A PzKpfw IV Ausf. H with crew topside
The Panzerkampfwagen IV, commonly know as the Panzer IV and with the official designation of SdKfz. 161, was Germany's main battle tank of World War II.
Weighing in at an average of 25 tonnes and powered by a 12-cylinder Maybach HL 120 TRM, The Panzer IV had an operational range of about 210 km with a top road speed of 40 km/h, and off road around 18 km/h.
The H, J and K versions of the Panzer IV were armed with the 75mm KwK L/48 gun
Actual weights and gun forward lengths of the Panzer IV depended on the Ausführung, or Ausf. which means "version".
In all there were ten versions of the Panzer IV ranging from the Ausf. A produced in 1937, to the Ausf. J & K versions produced up to 1945. In addition there was the Tauchpanzer coverted in 1942 into a "diving tank". The Panzerbefehlswagen IV (PzBefWg. IV) comand version and the Panzerbeobachtungwagen IV (PzBeogWg. IV), used as a Panzerartillerie Forward Observation Officer's vehicle.
A Panzer IV of the Waffen SS Reichsfuhrer SS Div. Italy, 1944
The earliest Panzer IV Ausf. A had 30 mm of slightly sloped (10-25°s) homogeneous steel armor on the turret front and hull front, with 15 mm on the turret and hull sides, 10 mm of armor on the turret top and 10 mm on the belly. This was deemed sufficient.
In practice, Panzer IVs would frequently face enemy tanks and anti-tank guns unsupported, and the armor was upgraded to 30 mm on the front hull of the Ausf. B, 50 mm in the Ausf. E, and 50+30 mm in the Ausf. G, with armor on the sides and rear being increased as well. From June, 1943 all new Panzer IVs, Ausf H and later, were produced with 80 mm of front armor, rather than having additional plates added, though the turret armor remained 50 mm thick. Panzer IVs frequently had armor skirting (Schürzen) or additional layers of armor added in the field. From late 1943 until September 1944, Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste was also a common addition.
A Panzer IV with full side armor in a village in the Ukraine
The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout all of World War II. More than 8,500 produced from 1937 to 1945.