Panzer III Medium Tank: Germany's First Main Battle Tank In WW2

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The Panzer III medium tank, officially known as the Panzerkampfwagen III, served as the German forces' main battle tank for the first two and a half years of World War II.

The Panzer III's first variant, Model A, was unveiled in May 1937 and mass production began two years later.

The Panzer III was one of the early tanks to use torsion-bar suspensions.

A three-man turret with an intercom system was included in the Daimler-Benz prototype. Both were innovative features with the latter being way ahead of its time.

Panzer IIIs were widely employed in the Second World War once they were commissioned. They took part in the invasion of Poland, the Battle of France, Operation Barbarossa as well as the North African campaigns. They were the German Army's best medium tanks during the Poland and French campaigns.

The Panzer III was up-gunned with a longer, more powerful 50-millimetre gun and received thicker armour to address the rising need to resist heavier enemy tanks but it was still at a disadvantage compared to Soviet tank designs.

As a result, development of self-propelled anti-tank guns started as did the up-gunning of the Panzer IV.