Description
You are bidding on a VERY NICE relic example of a WW2 German Panzerkampfwagen Kettenglied (Track Link), as ONLY used on tanks incorporating the Panzer III and IV Chassis! This includes the Pz.Kpfw. III, Pz.Kpfw. IV, StuG III, StuG IV, Sturmpanzer IV “Brummbar”, Wirbelwind, FlaKPanzer IV, Wespe, Hummel, and others!
The Panzerkampfwagen III (Pz.Kpfw. III), commonly known as the Panzer III, was a medium tank developed in the 1930s by Germany, and was used extensively in World War II. The official German ordnance designation was Sd.Kfz. 141. It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and serve alongside and support the similar Panzer IV, which was originally designed for infantry support.
Production of the Panzer III ceased in 1943 but the Sturmgeschütz III assault gun which had been developed from the Panzer III chassis continued in production until the end of the war. About 18,000 vehicles based on the Panzer III chassis were produced between all variants, by far the most of any German AFV design in World War II and over a quarter of all tanks and assault guns produced by Nazi Germany.
The Panzer IV was the most numerous German tank and the second-most numerous German fully tracked armoured fighting vehicle of the Second World War; 8,553 Panzer IVs of all versions were built during World War II, only exceeded by the StuG III assault gun with 10,086 vehicles. Its chassis was also used as the base for many other fighting vehicles, including the Sturmgeschütz IV assault gun, the Jagdpanzer IV self-propelled anti-tank gun, the Wirbelwind and Ostwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, and the Brummbär self-propelled gun.
The Panzer IV was partially succeeded by the Panther medium tank, which was introduced to counter the Soviet T-34, although it continued to be a significant component of German armoured formations to the end of the war. It was the most widely exported tank in German service, with around 300 sold to Finland, Romania, Spain and Bulgaria. After the war, Syria procured Panzer IVs from France and Czechoslovakia, which saw combat in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Made of solid steel, this Panzer Track Link is in NICE relic condition! This is the mid-war variant, and was found in Russia, so was most likely manufactured between 1941 and 1943. It does have some pitting, but it is VERY solid otherwise. Though a bit tough to read, there are some manufacture stamps are molded into the sides. Approx. 380mm (15″) in length there are no breaks, damage, or cracks! Needs a bit of a clean, as there is still some dirt internally. I have shown its location in the last photos. Weighing approx. 15 lbs., it would make a PERFECT item for any collection or display!
