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In 1934 the Heereswaffenamt issued a specification for a tank armed with a large calibre gun to fulfil a support role for the lighter tank design which was to become the PzKpfw III. Rheinmetall-Borsig AG completed a wooden mock-up by the end of the year and their first prototype went for trials in 1935. Both MAN of Augsburg and Friedrich Krupp AG of Essen submitted their proposals in 1935 and after intensive trials of all the prototypes the Krupp design was accepted in 1936. The development and construction of prototypes took place at Essen whilst the production line was established at Krupp-Grusonwerke AG in Magdeburg. Thirty-five of the first production vehicles, the Ausf A (1/BW), appeared in 1936 and 1937. They were distinguished from later models by having a stepped front plate with the driver’s position being some 20cm ahead of that of the radio operator. The radio operator was also the hull machine-gunner and had an MG 34 fitted in a simple ball gimbal mount. The Ausf A had a number of features that were changed in later models. Both the driver and radio operator had hull top hatches in two sections with signal ports in the rear sections. The driver had a simple hinged armour plate covering the glass vision block in his front plate. The glacis plate had a large, flush, transmission access hatch screwed in place and was also fitted with two protruding brake access hatches. The engine was the 300hp Maybach HL 108TR linked to a ZF 5-speed SFG75 manual transmission. The turret was fitted with electrical traverse powered from an auxiliary generator driven by a DKW two-cylinder engine. A small cylindrical silencer for this was fitted above the larger one for the main engine on the rear plate. The main armament was carried in an internal mantlet with an unarmoured coaxial machine-gun. The turret front plate had two hinged vision port flaps and two vision ports were also provided in the forward turret sides. Further back from these on either side were large single-piece access doors. The commander had a simple ‘dustbin’ cupola with twin hatches at the back of the turret, protruding into the rear plate. In front of it was fitted a small rectangular ventilation flap. The Ausf B was the second series of the PzKpfw IV and forty-two were produced during 1937 and 1938. The frontal armour was now a single straight 30mm plate, and the front machine-gun mount was replaced by a vision port. The driver’s visor had a double shutter as used on the PzKpfw III Ausf E. The hull top hatches were single pieces and the turret side hatches had pistol ports added. The pistol ports in the turret rear plate were covered with round flaps and the square visor flaps in the turret front were replaced with octagonal ones. The Ausf B also saw the introduction of the ZF 6-speed SSG76 gearbox, and a new cupola identical to that fitted on the PzKpfw III Ausf D. A new engine, the Maybach HL120TRM, was introduced on the Ausf C, as was 30mm armour on the turret front. This model was externally identical to the Ausf B apart from being fitted with an armoured sleeve for the coaxial machine-gun.
Ausf D
The Ausf D (serial numbers 80501 - 80750) reverted to a stepped front plate similar to that of the Ausf A but with a circular machine-pistol port in the centre. The ball-mounted MG was fitted in a new mount with a rectangular external frame (Kugelblende 30) as introduced on the PzKpfw III Ausf E. This model saw the introduction of an external mantlet that often carried a wishbone shaped frame for deflecting the radio antenna away from the gun as the turret traversed. The air intake grills on either side of the engine compartment were simplified, having one horizontal cross-bar in place of the three of earlier models. A new track was fitted which was the same width as before, 38cm, but had higher guide teeth and so could not be used on earlier models. Photographic evidence indicates that there was also a change in the roadwheels at about this time. Previous models had roadwheels with smooth hubs but models from Ausf D onwards could be distinguished by having hubs fitted with six recessed bolts. Ausf D and E could be fitted with either type of roadwheel, and sometimes both types can be seen on the same vehicle. Early production vehicles were fitted with limit stops on the front and last roadwheel positions but late production ones had them fitted to every station. Late production models were also fitted with new engine covers with louvered air intakes for the cooling fans. The Ausf D was refitted with additional armour from 1940, initially as a field modification. Later this was done as a factory improvement to vehicles being repaired, in which case they had the two signal port flaps and the ventilator flap on the turret roof plated over, and a fan ventilator was fitted instead. Armour plates 30mm thick were bolted about 8cm in front of the hull machine-gun position, and sometimes also in front of the driver. Additional armour was also bolted onto the superstructure sides and appliqué armour was welded onto the nose plate. From August 1942 Hitler ordered that all PzKpfw IV’s returned for factory rebuild were to be rearmed with the long-barrelled 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43 gun.
