German Armored Forces & Vehicles

LSSAH PzKpfw III J.

PzKpfw III J, identifiable, inter alia, by its additional frontal armour, in winter camouflage, probably winter, 1942/43. The LSSAH emblem is faintly visible at the front. This vehicle is possibly one of the "light" platoon of the heavy tank company of the LSSAH panzer regiment, which was commanded, briefly, by Michael Wittmann following his return from officer training on promotion to the rank of Untersturmfuhrer. The role of this "light" support was to provide a screen for the heavier, slower Tigers, eliminating close-range threats such as enemy antitank guns - not, on the whole, a very successful idea. Wittmann himself "graduated" to a Tiger platoon after about two months (in February 1943, if memory serves). Best regards, JR.