From 1941, various proposals had been made
for a self-propelled version of the 10.5cm leFH18. Krupp designed a special
vehicle based on the Pz Kpfw IV components, using a smaller engine, hull and
three-station bogies per side, with larger road wheels. Krupp's Pz Sf IVb had a
partly-traversing turret which was open-topped. A Test Series of eight units
was ordered. Production vehicles were to have the Maybach HL90 which gave
320PS. Production was cancelled because, on the subject of self-propelled
artillery, official thinking was tending towards carriages capable of all-round
traverse, with ability to dismount the weapon.
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The Sd.Kfz. 165/1 was similar in design to
the Heuschrecke, but did not have the chassis-mounted launching mechanism to
remove the turret. After a series of tests, the Sd.Kfz. 165/1 was accepted by
the Wehrmacht in early January 1940. In 1941, Krupp built prototype vehicles
armed with the 105 mm leichte Feldhaubitze 18/1 L/28 (light field howitzer 18/1
L/28, abbreviated leFH 18/1 L/28) cannon based on a modified Panzer IV chassis.
The prototypes were fitted with a smaller six-cylinder Maybach HL66P engine,
which had a power capacity of 188 hp (140 kW). Although 200 vehicles were
ordered, Krupp completed only 10 prototypes in the final four months of 1942.
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Alkett now proposed an interim solution of
mounting the 10.5cm leFH18 on the Pz Kpfw II chassis, and this was accepted as
the Wespe (wasp). In a final attempt to have their special GW IVb chassis
utilized, Krupp offered the design as the basis for the Jagdpanzer IV,
designated Panzerjager IVb (E39) mit 7.5cm PaK39 L/48, but the normal Pz Kpfw
IV chassis was again utilized.
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