Panzer IV Tank: Workhorse of the Wehrmacht

By Will Dabbs, MD

Posted in
#History

The Panzer IV, or Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), was one of Germany’s workhorse tanks during World War II. As the war evolved, so did the tank. Dr. Will Dabbs takes a look at this legendary tank in today’s article.

Early in the morning of 6 June 1944, a British glider-borne infantry Sergeant named Charles “Wagger” Thornton crouched amidst a pile of rubbish at a road intersection adjacent the bridges over the Orne River and Caen Canal in Normandy, France. The distinctive clanking rattle of German tanks approaching in the darkness was indescribably terrifying. As the first squatty shape appeared out of the gloom, SGT Thornton hefted his crude PIAT anti-tank gun and squeezed its massive trigger.

The Panzer IV Ausf. H is often considered the best variant of the design. Shown here without side skirts, this Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H was captured by British forces in Normandy. Image: Ronnie Bell/Public Domain

The tank was only 30 yards away, and a quarter of PIAT rounds fired in combat failed to detonate. However, this one performed exactly as designed. The big fat shaped-charge warhead burst against the side of the German Panzer IV tank, killing all but one of its crew. The sole survivor, a young Engineer officer, was blown out of a hatch but succumbed to his wounds some hours later. However, that Panzer IV burned to scrap wedged between a pair of buildings in the one spot that kept the rest of the German 21^st Panzer Division from reaching the invasion beaches. The argument could be made that, with that one extraordinary shot, Wagger Thornton singlehandedly saved the D-Day invasion.

Origin Story

What is the first tank you think of when you ponder German armor during World War II? Any military history buff worthy of his nerd card would say the Panther or Tiger. Those two tanks just look so freaking cool. Their manly sinister lines struck fear in the hearts of Allied grunts everywhere. However, reality was that these two tanks played a relatively small role in the Germans’ many manifest battlefield successes. The most common German tank used during World War II was actually the Panzer IV.

The photograph shows the author, Will Dabbs, standing beside a Panzer IV Ausf H medium tank displayed at an outdoor section of a military museum. The tank retains its Schürzen side armor skirts and the long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/48 gun with a prominent muzzle brake. Its dark paint scheme appears well-preserved, suggesting restoration. The author, dressed in casual clothing, stands near the left track, giving a clear sense of the tank’s size and height. The background includes museum signage and a paved walkway, indicating a public exhibit space. Lighting conditions are bright, casting shadows that enhance the tank’s structural details. — Posing next to a Panzer IV Ausf H, the author highlights the scale of this iconic German tank. This example has been restored for public exhibition.

The technical appellation was the Sd.Kfz. 161. Originally designed in the late 1930’s, the Panzer IV was the most-produced German tank of the war. Some 8,553 copies were manufactured across several variants. The basic chassis was also used to create a variety of specialized combat vehicles to include the StuG IV assault gun, the Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, the Brummbar self-propelled gun, and the Wirbelwind quad 20mm anti-aircraft system.

The photograph shows a German Panzer IV tank driving down Sint Annastraat during the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. The tank, an early-war variant, is equipped with a short-barreled 75mm KwK 37 gun and minimal side armor. It moves along a paved urban street lined with multi-story brick buildings, some showing signs of damage. Civilians can be seen at a distance, either watching or retreating from the approaching vehicle. The tank’s tracks are kicking up small amounts of dust as it advances. This street-level view captures the shock and immediacy of armored vehicles entering a city during the campaign. — A German Panzer IV moves along Sint Annastraat, a street in Nijmegen, Gelderland, during the 1940 invasion of the Netherlands. Image: Netherlands Ministry of Defence

The Panzer IV was originally developed alongside the Panzer III as a family of tanks. The Panzer IV was contrived as an infantry support vehicle with a short-barreled 75mm general purpose KwK 37 gun. This weapon fired relatively low-velocity, high-explosive rounds optimized for use against defensive fortifications, machine gun emplacements and the like. By contrast, the smaller Panzer III was designed as a primarily anti-armor platform. Over time, the Panzer III was phased out and the Panzer IV took on more of the role of Main Battle Tank.

Details

That first Panzer IV sported a powerful Maybach HL108 TR petrol engine mated to an SGR 75 transmission. This gave the 25-ton vehicle a road speed of nearly 20 miles per hour. The Panzer IV was fitted with an armored MG 34 machine gun in a hull mount along with another set coaxially with the main gun. A third MG 34 could be mounted externally alongside the commander’s cupola for air defense.

