Panzer III

Andy – For much of the Second World War the Panzer III was the most important vehicle used by the German army, and was used in combat in one form or another from 1939 right up to 1945, albeit in increasingly diminished roles.

The Panzer III went through 3 broad phases of evolution. Initially the vehicle was a product of the 1930’s, with comparatively light armour and a 37mm anti tank gun, as well as a couple of machine guns for infantry suppression.

This was deemed inadequate having initially faced off against the likes of the French Char B1, so the tank was upgraded to its second stage with thicker armour and a 50mm anti-tank gun. This upgrading continued rapidly following the experiences in Russia and the Western Desert.