Panzer III Ausf.M - 6.Pz.Div., Russia 1943

Item number: 88025

Status: Available

Scale: 1/72

About the model:
* true to scale model made from plastic for highest detail with metal parts
* rotatable turret
* fully assembled
* markings pad printed for ultimate realistic effect
* accurate painted and marked
* including protective case for display
* package comes with open window display
* limited production!

The Panzer III was the standard medium tank of the German Army besides the Panzer IV in the WW2. From 1936 - 1943 more than 5700 Panzer III were produced. The chassis served also as base for the StuG III which was in production until the end of the war.
The Panzer III got the role of the anti-tank vehicle while the Panzer IV was intended for infantry support. However - this changed over later in the war.
The first Panzer III versions Ausf.A-D came from End of 1936 in small numbers and with different suspension layouts to test the most suitable suspension for massproduction. They already got the 3,7cm AT cannon which was built into the Panzer III turrets until the Ausf.F.
In 1939 the first Panzer III Ausf.E which is the first of the series production with the well known 6 wheel suspension was produced. The next change was while the production of Ausf.F when the new 5cm KwK L/42 was introduced and later with Ausf.J the longer 5cm KwK L/60 cannon. Additionally the armorplates were increased in thickness from Ausf.H on. With the Ausf.L a new 20mm spaced armor on the front was introduced and carried on with the subsequent marks.
The Ausf.M then got additional sideskirts for the chassis and turret. Also a new muffler system was introduced which allowed deep fording up to 1.3m deep water. The Ausf.M was produced from September 1942 to February 1943 with 517 vehicles.
The armament was still the 5cm KwK L/60 84 rounds stored inside the tank plus one 7.92mm MG34. It consists a crew of 5 soldiers. The engine was a 285hp Maybach HL 120 TRM and allowed a maximum speed of 40km/h. The tank was 6.41m long, 3.41m wide and 2.50m high. Its combat weight was 22.5t and it ran on the 38cm wide Kgs 61/400/120 tracks. 

The 6th Panzerdivision was raised in October 1939 and took part in the war against France 1940 and was part of Panzergruppe Guderian.
1941 the Division was put under command of Panzergruppe 4 in Heeresgruppe Nord and fought on the eastern front until the end of the war, except for a refreshment pause from May to end of 1942 in Paris. Some areas of fighting of this division were then Lithuania, Latvia, Leningrad, Moscow-channel, Volokolamsk, Charkow, Kursk, Kamenez-Podolsk, Narwa. End of 1944 the division was ordered to Hungary whre it fought at lake Balaton and Budapest. Finally it was taken back to Vienna and surrendered in the area of Brno.

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