Panzer III Ausf E 222
The Ausf E was the first model in the series to enter extended production, with its basic design remaining largely unchanged throughout the rest of the series thanks to a successful suspension system supported by torsion bars.
This new suspension design allowed for an increase in armour protection and weight, featuring six road wheels that were individually supported by torsion bars. The hull side was made of a single plate instead of segmented plates, and escape hatches were added on both sides of the hull. A vision port for the radio operator was later added to the superstructure side. A larger engine and a new gearbox were also introduced, although the latter caused problems during mass production. All Ausf E tanks were originally armed with the 3.7cm KwK gun, but many were later converted to mount the 5cm KwK L/42 with an external mantlet between August 1940 and 1942. To increase armour protection, 30mm plates were added to the hull front and rear, as well as the superstructure front, at the same time as the upgunning took place.
At the start of the campaign in Poland on 1 September 1939, there were only 98 PzKpfw III tanks in the entire Army inventory. The production of the Ausf E allowed for a slight increase in the official organization of light tank companies from three to five PzKpfw III tanks in the 1st platoon (1 Zug). However, production delays and the formation of special organizations such as the Panzer Lehr Armoured Training Detachment meant that some Panzer divisions in Poland did not have a single Pz Kpfw III tank. The service life of the Ausf E was extended by rearming them with the 5cm KwK L/42 gun, and from 1943, several of them were converted to Armoured Observation Vehicles (Panzer-Beobachtungs-Wagen).