- Yes
- No
Id like to suggest the Vk 36.01(H) armed with the 10,5 cm KwK L/28 (DW) like a german aquivalent of the M4A3 (105). It would offer a fun and well armed as well as armored close support tank to the lower ranks (3.0) and a sidegrade with a turret but also taller as well as with bigger weakpoints to the StuH 42 G and a tat more firepower.
History:
The German army allready befor the war wanted a heavy tank assoon as 1938 with the Vk 30.01 as a siege tank. In the following years till 1941 and early 1942 devlopment was till running, as the war progresses, ever growing enemy tanks appeared and as such the requirements also grew, while the weight class set complications on how the design may look, starting at the Vk 30.01, growing into the
Vk 36.01 and eventually into the Vk 45.01 and then into the Tiger I.
The Vk 36.01 was a slight redesign and upsized version of the Vk 30.01 after it was required to increase the armor to 80-100 mm as well as to carry bigger armarments than the Vk.30.01 after its turret wasnt able to carry greater armarment than the 7,5 cm KwK or 10,5 cm LeFH without great redesign.
Overall a couple of hulls and turrets were build and tested, however the ever ground thread and requirements put also a stop to it and development continued on the Tiger I.
The Vk 36.01 just like the Vk 30.01 befor it was envisioned as a breakthrough tank to replace the Pz III and IV as both an AT tank as well as infantry support tank, armed with a 10,5 cm KwK L/28 (DW) as well as with a 7,5/5,5 cm Waffe 0725 (Pak 41) or 7,5 cm KwK 40.
While they were never completed, the 10,5 cm DW KwK L/28 was build, with the barrel from either a normal LeFH 18 or an LeFH 18/42 with reworked rifeling and designed for turret mounting as seen on the StuH 42 or PzSfl. IVb with different recoil cylinder systen and the Waffe 0725 were even planned to be completly mounted again late war and use left over Pak 41 ammo, however bombing destroyed them and stopped it.
While the gun is similar to the LeFH 18 L/28, it has its own fixed casing ammo and overall new build design of which at least 1 was build for tests. Further ballistically it is different, as its ammo came in 2 Charges, normal at 2500 kg/cm² where the velocity would be identical to that of the LeFH 18 L/28 and to fit the new requirements, with an overcharged round with 2800-2850 kg/cm² pressure (max pressure for the design is 3000 kg/cm²) with an increased velocity. While plans were even considdered, to just use the high charge (Fernladung) of the LeFH 18. More about that below in the ammo tabel.
Overall i am mainly suggesting the 10,5 cm DW KwK L/28 variant, but the others could be a different vehicle in form of Event or Premium or Modificaiton as well, tho at a higher BR.
Pictures of the Tank:(Click to show)
The Gun:
10,5 cm KwK L/28 (DW)
10 sec reload (aced) -10° to +20° and 360° traverse at 15-20°/sec
(With the Waffe 0725 it would only be -8°)
The ammo this time, isnt based on what the LeFH 18 used, but instead what was mentioned in RH 8/2930 document, about the gun.
Ammo:(Click to show)
Ap:
Pzgr. (Aphe) 14 kg 238g (304,64g aquivalent) filler 480-540 m/s 72-85mm/10m
480m/s at normal charge and pressure of 2500 kg/cm² and 540m/s at high charge of 2800-2850 kg/cm²
Pzgr. Rot (Apcbc) 15,56 kg 240g (357,5g) 461-491 m/s 82-90mm/10m
461m/s at normal charge and pressure of 2500 kg/cm² and 491m/s at high charge of 2800-2850 kg/cm²
Gr.39 Rot Hl/B (Heat) 12,35 kg 2,53 kg filler aquivalent 495 m/s 105mm/all
(More Pictures in Hl/C)
Gr.39 Rot Hl/C (Heat) 12,35 kg 2,53 kg filler aquivalent 495 m/s 115mm/all
He:
Sprgr.34 (He (TF)) 14,85 kg 1,6 kg filler Fp.02 und Np.10 (2,05 kg TnTa) 470-500 m/s
470m/s at normal charge and pressure of 2500 kg/cm² and 500m/s at high charge of 2800-2850 kg/cm²
Utility:
F.H.Gr. Nb. (Smoke) 14 kg 50g smokestuff dont expect much 480 m/s
The Vehicle:
Dimensions: 6,05 m / 3,14 m / 2,7 m
Weight: 40 t
Engine: HL 174 450 Ps / 3000 Rpm, later replaced by the HL 210 700 Ps / 3000 Rpm
Speed: 50 km/h
Armor: (See under Pictures)
Frontal: 80-100mm
Sides and Back: 60mm
Top and bottom: 25mm
Source:
Thomas L.Jentz Panzer Tracks
Thomas Anderson Tiger
Munition der 10,5 cm LeFH 18
Geschossringbuch II
RH 8/2930
