Upgrading tanks

[thethreefates]

I was wondering if anyone knows what happened to obsolete tanks when new ones came in. For example, if a regiment had Pz III Gs, and Pz III Js came in, what did the do with the old tanks? Were they shipped back to be retrofitted, or did they just wait until they were casualties and replace them at that time?

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

Generally, units would hold on to tanks if at all possible, as they wouldn't get any new tanks in return. It was quite common for units to have a mix of different variants of the same type, as is evident from unit strengths (for example at the beginning of Barbarossa and during Kursk).

Also, units didn't use the Ausführung letter to differentiate between different variants. Instead, they used the chassis and gun type. To a unit commander, there were only three different types of Pz Kpfw III: 37 mm (3,7), short 50 mm (kz), long 50 mm (lg) and 75 mm (7,5).

If tanks were sent back, their chassis were used as either school vehicles or converted into other vehicles (often tank destroyers).

[thethreefates]

Interesting, thanks for the info! Would they do in-field upgrades on armor and guns?

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

Applique armor was sometimes added by field workshops, but major tasks like changing the gun was done in Germany.