Electric-powered turrets

[SuperSlinger]

Just wondering, how many axis tanks used electric-powered turrets like thee one on the Sherman.?

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

Pz.Kpfw.IV (except Ausf.J) (full traverse in 22.5 seconds) (see link for details)
Pz.Kpfw.Panther (full traverse in 19 seconds)
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E (full traverse in 60 seconds)
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.B (full traverse in nine/19 seconds)

Christian

[tom!]

Hi.

The japanese type 3 medium tank Chi-Nu was the first japanese tank with an electrical powered turret. The experimental type 4 and 5 heavy tanks were also planned with such a system.

Yours

tom!

[sdkfz182]

Pz.Kpfw.IV (except Ausf.J) (full traverse in 22.5 seconds) (see link for details)
Pz.Kpfw.Panther (full traverse in 19 seconds)
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.E (full traverse in 60 seconds)
Pz.Kpfw.Tiger Ausf.B (full traverse in nine/19 seconds)

Christian

Christian, maybe I understand this thread wrong but the question is how many tanks have electric powered turrets.
I suppose with electric powered turrets SuperSlinger means that the turret traverse is done by an electric engine, and not by fuel opperated engines as for example used on the Pz.Kpfw.IV.,or traversed by hand.
Could you explain this further please ?

Regards, Benno

[SuperSlinger]

I meant generally any tank that din't use hand-operation to traverse turrets. Sorry for misundertsanding.

[M.Rausch]

The traverse of the Pz-IV was electrical, the traverse of the other listed tanks hydraulic.

[Ome_Joop]

The traverse of the Pz-IV was electrical, the traverse of the other listed tanks hydraulic.

Auto Union, DKW-Motor, Typ ZW 500 or ZW 600 Two-stroke gasoline engine with DKW reverse flushing....
Doesn't sound like it was electrical!
Don't think this engine powered up a generator wich produced an current for an electrical motor?!
What about the fumes of this 2-stroke engine...was there an exhaust pipe (i presume this engine is in the crew compartment)?

[M.Rausch]

Auto Union, DKW-Motor, Typ ZW 500 or ZW 600 Two-stroke gasoline engine with DKW reverse flushing....
Doesn't sound like it was electrical!

This engine was driving the Leonard-type electricity generator with a power output of 2 kW at 2800 rpm. The electricity produced by the Leonard-generator was used to run the engine of the electrical traverse of the turret. The fuel driven DKW-Motor had an exhaust pipe but I can't tell from just looking briefly over the diagram if the engine was located in the crew or engine compartment.

Sources are:

1. H.Dv. 653/06 "Pz-IV B-E Beschreibung Turm" from 10.03.41.
2. H.Dv. 653/08 "Pz-IV A-H elektrisches Turmschwenkwerk" from 12.09.43.

[Ace31]

Why does the Tiger's turret is so slow ?
The TII turret is more heavy but meaningfully faster...also newer, ok, but take a look at the difference in time needed!

[M.Rausch]

The Tiger E turret is in a totally different weight class, so you have first to move much more mass.

There was also not that much difference between the Tiger E and B. A contact of mine is just doing instensive research on the Tiger E traverse and till now the following results had come up:

1. Only the first produced Tiger E from 1942 had a traverse speed of 60 s for 360° independant from the rpm of the main engine.
2. In spring 1943 the production Tiger E's got a main engine rpm dependant turret traverse, with an improved traverse rate of 40-48 s for a full circle. There is a Tiger E training video existing, where the tank managed to turn the turret 90° in 10-11 seconds.

I hope this helps.

[Ace31]

Yes, I was comparing the two Tigers turrets...
I was astonished about ther great difference between the two tanks (60sec for E, 9/19 for the B).
Are you saying that also the Tiger B had a turret speed traverse near to 40 sec for a 360° rotation ?

Thanks...

[M.Rausch]

Are you saying that also the Tiger B had a turret speed traverse near to 40 sec for a 360° rotation ?

Yes, but Tiger E and not Tiger B.

Spielberger tells e.g. a traverse speed of 60 s for a full circle, when the main engine run on 1500 rpm, but the engine could be run on 2800 rpm. There is a training video showing clearly a faster traverse than 60 s for a full circle and there are combat reports, where the driver of a Tiger E tells he stayed ready to increase the rpm of the engine when the gunner needed it.

So there are hints indicating that in spring 1943 the produced Tiger E received a different hydraulic traverse, dependant on the main engine rpm and faster than the old.

[M.Rausch]

I have reviewed the resaearch results of my contact and he gets as maximum traverse speed for a main engine rpm dependant hydraulic turret traverse 15 s for a full 360° circle for the Tiger E.

A link to the video I talked about is here: http://users.telenet.be/bubbelbadeendje ... tiger1.avi

[Brady]

What are the Sources for the Tiger I turn rate ?

And were certain its ~ 60 sec pre 43 and 40-48 sec after 43 ?

[Peasant]

Something I've been curious of for a long time: which version of Panzer III first received a powered turret traverse mechanism? and how fast it could traverse it? The details on this tank are hard to come by, it's fame significantly eclipsed by its bigger brother Pz.IV.