Sturmgeschütz 40

German assault gun StuG 40 G (SdKfz 142/1)
History, development, service, specifications, statistics, pictures and 3D model.

StuG 40 G in Athens
StuG 40 G in Athens during the occupation times.

StuG 40 Ausf G
Type: Assault gun.

History:

The StuG 40 Ausf G was the last production series of the Sturmgeschuetz III. Rolling off the assembly-line in December 1942, the Ausf G was produced until the end of the war, with no major design changes.
In 1942, the decision was made to use Panzer 3 chassis for StuG production, since the PzKpfw III was being phased out and replaced by the Panzer V Panther. In response to this request, 165 PzKpfw III Ausf M chassis were used as chassis for StuG 40 Ausf G, with production from February to November 1943.

In 1944, 173 PzKpfw III, returned to the factory for overhaul, were converted to StuG 40 Ausf G.

The hull of the Ausf G remained unaltered from the design used for the Sturmgeschütz Ausf F/8. The main design changes were to the superstructure. The roof was altered, and a cupola with periscopes was added for the commander, and a shield for the machine-gun was installed in front of the loader’s hatch. The superstructure sides were now slanted, and slanted plates were added to protect the front of both panniers.

Various improvements were instituted during the production run, including introduction of the Saugkopf (sow’s head) gun mantlet late in 1943, the coaxial MG34 machine-gun early in 1944, and the Nahverteidigungswaffe (close-in defense weapon) and remote-control machine-gun to the superstructure roof late in spring 1944.


 

Vehicles issued to Funklenk-Kompanien (Remote-Control Companies for Tracked demolition charges like Goliath etc.) were fitted with an additional radio aerial on the left front of the fighting compartment roof.

Twenty-eight independent Sturmgeschütz detachments, four divisional Sturmgeschütz detachments, two 2nd Funklenk companies and twelve Sturmgeschütz platoons (with Luftwaffe Field Divisions) were at the front in Russia at the start of the Battle of Kursk. From the start of the war, the use of the assault-gun spread from Sturmgeschütz detachments to the other types of formations, including Panzer detachments, Panzerjäger (tank destroyer) detachments and Funklenk companies and detachments.

Users: Germany, Finland.


Animated 3D model StuG 40 Ausf G


Specifications for Sturmgeschütz 40 Ausf G (Sdkfz 142/1)

Specifications:

StuG 40 Ausf GSpecification
TypeAssault gun
EngineMaybach HL120TRM
Gearbox 6 forward, 1 reverse
Crew total4
Turret crew-
Length6.77m
Width2.95m
Height2.16m
Weight23.9 tons
Maximum speed40 km/hr
Cross-country speed24 km/hr
Fuel consumption per 100km 240 litres on road, 360 litres cross-country
Fuel320 litres
Road radius155 km
Cross-country radius80 km
Vertical obstacle0.60m
Trench crossing2.30m
Fording depth0.80m
Turning circle5.85m
Gradient30°


Armor:

StuG 40 Ausf Gmmangle
Turret front--
Turret side--
Turret rear--
Turret top--
Superstructure front8010°
Superstructure side3011°
Superstructure rear30
Superstructure top11-1775-90°
Hull front8021°
Hull side30
Hull rear5010°
Hull bottom1690 °
Gun mantlet800° or round

Armament and Equipment:

StuG 40 Ausf GSpecification
Main armament 7.5cm StuK40 L/48
Rounds54
Traverse10° left or right
Elevation-6° to +20°
Muzzle velocity Pzgr39790 m/s
Muzzle velocity Pzgr40 990 m/s
Shell weight Pzgr 6.80 kg
Shell weight Pzgr40 4.10 kg
Secondary armament 1 x 7.92mm MG34 or MG42. Additional, from early 1944 1 x 7.92mm MG34 coaxial to gun, from late spring 1944 1 x 7.92mm remote-control MG34 on superstructure.
Radio FuG15 (max. range 4 km)
Telescopic sight SflZF1a/Rblf36 (max. 2 km aiming)

Penetration mm at 30° armor plates of the gun:

RangePzgrPzgr40 (only limited available)
Penetration 100 meters106 mm143 mm
Penetration 500 meters96 mm120 mm
Penetration 1000 meters85 mm97 mm
Penetration 1500 meters74 mm77 mm
Penetration 2000 meters64 mm-

Production:

StuG 40 Ausf Gfigures
ProductionDecember 1942 - May 1945
Combat deliveryEnd of 1942
Price per tank 82,500 RM = c. $ 37,125
Total production figure c. 7,938 (total of 8,587 StuG III with 7.5cm L/43 or L/48)

Service statistics of all StuG III and IV variants:

YearAvailableProduction (only StuG III)Losses
before 1939---
1939 5 (1.9.)5-
194030 (1.5)179?
1941 377 (1.6.) 54895
1942 625 (1.1.) 789 330
1943 1,146 (1.1.) 3,0111,566
1944 2,138 (1.1.) 4,0133,558
1945 3,726 (1.1)864 (Jan-Mar)317 (only Jan)
Total 9,409 9,409 5,866 (Jan 41-Jan 45)


StuG 40, Panzer 3 and 4, Kettenkrad in drive at Panzer Museum Munster (Germany)


References and literature

Kraftfahrzeuge und Panzer der Reichswehr, Wehrmacht und Bundeswehr (Werner Oswald)
Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two (P.Chamberlain, H.L.Doyle)
Panzer und andere Kampffahrzeuge von 1916 bis heute (Christopher F. Foss, John F. Milsom, Colonel John Stafford Weeks, Captain Georffrey Tillotson, Richard M. Ogorkiewicz)
Panzerkampfwagen des 1. und 2. Weltkrieges (Andrew Kershaw)
Krieg der Panzer (Piekalkiewicz)
Fire and Movement (RAC Tank Museum)
The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II (Chris Bishop)



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2 thoughts on “Sturmgeschütz 40”

  1. What is a “Stug 40”? I’ve only ever heard it called a “StuG III”. Does this information only apply to in-game vehicles then, or what? I wish people would make these things clear. The stats “as played” are not always the same as the real machine, and many sources just list whatever armor, speed, power that the game designers happened to give their representation of the vehicle. Also misleading to list 3 different MGs. Seems to be saying there was a roof gun, a coax and a bow gun, or something. It had an MG34 or MG42 OR a remote-controlled MG34. Never had any bow gun that I know of (although I always wondered why not. The assistant driver is the only crewman without immediate duties, and he has a perfect place to mount a ball-mount MG in front of him. I am sure they didn’t expect to be using the main gun and the MG at the same time very often, but just in case it’d be nice to keep the loader at his station while using the roof gun. I guess the co-driver can climb back and help load the gun or take over the MG if need be, but still seems a pain. Mostly I think they just tried to stay outside of MG range, to keep safe, so it’s mostly a backup weapon, or an area-denial weapon. But they put bow guns into many other vehicles and they worked okay. I guess.

    1. The StuG III was Ausf.A-E on the chassis of PzKpfw III, while StuG 40 is Ausf F to G with long 7,5cm gun and modifications of the superstructure.

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