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13531 Academy 1/35 German Panzer III Ausf. J "North Africa"

100% NEW TOOLING!

The Panzer III was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany and used extensively in World War II. It was intended to fight other armored fighting vehicles. However, as the Germans faced the T-34, more powerful anti-tank guns were needed. Therefore, the Panzer III effectively swapped roles with the Panzer IV and was used primarily for infantry support.

The kit can be built with standard Panzer III 'J'version or equipped 'J' version with 'spaced armor'.

Kit features:
Semi connecting track
MG34 machine gun
5cm KwK38 / L42 and 5cm KwK38/L60 gun (builder’s choice)
Turret with an available 360 angle turn
Main gun can move up and down
Crew hatches can be built open or closed
Photo-etched parts, exhaust grill, safety pin for smoke grenade, iron sight parts for tank commander cupola vision slit, and stowage bin details
Can be built with standard Panzer III 'J'version or equipped 'J' version with 'spaced armor'
9 markings which were all used in 1941~1942 Africa Korps

The Panzerkampfwagen III, commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside and support the similar Panzer IV, which was originally designed for infantry support. However, as the Germans faced the formidable T-34, more powerful anti-tank guns were needed, and since the Panzer IV had more development potential with a larger turret ring, it was redesigned to mount the long-barrelled 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun. The Panzer III effectively swapped roles with the Panzer IV, as from 1942 the last version of Panzer III mounted the 7.5 cm KwK 37 L/24 that was better suited for infantry support. Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943. Nevertheless, the Panzer III's capable chassis provided hulls for the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun until the end of the war.

The Panzer III was used in the German campaigns in Poland, in France, in the Soviet Union, and in North Africa. Many were still in combat service against Western Allied forces in 1944-1945: at Anzio in Italy,[19] in Normandy,[20] and in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands.[21] A sizeable number of Panzer IIIs also remained as armored reserves in German-occupied Norway[22] and some saw action, alongside Panzer IVs, in the Lapland War against Finland in the fall of 1944.[23]

In both the Polish and French campaigns, the Panzer III formed a small part of the German armoured forces. Only a few hundred Panzer III Ausf. As to Fs were available in these two campaigns, with most being armed with the 37-millimetre (1.46 in) main gun. They were the best medium tank available to the German military at the period of time.

Aside from use in Europe, the Panzer III also saw service in North Africa with Erwin Rommel's renowned Afrika Korps. Most of the Panzer IIIs with the Afrika Korps were equipped with the KwK 38 L/42 50mm (short-barrelled) tank gun, with a small number possessing the older 37mm main gun of earlier variants. The Panzer IIIs of Rommel's troops were capable of fighting against British Crusader cruiser and US-supplied M3 Stuart light tanks with positive outcomes, although they did less effectively against Matilda II infantry tanks and American M3 Lee/Grant tanks fielded by the British starting from early 1942. In particular, the 75mm hull-mounted gun of the Lee/Grant tank could easily destroy a Panzer III far beyond the latter's own effective firing range, as is true for the US M4 Sherman, which also saw service with British forces alongside Lees/Grants in North Africa beginning in the middle of 1942.

By the end of the war in 1945, the Panzer III saw almost no frontline use anymore and many of them had been returned to the few remaining armaments/tank factories for conversion into StuG III assault guns, which were in high demand due to the defensive warfare-style adopted by the German Army by then. A few other variants of the Panzer III were also experimented and produced by German industries towards the last phases of the war, but few were able to be mass-produced or even see action against the encroaching enemy forces of the US, UK and Soviet troops.

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