World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe Sturmgeschütz (StuG) assault guns were developed in 1936 as the German Army requested armored infantry support vehicles capable of carrying guns large enough to destroy opposing bunkers and other field fortifications. The development was done by Daimler-Benz AG, which mated 7.5-centimeter guns with the chassis of Panzer III medium tanks to come up with the answer for the German infantry. The first five examples were built in 1937, and mass production began in 1940. They first saw combat during the invasion of France and the Low Countries, during which StuG crews praised their effectiveness and low silhouette. The French campaign would also pose a threat for StuG assault guns, however. Much of the credit for the quick victory in France was given to fast-moving tanks, and thus Heinz Guderian and other like-minded generals were able to successfully lobby a limit in the production of StuG guns in favor of tanks. Despite the limitations, production would grow. At the start of 1942, factories were turning out only 45 units per month; by the end of 1942, the figure would grow to 120; by 1944, at the peak of StuG output, the highest monthly figure was 500. At that time, as Guderian became the Chief of the General Staff, he again limited StuG III production, this time placing a cap of 45 per month. Although StuG assault guns were initially designed for infantry support, the German infantry did not have the resources to re-organize its units to take in these new vehicles, thus they were assigned to the artillery organizations. The German Army artillery arm used them both as indirect and direct fire weapons, thus StuG would take on additional roles as tank destroyers, especially after they became equipped with the higher velocity guns, but they would still be used in their primary roles. To illustrate, between Dec 1943 and May 1944, StuG vehicles fired 315,280 rounds in combat, and only 16.3% of which were targeting enemy armored vehicles. In 1942, the variant design Sturmhaubitze 42 was developed; the StuH 42 vehicles were equipped with 105-millimeter howitzers, which re-focused their role as infantry-support vehicles. Between Oct 1942 and 1945, 1,211 StuH 42 vehicles were built. In late 1943, Germany began manufacturing assault guns based on the Panzer IV tank chassis; to distinguish the two different models, the StuG assault guns built on the Panzer III chassis were re-designated StuG III assault guns in early 1944, while the new Panzer IV-based ones were called StuG IV assault guns. In total, between 1940 and Mar 1945, 9,408 StuG III assault guns were built; this figure excluded StuH 42 production. StuG III guns accounted for 20,000 enemy tanks disabled or destroyed by spring of 1944.

ww2dbaseAmerican paratrooper Ed Shames of the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment recalled encountering a StuG III Ausf F/8 or Ausf G vehicle in Normandie, France:

ww2dbaseIn 1944, the Finnish Army received 29 StuG III assault guns from Germany for use against the Soviet Union. Together with the 30 StuG IV assault guns also given at the same time, the 59 assault guns destroyed 87 Soviet tanks at the loss of only 8 StuG vehicles. After WW2, they remained in Finnish service until the 1960s. A few StuG III assault guns were also exported to other German-friendly nations such as Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Romania, and Spain.

ww2dbaseA number of StuG III assault guns were captured by Yugoslavian partisans during and after the European War. The Yugoslav Peoples Army used some of these captured vehicles until the 1950s. During the course of the war, the Soviet Union also captured a number of StuG III assault guns; some of the Soviet-captured examples were given to Syria, who used them during the Six Days War of 1967.

SPECIFICATIONS

Ausf A (SdKfz 142)

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 265hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x75mm StuK 37 L/24 gun (44 rounds), 2x9mm machine pistols
Armor	10-50mm
Crew	4
Length	5.38 m
Width	2.92 m
Height	1.95 m
Weight	20.7 t
Range	160 km

Ausf E

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 265hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x75mm StuK 37 L/24 gun (44 rounds), 2x9mm machine pistols
Armor	10-50mm
Crew	4
Length	5.40 m
Width	2.95 m
Height	1.95 m
Weight	22.0 t
Range	160 km

Ausf F (SdKfz 142/1)

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 265hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x75mm StuK 40 L/43 gun (44 rounds), 1x7.92mm MG 34 machine gun, 2x9mm machine pistols
Armor	10-50mm
Crew	4
Length	6.31 m
Width	2.95 m
Height	2.15 m
Weight	23.2 t
Speed	20 km/h off-road; 40 km/h on-road
Range	140 km

Ausf F/8 (SdKfz 142/1)

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 300hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x75mm StuK 40 L/48 gun (44 rounds), 1x7.92mm MG 34 machine gun, 2x9mm machine pistols
Armor	10-50mm
Crew	4
Length	6.31 m
Width	2.95 m
Height	2.15 m
Weight	23.2 t
Speed	20 km/h off-road; 40 km/h on-road
Range	140 km

Ausf G (SdKfz 142/1)

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 300hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x75mm StuK 40 L/48 gun (54 rounds), 1x7.92mm coaxial MG 34 machine gun, 1x7.92mm hull MG 34 machine gun
Armor	50mm gun shield, 30mm turret, 30mm glacis, 80mm bow, 30mm upper hull side, 50mm upper hull rear, 50mm lower hull rear
Crew	4
Length	6.14 m
Width	2.95 m
Height	2.16 m
Weight	23.9 t
Speed	20 km/h off-road; 40 km/h on-road
Range	155 km

StuH 42 (SdKfz 142/2)

Machinery	One Maybach HL 120 TRM 12-cyl water-cooled gasoline engine rated at 265hp
Suspension	Torsion bar
Armament	1x105mm howitzer
Armor	10-50mm
Crew	4
Length	6.00 m
Width	2.95 m
Speed	20 km/h off-road; 40 km/h on-road
Range	140 km

Photographs

Visitor Submitted Comments

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1.  Bill says:
16 Dec 2009 03:44:56 PM

Coming out from the Cold, Old Warriors Find
New Homes.

Finland auctions off 20 World War II German
Assault Guns and Tanks.
The vehicles sold for a total of 916,000 US
Dollars.
One Sturmgeschuetz, StuG III,Ausf.G sold
for 260,000 US Dollars.

The StuG III was built in the largest number
and went into production in December of 1942
1,114 were built. Production continued to the end of the war. It was armed with the
3 inch/75mm gun and one 7.92mm Machine Gun many StuG III's also served with Germany's
Allies. After World War II many countries in
Europe used the StuG III for years.
Finland continued to use this vehicle into
the 1950's.
The Russians captured thousands of German
Tanks and other Armored vehicles, among them
were the StuG III's, that were later passed on to Soviet Client States. Total production
of all StuG Assault Guns: 7,900.

2.  Bill says:
16 Dec 2009 04:19:53 PM

Twenty two German Tanks have lain forgotten
in a Bulgarian field for decades, are now
up for auction starting price 100,000 Euros.
Panthers, Assault Guns, and Panzer Mk IV's.