Existing comment:
Marten III (76.2mm tank hunter), Germany.
Initial production 1942.
This German tank hunter consists of a capture Soviet field gun mounted on a 38(t) chassis that was manufactured in a factory seized from Czechoslovakia. When Germany and its allies invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, they captured many 76.2mm Soviet field guns. Since the German 37mm and 50mm antitank guns were ineffective against Soviet tanks, the Germans built this Marten series of tank hunters to deal with the T34 and the KV1 in particular. The Germans did not capture sufficient ammo for the 76.2mm guns, so they rechambered the guns to accept German 73mm antitank rounds. It also had a 7.92mm Czech MG 37 mounted in the bow. Manned by a crew of 4, the Marten III had a maximum road speed of 26mph and 11mph cross country. The Marten III had a cruising range of 115 miles by road or 87 miles cross country. This particular vehicle served in North Africa, where it was captured after the battle of El Alamein. |