Panzer IV chassis with mounted 50mm Pak!

jmark · Post by **jmark** » 28 Mar 2007 02:10

I just received a new photo album and discovered this little gem of a photo. It's a Panzer IV chassis (Ausf. D?) with a Pak 50mm mounted in place of the turret. I feel like my knowledge of German armoured vehicles is quite good but I've never seen one of these before. Was it simply a field modification? The photo was taken near Kharkov in the winter of 1941-42.

Any information about this vehicle would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes,
Jason

PanzerKing · Post by **PanzerKing** » 28 Mar 2007 05:23

Interesting, I've never seen or heard of this before!

Rnox · Post by **Rnox** » 28 Mar 2007 16:29

I knew this picture from ebay.
But no informations

Panzermacher · Post by **Panzermacher** » 28 Mar 2007 16:32

Field modification I'm sure, this is my theory :
The 3rd Panzer Div had 4 Brückenlager IVc & 4 Brückenlager IVs (Sturmstegpanzer), after dropping their bridges in place the vehicles may have been turned over to the maintainance company for other duties (Bergepanzer?), owing to the losses of Panzers on the Eastern front in 1941-42 some of these vehicles may have been converted to these adhoc "Panzerjaeger" in an effort to get something combat worthy on the front lines.

Wokelly · Post by **Wokelly** » 28 Mar 2007 21:20

Yeah I have to agree, seems like a quick way to get something that can kill enemy tanks into battle. If it was earlier in the Russia campaign, ie the first winter or even second winter, its worth noting it could have been a panzer4 with the short 75mm, making this possible stop gap TD more effective then the Panzer 4 with its turret on, at least against enemy armor.

von papen · Post by **von papen** » 28 Mar 2007 22:27

perhaps like the sturmtigers, they were battle damaged panzer IVs so they replaced the wrecked turret with a pak40

dominicmiller · Post by **dominicmiller** » 29 Mar 2007 13:52

Thanks for posting you picture. Some more information here:

http://www.network54.com:80/Forum/47207 ... 120723933/

Panzermacher · Post by **Panzermacher** » 29 Mar 2007 19:12

dominicmiller wrote:Thanks for posting you picture. Some more information here:

http://www.network54.com:80/Forum/47207 ... 120723933/
This Selbstfahrlafette is a conversion of Brueckenleger IVc - bridge removed and wheelless 5cm Pak 38 was fixed in place. This photo was found in a series of photographs of 18.Panzer-Division, but of course, Brueckenleger IVc was formerly owned by 3.Panzer-Division. It is not known to me how this chassis was acquired by 18th.

Well there you go, I was very close to the mark.

Akira Takiguchi · Post by **Akira Takiguchi** » 31 Mar 2007 06:18

Jason, so great find it is! Motto: when there's one, there are more waiting to be found!

jmark · Post by **jmark** » 31 Mar 2007 07:19

Thanks for all the help, guys. Much appreciated. It's nice to have a photo of such a rare beast.

Akira, I'm sure if someone was looking specifically for photos like these, it would be an almost impossible undertaking! I bought the album from which this photo came for entirely different reasons and just stumbled upon this photo... which is a very nice feeling! The seller didn't even have this photo as one of his 40 or 50 sample photos.

All the best,
Jason