Sturmgeschütz III

The Sturmgeschütz III, usually shortened to StuG III, was a German assault gun of the Second World War and the most produced German fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle. It was built on a slightly modified Panzer III chassis, with the turret replaced by a fixed armoured superstructure carrying a more powerful gun. Conceived as direct fire support for infantry, an idea pressed by Erich von Manstein, it was ordered from Daimler-Benz in 1936. Alkett built the five prototypes in 1937 and went on to make the bulk of production, about 7,500 of roughly 10,000 vehicles, with MIAG joining in 1943. Early versions carried a short 7.5 cm gun, and from the Ausf. F a long 7.5 cm StuK 40 turned it into a capable tank destroyer. Alkett also built the 10.5 cm Sturmhaubitze 42 variant. It served with Germany and with several allies, and Syria kept using captured examples into the 1960s and 1970s.