Entwicklung series
Encyclopedia
The Entwicklung series, more commonly known as the E- series, was a late-World War II
attempt by Germany
to produce a standardised series of tank designs. There were to be standard designs in six different weight classes, from which several specialised variants were to be developed. This was necessitated by the extremely complex tank designs that had resulted in poor production rates and mechanical unreliability.
The E-series designs were simpler, cheaper to produce and more efficient than their predecessors, however their design involved only modest improvements in armour and firepower over the designs they were intended to replace, such as the Hetzer, Panther G or Tiger II, and as such represent the eclipse of German armoured vehicle design by such tanks as the American M46 Patton, the British Centurion Mk 5/2 and Soviet T-54 tanks, which would have been the Entwicklung Series' contemporaries and likely opponents.
s, reconnaissance vehicles, tank destroyer
s and armored personnel carriers.
and the designs based on it. The 38(t) chassis was enlarged and redesigned. This new design was to be called PzKpfw 38 (d), d standing for deutsch ("German") as opposed to (t) for tschechisch ("Czech"). The designs based on this new chassis would all be in the 10 to 25 tonnes weight class.
The intention was to create several new light tank destroyers as a replacement for the Jagdpanzer 38(t)
, as well as a new family of Waffenträger armed with heavy anti-tank guns.
and Panzer IV
based designs. This family would include medium reconnaissance vehicles, medium Jagdpanzer
and heavy Waffenträger.
and Tiger I
and the conversions based on these tanks. The E-50 hull was to be longer than the Panther, in fact it was practically identical to the King Tiger in overall dimensions except for the glacis plate layout. Compared to these earlier designs however, the amount of drilling and machining involved in producing these 'standardpanzers' was reduced drastically, which would have made them quicker, easier and cheaper to produce, as would the proposed conical spring system, replacing their predecessors' complex and costly dual torsion bar system. As indicated by its name, the weight of the E-50 would fall between 50 and 75 tonnes. It's maximum speed was planned as 60 km/h.
and Jagdtiger
. The E-75 would have been built on the same production lines as the E-50 for ease of manufacture, and the two vehicles were to share many components, including the same Maybach HL 234 engine. The E-75 would have had much thicker armour however, and in fact compared to the Tiger II the E-75 had improved hull armour all round. As its name indicates, the resulting vehicle would have weighed in at over 75 tonnes, reducing it's speed to around 40 km/h. To offset the increased weight, the bogies were spaced differently than on the E-50, with an extra pair added on each side, giving the E-75 a slightly improved track to ground contact length.
According to some sources, the similarities between the E-50 and the E-75 went further; they were to be equipped with the same turret and 88mm L/71 or L/100 gun, along with an optical rangefinder for increased long range accuracy (German scientists and engineers had successfully designed a 'schmal' or narrow turret and infra-red lighting and sights for use on the prototype Panther F as the war drew to a close). Other sources however, indicate that the E-75 was to be fitted with the much larger Tiger II turret, which could be adapted to accommodate an even more powerful high velocity 10.5 cm gun.
The E-100
was to be a superheavy combat tank like the 'Maus', developed from an enlarged Tiger II chassis. It was to be fitted with the same turret as the Maus along with 2 other turret variants. Development and building of a prototype E-100 started in 1944 but was largely abandoned after Adolf Hitler
ordered an end to the development of the Maus.
Only the chassis was finished. It was taken to the United Kingdom
for evaluation purposes and eventually scrapped.
Development drawings have been circulated for E-100 variants including an E-100 with a twin 88-mm anti-aircraft turret (Alligator) and a tank destroyer mounting a 152/170mm gun (Krokodil). Although the subject of models and much discussion, it is not clear whether these would have proceeded to production with the E-100 itself.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
attempt by Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to produce a standardised series of tank designs. There were to be standard designs in six different weight classes, from which several specialised variants were to be developed. This was necessitated by the extremely complex tank designs that had resulted in poor production rates and mechanical unreliability.
The E-series designs were simpler, cheaper to produce and more efficient than their predecessors, however their design involved only modest improvements in armour and firepower over the designs they were intended to replace, such as the Hetzer, Panther G or Tiger II, and as such represent the eclipse of German armoured vehicle design by such tanks as the American M46 Patton, the British Centurion Mk 5/2 and Soviet T-54 tanks, which would have been the Entwicklung Series' contemporaries and likely opponents.
E-5
The E-5 was supposed to be 5-10 tonnes in weight and form the basis of a family of light tankLight tank
A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movement, and now primarily employed in low-intensity conflict. Early light tanks were generally armed and armored similar to an armored car, but used tracks in order to provide better cross-country mobility.The light tank was a major...
s, reconnaissance vehicles, tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
s and armored personnel carriers.
