Sturer Emil

The 12.8 cm Selbstfahrlafette auf VK 30.01(H) "Sturer Emil" (German for "Stubborn Emil") was an experimental World War II German self-propelled anti-tank gun. It was based on the Henschel VK30.01 chassis and armed with a Rheinmetall 12.8 cm K40 L/61 gun (based on the 12.8 cm FlaK 40). This gun could traverse 7° to each side, elevate 10° and depress -15°. It carried 15 rounds for the main gun.

An artist drawing of the Sturer Emil.
Sturer Emil
The only surviving 'Sturer Emil' in Kubinka Tank Museum
Typeheavy tank destroyer
Place of originNazi Germany
Service history
In service1942-1943
Used byNazi Germany
WarsWorld War II
Production history
Designed1941
Produced1942
No. built2
Specifications
Mass35 tonnes (34 long tons; 39 short tons)
Length9.7 metres (32 ft)
Width3.16 metres (10.4 ft)
Height2.7 metres (8.9 ft)
Crew5

Armor15 - 50 mm
Main
armament
Rheinmetall 128 mm PaK 40 L/61
Secondary
armament
MG 34
EngineMaybach water-cooled, V-6, HL116
300 horsepower (220 kW)
Power/weight8.57 hp/tonne
Fuel capacity450 litres (120 US gal)
Maximum speed 25 kilometres per hour (16 mph)

The hulls were left over from Henschel's submission for the canceled VK 30.01 heavy tank program - development of a 30-tonne tank which led to the Tiger -, but the hull was stretched and an extra road wheel added to its overlapped and interleaved Schachtellaufwerk roadwheel-based suspension system, to accommodate the large gun, which was mounted on a pedestal ahead of the engine. A large, open-topped fighting compartment, much like that fitted to the Panzer IV-based Hummel self-propelled 15 cm howitzer, was built where the turret was intended to go in the original design.

Two vehicles (named after Max and Moritz) were built, both of which served on the Eastern Front. One vehicle was destroyed, the other captured at Stalingrad in January 1943, with 22 kill marks painted on the barrel. This captured vehicle is now displayed in the collection on the Kubinka Tank Museum.

Tanks of comparable role, performance and era

Notes

    References

    • Chamberlain, Peter, and Hilary L. Doyle. Thomas L. Jentz (Technical Editor). Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two: A Complete Illustrated Directory of German Battle Tanks, Armoured Cars, Self-propelled Guns, and Semi-tracked Vehicles, 1933–1945. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1978 (revised edition 1993). ISBN 1-85409-214-6
    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.