- Yes
- No
The Rauchwagen short RW made by Krupp in the early 1930s and was a alternative design to the Begleitwagen II Krupp, for a similar purpose like the british 3 Inch howitzer vehicles.
The Rauchwagen is identical to the Begleitwagen II Krupp but instead of the 7,5 cm KwK L/24 it recived an 10,5 cm KwK 16 L/22 (later more on that). To be able to create smokes big smokescreens (Rauch) and better support infantry with greater He charge, as well as greater AT performance in comparisson to the L/24.
Its results and performance (appart from the hard stats) are sadly lost to histroy.
Overall its the hull of the B.W. II with the superstructure of the Pz IV Ausf. B, and the Turret of the B.W. with an 10,5 cm KwK 16 L/22. In April of 1938 it was constructed and completed, then again later in an report dated 17th Nov 1938 the turret was taken off and mounted on an special stand for trails and the tank converted to a bridgelayer.
So while there is sadly no full picture, instead there are pictures about the turret and the full rest of the hull (in form of the Brückenleger). Overall it looks like a normal Pz IV Ausf. B, but it has 6 big roadwheels with tortionbar suspention, a different sprocketwheel and a 10,5 cm KwK.
The Vehicle has all around hull armor 14,5 mm armor with 30mm at the front and 20mm all round turret armor with 30mm at the front, an coax Mg 34, top speed of 35 km/s, 17,2 t weight and 265 PS/HP.
Overall the driving performance will be good but somewhat slow, similar to the in game Pz III Ausf. B.
It could be placed in a folder with the Pz IV Ausf. C
Pictures:(Click to show)
Here is a good model, tho with the L/24 Begleitwagen II Krupp — Каропка.ру — стендовые модели, военная миниатюра
The Gun, overall source is barly documented, most i have seen were russian sources stating that is was an 10,5 cm L/16 gun. There are no further informations about it, however there is a problem with it and its most likely an error.
There is indeed perhaps an L/16 gun, the 10,5 cm LeFH 98/09, however its more likely that the gun is the 10,5 cm LeFH 16 L/22 because of multiple reasons and that the number of year (16) was mistaken for the length.
Both guns are from or rather befor ww1 and only 1 was used even in ww2 and mounted on other vehicles as well as normal Field howitzer.
The 10,5 LeFH 98/09 is stated with different barrle lengths of L/11,5 (or 12) and L/15,5 (or 16)
It was not used after ww1 and was allready in ww1 replaced with the LeFH 16 L/22.
The ammo of WW1 does not include an Smoke round like the purpose intended for the vehicle, instead only He, Shrapnell, universal (He and Shrapnell), different gases such as Poison, non leathal and mixtures, there were some rounds fittet with small smoke creaters, however they were mainly He rounds with very little smoke, just for better hit visibility. So the 98/09 (if it would have been continued to be used) would have been adapted for the new ammo kinds, which the 10,5 cm LeFH 16 L/22 has, but it was allready seen in WW1 as having a too short range.
Its ammo includes the same round as the later LeFH 18 L/28, including a smoke round, the F.H. Gr Nb.
The 98/09 is not documented to have used any new rounds. (Below is the 98/09)
The gun would have left and right recoil cylinders or be simply flipped to one side, -10° to +20° with 40 rounds, 15°/sec turret traverse and a bit faster reload than the in game StuH 42 so around 9 sec or faster for ballancing.
The performance of the rounds of the LeFH 16 L/22 which in game is:
Pzgr. Aphe 14 kg 404 m/s 238g (304,64g aquivalent) filler 56mm/10m
Pzgr. Rot Apcbc 15,56 kg 390 m/s 250g (357,5g) 64mm/10m
F.H. Gr. He 14,81 kg 395 m/s 1,75 kg filler Fp.02 und Np.10 (2,24 kg TnTa)
F.H. Gr. Nb. Smoke 14 kg 404 m/s 50g smokestuff dont expect much
And Maybe for Ballance just the /B like on the Pz IV Ausf. C
Gr. 39 Rot Hl/B Heat 12,35 kg 420 m/s 2,53 kg filler aquivalent 105mm/all
Gr. 39 Rot Hl/C Heat 12,35 kg 420 m/s 2,53 kg filler aquivalent 115mm/all
The Vehicle:
Weight: 16 Ton
Speed: 35 km/h
Engine: Hl 108 TR 265 Ps/2800 Rpm
Crew: 5
Armor: 14,5-30mm
Source:
Thomas L.Jentz, Hilary Louise Doyle - Panzerkampfwagen IV
Grosstraktor to Panzerbefehlswagen IV, Panzer tracts No.4
Walter J. Spielberger - Panzer IV & its Variants
Thomas L. Jentz, Hillary Louis Doyle - Panzer Tracts No.23 - Panzer Production from 1933 to 1945
Munition der LeFH 16
2C7 Perforation of Armor by German Projectiles (america)