Tank Destroyer
Sturmgeschütz 40 – Ausf. G, German designation: Sd.Kfz. 142, class: Tank Destroyer, photographed in the Tank Museum, Bovington in the United Kingdom. This German Sturmgeschütz III, also known as Stug III, was used by the Finnish Army and was built on an adjusted Panzer III chassis. It had a high-velocity 75mm canon. The 7,5cm StuK40/L48 is a 75mm Sturmkanone 40 with a barrel length L/48 (approx. 3,6m). Photographed at The Tank Museum in Bovington, England 2017.
StuG 40 – German Sturmgeschütz III
The Sturmgeschütz 40 (StuG 40) Ausf. G was the final and most widely produced version of the German Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun, a highly effective infantry support and anti-tank vehicle used during World War II. Introduced in 1942 and produced from 1942 to 1945, the Ausf. G featured significant design changes to improve reliability, firepower, and combat effectiveness.
The StuG 40 Ausf. G was armed with the 75 mm StuK 40 L/48 gun, a high-velocity anti-tank weapon capable of penetrating the armor of most Allied and Soviet tanks. The gun was mounted in a fully rotating, fixed superstructure, with no turret, allowing for a low profile and a smaller target for enemy fire. In addition, the vehicle carried a 7.92 mm MG34 machine gun for anti-infantry and close defense.
Powered by a 300-horsepower Maybach HL 120 TRM engine, the StuG 40 Ausf. G had a top speed of about 40 km/h (25 mph) and a range of 210 km (130 miles) on roads. The armor thickness ranged from 50 mm to 80 mm, providing solid protection against small arms and medium-caliber weapons, but it remained vulnerable to heavier anti-tank guns.
Weighing approximately 23 tons, the StuG 40 Ausf. G became one of the most widely used German armored vehicles, with over 7,000 units produced. It was used in a variety of roles, from anti-tank warfare to infantry support, and saw action on all fronts throughout the war.
Maija
This specific StuG III Ausf. G is a Finnish Sturmi as the Fins named the tanks. It carries the Finnish designation Ps.531-44 and was nicknamed Maija, it is one of the best-known surviving Finnish assault guns. During Finnish service Maija was painted above the driver’s visor. As mentioned it is a Sturmgeschütz III Ausf. G (7.5 cm StuK 40 L/48) and was delivered to the Finnish army in 1944 during the Continuation War. It was made by Alkett in Berlin dated May 1944 and has chassis number 105235. The Fins made several adjustments to the StuG’s like adding the wooden logs mounted along the sides. Some replaced the spare wheels at the engine deck with a large box and moved the spare wheels towards the side of the hull.
