Tank Warfare on the Eastern Front, 1943-1945: Red Steamroller

Appendix IV Tank Production, 1943

¹ Name changed to Nashorn in January 1944.

Key Industrial Decisions, 1943

• Hitler is impressed with the 128-mm gun and orders it mounted on either a Panther or Tiger as a tank destroyer.

• May 1943, Hitler approves the Maus super-heavy tank (188 tons) for production, which will divert resources from Krupp and Alkett for the next two years.

• August 1943, Pz III production terminated and facilities shift to Sturmgeschütz production.

• December 1943, Hitler approves Jagdpanzer IV for production against Guderian’s objections. Krupp-Grusonwerk AG plant ceases Pz IV production in favor of Jagdpanzer IV.

Primary AFV Manufacturing Centers:

• Braunschweig (Muehlenbau und Industrie AG (MIAG), Pz III, StuG-III

• Nurnberg (Maschinenfabrik Augsburg Nurnberg AG or MAN), Pz III, Pz V

• Berlin-Marienfelde (Daimler-Benz AG); Pz III, Pz V

• St. Valentin, Nibelungenwerke, Pz IV

• Plauen (Vogtlaendische Maschinenfabrik AG or VOMAG), Pz IV

• Magdeburg (Krupp-Grusonwerk AG), Pz IV

• Hannover (Maschinenfabrik Niedersachen Hannover, GmbH), Pz V

• Kassel (Henschel & Sohn AG), Pz V, Pz VI

• Berlin-Borsigwalde (Alkett or Altmärkische Kettenwerk GmbH), StuG-III, StuH 42, Marder II

• Breslau (Fahrzeug und Motorenbau, GmbH (FAMO), Marder

• Duisburg, (Deutsche-Eisenwerke AG or DEW), Hornisse/Nashorn

Tank Engines:

• Friedrichshafen (Maybach Motorenbau GmbH): Maybach HL 120 TRM; Maybach HL 230 P30 V12;

• Berlin (Norddeutsche Motorenbau); Maybach HL 120 TRM

• Berlin-Niederschönewide (assembly plant)

• Berlin (Daimler-Benz AG); Maybach HL 230 P30 V12

• Zwickau (Auto Union AG): Maybach HL 230 P30 V12

New tank models (3):

• April 1943, Pz IV Ausf H with new KwK 40 L/48 gun, improved frontal armor protection up to 80-mm but increased weight by 2.5 ton

• July 1943, Pz V Ausf D with long 7.5-cm KwK 42 L/70 introduced

• August 1943, Pz V Ausf A introduced

New assault gun models (3):

• March 1943, StuH 42 assault gun with 10.5-cm StuH 42 L / 28 howitzer starts mass production. Ten pre-production models were built in November 1942 and sent to Leningrad.

• April 1943, Sturmpanzer introduce with 15-cm StuH 43 L/12 howitzer on Pz IV hull, built by Deutsche Eisenwerke A.G.

• December 1943, StuG IV introduced

New tank destroyer models (2):

• February 1943, Nashhorn tank destroyer equipped with 8.8-cm Pak 43 L/71 on Pz IV chassis. Built by DEW (Deutsche-Eisenwerke AG) in Duisburg

• April 1943, Ferdinand tank destroyer introduced with 8.8-cm KwK 43 L/71 gun, built at Nibelungenwerke

Key Industrial Decisions, 1943

• 21 March 1943, Production of the Su-76 is stopped by GKO after only 170 built due to engine and transmission failures. The improved version, Su-76M, re-enters production in late May or June 1943

• August 1943, Phase-out of KV-1 heavy tank, shift to heavy assault guns and new IS-series heavy tanks

• October 1943, all light tank production programs are cancelled

Primary AFV Manufacturing Centers:

• Sverdlovsk/Plant 37, T-60, Su-76

• Gorky/GAZ Plant, T-70, Su-76

• Nizhniy Tagil/Stalin Ural Tank Factory183, T-34/76

• Chelyabinsk (ChTZ), T-34/76, KV-1, KV-85, IS-1/2, SU-152

• Gorky/Krasnoye Sormovo Plant No. 112, T-34/76

• Omsk/Lenin Plant 174, T-34/76

• Sverdlovsk/UZTM Uralmash, T-34/76, Su-85, Su-122

• Kirov/Plant 38, Su-76

• Mytishchi/Plant 40; Su-76

Tank Engines:

• V-2 Diesel engine (Zavod 75)

New tank models (4):

• July 1943, the T-80 light tank entered service as an improved T-70 with a two-man turret, improved armored protection and better horsepower, but was cancelled three months later.

• September 1943, the KV-85 heavy tank entered service as an interim design until the IS-1/2 heavy tanks were ready for production. Based upon a KV-1S hull, but using a new turret designed for the IS-series tank and armed with the 85-mm D-5T gun, a total of 148 KV-85s were built.

• October 1943, the IS-1 (or IS-85) heavy tank entered service, armed with the 85-mm D-5T gun, but these tanks were later re-equipped with the 122-mm D-25T gun.

• December 1943, the IS-2 heavy tank entered service, armed with the 122-mm D25T gun.

New SP/Assault gun models (3):

• February 1943, the SU-152 self-propelled gun entered service as a replacement for the KV-2. Originally designated as the KV-14, it mounted the 152-mm ML-20S gun-howitzer on the chassis of a KV-1S.

• August 1943, the SU-85 tank destroyer entered service, armed with the 85-mm D-5T gun on a T-34 hull.

• December 1943, the ISU-152 assault gun entered service as an improved replacement for the SU-152. It used the same ML-20S howitzer, but substituted the new IS tank chassis.