StuG

Sturmgeschütz (or StuG) meaning "assault gun" was a series of armored vehicles used by both the German Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS armored formations during the Second World War that primarily consisted of the StuG III and StuG IV.

The StuG III became German Reich's most produced armored fighting vehicle during World War II, with some 10,000 examples produced.

History
After World War I,military commanders from the Reichswehr began to consider how mobile armored artillery units could provide support to advancing infantry units. Colonel Erich von Manstein recommended the concept of infantry Begleitbatterien (escort batteries) to General Beck, chief of the general staff in 1935.

Manstein theorized the vehicle role's would not as a tank,but rather as an infantry support vehicle to destroy fortified objectives by direct fire.

In 15th of June 1936,the first 5 prototypes was built which based on the chassis of the Panzer III Ausf B, which were not useful for combat operations,they are equipped with 7.5 cm StuK 37 L/24 gun.

Version and Variants
StuG III:

Ausf A - 36 was produced,based on a modified 5./ZW chassis (Panzer III Ausf. F) with front armour strengthened to 50 mm.

Ausf B - 300 was produced,based on modified 7./ZW chassis (Panzer III Ausf. H), widened tracks (380 mm) and 10-speed transmission was changed to a 6-speed one.

Ausf C - 50 was produced,its superstructure top was given an opening for gunner's periscope.

Ausf D - 150 was produced,almost identical to Ausf C.

Ausf E - 284 was produced,One MG 34 and seven drum-type magazines was added to protect the vehicle from enemy infantry and also radio equipment.

Ausf F - 366 was produced,the longer 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/43 gun was added to counter-act against the Soviet tank such as KV-1 and T-34.

Ausf F/8 - 250 was produced,Rear armor was increased and begin to use 7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun.

Ausf G - Around 8,400 was produced,some of them was built on Panzer III Ausf. M chassis,side hull spaced armour plates (Schürzen) were added to G models to give more protection on sides.

Other variants of StuG III:

StuH 42 - Known as Sturmhaubitze 42,equipped with 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzer and most of them was built on StuG III Ausf. G chassis.

StuG III (Flamm) - equipped with Schwade flamethrower rather the main gun.

Sturm-Infanteriegeschütz 33B - equipped with 15 cm sIG 33 heavy infantry gun.

StuG IV:

The chassis used for this was the Panzer IV Ausf.H along with Alkett’s StuG III Ausf.G superstructure and equipped with7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48 gun and MG 34 as secondary weapon.