Panzer III Ausf N 124 of the schwere Panzerabteilung 501 DAK, North Africa
In June 1942, due to the PzKpfw III’s decreased effectiveness against enemy armor, it was decided to equip it with the 7.5cm KwK L/24. This gun fired a more effective high-explosive (Sprgr.34) round and a High Explosive Anti-Tank (Hohlladung) round with better armor-penetrating ability than the long-barreled 5cm KwK39 L/60 it replaced. The initial order of 450 was produced, using 3 from the Ausf J series and 447 from the Ausf L series. Since the troops favored the Ausf N, an order was issued in November to complete the Ausf M series with the short 7.5cm KwK. 213 Ausf M were converted, and an additional 37 PzKpfw III, returned from the front for a major overhaul, were also converted to Ausf N to complete the series of 700. The Ausf N had the 7.5cm KwK L/24 instead of the 5cm KwK, and did not have spaced armor on the gun mantlet due to the added weight of the 7.5cm KwK. Although the basic features were the same as the Ausf J, L, and M series, many of the late model Ausf N were equipped with a new cupola with thicker armor and a single hatch instead of the earlier split hatch design. Skirting armor was also added to the Ausf N during production from March 1943.
From September 1942 to May 1943, the heavy tank companies included 10 PzKpfw Ausf N for close support of the 9 Tigers. The Ausf N was also issued to the Panzer regiments of the Panzer divisions and used in the same combat role as the PzKpfw IV with the short 7.5cm KwK. At the start of the Kursk offensive in July 1943, there were 155 Ausf N with the Panzer troops in Army Groups Centre and South.