E-10
The E-10 design was developed as a replacement of the Panzer 38(t)Panzer 38(t)
The Panzerkampfwagen 38 was originally a Czech tank of pre-World War II design. After Czechoslovakia was taken over by Germany, it was adopted by the German Army, seeing service in the invasions of Poland and Russia. Production ended in 1942, when its armament was deemed inadequate. In all, over...
and the designs based on it. The 38(t) chassis was enlarged and redesigned. This new design was to be called PzKpfw 38 (d), d standing for deutsch ("German") as opposed to (t) for tschechisch ("Czech"). The designs based on this new chassis would all be in the 10 to 25 tonnes weight class.
The intention was to create several new light tank destroyers as a replacement for the Jagdpanzer 38(t)
Hetzer
The Jagdpanzer 38 , later known as Hetzer , was a German light tank destroyer of the Second World War based on a modified Czechoslovakian Panzer 38 chassis. The project was inspired by the Romanian "Mareşal" tank destroyer.The name Hetzer was at the time not commonly used for this vehicle...
, as well as a new family of Waffenträger armed with heavy anti-tank guns.
E-25
The E-25 designs, in the 25-50 tonnes weight class, were to be the replacements of all Panzer IIIPanzer III
Panzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III translating as "armoured battle vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and...
and Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
based designs. This family would include medium reconnaissance vehicles, medium Jagdpanzer
Jagdpanzer
Jagdpanzer , German for "hunting tank", is a name given to German self-propelled anti-tank guns.It typically refers to anti-tank variants of existing tank chassis with a well-armoured casemate fixed superstructure, mounting an anti-tank gun with limited traverse in the front, and usually classed by...
and heavy Waffenträger.
E-50 Standardpanzer
The E-50 Standardpanzer was intended as a standard medium tank, replacing the PantherPanther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
and Tiger I
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
and the conversions based on these tanks. The E-50 hull was to be longer than the Panther, in fact it was practically identical to the King Tiger in overall dimensions except for the glacis plate layout. Compared to these earlier designs however, the amount of drilling and machining involved in producing these 'standardpanzers' was reduced drastically, which would have made them quicker, easier and cheaper to produce, as would the proposed conical spring system, replacing their predecessors' complex and costly dual torsion bar system. As indicated by its name, the weight of the E-50 would fall between 50 and 75 tonnes. It's maximum speed was planned as 60 km/h.
E-75 Standardpanzer
The E-75 Standardpanzer was intended to be the standard heavy tank to be used as a replacement of the Tiger IITiger II
Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,Panzerkampfwagen – abbr: Pz. or Pz.Kfw. Ausführung – abbr: Ausf. .The full titles Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf...
and Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger
Jagdtiger is the common name of a German tank destroyer of World War II. The official German designation was Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B. The ordnance inventory designation was Sd. Kfz. 186. It saw service in small numbers from late 1944 to the end of the war on both the Western and Eastern Front...
. The E-75 would have been built on the same production lines as the E-50 for ease of manufacture, and the two vehicles were to share many components, including the same Maybach HL 234 engine. The E-75 would have had much thicker armour however, and in fact compared to the Tiger II the E-75 had improved hull armour all round. As its name indicates, the resulting vehicle would have weighed in at over 75 tonnes, reducing it's speed to around 40 km/h. To offset the increased weight, the bogies were spaced differently than on the E-50, with an extra pair added on each side, giving the E-75 a slightly improved track to ground contact length.
According to some sources, the similarities between the E-50 and the E-75 went further; they were to be equipped with the same turret and 88mm L/71 or L/100 gun, along with an optical rangefinder for increased long range accuracy (German scientists and engineers had successfully designed a 'schmal' or narrow turret and infra-red lighting and sights for use on the prototype Panther F as the war drew to a close). Other sources however, indicate that the E-75 was to be fitted with the much larger Tiger II turret, which could be adapted to accommodate an even more powerful high velocity 10.5 cm gun.
E-100
Panzerkampfwagen E-100
The Panzerkampfwagen E-100 was a German super-heavy tank design developed near the end of World War II.-History:The basic design was ordered by the Waffenamt as a parallel development to the Porsche Maus in June 1943...
was to be a superheavy combat tank like the 'Maus', developed from an enlarged Tiger II chassis. It was to be fitted with the same turret as the Maus along with 2 other turret variants. Development and building of a prototype E-100 started in 1944 but was largely abandoned after Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
ordered an end to the development of the Maus.
Only the chassis was finished. It was taken to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for evaluation purposes and eventually scrapped.
Development drawings have been circulated for E-100 variants including an E-100 with a twin 88-mm anti-aircraft turret (Alligator) and a tank destroyer mounting a 152/170mm gun (Krokodil). Although the subject of models and much discussion, it is not clear whether these would have proceeded to production with the E-100 itself.