EnglishVersion/2-Production/History.htm

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The first models of Panzer IV were as for Panzer III of the models of preproduction carried out in small number in order to be tested during tests in corps of troop. They are the models A/B/C which will take part in the campaign of Poland. At that time Panzer III profited from a clear preference near the German decision makers and little importance was given to the program Panzer IV. On the contrary from Panzer III which had 8 of them, Panzer IV profited at that time only one contractor. During the "Lightning war", Panzer IV was hardly modified and remained confined to a role of support. Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf.D. The series production began only starting from this model. src: "Connaissance de l'Histoire, HS n°17"/ Ed. Hachette However because of its more significant dimensions which allowed a substantial improvement of the shielding and armament, Panzer IV nibbled its delay compared to Panzer III and ends up exceeding it. Panzer IV will be produced during all the war at the same time like tank or chassis for the great number of self-propelled guns and hunters of tank which resulted from it. Like above mentioned, at the beginning the project Panzer IV was relatively cold as these figures attest some - at the end of 1939: 174 Panzers IV, at the end of 1940: 386, at the end of 1941: 769. This total was far to reach the 2160 units ordered, intended to equip 36 Panzerdivisions. Manufacture on a large scale began only starting from Pz.kpfw IV Ausf.D (and truly that with the model G) and did not cease growing by afterwards reaching its maximum with Pz.Kpfw IV Ausf.H which was produced with 3774 specimens (almost half of the total production: approximately 8700). A rate of production of 40 tanks per month was planned for 1941 and one of 57 per 1942. These rates were exceeded and the 964 missing tanks were produced before the end of 1942. At the beginning the establishments Krupp de Gurson were responsible for the final assembly of Panzer IV whereas the establishments Krupp of Esssen took care of the manufacture of the hull and Eisen of Bochum of the turret. In 1942, the allied bombardments started to be made hard feel and it became necessary to reimplant the arms factories in less accessible places and several new factories were created as Nibelungenwerke of St-Valentine in Austria which will almost exclusively deal with manufacture of Panzer IV since 1943. With Ausf.H, Panzer IV arrives at its quasi final form and its maximum production. src: "Italeri" The raw materials used for Panzer IV (except the armament, radio and optical instruments) included 39 tons of steel, 1.18 kg of tin, 195 kg of copper, 238 kg of aluminium, 64 kg of lead, 66 kg of zinc, 0.14 kg of magnesium and 116 kg of rubber. These impressive figures explain mainly the limits of production come up against by German industry contrary to less extravagant and more effective allied industry.

[Text src] Connaissance de l'Histoire n°17 (Octobre 1979) / Hachette Les Blindés de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale / Ed. Atlas Armor Number 12, Panzer IV in Action / Squadron/Signal publications New Vanguard n°28, Panzerkampfwagen IV Medium Tank (1936-1945) / Ed. Osprey Military New Vanguard n°34, Sturmartillerie & Panzerjäger (1939-1945) / Ed. Osprey Military

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