StuIG 33 B

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StuIG 33 B
StuIG 33 (without gun)

StuIG 33 (without gun)
General properties
crew 5 men
length 5.40 m
width 2.90 m
height 2.30 m
Dimensions 21 tons
Armor and armament
Armor Max. 80 mm
Main armament 150 mm slG 33 L / 11
Secondary armament 1 × 7.92mm MG 34
agility
drive Maybach HL 120 TRM
V12 petrol engine
300 hp
Top speed 20 km / h
Power / weight 14.5 hp / ton
Range Max. 110 km

The Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B ( StuIG 33 B ) was a heavy assault gun used by the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War .

history

Assault infantry gun 33B with gun

The German Wehrmacht recognized early on that as part of their blitzkrieg strategy , the fast tank divisions would soon have to operate without artillery support. A solution was therefore sought to move the artillery from the motorized system to more mobile systems such as tracked vehicles. First attempts with the Panzer I and Panzer II showed that this was quite possible. The caliber sizes , however, did not meet the expectations of the German leadership. The sIG L / 11 in caliber 150 mm was a suitable alternative. However, the chassis of Panzer I and II were not suitable for the heavy artillery. An appropriate alternative was sought until mid-1941. A suitable chassis was found in the chassis of the StuG III . Even if useful solutions had been found beforehand, for example a gun based on the Panzer II, this constituted a real assault tank. The aim was to destroy enemy positions not in indirect but in direct fire. Houses should be brought down with two to three shots. This explains why the elevation range of the cannon was limited to + 25 °. The StuIG 33 B, although armed with an infantry gun, was used more as an assault gun. In mid-September 1942, the first order for series production of the guns was received. There were two construction lots. The first twelve vehicles were sent to support the Battle of Stalingrad and were all lost there. The twelve vehicles of the second batch were assigned to the 23rd Panzer Division . Nothing is known about the exact use of the vehicles. In total, only 24 vehicles were built. The construction of these vehicles formed the basis for the production of the Sturmpanzer IV .

technology

The basis of the first construction batch was the Sturmgeschütz III version E; the second construction lot was based on version F. A fully closed, immovable tower was mounted on the tub. The gun was mounted behind a sliding screen, which severely restricted the directional range. For rough side alignment, the entire vehicle had to be turned in the specified direction. The elevation range was limited to + 25 °, the interior very cramped. The cause lay in the relatively large cannon. This was a disadvantage because only 30 rounds of ammunition could be carried.

Technical specifications

  • Manufacturer:
  • Engine:
    • Maybach HL 120 TRM with 300 PS
  • Transmission:
    • Manual transmission ZF SSG 77 Aphon / 6 forward gears, 1 reverse gear
  • Top speed:
    • 20 km / h
  • Driving range:
    • Road 110 km / terrain 85 km
  • Suspension / drive:
    • 12 transverse torsion bars / running and support rollers
  • Track width / track length / track width / ground clearance:
    • 2510 mm / 2860 mm / 400 mm / 400 mm
  • Length Width Height:
    • 5400 mm / 2900 mm / 2300 mm
  • Armor:
    • 50 mm front tub
    • 30 mm side tub
    • Rear tub 30 mm
    • Front structure 80 mm
    • Side structure 50 mm
    • Structure at the back 15 mm
  • Armament:
    • 1 × 15 cm sIG 33 L / 11
    • 1 × MG 34

literature

  • Main battle tanks / data - facts - technology . Verlagsunion Pabel Moewig KG, Rastatt 2000, ISBN 3-8118-1662-4 .

Web links

Commons : StuIG 33 B  - Collection of images, videos and audio files