24 (496)

Zdobyty PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 - Flammpanzer III z 26. Dywizji Pancernej, 1943 rok. A captured PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 -Flammpanzer III tank from the 26th Panzer Division seen in 1943. [Tank Museum 1323/B1]

zamontowane w wieży i z przodu kadłuba czołgu. Zapas amunicji karabinowej wynosił 3750 naboi. Czołg posiadał zmniejszoną załogę liczącą tylko 3 osoby, w standardowym czołgu załoga składała się z 5 osób.

Poza modyfikacją uzbrojenia pozostałe wyposażenie czołgu oraz opancerzenie odpowiadało standardowi wersji Ausf. M

Zbudowano 100 czołgów PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 o numerach podwozia 77609-77708 produkcji zakładów MIAG w Brunszwiku (Braunsweig). Montaż miotaczy wykonywały zakłady Wegmann & Co. w Kassel.

Planowano, że w styczniu 1943 roku zostanie wyprodukowanych 20 czołgów, 45 w lutym i 35 w marcu. Rzeczywista produkcja przebiegała inaczej. 2 lutego 1943 roku przekazano wojsku 65 czołgów, 34 w marcu i ostatni jeden

Zdobyty PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 - Flammpanzer III, 1943 rok. A captured PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 - Flammpanzer III tank, 1943. [Tank Museum 2361/E1]

PZKPFW III (FL) - SD KFZ 141/3

The most ffeąuently used vehicle fitted with a flame thrower was a version of a popular tank PzKpfw III Sd Kfz 141 PzKpfw III (FI) - Sd Kfz 141/3, also known as Flammpanzer III. The modification of a standard tank, version Ausf. M, con-sisted in mounting a flame thrower with a pump manufactured by Koebe in the turret. The pump enabled projecting 7.8 litres of fuel mixture per second. The pump was powered by a 20.6kW (28 HP) two-stroke carburettor engine type Auto-Union (DKW) ZW 1101. The pressure of flammable liąuid amounted to 15 to 18 atmospheres. This enabled reaching effective rangę of Tire of 60 metres. The flammable liąuid was ignited with an electric lighter, the so-called Smitskerze. The flame thrower could be moved from -10° to +20°.

The vehicle was additionally fitted with two machinę guns Rheinmetall-Borsig MG 34, calibre 7.92mm, mounted in the turret and in the front part of the tank body. The ammunition stock amounted to 3750 cartridges. The tank had a smaller crew, con-sisting of only three persons (in a standard tank the crew con-sisted of five persons).

Apart from armament modification, the remaining eąuipment and armour of the tank complied with the standard for version PzKpfw III Sd Kfz 141/1 Ausf. M.

100 tanks PzKpfw III (FI) Sd Kfz 141/3 were manufactured, with chassis serial numbers 77609 to 77708 (produced by MIAG, Braunschweig). Flame throwers were mounted in the Wegmann & Co. factory in Kassel.

It was planned to manufacture 20 tanks in January, 45 in February and 35 in March 1943. However, the actual production did not follow this plan. On February 2, 1943 the army was sup-plied with 65 tanks, in March with 34 and in April 1943 - with one last tank. About 30 operational tanks constituted permanent