Marder III Ausf. M, Sd.Kfz. 138 heeft de 7,5cm Pak 40/3 loop.
Aber 35L-05N
The last Marder III variant was based on the Geschützwagen 38(t) Ausf. M , a purpose-designed vehicle for self-propelled gun usage, again armed with the 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun. Ausf. M was the final variant of the Marder series and was a significant improvement over previous models, with its lower silhouette, sloped armour and much more functional fighting compartment. The In this variant, the engine was moved from the rear to the middle between driver and the rest of the crew. Because there was no engine in the rear, the gun and the crew did not have to sit on top of the engine deck as in previous models. The fighting compartment could be lowered down to the bottom floor level where the engine used to be. This decreased crew exposure, as well as visibility. Unlike the previous two Marder IIIs, the fighting compartment was closed at the rear protecting the crew up to their mid-section. It stayed open-topped. It could only carry 27 rounds of ammunition. The machinegun port at the front was eliminated in the Ausf. M in favor of an MG 34 or MG 42 carried by the crew. In the previous two models, the commander served as a gunner. However, in Ausf. M, the radio man moved to the rear with the commander and gunner, serving as a loader. Combat effectiveness increased because the vehicle commander was freed from manning the gun. The full name of the Ausf. M was Panzerjäger 38(t) mit 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 Ausf. M, Sd.Kfz. 138 . It was the variant which was produced in the largest numbers, in total 942 vehicles were built in two series from May 1943 to May 1944. Chassis numbers were 2166-2600 and 2601-3600 (overlapping with simultaneous Grille and Flakpanzer 38(t) production).