- Yes
- No
I would like to suggest the Stug III Ausf. F/8 mit 7,5 cm StuK L/33.
What it is, its just an Stug III Ausf. F/8, which is the late Ausf. F with 30mm extra welded on armor as well as refined designe features such as steeper 30mm front/roofplate above the driver. (Other details are also to be found here Stug III 7,5 cm StuK L/41 ). But instead of the L/48 gun, this model appears to be a test bed for the 7,5 cm StuK L/33 which uses the 75 x 495 mm casing, but with an L/33 barrle, the Muzzlevelocity is
610 m/s (estimated by aberdeen proving ground).
Why i would like to see it in game, it gives a new model of Stug III, the F/8 (Which of course should also come in its standart variant), but also brings an intermeadat gun variant pretty much identical in performance to the 7,5 cm M1897A4 canon from the M3 GMC Halftrack and shows the development from an Infantry support vehicle to an Anti tank vehicle with an unique gun.
History behind it is pretty much none existing, the reasoning is simple behind it, allready in france against the tanks, the most powerfull yet relativly powerless tank gun was the L/24, but the crews wanted more, and with the appearance of the More powerfull T 34 and Kw tanks stronger guns were needed, the L/33 and the L/41 at the time where the rule of barrle ending with the vehicle front was still in rule, which was quickly abandond and room for the L/43 and L/48 was made.
Some stats:
Speed forward / back
AB 44 / 9 km/h
RB and SB 41 / 8 km/h
Number of gears 6 forward 1 back
Weight 24.3 t
Engine power
AB 572 hp
RB and SB 300 hp
Armor:
Hull and superstructure 50+30mm (welded on) Gun mantlet 80mm (one peace).
Sides 30mm
and back 50mm (because the F/8 was now based on the J-N hull type with the new back armor).
Gun the 7,5 cm StuK L/33 (Ammo same as KwK 40 but with an L/33 barrle)
Elevation: -10° to +20°
Traverse: 24°
44 rounds
Ap:
K.Gr. Rot Pz (Apcbc) 6,8 kg 80g Fp.02 und Np.10 (102,4 g TnTa) 610 m/s 100mm/10m
Gr.38 Hl/B (Heat) 4,57 kg 513g H.5 (872,1g TnTa) 450 m/s 87mm/10m
Gr.38 Hl/C (Heat) 4,8 kg 515 g H.10 (875,5g TnTa) 450 m/s 115mm/10m
He:
Sprgr.34 (He) 5,74 kg 725g Fp.02 und Np.10 (928g TnTa) 550 m/s
Utility:
K.Gr. Rot Nb (Smoke) 6,2 kg 95g Pent 423m/s
There was aparently also an 2,7 kg Pzgr 40 with 875m/s and same core as the other 7,5 cm results in 143mm/10m
The gun can be switched up with the StuH 42 F, but it is confirmed by the Aberdeen Proving ground and comparing it to a real StuH 42, one can see that the 105 has a longer barrle and the frontal ring around the barrle is a good tat bigger on the L/33 than on the 105mm.
Source (primary): Tank Data July 1958 U.S. Army U.S. Army Ordanance School Aberdeen Proving Ground Maryland, advice and assistance of Mr. G.B. Jarrett Chief
Die deutschen Panzer 1926-1945 Ferdinand Maria Senger und Etterlin Walter J. Spielberger 1968
The History of the Panzerwaffe Volume 2 1942-1945 Thomas Anderson
Panzer IV vs Sherman France 1944 Steven J. Zaloga
