Thickness of Panzer III front lower deck & transmission

Sarah Frazer · Post by **Sarah Frazer** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:07 pm

Hi Guys,

I'm just about to make a new front lower deck, together with the two transmission hatches but I'm not sure what the thickness of this was on the full size Panzer III Ausf L. In the Panzer Tract book it has it at 25mm thick, whilst in another book I have seen it quoted as 16mm thick.

Does anyone know for sure?

Many thanks,

Sarah

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 4:43 pm

Hi Sarah

I know this is a Stug III but assuming the top deck is the same for a late Panzer III, the thickness looks 30mm or more to me. Each of the "stepped" thicknesses looks about 15(judging by my calipers and memory of the scale of the real parts. This photo was taken for referencing the Stug's front hinges for my own project and sorry I have not done measurements yet. but hope it helps give you a better idea of thickness anyways.

Kind regards
Tim

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 6:11 pm

I think the Stug front deck is different as the front hatches are split longitudinally, whereas the late Panzer III hatches are one piece and hinged at the front.

Spielberger, in "Panzer III And Its Variants" has the thickness for an Ausf L listed as 50 + 20, but that sounds like the upper hull to me, with the spaced armour. Hull sides are listed as 30mm

Sorry Sarah, I doubt that's actually much help

Adrian.

Sarah Frazer · Post by **Sarah Frazer** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:02 pm

Hi Tim,

It looks like the Panzer III hatch is a bit different.

I've tried measuring from the photo at various points and it would probably support the thinner, 16mm, front deck.

If anyone has any more information I would really appreciate it.

Regards,

Sarah

Adrian Harris · Post by **Adrian Harris** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:26 pm

Sarah, I would disagree with the 16mm.

If the frontal spaced armour edge, just under your words "like the", is 20mm thick, then I would say, once you have compensated for the bevel on the hatch edge, that 25mm or 30mm looks about right for the front plate.

Adrian.

Tim Bowman · Post by **Tim Bowman** » Sat Mar 13, 2010 7:50 pm

Hi Sarah

Although the hatches are different, I would assume the hull thicknesses would be similar. Should of said it clearer in my first post. Armor thickness only reference, and not hatches.

Fun to watch all these Panzer IIIs coming together.

Best regards
Tim