Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. L (Sd.Kfz. 141/1)

Type: Medium Tank
Nation: Germany
Period: World War 2
Location: The Tank Museum, Bovington, UK

Anti-tank tank

The Panzerkampfwagen III was one of Nazi Germany’s two primary early war medium tanks. First conceived in 1934 with a 3.7 cm anti-tank gun, it was supposed to take on enemy armour while the slightly bigger Panzerkampfwagen IV was conceptualised as an accompanying support vehicle. By the time the Germans invaded Poland only a handful of Panzer IIIs were operational, but by the summer of 1941 the Panzer III had become one of the most numerous tanks in the Wehrmacht.

Delayed upgrades

The Ausf. L model was introduced in December 1941 as a reaction to the “T-34-shock” on the Eastern Front. Already shortly after the experiences in France in the summer of 1940 Hitler had personally demanded the installation of a better gun in the form of a long 5 cm L/60. An extra 20 mm of “Vorpanzer” spaced armour was added on the hull and turret front, bringing the vehicle’s weight up to 22.3 metric tons. From 1942 onwards the Panzer III was gradually replaced by the upgraded Panzer IV which could carry ever more powerful guns. Around 1,470 Panzer III Ausf. Ls were built until October 1942.

Short service

This particular vehicle was built in mid-1942 and then almost immediately shipped to Libya. It is believed to have been captured at the Battle of Alam Halfa in the beginning of September 1942 before it was brought to the UK for analysis – just like its bigger and more famous cousin Tiger 131 the year after.

Rough conditions

To cope with the desert conditions some “Tropen” modifications were provided for Panzer IIIs headed for North Africa, for example mushroom covers for the air intakes on the engine deck. The “Vorpanzer” turret plate is missing from this tank, but the framework is still present on the mantlet.

Working order

The Tank Museum’s Panzer III is kept in running condition and can be seen in action at the annual “Tiger Day” and “Tankfest” events.