The Sturmgeschutz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most-produced armored fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank, replacing the turret with an armored, fixed superstructure mounting a more powerful gun. Initially intended as a mobile assault gun for direct-fire support for infantry, the StuG III was continually modified, and much like the later Jagdpanzer, was widely employed as a tank destroyer.

The Sturmgeschutz originated from German experiences in World War I, when it was discovered that, during the offensives on the Western Front, the infantry lacked the means to effectively engage fortifications. The artillery of the time was heavy and not mobile enough to keep up with the advancing infantry to destroy bunkers, pillboxes, and other minor fortifications with direct fire. Although the problem was well known in the German army, it was General Erich von Manstein who is considered the father of the Sturmartillerie ("assault artillery"). This is because the initial proposal was from (then) Colonel Erich von Manstein and submitted to General Ludwig Beck in 1935, suggesting that Sturmartillerie units should be used in a direct-fire support role for infantry divisions. On June 15th, 1936, Daimler-Benz AG received an order to develop an armored infantry support vehicle capable of mounting a 75 mm (2.95 in) calibre artillery piece. The gun mount's fixed, fully integrated casemate superstructure was to allow a limited traverse of a minimum of 25 degrees and provide overhead protection for the crew. The height of the vehicle was not to exceed that of the average soldier.

Daimler-Benz AG used the chassis and running gear of its recently designed Panzer III medium tank as a basis for the new vehicle. Prototype manufacture was passed over to Alkett, which produced five prototypes in 1937 on Panzer III Ausf. B chassis. These prototypes featured a mild steel superstructure and Krupp's short-barrelled, howitzer-like in appearance, 7.5 cm StuK 37 L/24 cannon. Production vehicles with this gun were known as Gepanzerter Selbstfahrlafette fur Sturmgeschutz 7.5 cm Kanone Ausfuhrung A to D (Sd.Kfz.142).

While the StuG was considered self-propelled artillery, it was not initially clear which land combat arm of the German Army would handle the new weapon. The Panzerwaffe (armored corps), the natural user of tracked fighting vehicles, had no resources to spare for the formation of StuG units, and neither did the infantry branch. It was agreed, after a discussion, it would best be employed as part of the artillery arm.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a German Sd. Kfz. 142 Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. E assault gun that was nicknamed "Die Alte" and attached to Kampfgruppe Schill, 32.SS Freiwilligen Grenadier Division, then deployed to Slovakia during 1944. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Length: 3-1/2-inches
Width: 1-1/2-inches

Release Date: September 2024

Historical Account: "Machtergreifung" - The 32.SS Volunteer Grenadier Division "30th January" (German: 32.SS-Freiwilligen Grenadier-Division) was formed in December 1944 from what remained of other units and staff and pupils from SS schools and various other troops. A significant cadre came from Hungarian and Romanian fascists who had joined the SS, but their numbers are unknown.The division fought as part of the V SS Mountain Corps, on the Oder front, just north of Furstenberg (now part of Eisenhuttenstadt) and in the Battle of Berlin.

After the Red Army reached the Oder River as early as the end of January 1945 and erected several bridgeheads over the river in the next few days, new units were hastily formed from the reserve army. Among them was the 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier Division, which consisted mainly of young recruits and convalescents and was immediately commanded into the battle, which was heavy with losses. With enormous losses, the division tried unsuccessfully to drive the enemy back across the Oder. Fighting as part of the 9th Army, it was trapped and crushed in the Halbe cauldron after the major Soviet attack. Remnants fought their way through to the 12th Army.

The division's name referred to January 30th, 1933, the date that Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany.