Sturer Emil

Today we are reviewing Sturer Emil from the upcoming TD line:

Development

Starting in 1939, preliminary designs were conceived for self-propelled guns, known as schwere Betonknacker (heavy concrete busters), which were intended to be used against strong fortifications such as those being constructed by the French. Utilizing a previously designed 12,8 cm Flak gun, the design of the superstucture and gun was assigned to Rheinmetall and design of the chassis was assigned to Henschel.

A 12,8 cm Kanone L61 was to be designed utilizing the Flak gun tube with carriage and recoil cylinders from the 12,8 cm Flak Gerät 40. The gun by itself weighted 7,835 tons. Mounted on a chassis and surrounded by an open top superstucture, traverse was limited to 12 degrees (7 degrees right and 5 degrees left) with an elevation arc from -15 to +10 degrees. A 12,8 cm Sprenggranate L/4.5 mit Rauchentwichler Nr.9 weighing 26 kg was fired at a muzzle velocity of 880 m/s. A 12,8 cm Panzergranate mit Lichtspurhuelse Nr.4 and weighing 26,35 kg (including 190 gram HE filler) was also fired at a muzzle velocity of 880 m/s.

Components designed for the VK 30.01 were to be incorporated into the Versuchs-Fahrgestell (trial chassis) for the Pz.Sfl.V. Details on the components and design considerations were related in the following Henschel report on the „Sfl.V”:

Weight: 36 metric tons, maximum speed 19,6 km/h

Pz-Wanne (armor hull): Special model due to its length and mounting a Rheinmetall-Borsig 12,8 cm gun that is to be dismountable. Armor on the front consisted of 50 mm thick rolled plates, while armor plates on the hull sides were 30mm thick. Superstucture without roof. The hull is longer than the VK 30.01 because of the location of the gun mount, but it is of single piece construction like the VK 30.01.

Gleiskette (tracks): Same as the VK 30.01, but longer.

Motor: Mabach 6 cylinder HL 116, but a special model because the engine is higher than the radiators.

Kuehlung (Cooling): Same as the VK 30.01 but mounted lower. The fan drives are aligned differently, as well as the cooling air path.

Ketten-Antrieb (track drive): Lower gear ratio because of the longer track contact requires increased steering capability

Laufraeder (roadwheels): One whell more (8 total per side) because of a higher total weight than the VK 30.01 Oberbaurat Kniepkamp had concerns that the track would be thrown because of the great length between the last outer roadwheel and the idler wheel. The order for the inner and outer roadwhells was selected so that it results in both ends having 1300mm distance between the track leaving the roadwheel and being supported by the drive sprocket or idler.

Stabfedern (torsion bars): As a backfit modification the last two roadwheels on both sides had stronger torsion bars. This was done to eliminate the vehicle rocking so strongly that the gunner couldn’t observe the target again until after the projectile had already hit.

A crew of five manned this self-propelled gun. As always, the names applied to this project evolved with time, as follows:

• 12,8 cm Selbstfahrlafette L/61 Pz.Sfl.V (Rheinmetall, 1940)
• Schwere Betonknacker (In 6, 30Jul1941)
• Pz.Sfl. fuer 12,8 cm K.40 (Wa Z 4, 14Jan1942)

 

Production

Henschel was awarded a contract by Wa Pruef 6 to complete two Versuchs-Fahrgestell (trial chassis) and Rheinmetall was given a contract by Wa Pruef 4 to complete 4 guns. It was still being designed in 1940. On 25 April 1940 WaJ Rue (WuG 6) reported on the status of new models in development by Wa Pruef 6, including a 13 cm Kan. (Pz.Sfl.) auf Fahrgestell des VK 30.01 weighing about 35 tons. At this time the two Versuchssteueck were planned to be delivered in December 1940. If testing proved these to be suitable, AHA intended to order about 100. As reported in July 1941, the detailed drawings needed for production were available to meet the scheduled delivery of both self-propelled guns in August/September 1941. Finally, both Pz.Sfl. fuer 12,8 cm K.40 were assembled and tested by Rheinmetall-Borsig in early 1942.

It is possible, that the in-game stats will look something similar like this:

As you see the Guns have high RoF, this is because without this quality, the tank will be only an oversized Dickermax with the same Guns. Accuracy and Aim time stays quite low. Note that this tank is Open-Topped, also has 2 gunner. Penetration is over all Tier 7s and can compete with Tier 8 TDs, in both Penetration and Avg. Dmg.(Of course OP ISU-152  lefts everything behind)

Mobility is fairly low, because of weak engines and way too big size(Actually it is bigger, than Porsches’s Ferdinand), this gives 8,15 hp/t with the historical 320 HP engine.

This is for the first Part