The photograph shows a German tanker standing on the turret of a Panzer IV tank near Kharkiv, Ukraine, during World War II. The soldier is dressed in standard black Panzer crew uniform and holds a pair of binoculars to his eyes, scanning the distance for enemy movement. The Panzer IV appears to be a mid-to-late-war variant with a long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/48 gun and Schürzen side armor skirts. The surrounding terrain is open, with low grass and a distant treeline visible under a clear sky. The tanker’s elevated position provides a wide field of view, critical for spotting Soviet troops in the area. The image conveys both the tactical awareness and vulnerability of tank crews operating in open steppe environments. — Near Kharkiv, Ukraine, a Panzer IV crewman uses binoculars to search for enemy positions. The image is from the Third Battle of Kharkov in early 1943. Image: Ronnie Bell/Public Domain

At its best, the armor on the early Panzer IV was only about three-quarters of an inch thick. This offered protection against small arms and artillery shell splinters but little else. Most all of the anti-tank weapons of the day could pierce it with relative ease.

The image shows an early-production German Panzer IV Ausf. H tank with 30mm bolt-on armor plates affixed to the front glacis, similar to the Ausf. G variant. Instead of the later single-piece 80mm armor plate, this transitional model uses visible mounting bolts to secure the additional frontal protection. The tank is painted in a dark wartime camouflage pattern, and the long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/48 main gun extends forward with a muzzle brake. Side armor skirts, or Schürzen, are partially visible along the hull. The tank is photographed in an outdoor setting, highlighting the front hull where the armor modification is most apparent. This example reflects the incremental upgrades made during mid-1943 as production transitioned between variants. — An early production Panzer IV Ausf. H fitted with 30mm bolt-on armor plates, a holdover from the earlier Ausf. G design. This configuration was soon replaced by a single 80mm solid glacis plate.

Over time, the Panzer IV underwent a massive evolution. The most effective variant was the Ausf. H launched in June of 1943. The Ausf. H featured a deadly long-barreled KwK 40 L/48 75mm gun that was proof against most Allied tanks from most all aspects. The KwK 40’s distinctive muzzle brake helped manage recoil from the high-velocity weapon.

Armor was increased to 3.15 inches in the glacis. Additionally, this variant included Schurzen armored skirts along the side designed to detonate shaped charge warheads before they could reach the tank’s vitals. Roof armor was increased as was that of the commander’s cupola. All of this extra weight dropped the Ausf. H’s top cross country speed to around 10 mph.

The photograph shows a German Panzer IV Ausf. H tank parked or moving slowly along a cobblestone street in Debrecen, Hungary, during World War II. The tank features full Schürzen side armor skirts along the hull and turret, as well as the long-barreled 75mm KwK 40 L/48 gun with a muzzle brake. Buildings with European architectural style line both sides of the street, some with shuttered windows and signs of wartime wear. The road is relatively narrow, emphasizing the size of the vehicle in the urban environment. Lighting suggests daytime conditions, with shadows cast to one side. The image conveys the presence of heavy armor within a civilian cityscape during active operations on the Eastern Front. — German Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H tanks move down a city street in Debrecen, Hungary. Image: Polish National Digital Archives

There was one final model developed late in the war designated the Ausf. J. However, with the Allies engaged in a relentless around-the-clock bombing campaign, this version was a step back from the previous Ausf. H. Most telling was the deletion of the electric turret traverse. That of the Ausf. J was a manual cranked system. Slewing the turret quickly was supposedly a terrible chore, particularly on a slope where the gunner had to fight gravity to get that big gun barrel to move.

Scale

The Panzer IV was originally intended to be a limited-production design. However, the vehicle’s reliability and adaptability soon made it the Wehrmacht’s primary battle tank. Production ranged from 290 in 1940 to an apogee of 3,125 in 1944.

The photograph shows several German Panzer IV tanks from the Afrika Korps advancing along a dusty road in Libya during World War II. The tanks, painted in desert camouflage, are equipped with short-barreled 75mm KwK 37 guns typical of early-war models used in North Africa. Along the roadside, local civilians and riders on camels watch the column pass, some standing while others remain mounted. The background reveals open desert terrain with a clear sky. The juxtaposition of heavily armored vehicles and traditional desert transport animals emphasizes the cultural and technological contrasts of the North African campaign. — Men with camels watch Panzer IV tanks of the German Africa Korps advance through Libya. Image: Dutch National Archives

When a man is fighting for his life, it is difficult to attend to the finer details. As a result, many to most anti-armor engagements reported by the Allies were described as having been fought against Tigers. The fact that the Panzer IV shared much of the same boxy architecture as its larger, meaner cousin contributed to this. In reality, taking the Normandy campaign as an example, 41% of the German tanks employed were Panzer IV’s. This is compared to 30% of the tank force being comprised of Panthers and only 6% Tiger I’s. Less than 1% of the German tanks used against the invading American and Commonwealth forces were the massive new Tiger II’s.

The image shows a close-up of the MG 34 machine gun as mounted on a German Panzer IV tank during World War II. The shot captures the weapon’s perforated barrel cooling jacket, receiver assembly, and ammunition feed port. This MG 34 is configured for armored vehicle use, lacking the bipod found on infantry versions and instead secured within a ball mount. The coaxial or hull-mounted position allowed the gun to be aimed using the tank’s sights. Its dark blued steel finish shows wear from operational use. The background includes sections of the tank’s armor plate, painted in wartime camouflage colors. — The tank version of the MG 34 machine gun included a heavy steel armored barrel jacket. This photo is from a restored Panzer IV tank.

