StuG III Ausf E - rear plan
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The Sturmgeschütz Ausf.E was the final version of the StuG III assault gun to carry the short 7.5cm gun and to be designed as a close support vehicle for the infantry. The Ausf.E was fairly similar to the Ausf.C and Ausf.D. The main change was the installation of an armoured pannier on the right hand side of the superstructure and an increase in the size of the pannier on the left. The extra space was used to carry the radio sets needed when the StuG III was used as a command vehicle. The extra space also allowed another eight rounds of ammunition to be carried.
The installation of the second pannier and the increase in size of the original one meant that the track guards needed to be redesigned, and the 8mm slanted armour on the sides of the superstructure was removed.
A total of 500 Ausf.Es were ordered, but only 272 were completed before production switched to the Ausf.F with its long gun. One Ausf.E was used as the prototype for the StuH (a StuG carrying a howitzer) and another for the prototype of the StulG33B (an attempt to carry a 15cm gun on a StuG).
The StuG III Ausf.E was used to replace combat losses suffered on the Eastern Front. After production of the short gunned StuG ended in March 1942 the number in service began to fall, until July 1943 only 37 were still in combat
Names
Gepanzerter Selbstfahrlafette für Sturmgeschütz 7.5cm Kanone Ausf E
Sd Kfz 142
StuG Ausf E, 6 Serie
Stats
Number produced: 272
Produced: September 1941-March 1942
Length: 5.40m
Hull Width: 2.93m
Height: 1.98m
Crew: 4
Weight: 20.8 tons
Engine: 320hp Maybach HL120TRM
Max Speed: 40km/hr
Max Range: 160km/
Main Armament: One 7.5cm StuK37 L/24
Machine Gun: One 7.92mm MG34
Armour
Armour |
Front |
Side |
Rear |
Top/ Bottom |
Superstructure |
50mm |
30mm |
30mm |
17mm below |
Hull |
50mm |
30mm |
30mm |
16mm |
Gun mantlet |
50mm |
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German Weapons of World War II, Stephen Hart .
Covers a wide range of the weapons used by the Third Reich during the Second World War, from the pistol up to the battleship Tirpitz, and including a wide range of tanks, armoured vehicles, aircraft, artillery etc. All supported by a mix of full colour illustrations and contemporary photographs, giving an idea of vast range of weapons produced by the Germans during the war (Read Full Review)
