The Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf E (Sd Kfz 141) was a significant enhancement of the medium tank. A redesign of the suspension allowed the tank to carry nearly double the armor protection of the earlier PzKpfw III makes. Another added feature, relevant to crew survival, was the inclusion of escape hatches on both sides of the hull. The Maybach HL120TR engine replaced the earlier HL108TR model and it was paired to a new gearbox which, unfortunately for the need for swift production of the tank, was a cause of delays on the assembly lines. For armament, the tank carried the 37mm KwK L/46.5 gun with two co-axial 7.92mm MG 34 machine-guns along with a hull mounted MG 34. In all, the tank held 131 rounds of ammunition for the gun and 4,500 rounds of ammunition to feed the machine-guns. For frontal protection, the turret had 30mm of armor at a 15 degree slope, the superstructure had 30mm at a 9 degree slope, and the hull 30mm at a 21 degree slope. The gun mantlet also had 30mm of armor. The sides of the tank had 30mm of armor though outside of the turret, it was at a 0 degree slope which meant it was less effective. The remainder of the tank had between 21mm of armor to as little as 12mm location depending.
This level of protection for the five man crew, unfortunately, was not shell proof and in fact, it was vulnerable to a number of French anti-tank weapons when German panzer units took the PzKpfw III Ausf E into battle. The Canon de 25mm Semi-Automatique Modèle 1934 was both a towed anti-tank gun as well as one which equipped one of the more numerous French armored cars, the Panhard 178. The gun was able to penetrate 20mm at a 60 degree slope out to 1,000 meters and 29mm at the same degree of slope at 500 meters. Thus, even at the longest range, the Canon de 25 was a threat to the PzKpfw III. Another weapon the Germans had to contend with was the 47mm SA35 tank gun used in the SOMUA 35 cavalry tank and the Char B1 heavy tank and this gun was capable of piercing up to 60mm of armor at a range of 550 meters. Finally, yet another weapon commonly encountered was the Hotchkiss Mitrailleuse de 13.2mm CA Modèle 1930 mounted on some French light tanks and armored vehicles which, when using armor-piercing ammunition, could penetrate 18mm of armor at 500 meters and between 21mm to 26mm at shorter ranges. The vulnerability of the PzKpfw III Ausf E is vividly illustrated by this photograph which was taken sometime during the Battle of France which was fought from May 10, 1940 to June 25, 1940.
The tank belonged to the 8. Panzer-Brigade which was part of the 5. Panzer-Division. This can be told by the division insignia that consisted of an upside down “Y” with single dot next to it that is on the side of the hull, next to the Balkenkreuz. There are over a dozen hits by at least two different calibers which have struck the front of the tank. The impacts on the turret cracked the cupola's optic ring, knocked the gun's armored sleeve off, and destroyed part of the gun mantlet. Perhaps the more damaging hits are near the driver's station where three penetrations hit with enough force to crack the superstructure. Not visible in the photograph are three hits to the front hull, one of which appeared to have penetrated. Sitting on the fender is 75 round saddle magazine for the MG 34 and the black object on the tank above the driver's position is the crash helmet portion of a schutzmütze, as worn by panzer crewman. The black wool beret that would have covered it is missing. Despite the damage, another photograph of this same tank was taken elsewhere that showed the tank had been recovered and taken to a field repair location. Whether or not it was being repaired or simply stripped of parts to keep other tanks going cannot be told for certain. Likewise, it is unknown if any of the crew had been killed following the tank being knocked out.
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