Panzer III AUSF J
The Panzer III Ausf (Model) J was a later production development of this famous tank and represented a significant advance over earlier models. A slightly redesigned hull allowed for increased armor protection and a new gun mantlet facilitated the installation of the more powerful 50 mm KwK 38 gun L42.
+ 6 battle cards + flight cloth
Product information
One of the most famous tanks of World War II, the Panzer III was actually only available in relatively small numbers at the time of the German invasion of Poland, with around 180 tanks supplementing the more numerous, faster and lighter Panzer I and II. Despite the popular misconception that Germany had made huge investments in tank production early in the war, much of the initial burden of mechanized blitzkrieg was borne by smaller, lighter tanks and captured vehicles pressed into Wehrmacht service.
The Panzer III Ausf (Model) J was a later production development of this famous tank and represented a significant advance over earlier models. A slightly redesigned hull allowed for the addition of increased armor protection and a new gun mantlet facilitated the installation of the more powerful 50mm gun KwK 38 L42, although these modifications took far too long to develop. When this variant of the Panzer III entered service with the tank divisions on the Eastern Front, they had difficulty keeping up with the heavily armed Soviet KV-1 and T-34 tanks they faced, as well as the larger ammunition they used new gun reduced the internal storage capacity from 90 to 84 rounds. Although the Ausf. J was the most widely produced variant of this famous tank. By 1943, the Panzer III had been outclassed on the battlefield and was no longer produced as a tank, although the main chassis was still used in the production of the excellent Sturmgeschütz III. Tank destroyer.
