Germany's Panzerbefehlswagen mit 7.5 cm KwK L/48 (PzBefWg); Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV (PzBeogWg)
Photos
Design
Prototype
Production
Variants
- Panzerbefehlswagen mit 7.5 cm KwK L/48 (PzBefWg): From March to September 1944, 972 PzKpfw IV Ausf Hs were converted. The aerial for the FuG5 was mounted on top of the turret, and a star antenna was fitted to the right side of the tail plate on the hull for the FuG7 or FuG8 radio. Main armament was replaced by a dummy gun.2
Used FuG5 and a FuG7 or a FuG8 radio.1 - Panzerbeobachtungswagen IV (PzBeogWg): Artillery OP tank made from PzKpfw IV Ausf Js. 902 were made from July 1944 to March 1945. These had the FuG4 and FuG8 radios.1
Issued primarily to Hummel batteries.
Usage
Specifications
| PzBefWg and PzBeobWg | |
|---|---|
| Crew | 51 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 25 tons1 |
| Length w/gun | 7.02 m1 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 2.68 m1 |
| Width | 2.88 m1 |
| Width over tracks | |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 75 mm KwK40 L/481 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 2: 7.92 mm MG341 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | |
| Secondary | |
| MG | |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | |
| Hull Front, Upper | 80@10°1 |
| Hull Front, Lower | 80@14°1 |
| Hull Sides, Upper | 30@0°1 |
| Hull Sides, Lower | 30@0°1 |
| Hull Rear | 20@11°1 & 20@8°1 |
| Hull Top | 12@85-90°1 |
| Hull Bottom | 10@90°1 |
| Turret Front | 50@10°1 Mantlet: 50@0-30°1 |
| Turret Sides | 30@26°1 |
| Turret Rear | 30@15°1 |
| Turret Top | 15@84-90°1 |
| Engine (Make / Model) | Maybach HL120TRM1 or Maybach HL120TRM1121 |
| Bore / stroke | |
| Cooling | |
| Cylinders | |
| Net HP | |
| Power to weight ratio | |
| Compression ratio | |
| Transmission (Type) | 6 forward, 1 reverse.1 |
| Steering | |
| Steering ratio | |
| Starter | |
| Electrical system | |
| Ignition | |
| Fuel (Type) | |
| Octane | |
| Quantity | |
| Road consumption | |
| Cross country consumption | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°, hand.1 |
| Speed - Road | 40 kph1 |
| Speed - Cross Country | |
| Range - Road | 210 km1 |
| Range - Cross Country | |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | -8° to +20°1 |
| Fording depth | |
| Trench crossing | |
| Vertical obstacle | |
| Climbing ability | |
| Suspension (Type) | |
| Wheels each side | |
| Return rollers each side | |
| Tracks (Type) | |
| Length | |
| Width | |
| Diameter | |
| Number of links | |
| Pitch | |
| Tire tread | |
| Tracks centers/tread |
Sources:
- Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
- German Tanks of World War II, Dr. S. Hart & Dr. R. Hart, 1998