1) The Tank Museum - Public Areas, Bovington, Britain
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Unique ID: |
156
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Serial Number: |
80732.
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“419” painted on turret sides. Unit markings painted on hull front and rear. German crosses painted on hull sides. Painted overall in a sand and green camouflage scheme (previously overall sand).
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This Ausf D has spaced armour in front of the driver’s and operator’s positions, and additional armour on the superstructure sides and nose. It also has Schürzen armour on the turret and has been re-armed with the 7.5cm KwK 40 L/43. It was at the School of Tank Technology, Chobham Lane, Chertsey, before being moved to Bovington. It is believed to have been captured at a tank driver training school (NSKK) in 1945. It is now part of a D-Day display. The museum used to have a second Panzerkampfwagen IV but this was given back to Germany in 1960. It is now part of the Panzermuseum collection at Munster.
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2) U.S. Army Ordnance Museum, Aberdeen Proving Ground, USA
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Unique ID: |
157
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This Ausf D was captured during the war and shipped to the US for testing and evaluation. It has additional armour on the nose, and on the front and both sides of its superstructure. The arrangement of the armour in front of the driver’s position is unusual as it is in two pieces rather than one.
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Ausf E
The Ausf E had the appliqué armour of the Ausf D except that the plate in front of the driver’s position was mounted slightly differently. It was bent forward at its lower edge where it was fixed to the glacis plate. A new driver’s visor (Fahrersehklappe 30) was fitted identical to that of the PzKpfw III Ausf G. The nose plate armour was increased to 50mm but 20mm appliqué armour was still bolted to the superstructure sides. The brake access hatches in the glacis plate were now larger, single-piece and mounted flush, and fitted with single rather than double hinges. The turret was extensively redesigned with most of the vision ports and flaps being better armoured. A new cupola was fitted, identical with that of the PzKpfw III Ausf G. The back of the turret was made from a single plate to simplify manufacture where previously the top of the plate was cut away and a second vertical plate continued the line of the cupola. On the turret roof the right-hand signal port was omitted and the rectangular ventilator flap was replaced by an electric extractor fan. Late production Ausf D and E vehicles were refitted with the 40cm wide track of the Ausf F when it became available, along with the new design of drive sprocket, and sometimes the new rear idler as well.
Ausf F
The Ausf F began entering service in the spring of 1941 and a total of 393 was built during 1940 and 1941. Its main distinguishing feature was the re-adoption of the simpler straight front plate of the Ausf B. It had 50mm hull, mantlet and turret frontal armour, while the hull sides were single 30mm plates, leading to an overall increase in weight. To prevent an unacceptable increase in ground pressure the track width was increased from 38cm to 40cm. New wider drive sprockets and seven-spoke idler wheels were fitted, though older vehicles with the new track used their original sprockets and idlers along with spacer rings. The new tracks had the sole and outer webs of each shoe slotted for the fitting of ice cleats. A Kugelblende 50 MG mount for the hull gunner and a Fahrersehklappe 50 visor for the driver were fitted. They were designed to fit the new 50mm front plate and were identical to those introduced on the PzKpfw III Ausf J. The hinged maintenance hatches in the glacis plate now incorporated air intake apertures protected by cast cowls. A shorter exhaust silencer was fitted on the rear hull plate, alongside a separate small silencer for the turret traverse motor. The single access doors on the turret were replaced with double doors as fitted on the PzKpfw III Ausf G. The German invasion of Russia in June 1941 led to a reappraisal of German tank design when it was discovered that both the PzKpfw III and IV were outclassed by the Russian T-34 and KV-1. In November of the same year the Ordnance Department issued a contract to Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig to jointly develop a replacement for the short-barrelled 7.5cm PzKpfw IV gun. From March 1942 mass production was ordered of a new longer-barrelled 7.5cm gun, 43 calibres long, with a greatly increased muzzle velocity. This new weapon was incorporated in the PzKpfw IV and made it a match for the T-34 in firepower, though it was still below par in armour. Vehicles so armed also made a name for themselves against the British in the Western Desert, where they became known as “Mark IV Specials”. Vehicles armed with the new 7.5cm KwK L/43 (serial numbers 82394 to 83700) were designated Ausf F2. To avoid confusion Ausf Fs armed with the 7.5cm KwK L/24 were redesignated Ausf F1 (serial numbers 82001 to 82393). The Ausf F2 was externally identical to the F1 apart from the longer gun. This had a more angular recuperator housing than the L/24, and this housing was fitted with a flat front plate. All F2 guns were fitted with a spherical single-baffle muzzle brake, though some late-production Ausf F’s appear to have been fitted with Ausf G turrets.
3) Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor, Fort Knox, USA
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Unique ID: |
158
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This is an Ausf F2 with late production turret. It has been field-modified with pieces of track held in brackets on its hull front and welded directly to its lower superstructure as appliqué armour.
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Ausf G
The Ausf G was distinguished from the Ausf F2 by its double-baffle muzzle brake, and a number of detail changes to the turret. The two vision ports on the forward sides of the turret were eliminated, as was the loader’s observation port on the right side of the turret front. The driver’s and hull machine-gunner’s hatches also had their signal ports removed. Late Ausf Gs were fitted with smoke grenade launchers on either side of the turret front, and saw the introduction of Bosch AFV headlights on one or both front wings. Toward the end of the production run a number of Ausf H features were introduced, including one-piece cupola hatches, 8mm spaced armour skirts and 30mm appliqué armour on the hull front plate and nose. Some were even rebuilt with hull Schürzen and the longer KwK 40 L/48 gun. All Ausf Gs can, however, be distinguished by the retention of the folding antenna mounted on the right of the hull, level with the turret front. Late production Ausf Gs appear to have been fitted with a circular bullet splash shield around the cupola.
4) Panzermuseum, Munster, Germany
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Unique ID: |
159
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“413” (previously “R01”) painted on turret sides. Markings painted on superstructure front and sides. Overall painted desert sand (previously in a camouflage scheme).
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This Ausf G is fitted with an Ausf F turret but has a double-baffle muzzle-brake. It was completed in September 1942 and transported by rail and sea to Tobruk. There it joined Panzer Regiment 8 of the 15th Panzer Division on 21 October. It was moved up to the front line on 1 November. By December 1942 it had been captured, apparently after having completed a total distance of just 482km, and was shipped to Britain in the same month for evaluation. After the war it was put on display in the Bovington Tank Museum and it remained there for many years. In December 1960 it was given by the commander of the 5th British Armoured Division, General-Major Jolly, to the General of Combat Troops, General-Major Munzel, in Munster. It was restored between 1980 and 1983 in the Kampftruppenschule 2 workshops, namely Panzer Werkstatt (Armour Workshop) No. 1 and its paint shop. This was achieved with the generous assistance of the companies MTU, Friedrichshafen, and Renk Zahnradfabrik, Augsburg. It spent some time in the late 1980’s at the Trier depot before returning to Munster. It is in running order.
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5) Kubinka NIIBT Research Collection - Foreign Vehicles, Kubinka, Russia
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Unique ID: |
160
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Serial Number: |
“82937” – chassis number stamped inside hull under driver’s visor “83293” – hull number stamped outside hull under bow MG mount “82993” – turret number stamped into centre of roof.
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“432” painted on turret sides and rear of turret stowage box, 23 PzDiv insignia painted on front mud flaps, German crosses painted on hull sides and rear. Painted overall in green and sand camouflage scheme.
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This is a late production Ausf G with 30mm armour plates welded to the superstructure front and nose. Its main armament appears to be jammed at full recoil.
