Panzerkampfwagen IV-Medium Tank

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by McCoy

Nope!

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf H of 5th Leichte Division (originally 5th Panzer Regiment of 3rd Panzer Division), Libya, mid 1941.

OK, I seen the "H" now, and Libya makes sense. Thanks Urban!!

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by McCoy

PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2

What are those spheres in front? Not mines??

[Hagen]

Originally Posted by McCoy

PzKpfw IV Ausf. F2

Any idea why and what is blocking the driver and radio/hull machine gunners visors? Also is that a dummy gun or is this a Flammpanzer?

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by Hagen

Any idea why and what is blocking the driver and radio/hull machine gunners visors? Also is that a dummy gun or is this a Flammpanzer?

OK, this is a WAG, but I think those spheres are large floats to hold up anti-torpedo nets. They could be hollow concrete and/or steel so they would serve as useful armor.

The plate over the MG and Drivers port is just an additional sheet of armor. For that to be, this would appear to be a permanent fortification. Perhaps on the coast of France or maybe even Norway.

It that's the case, it wouldn't make sense to have a flame thrower tank in an emplaced position. However, the muzzle brake is definitely messed up. That is likely to be the work of censors. Color pics were rare, and the commander looks posed so it could be a propaganda photo showing off the "mighty" West Wall.

Just an educated guess for me...maybe someone else has some facts?

[McCoy]

I guess that the picture have been "Shopped" by the censors.

[cyberia]

Shopped is a good possibility. A PK shot no doubt, commander is just too posed.

Not quite buying the West Wall theory though.

Note the mountains in the back ground. Plus there's an aerial recognition flag on the turret. On a dug or fixed in tank that would more an invite to Allied planes than a warning to friendlies.

Then again that full plate on the front would make driving the thing a bit of an adventure. And yet those three helmets at ready signal a combat vehicle.

The photo gets stranger the more you look at it.

[cyberia]

A Pz. IV Ausf. G (left) and Ausf. H (right), Russia, 1943

[cyberia]

Note the odd placement of extra skirt armor plate on top of the turret of this Pz. IV

[Hagen]

Blurry picture of a "LateJ" on VE day. Hard to tell who is crewing the tank, Germans who have just surrendered or Soviets with war booty.

s

[cyberia]

A Panzer IV in a street fight somewhere on the Eastern Front