Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle - Panzer Tracts no.7-3, Panzerjaeger (7,5 cm PaK 40/4 to 8,8 cm Waffentraeger) development and employment from 1939 to 1945, rok vydania 2006, ISBN 0-9771643-3-0
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In 1944, a year of retreats and defensives by the German army, there was an acute need for mobile artillery armament in conventional infantry units. For in the retreat battles the prevailing shortage of towed artillery resulted in high losses of conventional towed artillery weapons. Many were destroyed by their own units precisely because of their immobility. Guns such as the 7.5 cm PaK 40, 8.8 cm PaK 43, and 10.5 cm leFH 18 were too heavy for the operator and difficult to handle. At the 20 January 1944 negotiations on new weapons, after discussions on the new PaK 42 L/60 and L/70 towed guns, it was decided that the ideal solution would be to motorize the artillery. Anti-tank guns and light field howitzers were to be mounted on light standardised platforms (Einheitsfahrgestell). In response to this request, Ardelt developed two designs for the so-called "Waffenträger". The company produced 1:10 scale models. One project was to have only a small shield protecting the PaK 43 gun (weight 10 tons), the other project was to have more advanced armour protecting the crew from shrapnel from grenades and small arms bullets (13 tons). It was a fully rotatable turret without ceiling armour. Model Waffenträger for carrying 7.5 cm PaK 42, 8.8 cm PaK 43 and 10.5 cm leFH 18/40 was presented to Adolf Hitler 26.1.1944. He decided to produce a waffenträger with an 8.8 cm PaK gun on a cross platform (Kreuzlafette). Production numbers of up to 300 pieces per month were planned. However, the decision was only a preliminary one; the competition also included a project by Steyr. The exact specifications had not even been determined yet. These were presented at a meeting of representatives of Ardelt, Krupp, [i:Rheinmetall-Börsig with representatives of the WaPrüf 6 and WaPrüf 4 arms authorities on 3.2.1944 in Berlin. The companies Steyr (the latter negotiated the specifications the following day on 4.2.1944) and Ardelt were to build vehicles that were to have max. 1750 mm in height, the fully rotating turret was to be lafeted 8.8 cm L/71 cannon with a supply of 50 rounds (20 pcs in standby position), the aiming range was to be -8° to +45°, the optical equipment of the cannon was specified, the vehicle was to have a radio, smoke grenade launcher, if the design allowed it was to have a secondary armament of a machine gun, the plans also included a hinged gun for firing submachine guns. The armour of the machine was to be 20 mm in the exposed frontal part, 10 mm on the sides, the maximum speed of the vehicle was to be 35 km/h on the road and 30 km/h off-road, the range was to be 140-200 km, the ground clearance 450 mm, the maximum ground pressure 0.7 kg/cm2 and the crew was to consist of 4 - 5 men. The gun was to be based on the design elements of the PaK/KwK 43 and cooperating pairs of companies were formed to work together on modifications to the weapon. The company Krupp was to modify the gun for the company Steyr and the company Rheinmetall-Börsig for the company Ardelt.
The company Ardeltwas thus awarded the contract for the development of the plaform, the construction of the wooden mock-up and the building of the four prototypes. The firm Rheinmetall-Börsig was awarded the contract to build the turret and gun. The platform used proven components from the Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) light tank and Jagdpanzer 38(t) tank fighter respectively. The extremely quickly built prototype (it was missing some components) passed driving and gunnery tests on 27 and 28 April 1944, which took place in Hillerleben. The prototype travelled about 120 km without faults. The top speed achieved was 25 km/h. Interestingly, the PaK 43 gun from Krupp was eventually used. In fact, Rheinmetall-Börsig ceased production of its PaK 43/41, on which the weapon was to be based, and further work on the gun armament was carried out by Krupp. The prototype was tested on 27.4. with 129 shots, which were carried out mainly with anti-tank ammunition in different positions of the turrets (the stability of the machine was tested). Apart from light damage to the recoil brake, the weapon proved its worth. The firing tests were continued after the installation of a new muzzle brake the following day. The conclusions WaPrüf 4 from the tests were very positive, although with reservations, as the Krupp gun's lafetation in the Rheinmetall turret was not ideal. The work on the Ardelt waffenträger was further developed in another joint project 8,8 cm Ardelt-Krupp in cooperation with Krupp. The prototype is further featured in a report of a planned demonstration to Adolf Hitler on 2 September 1944. The Ardelt-Rheinmetall machine was to be ready by 9.10.1944 together with the Krupp-Steyr and Krupp-Ardelt prototypes. The date and location of the demonstration of the new waffenträger has not been decided. The program of these tank fighters was halted due to lack of material for production.
Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary L. Doyle - Panzer Tracts no.7-3, Panzerjaeger (7,5 cm PaK 40/4 to 8,8 cm Waffentraeger) development and employment from 1939 to 1945, year of publication 2006, ISBN 0-9771643-3-0 Vladimír Francev, Charles K. Kliment - Československá obrněná vozidla 1918-1948, published by ARES, II. vydanie, Prague 2004, ISBN 80-86158-40-3 www.bundesarchiv.de
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