Porsche Typ 245-010

At the meeting of the Panzer- und Waffenkommission on May 27, 1943, a request was made for the development of a new type of tank that would withstand new threats that emerged in the form of new anti-tank weapons (up to 110 mm at 400 meters) and small air bombs with a cumulative charge, which were able to reliably pierce the ceiling armor to a thickness of 40-50 mm. Primarily, the new type of tank was required to be resistant to Allied air raids and bombs. Specifications were given to companies on July 1, 1943. Work on the new design was entrusted to others other than the companies that came up with the established designs (Henschel and M.A.N.). The project needed a new look at the design of the new armor.
The team of Porsche and Rheinmetall was formed, where Porsche had to solve the platform and Rheinmetall weapon system. A joint effort resulted in the design of a light tank Porsche type 245-10 Leichte Panzerkampfwagen zurwegung gegen Erd- und Luftziele mit 5,5 cm vollautomatischer Waffe (Porsche typ 245-10 light tank against ground and air target with a 5.5 cm automatic weapon). The automatic weapon was to be a 5.5 cm MK 112 cannon mounted in a fully rotating tower with a circular floor plan. The weapon should have an elevation of -8 ° to + 82 °. The weapon fired 1.4 kg heavy projectiles at a muzzle velocity of 600 m/s. The ammunition stock consisted of 350 rounds strapped in metal round strips. Additional equipment was to consist of a machine gun mounted in the front of the tower to the right of the cannon. However, it was not designed as coaxial, but was mounted separately in a ball joint. Another additional armament was to be a grenade launcher mounted in the rear ceiling of the tower. The chassis consisted of six all-steel wheels with a diameter of 600 mm, which were mounted in pairs in trolleys. The suspension was secured by coil springs. Of interest is the shape of the hull, which is strikingly similar to the later tank destroyer Jagdpanzer 38 (t).
Relevant data on the fate of the project are not preserved. No data is available on whether a prototype has been ordered and whether serial production has been seriously considered. Only photographs of the machine model are known.
The joint team also dealt with other categories of vehicles on the same platform, such as reconnaissance ( Porsche Typ 245-011), or anti-aircraft machine. Serial number 011 indicates an extensive development branch of this project.