The Panzer IV was the only German tank to remain in both production and operational use from the opening salvoes of the war through the armistice. Throughout the war, the Panzer IV made up roughly one third of the Wehrmacht and Waffen SS tank strength. Most of this stemmed from the vehicle’s reliability and its capacity for upgrades.

Variety Is the Spice of Life

The first Sturmgeschütz StuG IV’s were created by mating the casemate from a StuG III to a Panzer IV chassis. StuG’s of all flavors were some of the most effective German vehicles of the war. The Sturmgeschütz is shockingly short up close. This low profile readily lent itself to the defensive battles that characterized both the Eastern and Western fronts after D-Day. Additionally, the incorporation of the same high-velocity 75mm gun used on the Panther made these late-war StuG’s pure death in the anti-armor fight. The Germans produced some 1,140 StuG IV’s as well as 1,980 Jagdpanzer IV dedicated tank destroyers.

The image shows a destroyed German Panzer IV tank positioned on a narrow street in Saint-Denis-le-Gast, France, during World War II. The tank has sustained visible damage from a 37mm artillery shell, which disabled it during combat. Its tracks remain intact, but the front armor shows an impact mark, and the gun barrel is angled slightly downward. Surrounding buildings exhibit traditional French village architecture, with stone walls and shuttered windows. Debris is scattered near the vehicle, and no crew are present. The scene captures the aftermath of a tank being neutralized in close-quarters urban fighting during the Normandy campaign. — A knocked-out German Panzer IV on a street in Saint-Denis-le-Gast was disabled by a 37mm artillery shell. This photo was taken in Saint-Denis-le-Gast, France in July 1944. Image: NARA

The Panzer IV was used as the basis for four different dedicated anti-aircraft vehicles. These anti-aircraft tanks were differentiated by the types of weapons they used. The mission was to create an anti-aircraft defense system that was sufficiently fast and mobile as to keep pace with the tanks. Particularly late in the war when the Allies enjoyed total air superiority, this became a critical priority.

The photograph shows a close-up view of the Panzer IV’s suspension system, which played a major role in its stability as a gun platform. Visible are the tank’s eight small, rubber-rimmed road wheels on each side, mounted in paired bogies. Each bogie is supported by leaf springs, which helped absorb shock and maintain steady movement over rough terrain. The track links are partially visible, showing the contact area between the suspension and the ground. This configuration allowed the Panzer IV to keep its 75mm gun on target more effectively while on the move compared to many contemporaries. The image captures the mechanical layout from the side, clearly showing how the suspension’s design balanced durability and ride quality. — The Panzer IV’s suspension system made it a fairly stable gun platform. The propulsion was limited to about 10 mph in the heaviest versions of the tank.

Two of these vehicles utilized a single 37mm automatic gun, while the third employed a pair of 30mm weapons adapted from aircraft cannon. The most distinctive was the quad 20mm Flakvierling. Designated the Wirbelwind (Whirlwind), the Flakvierling included enough armor protection to allow the crew to use the weapons against terrestrial targets. When employed against troops in the open, these light 20mm high explosive rounds were pure murder.

Ruminations

The Panzerkampfwagen IV was the German’s primary medium tank throughout World War II. Like the Allied counterpart, the M4 Sherman, the Panzer IV was not successful because it was the biggest, meanest tank on the battlefield. The Panzer IV thrived because it worked. When Panthers and Tigers were dropping like flies due to maintenance failures, the tried-and-true Panzer IV kept chugging right along.

The photograph shows a German Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf. E tank positioned next to a wooden house in a rural area on the Eastern Front during World War II. The vehicle features the short-barreled 75mm KwK 37 main gun and relatively thin armor typical of early-war Panzer IV models. The tank’s boxy hull and large road wheels are clearly visible, and no additional side armor skirts are present. The wooden structure beside it has a simple pitched roof and plank walls, typical of rural Soviet architecture. The surrounding ground is unpaved, with sparse grass and dirt. This image captures the contrast between military hardware and civilian structures in war-torn Eastern Europe. — A German Panzer IV Ausf. E stands beside a wooden house on the Eastern Front. This early-war variant was armed with a short-barreled 75mm gun.

The Panzer IV rendered yeomen’s service in places like France, North Africa and Russia. As part of the German vanguard, these boxy vehicles slashed through Allied defenses with unprecedented ferocity. Eventually, when those same Allies exacted payback, the Panzer IV was used in a hopeless attempt to stem that inexorable tide. Despite being the primary armored vehicle for the losing side, the Panzer IV nonetheless blazed a trail for the advanced armored tactics in use today.

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