Panzer III Ausf. L mit 7,5/5,5 cm Waffe 0725 L/57

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The Panzer III Ausf. L mit Waffe 0725 is exactly what the name implies, an Pz III Ausf. L like allready in game, but instead of the good old 5 cm KwK 39 L/60 it is equipped with the 7,5/5,5 cm Waffe 0725 L/57

What is the 7,5/5,5 cm Waffe 0725 L/57?

It is the early name and development for an Tank and Anti tank weapon (later mainly used as 7,5/5,5 cm Pak 41 L/57) with the Gerlich principle. The gun has a tapered bore, where at the beginning the round is 7,5 cm and the last part of the barrle taperes down to 5,5 cm and by that highly increasing the velocity.

Overall the plan was to equip it to the Vk 30.01 and Vk 36.01 series, which didnt fit without redesing.
(Which was made and plans in 1944 were made to equip 10 turrets, but they were bombed befor it was finished and was to use remaining Pak 41 ammo).

While it didnt work out with the Vk series which wasnt put into main production in the end, 1 Pz III Ausf. L was however converted to use the Waffe 0725.

But duo the tungsten shortage and better alternatives such as the KwK 40 in the Pz IV, as well as the ending lifetime of the Pz III it was instead chosen to keep the 5 cm KwK 39 L/60, later 7,5 cm KwK 37 L/24 and give the Pz IV the KwK 40.

The gun has overall 4 rounds:

Spoiler

Apcr: Pzgr. 41 H.K. and Pzgr. 41 St. | Apbc: Pzgr. 41 W | He: Sprgr. 41

Pzgr.41 H.K.

Weight: 2,6 Kg

Mv: 1260 M/s

Core diameter: 28mm

Core weight: 1,00 Kg

Calculated Pen at 10m 237mm
Screenshot 2023-07-18 175720

Pzgr. 41 St.

Weight: 3,00 Kg

Mv: 1170 M/s

Core diameter: 28mm

Core weight: 1 kg

A different design using more steel resulting in a heavyer shell for longer range with 213mm penetration

Pzgr. 41 W (Apbc) Instead of piercing the armor, it pushes trough and is more effective against harder armor.

Weight: 2,5 Kg

Mv: 1230 M/s

Pen at 10m: 176mm (Shure its flathead but so are the Soviet Aphebc which also dont get a flat pen reduction as well as material quality isnt represented, penetration is achived by pushing through instead of piercing)
Screenshot 2023-07-18 175750

Sprgr. 41 (He)

Weight: 2,62 Kg

Mv: 900 M/s

Exp.Mass: 186g of Fp.02 and Np. 10 so TNT Aquivalent of 238,08g
Screenshot 2023-07-18 175657

Pictures:

Spoiler

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The other than the gun all other characteristics are identical to the normal Pz III Ausf. L
Armour:

Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 50 + 20 mm (12Β°) Front plate
25 mm (85Β°), 50 mm (52Β°) Front glacis
50 mm (25Β°) Lower glacis 30 mm 50 mm 15 mm
Turret 57 mm + 20 mm Turret front
50 + 20 mm Gun mantlet 30 mm 30 mm 10 mm
Cupola 50 mm 10 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB 60 / 12 km/h

RB and SB 54 / 10 km/h

Number of gears 6 forward

1 back

Weight 22.5 t

Engine power

AB 572 hp

RB and SB 300 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB 25.4 hp/t

RB and SB 13.3 hp/t

Source:
The Panzer III Germanys Medium tank Bob Carruthers
The Panzer III Hitlers Beast of Burden Anthony Trucker-Jones
Die deutschen Panzerkampfwagen III und IV mit ihren Abarten Walter J. Spielberger
Panzerbeschusstafel der 7,5/5,5 cm Pak 41 L/57

7 Likes

I had no idea they tested this gun in a tank! That is AWESOME! I have to have this in the game now. +1

Indeed, sadly its cince 2014 passt for concidderation (or so), tho we are now allowed to redo them and bring them back on line, so big hopes.

2 Likes

+1 as a free battlepass vehicle

Fingers crossed!

I was wondering how it will be ballanced, where it will be placed, cince it has standart Ausf. L armor of 50-70mm but then also up to 237mm flat pen. Tho Apcr, so its somewhat bad, angled penetration for Apcr is also bad in game but considdering 237mm as base the angled penetration will also be relativly high.
So more or less wherever it is placed it will be quite likely to penetrate everything (tho low damage)
But put it too high and the armor will be dead weight (the L+ arent that mobile, going usually around 30-35 kmh if not going on a long straight street.

depends on the reload. 3.3 would be cool

A Pz III ausf.L with a better firepower ? Excellent ! In 3.3 it will be fun to play.

+1

Thank you Ghostmaxi for this thread.

I guess my KV1’s need to keep an active lookout then. Either ways, +1, also I guess some of you guys from the old forum hasnt given up the forums yet.

1 Like

Ill never surrender.

Yes indeed, sir. Not really active with the good and old forum, but now it’s will different.

I was thinking of making a post about this exact time but you did it first :)

Just add the Ms sideskirts along with the mg on top and its like mental m@sturbation for me

This would be one cool unique prototype vehicle to add to German early game. Would help add more to combat the t-34 and Sherman at 3.3 br, which Germany has issues with since they only have 50cm guns on their main tanks at that br, which cant go through frontally most often unless hitting very specific, small area weak spots. And against things like t-14 tanks, forget it.

Always love seeing unique prototype vehicles too.

Point is, yes, add it.

1 Like

If they had 50cm guns in their tanks they would have no problem sinking a battleship not penning a t34 and Sherman :D

Suggestion passed to the developers for consideration.

2 Likes