I’m going to start a Pz III Ausf. J, which my reasearch tells me was built through 1941. I’ve also read that Zimmerit was introduced in 1943; would it have ever appeared on the Ausf. J? Did the Germans apply Zim to already deployed vehicles when they introduced it? I found a lot of photos of Ausf. J’s, and none showed Zim; has anyone seen one that does have it applied?
To my knowledge, no Panzer III’s had zimmerit. By late 1943, most were lost on the battlefield already.
Thanks Tigerman, that’s what I figured. I’m itching to slap some zimmerit on something, and was considering doing it to this vehicle, but I guess it will have to wait.
How was your trip?
Aloha,
Justin
The last Pz IIIs off the line, the ausf N series had zimmerit applied. A well-known photo of a lineup, being handed over to the Brits in Norway at the end of hostilities shows a goodly number of Ns with zimmerit. Those guys were lucky devils, for sure.
Roy’s correct, the III-N was produced (using hulls from J, L, and Ns) in late '42 and into '43 and stayed in service in places like Norway through to the end. Many of them received upgrades for areas like the commander’s cupola that matched the Pz IV development due to being sent back for repair and refurbish. N’s are the only ones that I’ve ever seen wearing zimmerit though.
Squadron/Signal has a nice photo-reference book PzKpFw III in Action I’m not sure whether it’s still in print, but it’s worth getting your hands on a copy.
[:)]
“In addition, vehicles produced from early 1943 were factory applied with Zimmerit - anti-magentic paste. PzKpfw III Ausf N tanks were used for close support role. They were either assigned to Tiger Battalions (sPzAbt/sSSPzAbt) as a way to protect them from enemy infantry or to Panzer-Grenadier Divisions. Some source also state that variant designated Ausf O existed, although there is no proof of its existence.”
Found that info from here:
Thanks for all the info fellas, this all should help me out with this one.
Aloha,
Justin