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Ausf H
The Ausf H appeared in the spring of 1943 and saw the introduction of the longer 7.5cm KwK 40 L/48. It had 80mm armour on the mantlet as standard, and 30mm appliqué armour fixed onto the 50mm front plate and nose. It would appear that early production vehicles had this armour bolted onto the front plate whereas later vehicles had it welded. The armour on the nose was nearly always welded in position, on early vehicles it appears to have been cut away around the towing brackets while on later vehicles it was a complete plate welded onto the nose plate and the towing brackets were bolted in position on top. All vehicles were fitted with permanent 8mm turret Schürzen armour and removable 5mm side skirts. The ZF SSG 77 transmission from the PzKpfw III replaced the earlier ZF SSG 76 system and, despite the weight increase due to extra armour, kept the cross-country performance at an acceptable level. The commander’s cupola was now fitted with a single-piece hatch. Some vehicles were fitted with an anti-aircraft machine-gun fixed to the commander’s cupola and were given a coating of Zimmerit anti-magnetic-mine paste. A lighter cast drive sprocket with open spokes was fitted. Late production models also had new U-section idler wheels and all-steel return rollers. The radio antenna on the Ausf H was fitted on the left rear corner of the engine compartment instead of the right hull side and since it no longer needed to fold down the trough for it was removed. Also eliminated from this model was the signal port in the turret roof. All Ausf H’s appear to have been fitted with a circular bullet splash shield around the cupola. At least one captured example had angle iron welded in a “V” on the turret roof to protect the cupola. Ausf H vehicles had chassis numbers between 84401 and 91500. During 1943 Spain received a number of Ausf H’s, followed by a further batch in 1949. These twenty vehicles remained in service until the 1960’s when seventeen of them were sold to Syria. Syria also acquired Ausf J’s from Czechoslovakia. These Syrian PzKpfw IV’s are believed to have seen service in the Six Day War of 1967. PzKpfw IV’s in Spanish service were characterised by the removal of the hull Schürzen, though the turret Schürzen was retained.
6) Becker Collection, Unknown Location, Belgium
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Unique ID: |
161
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This late-production Ausf H is in an extremely poor and rusted condition. It is missing most of its external parts, including half of both tracks. It is believed to have served with either Pz Regiment 22 or SS Pz Regiment 12. It took part in the Normandy fighting in June 1944 and was knocked out near Caen and Cagny by a Canadian unit. From the dump at St Lambert-sur-Dive it went in 1948 to a scrap yard on the Route de Paris at Le Mans. It was recovered in 1976 and put on display in the ‘Musée du 19 Août 1942’ (where it is shown). This was a private military museum located on the cliffs to the east of the town of Pourville, east of Dieppe, and dedicated to the Dieppe raid of 19 August 1942. After the Pourville museum closed this PzKpfw IV found its way into the Becker collection. [Preserved Tanks in France: Number 213].
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7) Musée Août 1944, Falaise, France
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Unique ID: |
162
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This Ausf H is unusual in having one early and one late-style idler wheel. It is missing its hull Schürzen, front towing lugs and many other fittings. [Preserved Tanks in France: Number 166].
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8) BWB Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung, Koblenz, Germany
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Unique ID: |
163
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This Ausf H was originally acquired from Spain. Before being put on display at Koblenz it was stored at Meppen. It has Schürzen armour around the turret but not the hull, and carries the turret number “123”.
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9) Panzermuseum, Thun, Switzerland
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Unique ID: |
164
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Number “734” painted on turret sides and rear (not seen in 1984).
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The centre four road wheels on both sides of this Ausf H are from a Panzerkampfwagen III Tank, and its track is from a Centurion Tank. It is missing many of its external fittings, including all the Schürzen armour.
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10) Pozuelo de Alarcón Barracks, Madrid, Spain
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Unique ID: |
165
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This is on display at the home of the Villaviciosa Cavalry Regiment although it was never in service with this unit. It was previously on display at the base of the Wad Ras Infantry Regiment which is now disbanded. It has the chassis number 84631. It is missing its engine but is otherwise in a fair condition (source: F. Marin). It has Schürzen on the turret but not the hull.
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11) El Goloso Barracks, Madrid, Spain
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Unique ID: |
166
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This is on display at the home of the Alcazar de Toledo Armoured Infantry Regiment. The twenty Ausf H’s that Spain received saw service with this unit. Ten were in service from 1943 to until 1956, and a further ten from 1949 to 1956. From 1956 to 1964 they were employed in cavalry regiments. This example has the chassis number 84637 and is in good condition (source: F. Marin). It has Schürzen on the turret but not the hull, and carries the turret number “132”.
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12) El Pardo Barracks, Madrid, Spain
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Unique ID: |
167
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This is on display at the home of the 1st Armoured Division General Staff. The units that were equipped with the PzKpfw IV belonged to this division. It has the chassis number 84583 and is in a fair condition (source: F. Marin).
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13) National Museum of Military History, Kalemegdan Fortess, Serbia
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Unique ID: |
168
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This Ausf H is missing all of its Schürzen armour.
