15 cm sIG 33 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf)

15 cm sIG 33 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf)

Side view of the prototype
Type heavy assault gun
Place of origin Nazi Germany
Service history
In service 1942 - 1943
Used by Nazi Germany
Wars World War II
Production history
Manufacturer Alkett
Produced 1941
Number built 12
Specifications
Weight 11.2 tonnes (11.0 long tons; 12.3 short tons)
Length 5.41 metres (17.7 ft)
Width 2.6 metres (8.5 ft)
Height 1.9 metres (6.2 ft)
Crew 4

Armor 30 mm - 5 mm
Main
armament
15 cm sIG 33
Secondary
armament
7.92 mm Maschinengewehr 34
Engine Bussing-NAG engine
Transmission 6 forward, 1 reverse gears
Suspension leaf-spring
Operational
range
190 kilometres (120 mi)
Speed 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph)

The 15 cm sIG 33 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf), sometimes referred to as the Sturmpanzer II Bison, was a German self-propelled heavy infantry gun used during World War II.

Development

The 15 cm sIG 33 (Sf) auf Panzerkampfwagen I Ausf B built in time for the Invasion of France in 1940 had proven to be too heavy for their chassis as well as enormously tall.

The same gun was mated to the Panzerkampfwagen II chassis in an attempt to drastically lower its height while using a stronger chassis. The prototype used a standard Panzer II Ausf. B chassis when it was built in February 1941, but this was too cramped for use.[1] The chassis was lengthened by 60 centimetres (24 in), which required adding a sixth roadwheel, and widened by 32 centimetres (13 in) to better accommodate the gun while preserving its low silhouette. 15 millimetres (0.59 in) plates formed the front and sides of the open-topped fighting compartment,[1] which was also open at the rear. Its sides were notably lower than the front which made the crew vulnerable to small arms fire and shell fragments. Large hatches were added to the rear deck to better cool the engine.

The 15-centimetre (5.9 in) sIG 33 gun, for which 30 rounds were carried, could traverse a total of 5° left and right and used a Rblf36 sight.

Combat use

Twelve were built at the end of 1941 and shipped to North Africa in early 1942 where they formed schwere Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie (mot.S.) ("Heavy Self-propelled Infantry Gun Company") 707 and 708. The former was assigned to Schützen-Regiment 155 and the latter to Schützen-Regiment 200, both part of the 90. leichte Afrika-Division.[2] Both companies fought until the Axis surrender in Tunisia in May 1943.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Rickard, John. "15cm slG33 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sf)". http://www.historyofwar.org. Retrieved 29 July 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  2. Trojca & Jaugitz, p. 5

Bibliography

External links

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