As early as 1934/35, General Heinz Guderian envisioned two basic types of armor to act as the lead elements of the future German Panzer Divisions. The first vehicle was to be armed with an anti-tank gun and two machine guns while the second one was to be a support vehicle, armed with a larger caliber gun. The first one eventually became known as the Panzerkampfwagen III, which was to be a standard tank for the three light companies of a tank battalion. The second vehicle became known as Panzerkampfwagen IV.

In 1935, development orders for a 15-ton fully-tracked vehicle based on the specifications set down by the Waffenamt (the Ordnance Department) were issued to MAN (Nurnberg), Daimler-Benz AG (Berlin-Marienfelde), Rheinmetall-Borsig (Berlin) and Krupp AG (Essen). In order to maintain secrecy, the new vehicle was known as the Zugfuhrerwagen (ZW) - platoon commander's vehicle. The vehicle was designated Versuchkraftfahrzeug 619, Mittlerer Traktor (Medium Tractor) and 3.7cm Geschutz-Panzerwagen.

The Panzerkampfwagen III's development arose from a conflict between the Waffenamt and the Inspector for Mechanized Troops over the vehicle's main armament. The Waffenamt selected and was satisfied with 37mm gun, while the Inspector for Mechanized Troops demanded a larger 50mm gun. In the end, the 37mm gun was chosen as the main armament for the new vehicle. The decision was based on the fact that the infantry was already equipped with the standard 37mm Pak 35/36 L/45 anti-tank gun, so only one gun and one type of ammunition needed to be produced. The turret and turret ring was still capable of mounting a heavier gun originally envisaged by the Inspector for Mechanized Troops. Armored protection was to be heavier in the front of the vehicle than the rear, since the new vehicle was to be used in forward elements of the assault tank formations. The top speed was specified to be 40km/h. and the vehicle was to be operated by a crew of five men, with a commander, gunner and loader in the turret and driver and radio operator in the forward part of the hull. Communication between crew members was handled through the use of an intercom system, the first German tank to be equipped with such a device. Later on, all of the Panzers were equipped with this system which proved to be very effective during combat.

Pictured here is a German Sd. Kfz. 141 PzKpfw III Ausf. G medium tank that was attached to the 13.Panzer Division, then deployed to the Ukraine during July 1941. #AFV021

Dimensions:
Width: 3-inches
Length: 5-inches

Features:
- Diecast metal construction
- Static tracks
- Rotating turret and elevating gun
- Authentic markings and insignia
- Comes with acrylic display case and stenciled base

Historical Account: "Unlucky in Love" - The 13.Panzer Division (English: 13th Tank Division) was an armored division in the German Army, the Wehrmacht, during World War II, established in 1940.

The division was originally formed as an infantry division in 1934. In 1937, it was motorized and named the 13th Motorized Infantry Division which participated in the campaigns against Poland (1939) and western Europe (1940). Following the Fall of France in June 1940, the division was reorganized as the 13.Panzer Division. It participated in Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the USSR) in 1941 and the advance on the Caucasus in 1942. The division suffered heavy losses in the retreats of 1943 and 1944. It was partially refitted in Hungary, where it was encircled and destroyed by Allied forces in the winter of 1944-1945. The formation was reformed as Panzer Division Feldherrnhalle 2 in the spring of 1945 and surrendered in May 1945.

During the invasion of Poland, the troops of the division committed war crimes, including reprisal killings, using civilians as human shields and destroying a medical column.