- Yes
- No
While it was allready passed years ago, i want to bring it back to this Formum and back in line with the Devs, the Borgward IV Panzerjäger Wanze armed with 6 Panzerschreck rocketlaunchers. In a sense a WW2 German M50 Ontos.
In game this would a somewhat small mobile high firepower tank destroyer which can shoot these 8,8 cm Heat-FS rockets at a high rate (just like the M50 Ontos) which would be deadly to both heavy armored and lightly armored targets alike, however may also very well go back to hangar if a 12,7mm HMG takes a look at it.
History:
In March 1945, on the brink of collaps someone came up with a combined Panzerschreck of 6 to be mounted on the Sd.Kfz.301 Borgward IV (Ausf. B and C) to be a mobile and quick reaction weapon to defend from different possible attacks and even enemy heavy tanks such as IS-2, as by that time Germany was allready pretty much in ruin and this was one of the best options left.
While the basic Borgward IV was an ammo carrier and to carry demolition charges, these were modified with extra armor and to carry a crew of 2, the driver and gunner.
The requiremnet for a Armored Ammo carrier was placed in September 1937.
The Inspektorat 6 gave specifications along with it,
these were:
Top speed of at least 30 km/h
Carrieng capacity of 500kg
Additional capacity to pull a trailer with 500kg capacity
These few requirements gave a wide possibility for development.
Based on it, Borgward started to develop a armored vehicle, proof against 7,92mm S.m.K. ammo with a weight of 3,5 ton powered by a 2,3 Liter Otto Motor of 55 Ps. Overall similar in appearance to the Sd.Kfz.11 because of the Suspention, however without interleaving roadwheels and called Vk 3.01.
A 0-Serie of 20 vehicles were produced by Schöller-Beckermann Stahlwerke AG, however after some tests, it was found to be insuffiecent.
Further development resulted into the Vk.3.02 which was accepted into production with 400 examples. It was also trailed to be a weapon carrier of the 5 cm Pak 38 and 10,5 cm LG 42.
In October 1941, requirements however changed and the I 6 AHA wanted to have a remote controlled Demolition vehicle with a payload of 500kg to be placed at the designated position. As such in the following the contract of 400 was reduced to 200 or 160 and the rest to be build as demolition charge carriers.
The rocket launcher could be elevated, however it is not completly known if it could move a bit horizonatlly, however just like the B1 Bis hull gun, it at least will be able to move slightly horizontally anyway, which also had no Traverse IRL.
Overall about 56 Ausf. B and C were modified.
The Weapon:
8,8 cm Panzerschreck x6 and additional storage of 18 rockets (so 24 rockets overall)
Heat-FS 2,6kg weight 50g Propellant, 88mm wahead, 110 m/s velocity, 250m effective range, 160mm/30° and 230mm/90°
The Vehicle:
Borgward IV Ausf. C
Dimensions: 3,65 m / 1,80 m / 1,19 m
Weight: 3,75 t
Crew: 2
Engine: Borgward 6 M 2,3 RTBV 6 Cylinder 81,5 PS / 60 KW
Speed: 40 km/h
Armor:
Frontal 20mm (angled)
Side: 10+8 mm
Rear: 10+8mm
Top and bottom: 4mm
Source:
Munition der Panzerschreck
Schwere Ladungsträger Borgward IV Manual
Magazine Trucks & Tanks No.66
