Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV) Ausf. H

Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), or commonly known as the Panzer IV is the most common medium tank used by the Nazi Germany in World War II. Primarily designed as an infantry support tank and not to be used against other armors, the Panzer IV quickly developed into more versatile roles upon encounters with the Soviet T-34s in the Eastern Front. The habit of the Germans to deploy vehicles with highly specific roles is well shown as the Panzer III is used for engagements with other armors. Throughout the war, the Panzer IV served as the main base for many other types of fighting vehicles. The notable ones are the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer, the Wirbelwind self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun. Below is a picture of the Panzer IV Ausf. H with side skirts.

Panzer Kpfw IV Ausf. H began production in April 1943 and was designatied Sd. Kfz. 161/2. This variant saw the integrity of the glacis armor improved by manufacturing it as a single 80-millimetre (3.15 in) plate. Zimmerit paste was added to all the vertical surfaces of the tank's armor to prevent adhesion of magnetic anti-tank mines. The vehicle's side and turret were further protected by the addition of 5-millimetre (0.20 in) side-skirts and 8-millimetre (0.31 in) turret skirts.

During the Ausf. H's production run its rubber-tired return rollers were replaced with cast steel; the hull was fitted with triangular supports for the easily-damaged side-skirts. A hole in the roof, designed for the Nahverteidigungswaffe, was plugged by a circular armored plate due to shortages of this weapon. These modifications meant that the tank's weight jumped to 25 tonnes (27.56 short tons), reducing its speed.