crews of the allready in service vehicles with thinn armor suffered high losses in the street fightings in Stalingrad. After just 14 days the StuIG 33B was developed by combining the Pz III StuG III and 15 cm s.I.G. 33 with 80 mm frontal armor and a fully enclosed superstructure as well as an hull MG.
Alkett confirmed that after further 15 days they could start production, as such a Serie 0 of 24 vehicles were indeed build.
These were however somewhat flawed duo to their quick desinging and some drawbacks with the basics of the design on the Pz III. As such half of them were allready destroyed or abandond in the battle of Lenningrad.
Among the flaws and drawbacks were the low weight reserves which were completly used up by the addition of the big gun, with big casemate with 80 mm frontal armor, which made it 21 tons heavy and burdned the suspention of these refurbished earlyer models Pz III. As not yet 80mm homogenious plates were available, both the Hull and supersturcture were made of 50+30mm armor plates. The gun however could only elevate and traverse rather limited and there was not much room for the ammo as such part of additional casings were stored in a box on the engine deck. And completly flat frontal armor as space was allready limited.
However there is still at least 2 existing to this day.
The Gun:
15 cm s.I.G. 33/1 L/12 and Mg 34
Elevation: -4° to +75° and traverse of 5,5° to each side.
Ammo:(Click to show)
I.Gr. 33 He 38 kg 8,6 kg Fp.02 and Np.10 (11 kg TnTa) 240 m/s
I.Gr. 38 Nb Smoke 38,46 kg 2,24 kg Smoke stuff 240 m/s
The Vehicle:
Pz III based StuIG 33B
Dimensions: 5,4 m / 2,9 m / 2,3 m
Weight: 21 t
Engine: HL 120 TRM 300 Ps/3000 Rpm
Speed: 53 km/h (may or may not be able to reach that)
Armor: 15-80mm
Crew: 5 (Driver, Mg gunner, Gunner, 2x Loader)
Source:
Private Photo archive
Geschossringbuch II
Munition der 15 cm s.I.G.33
T.L. Jentz and Doyle Panzer Tracks No. 8 and 9