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14) Central Military Museum, Bucharest, Romania
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Unique ID: |
169
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In 1942 Germany delivered a small number of PzKpfw III and IV tanks to the Romanian Army. From November 1943 to July 1943 considerably more PzKpfw IV Ausf H tanks were delivered to Romanian Armoured Divisions. They were used against the Germans from August 1944. This PzKpfw IV was one of those supplied during the war. It is a late production Ausf H with all-steel return rollers and late-style idlers. It has had its turret removed and its driver’s vision block and operator’s machine-gun mount plated over. It was used as an armoured recovery vehicle after the war.
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Ausf J
The Ausf J was introduced in March 1944 and was the final model of the PzKpfw IV produced. The main change was that the electric turret-traversing gear was removed. It was replaced with an auxiliary fuel container, with a capacity of 200 litres, in order to increase range. The hand traversing mechanism was fitted with a second reduction gear to turn the turret when the vehicle was on a slope. The Ausf J can hence be distinguished from the Ausf H by the absence of the small silencer for the auxiliary engine beside the main engine silencer on the hull rear. The vehicle’s wading capacity was increased to 1.2m. As with the late Ausf H, a new U-section idler was fitted on later production vehicles, along with all-steel return rollers. In order to save weight some late production vehicles were fitted with wire mesh Thoma Schürzen. The side vision ports for the driver and hull gunner were eliminated along with the vision devices and pistol ports in the turret doors. The number of return rollers was also reduced from four each side to three and in later vehicles the towing eyes were made from extensions of the hull sides. It would appear that very late production vehicles were fitted with a simplified exhaust system consisting of two vertical silencers on the hull rear. This exhaust system was also seen on vehicles utilising the Ausf J chassis, such as the Panzer IV/70.
15) Museé Des Blindés, Saumur, France
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Unique ID: |
170
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This Ausf J is missing its Schürzen bazooka plates and other external fittings. It carries the turret number “804”. [Preserved Tanks in France: Number 70].
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16) Auto und Technik Museum, Sinsheim, Germany
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Unique ID: |
171
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This Ausf J is missing most of its external fittings, including all of its Schürzen, and some of its left suspension. It also has some small calibre penetrations in the front of its superstructure. [Preserved Tanks in France: Number 167].
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17) Panssarimuseo, Parola, Finland
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Unique ID: |
172
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This late production Ausf J is missing all of its Schürzen. It has some Finnish modifications. It is from a batch of Ausf J’s that were in service with the Finnish Army from 1944 to 1962 and which were mainly used for training.
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18) Panssarimuseo, Parola, Finland
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Unique ID: |
173
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This PzKpfw IV is not on display at the museum. It is stored at the nearby workshops of the Panssarikilta at Parolanummi (source: R. Fleming/Wheels and Tracks).
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19) Museum of Slovak National Uprising, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
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Unique ID: |
174
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This Ausf J is fitted with three return rollers per side, and old-style idlers (source: P. Malmassari/Saumur Magazine).
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20) Kbely Military Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
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Unique ID: |
175
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This Ausf J has only three return rollers per side and has towing eyes made from extensions of the hull armour. It is missing all of its Schürzen and has non-standard headlamps. It also has a number of field modifications including an extra stowage box on the front-right of the superstructure, and spare track links fitted in brackets on the front of the turret and superstructure.
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21) Dukla Pass Museum, Svidnik, Slovakia
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Unique ID: |
176
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This PzKpfw IV is on display with a Soviet T-34 tank (source: P. Malmassari/Saumur Magazine).
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22) Military Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria
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Unique ID: |
177
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This Ausf J has only three return rollers per side. It is missing all of its Schürzen and most of its external fittings.
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23) Israeli Army Armour School, Latrun, Israel
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Unique ID: |
178
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This late production Ausf J is from a batch of about fifty PzKpfw IV’s supplied to Syria by Czechoslovakia during the 1960’s. They had previously served with the Czech Army and are recognisable by their distinctive track link stowage and the three extra stowage bins on the hull sides (source: R. Harley/Wheels & Tracks). This example has track links fitted in brackets on the superstructure front, Schürzen armour on the turret but not on the hull, and an AA machine-gun mount on the commander’s cupola.
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24) Israeli Army Armour School, Latrun, Israel
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Unique ID: |
179
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This example is missing its Schürzen armour and AA machine-gun mount on the commander’s cupola.
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25) Israeli Army Armour School, Latrun, Israel
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Unique ID: |
180
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This PzKpfw IV is currently not displayed in the museum but is stored outside next to the car park (source: R. Fleming/AFV News).
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